Words, usages, and phrases that annoy the shit out of you...

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I blame the consolidation of global political power and the diminution of class mobility on people who write in the passive voice.

I also have a horror of people who write prolifically in all caps.

felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)


"It must say something about ILX that this is the most repeated topic of all time..."

This is true.

But, this is a topic that should be dealt with routinely and harshly... the only way we can correct the language and suppress it's organic growth is by exposing and banning every new usage as it occurs... Isn't that what the French do?

andy, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Least favorite (mis)usage ever - "ON accident..." it's BY accident you fucking moron!!

Also: 'fridge,' girls who refer to each other as 'girl,' proactive...i'll be back when i think of more....

roger adultery, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, oops, but still it pisses me off.

Ed (dali), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The recurrence of this topic is always accompanied by the recurrence of complaint about its recurrence.

the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Space. All this crap about needing space. Fuck off, then.

Roderick the Visigoth. (Jake Proudlock), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)

All girls must now refer to one another as "guy"

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:30 (twenty-two years ago)

ok?

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 03:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Using "Sexy" in a business environment that has nothing to do with sex. As in "this is a very sexy proposal for our company". Well, I guess, if ripping people off is what turns you on.

BrianB (BrianB), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 05:26 (twenty-two years ago)

'exact same'.

luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

"bird" instead of "girl" or "woman". AAAAAARGH.

Melly E (Melly E), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

When people call each other 'babe' and the completely inappropriate use of the word 'literally'. Also can I add at this point, even if it may not be entirely relevant, the unjustifiable grammatical error in Rachael Stevens' song 'Sweet Dreams My LA Ex' : "accuse me of things I never done." And I've listened hard for "I've never done" to try and give her the benefit of the doubt but she doesn't say it.

barbara wintergreen, Monday, 29 December 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Begging the question" and "chomping at the bit." The first is almost always used incorrectly, and the second should be "champing," Goddamn it.

Salmon Pink (Salmon Pink), Monday, 29 December 2003 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

or "bits"

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Monday, 29 December 2003 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

'any way shape or form'. Most heard in full-media-glare denials of misdeeds. Used by dodgy sportsmen who have been 'coached' by their minders for the occasion. It immediately strips the first dozen layers of credibility from whatever statement is being made.

'poetic justice'. Used by the lazy to describe all 'justice' the speaker approves of, instead of a particular type. The adjective is rendered meaningless.

Agree re 'bird' for woman/girl, and lament its threatened return. Stinks of 'I'm being un-PC, where's my medal?'. Also the C-person uses it, which kinda ends the argument.

Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Monday, 29 December 2003 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

optics

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

also photonic inplace of optic

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:10 (twenty-two years ago)

"the....(insert superlative)...in pop."

barbara wintergreen, Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

To return to the top of the thread, I still after 20 odd years gag on 'outreach' as a VERB....

Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Tuesday, 30 December 2003 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

the mightily empty "i could care less" variant on being unable to do the same

ermes marana, Tuesday, 30 December 2003 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...
People who pronounce the word "presentation" as "PRE-sentation".

J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:29 (twenty years ago)

since i was reading some VICIOUS anti- rachael ray sentiment last night and i'm still feelin' the love: "E.V.O.O. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL"

s/c (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:32 (twenty years ago)

"YUM-O"

s/c (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:33 (twenty years ago)

cf.

gear (gear), Thursday, 18 August 2005 07:34 (twenty years ago)

Also: 'fridge,'

Wait, huh? Fridge is the thing you put food in, whats wrong with it?

Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 18 August 2005 08:01 (twenty years ago)

Saying "it impacted on me" instead of "it had an impact on me"... well that's annoying enough but, just recently, I've heard people say "it impacted me" - which surely would only make sense if the speaker was a molar?

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

'fridge,'

I'm picturing him saying things such as "Would you like me to remove another beverage from the refrigerator for you, whilst we watch some association football?"

Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:29 (twenty years ago)

bougie, instead of bourgeois. heard it four times last week.

naus (Robert T), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

"Chav"

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

bourgie?

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

"Yes, sir, I am bougie, I am bougie... etc."

Win A Lie-Down, Mrs. Davies (kate), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:44 (twenty years ago)

"what the...?"

jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:46 (twenty years ago)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bougie

naus (Robert T), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

"He's on fire"

As used to describe a footballer running into a streak of good form

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

chav, prole, "get one...", but most of all commercials selling relatively expensive goods such as electrcal gubbins, fitted kitchens and the like where people say only "one-nine-nine-nine" instead of "nominally under two thousand quid". do you think not actually saying the proper number is fooling me?!!?!!

stelf)xxx, Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

"Raft"

When used in phrases like "a raft of policies" or "a raft of new measures" - why?!?!??!!?

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:03 (twenty years ago)

which surely would only make sense if the speaker was a molar?

Or a colon.

COINKY-DINK, "guestimate," and any time someone ends an interrogative sentence with "at," as in "Where's my keys at?" or "Where's your head at?"

pullapartgirl (pullapartgirl), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

"let's unpack that (concept/policy/statement/generalisation)"

"hating on"

gem (trisk), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

Oh! Oh! This one REALLY annoyed me the other day:

"Action" used as a verb. (Especially with regards to some annoying little thing I had already been doing.) "Can you please action this?" Actually, no I can't. Action is a noun. If you would like me to DO it, then just ask. Argh.

Especially when coming from the same irritating marketing bods who last week asked me to "manage the relationship" with one of our suppliers. Fuck. Right. Off.

Win A Lie-Down, Mrs. Davies (kate), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:25 (twenty years ago)

oh i used to have a PA in the cubicle next to me for a while that said 'diarise' as in 'sure, john is free on tuesday morning, i'll diarise it'. aaaaarrrrggghh

gem (trisk), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

"Boss"

A term of address directed at Turkish shopkeepers by 13 year old boys and directed by Turkish shopkeepers at everyone else. The most annoying ever.

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

I'm not your fucking boss!!!!!!!!!!

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

"Madam" when used by shop assistants. This kept happening to me yesterday.

DON'T MADAM ME, YOU LITTLE...!!! OK, according to Watching The English, this means that they have socio-status assessed me as middle class or higher. But it irritates me because it makes me feel old.

Win A Lie-Down, Mrs. Davies (kate), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

i like most of these. i just like variety. i do hate 'action', 'impact on, etc, though.

N_RQ, Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

dude, i call people 'boss'.

g-kit (g-kit), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:35 (twenty years ago)

I don't want you to think that I obsess over it, but "obsessing over something" as opposed to "being obsessed with/about something"

Diddyismus (Dada), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

People saying 'momentarily' when what they mean is 'in a moment'.

'Whilst'

estela (estela), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah i fkn hate 'whilst' and 'amongst'.

N_RQ, Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

i like whilst too! it's kinda romantic, like 'betwixt'.

g-kit (g-kit), Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

'betwexit' is ok, a girl i liked used it instead of between all the time. but whilst can fuck off.

N_RQ, Thursday, 18 August 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

well one is a word, one is an acronym that became just the word when people forgot it started as an acronym

Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Thursday, 11 December 2025 22:11 (three weeks ago)

like people say "goated" now but when people used to say someone was the GOAT it was in all-caps to make it obvious

Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Thursday, 11 December 2025 22:12 (three weeks ago)

a teenager just told me that my dog was “so aesthetic”

Tracer Hand, Saturday, 13 December 2025 15:41 (three weeks ago)

i’m so about the redemption of goats, what did they ever do to be so demonized?

budo jeru, Saturday, 13 December 2025 16:08 (three weeks ago)

Xpost did you keep it copacetic

Edward Albee Sure (Neanderthal), Saturday, 13 December 2025 17:04 (three weeks ago)

'sound design' is a funny one, it sounds a little like a chapter in an audio engineering book, but with a lot of electronic music it's what people are literally doing, designing sounds.

There’s an old interview somewhere with Kraftwerk where they said “we spend a month on the sound and five minutes on the chord changes” - it’s great and I try to use it as a parable for other stuff I have to deal with

trm (tombotomod), Saturday, 13 December 2025 18:48 (three weeks ago)

well, designing and composing are different words to describe the same kind of activity

more difficult than I look (Aimless), Saturday, 13 December 2025 19:05 (three weeks ago)

they are not but OK

trm (tombotomod), Saturday, 13 December 2025 20:37 (three weeks ago)

no, they are not. even limiting things to classical music there’s a meaningful difference between eg composition and orchestration

budo jeru, Saturday, 13 December 2025 21:03 (three weeks ago)

This is bugging the shit out of me so final word

brimstead: uses the phrase “guitar tone” in a post

NA: posts like an hour later that he hates “gatekeeper-y” terms like “guitar tone” in the “words that annoy”

brimstead: gets really mad at that because I assume they’re talking about me? is that not a reasonable thing to get upset about or am I just being too Californian?

Again, I’m gone, don’t worry, not even lurking, just not sure if people thought my shit came out of complete nowhere or something

brimstead, Sunday, 14 December 2025 03:14 (three weeks ago)

i guess id invite you to ask yourself whether a poster is entitled to post a phrase in this thread independently of whether you used it or not

then whether their having done so, even if you had used it, was them posting "about you"

most of what is posted itt is complete projection anyway.

Wichita Referee's Assistant (darraghmac), Sunday, 14 December 2025 03:40 (three weeks ago)

a teenager just told me that my dog was “so aesthetic”

absolutely (but also i secretly enjoy it)

mookieproof, Sunday, 14 December 2025 04:05 (three weeks ago)

weatherman says it’s gonna be warm all week at altitide

look, he's country's own david bowie- deal with it (Hunt3r), Sunday, 14 December 2025 04:35 (three weeks ago)

amazon.com referring to christmas as “gifting szn” — even spelled “season” it would still be gross

budo jeru, Sunday, 21 December 2025 23:12 (two weeks ago)

It's giving gifting

calmer chameleon (Ye Mad Puffin), Monday, 22 December 2025 02:01 (two weeks ago)

Tranche

Donald Crump (Tom D.), Tuesday, 23 December 2025 08:07 (two weeks ago)

in his battleship speech, Trump claimed to be a very aesthetic person

Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 23 December 2025 21:14 (two weeks ago)

most of what is posted itt is complete projection

Otm

Jonk Raven (dog latin), Tuesday, 23 December 2025 23:04 (two weeks ago)

lol

mookieproof, Wednesday, 24 December 2025 03:06 (two weeks ago)

Maybe not the exact thread for it but... when clothing manufacturers use non-descriptive words such as "regular" / "original" / "classic" / "natural" (all employed interchangably) to name certain fits unhelpfully.

(Specific example: Blundstones have a line of boots called "Classics" and another called "Originals".)

Kim Kimberly, Friday, 2 January 2026 22:34 (five days ago)

classic Kim Kimberly post

budo jeru, Friday, 2 January 2026 22:47 (five days ago)

boneless couch

jmm, Sunday, 4 January 2026 13:32 (three days ago)

On the topic of "classics" vs "originals" I do a lot of shopping in Primark. I remember seeing a Happy Mondays t-shirt in Primark recently. I wasn't sure what to think. Did Shaun Ryder die this this? And I mean technically he's not dead, but the point stands. Does Shaun Ryder mind, given that it's Primark, or does he not mind, given that it's Primark?

But anyway I remember being mesmerised by a store display of all the different types of jeans:
https://www.primark.com/en-gb/a/inspiration/styling-and-outfits/the-womens-jeans-fit-guide

I remember standing there, on the ground floor, pondering the difference between the different types of jeans. There are so many. There's a type called palazzo that, as far as I can tell, appears to be another name for flared jeans, but obviously it can't be because Primark also sells flared jeans. There are baggy jeans and wide leg jeans, which appear to be the same except that the baggy jeans are slightly longer. If you buy baggy jeans with a 29" inseam are they actually 29", or does Primark add a couple of inches so that they're baggy? Are they 29", or 32"?

They also have barrel leg jeans which bulge out at the knees, which is handy if you have arthritis. Do you know how many types of jeans they list on that page? Ten types of jeans. That's how many. Ten types of jeans. I've managed to understand the difference between standard jeans and slim jeans, e.g. mid-2000s jeans, but that's not enough. Now there are ten types of jeans.

And yet a part of me wonders if cowhands back in the 1800s also had a big range of different jeans, given that they were hand-made and agricultural workers tended to be drawn from a diverse pool of people from all over the planet. Did jeans slowly consolidate into the handful of styles that existed when I was young? Are they now expanding again to meet consumer demand? Thus the range of possible jean designs resembles a light cone, wide then narrow then wide again. Society in general has progressed from the organic diversity of chaos, to the managed regularity of mass-production, and now to the artificial diversity of super-advanced mass production.

From cars that were hand-painted, to cars that were only available in black, to cars that were all the colour of the rainbow, and now to cars that are mostly only available in black or silver because they are the only two colours people actually like. The dust mites have been hoovered up, compressed, and now released, but with the edges smoothed off. Could it be that jeans are merely a mirror of human progress. Is the future contraction, or will jeans simply cease to matter.

Ashley Pomeroy, Sunday, 4 January 2026 20:40 (three days ago)

satisfying post really, i am there. not sure if on topic, but close enuf.

also i have jean ennui

look, he's country's own david bowie- deal with it (Hunt3r), Sunday, 4 January 2026 20:48 (three days ago)

To understand the jeans department you have to know that for a solid fifteen years or so, women's jeans all fit like leggings, and you really had no choice but to go around with every contour of your lower body visible to all. What you are seeing in the women's jeans department is the long-awaited backlash to the Skinny Jeans trend.

Lily Dale, Sunday, 4 January 2026 20:49 (three days ago)

they're all so wide I look like a toddler though. i can envisage my perfect cut but they have never materialised!

kinder, Sunday, 4 January 2026 22:09 (three days ago)

"so it begins" LotR movies came out like 25 years ago, give it a rest

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 5 January 2026 21:05 (two days ago)

been hearing 'kinetic' a bunch in a military strike context... Hegseth, Leavitt, different DC talking heads: "A kinetic strike" or a "kinetic action"

They all seem to be using it so they sound smarter or more authentically militaristic

Andy the Grasshopper, Monday, 5 January 2026 21:10 (two days ago)

they’re morons playing dress-up

Tracer Hand, Monday, 5 January 2026 21:21 (two days ago)

"so it begins" LotR movies came out like 25 years ago, give it a rest

I had no idea this phrase was associated with LOTR.

jaymc, Monday, 5 January 2026 21:29 (two days ago)


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