‘Rizz”, a shortened form of the word charisma, was recently named Word of the Year by Oxford Languages, publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford defined the noun “rizz” as style, charm or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.
It can also be used as a verb as “rizz up,” which means to attract, or chat up a person.
According to Oxford, the word’s usage increased dramatically in 2023, when actor Tom Holland, who is best known for his Spiderman role in the Marvel cinematic universe, responded to an interview question about his “rizz.”
“I have no rizz whatsoever, I have limited rizz,” the actor said. “Rizz” was selected after Oxford received more than 32,000 votes and discussion among a team of language experts.
With “rizz” on the rise, and with the New Year coming, it’s time for communicators to assess the words they use, particularly yesterday’s buzzwords. As they say, out with the old, in with the new.
In an article in Inc.com, Minda Zetlin says that we seem to have a love-hate relationship with buzzwords. Buzzwords are common in workplaces, and PR PROs use them often, but a lot of people hate many of them.
In a recent survey of 1,551 American office workers, conducted by language tutoring site Preply, more than three quarters of respondents said that buzzwords made people sound more professional, and 71 percent said that they used buzzwords to sound more professional or smarter. But it doesn’t mean they like them.
In fact, some buzzwords are so bad that if people find them in a job ad, some won’t bother to apply.
Here she lists 9 Business Buzzwords People Hate So Much They Won’t Want to Work with You. Maybe communicators can reevaluate using them:
Rockstar
Zetlin says this tops the list of buzzwords that people see as a red flag. That’s because the implied meaning seems to be, “we expect you to wow us in everything you do”. Of course, one doesn’t want to feel that pressured.
Wear many hats
This sounds like a code for: “We really need to hire several people, but we’re going to keep the costs down by having you do multiple jobs instead”. That, Zetlin rightfully observes, might put someone off.
Thick skin
Corporate life is never easy, but if people who work for you need to put up with harsh criticism, insults, or belittling, “why would you brag about it?”
She adds, “rather than try to find job candidates with rhinoceros hides, wouldn’t it be better to address what sounds like a toxic workplace?” That would certainly be a better solution.
Work hard, play hard
Zetlin wonders what place this has in a job ad. “If I was thinking of applying, my first reaction would be to wonder what my off- hours activities have to do with my qualifications,” she says. “If I like gardening, knitting, and quiet hikes in the woods, what business of this is yours?”
She suspects this is another way of saying, “We’re looking for young people with kids.” Which, obviously is illegal in a job ad.
Ninja
The actual meaning of this word is someone who is trained in ancient Japanese martial arts for the purposes of espionage or murder. There probably aren’t too many of these for hire.
Informally, “it means someone who’s extremely good at something”, but it puts a lot of pressure —and bad thoughts—to people.
Even if they aren’t looking for a job, there are a lot of buzzwords that make people cringe. Here, Zetlin lists “some of the most hated, and most common buzzwords.”
If you use them, she warns, “your co-workers may be grimacing behind your back.”
New normal
Zetlin says that there are two reasons why people hate this phrase. The first is that people really hate it—perhaps because it is associated with Covid-19; and the second is that “embedded within it is the idea that today’s way of working and really isn’t normal.”
That’s bad “because we can’t wish our way back things used to be. The pandemic, the climate crisis, our broken political system —none of these is really new anymore. They’re just plain normal.”
The sooner we deal with life as it is and not as we wish it could go back to being, the better.
Circle back
“What are you circling back on?” Zetlin points out why many people dislike this phrase. Almost certainly, “it’s something people don’t want to think about the first time it came up.
That’s because implicit in the word circle is a dispiriting message: ‘No matter how much you would prefer not to deal with this, I’m going to bring it around and around again until you do.’
Give 110 percent
Zetlin laughs that “this is mathematically impossible.” More to the point, it’s code for “we’re going to make unreasonable demands of you.”
What she suggests is that we instead ask someone to give their absolute best effort, to give their all. “Let them know that the stakes are really high. Don’t ask them more than they give.”
Think outside the box
We have all worked with persons that are truly innovative—and they inspire us with their great ideas and boundless energy.
What inspired them? Zetlin says whatever it was, she can guarantee it wasn’t an exhortation to think outside the box, which she considers one of the tiredest clichés there is.
“This is a very un-creative way to get people to be creative,” she says. “If you truly want new, fresh ideas, find a fresher way to say so. You’ll be glad you did, and so will the people who work with you.” And for PR and PROs, this includes editors, and your readers.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.
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