words that annoy

We cut out the middleman -- "mathematics" = "math"

"The". Fuckin' HATE that word. "A" sucks lots too.

"You know wha' else gives me the 'orn? The word 'and'."

"Phwoar yeah, 'and'..."

"Phenomenal" has got to stop. I remember a few years ago when everything every marketing person said included it. I think it's on the wane but I've heard "phenomenal performance" several times this week and I'm getting nervous.

Especially when the "o" is held too long.

née

genteel

how does REDOUBTABLE esentially mean 'not to be doubted'

that missing 's' is annoying me now

These annoy me...

"Tough." as a single word sentence, in the sense of "if they don't like it, tough"
"Useless.", also as a single word sentence.

These words are usually used by people who want to appear to be hard men but are in fact weak cowards. Say what you mean, and say it to my face.

Just as every box of breakfast cereal has its small but measurable share of rodent micro-turds, so too does the English language have its share of irritating words and phrases. This is inherent in its Nature (note the capitalized 'N', lending greater weight and authority to my ex cathedra bafflegab).

If you don't like it, tough.

reconnoiter

honky tonk

comptroller

"impact" as a verb

I personally love "comptroller" and am considering using it in a verbal form.

Perusing the deep thoughts in this thread it would seem that the most annoying words for most people are either recent coinages or else older words forced to do work they were not trained for.

One of these for me is: curate. Lately it has become fashionable to misuse this word. Presumably it sounds far more impressive than such mundane verbs as collect, edit, or present.

coital/coitus

not annoy so much skeeve out a bit. it sounds like how bugs do it or something brrr

I hate the word "tough", as in the sense "if they don't like it, tough". Because it seems to be used by people who want an excuse to be mean and/or act like hardmen.

"spendy" and "unpack"

"unpack"

You mean this in the English lit grad sense, yes? Or does it hurt you to hear tales of people moving?

"extant"

If you guys had yr way with English, the only words left would be "and" and "what".

"shit" - so overused.

Elmo, were you the one getting on me about "extant" recently? I always sort of misuse it when trying to stress that something exists, like "there are actual extant people in the world who do that!"

My annoyances are always more like business jargon, the usual offenders -- "spend" as a noun, for instance

Victorian pornography to thread.

The word "abrogate" is really annoying me right now because I'm reviewing a constitutional law topic where it's used a lot. But it's actually a perfectly good, useful word that means something very precise.

verbified nouns: task being the most recent popular one.

vibrant used in something like the following: "has a vibrant art scene," "located in a vibrant neighborhood" - where it seems like a euphymism for "involves low-income people and people of color"

premier: such-and-such is the premier blah-blah-blah (most of these assertions are either false or highly debatable)

cheers: (as mentioned in the first post) used by Americans (also see "shite" used by Americans)

I hate "unpack" in the grad school way.

Oh, man, I have to admit to liking that "unpack" -- totally overused, sure, but the metaphor seems really useful to me.

First time I heard that was in a PhD class, used by a student. It's almost all I remember about the guy - he once said 'unpack'.

You people are OK with 'cheers' used by Australians right? I say it all the time, inclujding signing off my emails. Now you're making me feel self-conscious.

I actually like "unpack," and will use it instead of "deconstruct," because deconstruct seems to cause more eye-rolling and memories of unpleasant Derrida associations.

people using "begs the question" incorrectly. When someone uses it correctly it really makes me want to weep for joy.
― teeny

OTM

"Deconstruct" has a pretty different spin, too, doesn't it? Or have I been totally missing some of the connotations of "unpack?" It seems like the general use is just to ... take a claim or idea that seems to bundle together or contain lots of internal ideas/assumptions and ... unpack the contents for individual examination.

Australians, Irish, other Europeans - I have no problem with using cheers ... or shite. It's the Americans (excluding Brit/Aussie expats) that do it that bug me, because it's an affectation, the purpose of which, eludes me.

I know a Canadian who says 'cheers'. Is that acceptable? I find it charming, like a Swede saying 'ho'. One that isn't Santa Claus, of course.

It's almost all I remember about the guy - he once said 'unpack'.

Remember the Anglo-Indian T.A. I had who referred to himself as "black" (as mentioned on some race clusterfuck thread)? That's one of two things I remember about him. The other is that he constantly used the phrase "part and parcel."

Also, no discussion of "unpack" and "deconstruct" would be complete without a reference to that old grad-school standby: "problematize."

"Deconstruct" has a pretty different spin, too, doesn't it? Or have I been totally missing some of the connotations of "unpack?" It seems like the general use is just to ... take a claim or idea that seems to bundle together or contain lots of internal ideas/assumptions and ... unpack the contents for individual examination.

That's how I use both deconstruct and unpack. Though deconstruct does carry all the baggage of Derridean deconstruction, that involves abstruse language games, and has connotations of taking apart that claim or idea in a rarefied academic manner. This is why, outside of discussions with people that have a similar background to mine, I will use unpack instead of deconstruct.

Problematize ... that was used in almost every writing assignment in my major (er, concentration ... to use the institution's term) when I was an undergrad.

No wonder you smoke so much.

^^ ha ha ha! Yes, I simultaneously smoke and problematize my smoking. American Spirits allow for five minutes of deconstruction time.

yea "problematize" is great, haha. i have trouble using it seriously anymore after so many undergrad theory papers

"i'm going to problematize the vagina" my college housemate once said, for a paper in feminist phil

yea "problematize" is great, haha. i have trouble using it seriously anymore after so many undergrad theory papers

I actually have this trouble as well. However, "problematic" is one of those words that I can't stop using. It comes in handy in professional communications, and is my diplomatic version of "wrong," "stupid," and or "likely to be fucked up."

I love both problematize and problematic, especially the latter.

I had a lecturer who'd correct anyone who said 'problematic'. He would admonish them that the correct word was 'problemic'. Also: many people say 'methodology' when they mean 'method'.

I had a lecturer who'd correct anyone who said 'problematic'. He would admonish them that the correct word was 'problemic'

Is it, or is it not? Now I'm confused and worried haha!

I use cheers a lot in email sign offs as well. I'm terrible for it.