Newspeak is a false equivalency anyway. The whole point of Newspeak was to reduce the number of words to leave less room for rebellious thoughts. The sheer number of synonyms suggested in this thread (Monty Python allusions included) is a clear indication that that is not what is going on here.
As times change, languages also change. Some words fall out of favor, some find new uses. It's not a bug, it's a feature.

The violence discussion is a separate matter that lies along the same lines I feel. Not using the L word is a pretty small thing to do, but no matter what nice words you use you can't get away from the fact that the core of the game involves the forceful removal of certain players from the group. If that is a problem for you, then maybe this isn't your game. If there aren't enough players interested in playing this game, then this game will not be played. It's also not that strange.

In a classic Mafia/Werewolf game, there are two explicit forms of 'violence' than can't be removed from the (vanilla) game without making it a different type of game.

1. The Mafia's removal of players during the night phase
2. The Town's removal of players during the day phase

There cannot be a classic Mafia game without these elements of violence, but it is possible to maintain the game without using highly offensive terminology. The degree of offensiveness will change with the times. No member of society is under an obligation to anticipate what could possibly be offensive, but when presented with evidence that a particular term has specific offensive connotations the rest of society ought to make an honest assessment of the concern.

If a communal game's setting uses (or encourages) specific terminology that some folks find offensive, then I expect the GM to be open to explaining the choice of terms as well as being open to listening to concerns when expressed. For example: being 'drawn and quartered' or 'tarred and feathered' may not trigger some modern folks, but in their time those particular punishments were particularly abusive and had meanings far beyond simple punishment. I wouldn't expect either term to be used casually in a communal work of fiction, but if used I expect that the context would be well-understood.

Writing only for myself: I do not understand the term 'Mafia' as being offensive. From my research (and life experience) it is a very generic term that was introduced in popular culture (as opposed to 'culture') to describe a type of organization and was quickly was applied to the types of organization independent of any demographic group. The type of organization it describes is functionally descriptive in the same way 'pyramid scheme' can be used to describe 'multi-level marketing'. I have no doubt that MLMs can 'take offense' at being called 'pyramid schemes' (and not because of a possible Meso-American heritage) but as a completely functional descriptor such terms have well-defined meanings devoid of cultural significance.

We're talking a lot about violence being inherent to the game, but I disagree. This is a game with a core mechanic of player elimination. That is not inherently violent.

The NCAA college basketball tournament starts with a bracket of 68 teams. Each round, half of the teams are eliminated as they lose games until you have one winner. Teams are eliminated, but there's no violence.

The core mechanic is during the daytime, the uninformed majority of players elect to remove a player from the game. During the night time, the informed minority choose a player to remove from the game. Removing a player from the game isn't inherently violent, it's a game mechanic. The theming can make it violent, as it generally is when you are playing a mafia theme or a werewolf theme or as is frequently the case on this site a superhero theme. But there's nothing about the game mechanics themselves that require violence.

Is anyone actually arguing for the removal of violent content from these games, or are people just arguing for the sake of arguing?

I'm not arguing for it, but I'm asking if it's something we should consider when removing a rather violent term from the game if it's not better to replace it with something non-violent, like remove, rather than something violent like execute.

I think we settled on it being a game to game basis, with people judging for themselves whether that particular game and subject matter is right for them.

We still need a generic term to replace "Vote No Lynch", and a term to replace the use of lynch in roles like the Jester who wins by being voted out during the day. I think it would be better to choose something that doesn't have violent connotations.

I think mafia scum has settled on "elimination." Since we quote them in our rules, I think "elimination" is probably the best generic term.

Elimination doesn't say "passed vote by surviving players" to me.

"Convict?"

If we get a majority, the majority are voting that we think the person in question is guilty.

I think the question is about when we don't want to vote for a person.

I guess Vote: Bring on the Night can work as a rallying cry. Or something less wordy: Vote: Abstain

I just updated my rules post to remove every instance of the word. Here is the revised section on voting for my games. Parts in Red are the revised sections. It really wasn't difficult, and it changes nothing about the core gameplay.

2) Elimination Voting

• Elimination Voting is the act of choosing, by majority, which player will be eliminated from the game during the day phase. Players may vote for no elimination if they choose. Voting can be changed at any time during the phase unless otherwise stated.
• When voting, make sure to place your vote in bold. This allows the vote to be easily seen by the moderator. Votes that are not in bold will not be counted.
• Players may choose to leave their vote with another player. To do so, post in bold "Leave vote with <player name>".
• Players can vote for themselves. Be careful when leaving a vote with another player.
• Double voters are considered to have 2 votes. If a game effect doubles the vote of a player with a double vote, that player will have 4 votes for the day. If the effect says "Add an extra vote," that player will only receive 1 extra vote.
• Majority - Standard majority will be 1/2 the number of remaining players rounded up. Special majorities will be the number (1/3, 2/3, etc) of remaining players rounded up. If the number is even, 1 will be added for majority.

5) Specific Power Rules

• Bulletproof - A bulletproof status will only protect players from kills during the night phase. Bulletproof status may also be circumvented depending on other roles.
• Clue Cop - A Clue Cop may copy/paste any clue given as a result of using the Clue Cop power.
• Controlled Misdirect - A Controlled Misdirect will only yield reverse tracking results on the first target chosen. A tracking result will return both targets of the controlled misdirect.
• Doctor - A doctor will only protect players from kills during the night phase.
• Encourager - An Encourager will give another player an extra action during the night phase. Unless otherwise stated, an Encourager's action is performed during the day phase and cannot be affected by other powers.
• Guide - Guides prevent Misdirection, Controlled Misdirection, Magnets, and Role-Blocking powers. Bus-Drives, Jail-Keeping, and Pushers will override a Guide power.
• Jail-Keep - Jail-Keeping removes a player from the game during the night phase. Only the jail-keeper's action on that player will succeed.
• Lawyer - Lawyers may increase or decrease a player's elimination threshold. Unless otherwise stated, lawyer effects only last one phase cycle.
• Silence - Silence effects prevent a player from posting during the day. Unless a role specifically states otherwise, a player who is silenced cannot be eliminated.

I absolutely love and approve of thematic phrases!


Also, unless a moderator is stickler for the rules, it's a safe bet if someone votes along the lines of

Vote: No one

or

Eliminate nothing!

or

Our people shall be free of worry this day!

the moderator can figure out that they're not voting for anyone.

I really like Yeet personally. It's completely bonkers and unambiguous.

Personally (not that I've modded in years), I'd only count votes that actually have "vote" included in them, just to avoid ambiguity.

Plus it just sounds awesome.

YEET!