If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
In Oxford dictionary, the word underdog is a noun used to mean a person, team, country or group of people thought to be in a weaker position than others and therefore not likely to be successful to win in a competitions.
First, that word I always feel like it is a discriminatory because the stronger one usually don’t refer themselves as topdogs or overdogs which is the opposite of underdogs.
Second, it is unfair to think that any one that overcame several handles from their locality to be selected to present their region in a competitions are weak. No one goes and pick the weak people to present them in a competitions, before a team or a person has come to be in a competition, they have gone through other several competitions and won.
Third, if the gathering for competitions is a gathering of human beings, why talk about dogs. Why don’t you use words like under teams or under people. Why dogs yet dogs are not participating. Are dogs aware that there are human beings being referred as underdogs?
To refer to a study case, I have observed big teams being knocked out of competition by the soo called a weaker team. There was a time, the world football giant, Brazil was eliminated in group stages in world cup competitions. Games like football are full of surprises where unexpected team wins in a competition. It happens all the time and I wonder where this word underdogs comes from.
Few days ago we observed African championships played in ivory coasts and strong teams were given hard times by the teams perceived as weak.
Sometimes I feel like it is used to intimidate some nations or regions. Why would anyone strong want to engage in a competition with a weak dog. A strong person that would enjoy a competition with a weak person is either stupid or don’t believe on themselves.
Therefore, as a matter of fact, this word should be removed from English dictionaries and it’s usage be burned. Any broadcaster for example in sports that continue using this word should be fined for every mention of the word. The English experts should find a suitable replacement of the word, but more importantly, we should stop thinking there are weak people in a competition.