On the usage of "etcetera"

In Spanish, we use the word etcétera at the end of an enumeration to imply there are more things to mention, which may (or not) be important, but they will be omitted. Thus, I was fairly surprised yesterday when I was told that finishing enumerations in English using etcetera is improper.

Is there any good replacement for etcetera, something that may be used in a formal register without taking too many words, and not dependent on the context?

Et cetera, etcetera, etc., &c are frowned on in an academic register, probably because they seem slapdash and offhand: they give the impression that you can't be troubled to do the reader the courtesy of providing a complete enumeration—or worse, are incapable of doing so.*

This of course overlooks the possible discourtesy of requiring the reader to track through a long list of irrelevant details.

The solution is to signal, briefly, that you are truncating your enumeration as a courtesy to the reader. "... and others too numerous to mention" or "...and others which have no place in my argument" are convenient formulae. To assuage those who suspect your competence, or those who really are interested, you may add something on the order of "(for an exhaustive catalogue see Collins, 1978, 183-7.)"

When reiterating a previous enumeration you may avoid odium by replacing etcetera with "and the rest".

These are all very silly, but necessary with painfully solemn audiences; and it may give you some satisfaction to employ them with an absolutely straight face.

*There may also be some leakage from old-fashioned legal usage, where anything less than a complete enumeration of every conceivable item in a particular category, and explicit repetition of that enumeration at every reference to the category, might expose you to adverse judgment respecting any item you omitted.