November 20, 2013

The word ‘chaos’ has been removed from the Oxford English Dictionary in a bid to make journalists think of other ways to describe things.

Reporters genuinely describing chaos will now have to use longer phrases such as ‘complete disorder and confusion’.

OED editors hope the move will lure journalists describing something else into using another word.

Editors first considered redefining chaos as ‘the state of being described by a journalist’ but rejected the idea on the grounds they would have to do the same with ‘troubled’.

The move has caused mayhem for mathematicians studying complete disorder and confusion theory.

It’s understood OED editors have also considered ending a series of other words, including ‘move’, ‘bid’ and ‘after’ after its use by journalists after every sentence clause.

OED spokesman Neville Slacks refused to comment.