Your Beer is not "Delicious," nor is it "Amazing."

Some perfectly good uses of "Delicious" from the OED

I have a serious problem with the ever-presence of "delicious" and "amazing" in commercials, emails, social updates, and even conversations.  I would rant at you, but these texts messages might explain better.


Saturday, February 18.  Robyn and Erica discuss words, croissants, etc. 

R: Haha. I think [croissants] are about equal parts butter and flour.

E: Mostly. And delicious.  Don't you hate that word? 

R: I do hate delicious as applied to food and especially drink.  It was just gross sounding at first, but now people say it constantly so it's even worse.

E: Speaking of bad words, parry gripp, lead singer of nerfherder has reinvented himself and has a song called nom nom nom nom nom nom. Disgusting.

R: That is sick.  I'm also tired of people saying everything is "amazing."  It's like the educated person's cool word.  If something is "amazing," it better be goddamn good.

E: People don't know how to describe anything anymore. "these croissants are amazingly delicious!"

E: nom nom.

R: LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!     [This is hilarious to us because we NEVER use LOL in earnest.  Like, never.]

E: Haha!  Ewwwww.  This is a deliciously disgusting conversation.

R: Now that is a good use of delicious.  I like delicious air or a delicious morning.  Or Dean Martin: "Gosh your lips are...delicious!"

E: To me that line makes me picture him chewing on her lips.

R: Certainly.  But at least he isn't nomming on a delicious beer.

E: I guess I can only associate it with food.

R: I think people should use words that more precisely describe flavor.  Savory, sweet, aromatic, pungent...they've replaced them all with one word.

E: Ugh. True.  I'm so glad you have superb word taste.

R: I want to blog our conversation.  I was on the verge of writing about both delicious and amazing and this about covers it.

E: I was just thinking what a good conversation this is.  And I was going to describe my beer as definitively Midwestern with a cheap but not unattractive taste.  The wide mouth delivers its lackluster liquid languidly to my lips.

R: A perfect description.  I think you hit the nail on the head, that it is the power of description that people have lost.  Probably along with observation.

E: I know.



Erica knows.  Now go forth and use some good words.  Preferably ones that aren't vague.  And even more preferably, ones we haven't heard sixteen times today.