Tuesday, March 20, 2007

I know you'll know some examples

NPR's "On the Media" will be covering the McJob news next week.
n his 1991 novel Generation X, Douglas Coupland coined the term "McJob," to denote – as the OED now defines it – "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects." Now McDonald's is waging a battle to get dictionaries to redefine the term. Of course, McDonald's isn't the only trademarked name to be co-opted in an unflattering way. There's Spam. And Muzak. We'll talk about the phenomenon on the show this weekend, but we'd like your help. Can you think of other examples?
Share them in the comments here and with "On the Media."

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7 Comments:

At 6:15 PM, March 20, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

There's McMansion, of course.

 
At 8:10 PM, March 20, 2007, Blogger Nicole said...

Mickey Mouse

 
At 10:15 PM, March 20, 2007, Blogger Lane said...

Astroturfing.

 
At 11:39 AM, March 21, 2007, Blogger WordzGuy said...

bozo (?)
twinkie (which came first?)
Edsel

 
At 7:12 PM, March 21, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oreo
Pablum
Day-Glo
"drink the Kool-Aid"
Paint By Number
Walmartization
Barbie-doll
Chatty Cathy
Styrofoam (as in the much-decried "Styrofoam cup," which doesn't exist.)

I'm sure I could think of more.

 
At 9:06 PM, March 21, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll bet every hometown newspaper has been given a derogatory nickname by its readers.

 
At 2:55 PM, April 25, 2007, Blogger rknil said...

I can think of quite a few phrases that should be eliminated:

eye-catching design

... will make readers drop their cereal bowls

entry points

visual journalism

presentation "editor"

informative ACES seminar

 

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