The linguists at Lake Superior State University join me in distaste for the "fiscal cliff" metaphor, but not because it's innacurate or misleading (my contention). They seem to dislike it merely because it's been so overused.
"Fiscal cliff" heads the 38th annual "List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness" put out by Lake Superior State University in Michigan.
"You can't turn on the news without hearing this," said Christopher Loiselle, of Midland, Mich., in his nominating submission, reports the Associated Press. "I'm equally worried about the River of Debt and Mountain of Despair."
Also on the list is "kick the can down the road" and "double down," both of which should have been retired years ago. God, they all three go together so horribly, don't they? If Congress keeps doubling down on kicking the can down the road, we're going over the fiscal cliff for sure!
