# Does it really annoy anyone else the way "ban" is being used now? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 2, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353 "2020-02-02T01:26:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/1 "2020-02-02T01:26:05Z")
It always grated on my ears when the Brits used “ban” for a short suspension, but I could ignore it for as much as I listened to European sports. And until about 10 years ago it never seemed to be used for American sports. Now it is all over the place, particularly ESPN and the usage just blisters my ballsack. There is no such thing a 1 or 2 game ban. That is a suspension. A ban is permanent, or at least absolute and open ended until major development. Shoeless Joe is banned. Pete Rose is banned. Jimmy JointToke is suspended for 2 games, not banned. This [dude](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28608670/michigan-reinstates-zavier-simpson-1-game-ban) was not “banned” Does anyone hear somebody say “I’ve been banned from Applebees” and assume he means only a day or two? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/2 "2020-02-02T01:29:28Z")
I agree that ‘suspension’ is more accurate than ‘ban’ for a short period, but it doesn’t bother me much. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/3 "2020-02-02T07:52:04Z")
A three letter word social medias better than a ten letter word, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/4 "2020-02-02T09:02:42Z")
Calling that a ban is like suspending a student from school for a week then declaring he is temporarily expelled. It’s the wrong term. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/5 "2020-02-02T15:11:51Z")
We’ll change our use of “ban” when you change your use of “I could care less” ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/6 "2020-02-02T16:51:57Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > …the usage just blisters my ballsack… Far more than the usage, I think the more interesting phenomenon is why such a minor and seemingly innocuous semantic drift can cause such annoyance. (Not meant as any kind of specific commentary about you - this kind of reaction is common.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/7 "2020-02-02T17:43:04Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > We’ll change our use of “ban” when you change your use of “I could care less” Who is “you”? That’s not an American thing, that’s a stupid person thing. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/8 "2020-02-02T20:40:49Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Who is “you”? That’s not an American thing, that’s a stupid person thing. I dunno, seems pretty much exclusively a USA thing to me. I’ve never heard it from any other nationality. As for “ban” there’s nothing in the word’s definition that means it must apply in perpetuity. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/9 "2020-02-03T02:28:46Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I dunno, seems pretty much exclusively a USA thing to me. I’ve never heard it from any other nationality. In America we make fun of those who say it. Like “all intensive purposes”, or “mute point”. It’s considered a form of malapropism. > [@](#): > > As for “ban” there’s nothing in the word’s definition that means it must apply in perpetuity. That is how it is always properly used. The term “banishment” comes from the same place. The original use of the term is the Old English “banna”, which meant an official prohibition on something (as in codified by law). ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/10 "2020-02-03T08:34:39Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > That is how it is always properly used. The term “banishment” comes from the same place. The original use of the term is the Old English “banna”, which meant an official prohibition on something (as in codified by law). You might want to steer clear of making such sweeping generalisations. In the UK it is also properly used when referring to a prohibition of a set period of time. There is nothing in any definition I’ve ever seen that suggests this is wrong and in any case the words we speak don’t have official definitions to be obeyed, they have usage. The most common useage in the UK would be to say that “he was banned from driving for 18 months”. Perfectly accurate, correct and understood. No-one in the UK is left scratching their head wondering “how can it be a ban for both 18 months _and_ forever, that makes no sense” This just comes down to someone being tediously annoyed that people don’t use words in exactly the same way that they do. Welcome to the english language. Introduce such pendants to the word “fanny” and watch their head explode. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/11 "2020-02-03T19:38:45Z")
I remember chuckling over how cheating Halo players would whine about being ‘banned’ for a week or two. I said the same thing: That’s a suspension, you egg-headed Neanderthal. Bungie’s (not sure if 343 does this, now) response to anyone who contested a suspension but was shown proof of their cheating was legendary. They’d simply double the suspension. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/12 "2020-02-03T22:00:10Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Introduce such pendants _pedants_ ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/13 "2020-02-03T22:24:05Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > _pedants_ I assumed it was a reference to people hanging around the forum. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/14 "2020-02-03T22:38:00Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > _pedants_ I like the fact it autocorrected “pedants” but not “fanny”, it clearly has its priorities right. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-really-annoy-anyone-else-the-way-ban-is-being-used-now/847353/15 "2020-02-04T00:07:49Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I dunno, seems pretty much exclusively a USA thing to me. I’ve never heard it from any other nationality. I’ve always read and interpreted it as an elided form of “(like/as if) I could care less.” At any rate, I use it just to piss off the pedants. It’s just an idiom, but that’s a subject for another thread that has been literally been done a million times here before. And, yes, it is an American idiom that showed up in the US in the 60s. I’ve never noticed the “ban” thing, but I do see how that could be a little confusing, as I am more used to hearing it as a permanent ban here in the US in regards to sports. That said, there’s nothing about “bans” that requires it to be permanent. You can have temporary bans, of course.