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

One of my favorites of his

but as an owner of black cats, I'm not a fan of the term "voids".

i had no idea that "sketch" went back to the 70s! i thought it was a millennial invention.

We used to use "sketch" in Ireland to mean keeping a lookout for authority. If you were keeping sketch and you saw the teacher coming, you'd hiss "SKETCH!" at everyone and they would stop messing.

I hate it when people are doing old-timey Shakespeare talk and they put "eth" on the end of the wrong words. "I was shooketh." No.

I just saw this in the Guardian and wondered if they'd just made it up...

“LFI’s strategy of conflictualising and systematically obstructing everything in parliament has also really angered its partners,”

I just realised what Aussies use instead of ya'll! ya's! I.e. Whaddaya's doin? whaddayasreckon? canya's come over here?

Yeah our accent is close to Irish, cf “yiz”

yeah "gutted" is annoying and I associate it with the british and hyperbole, personally; it's akin to calling everything "brilliant". why go to these extremes.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Friday, 27 October 2023 16:39 (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink

British professional sportspeople have two emotional states: gutted or chuffed.

"oh, and by the way"

or just by the way in general

the british and hyperbole

One of my favorite examples of this is people using "You're a star" at work. Uh, really? I just did my job and answered your q. Not sure that really makes me a star lol.

“It is what it is” is not a term I hate, but it is very very silly. You’ll find it in nearly every baseball interview ever, and I chuckle to myself whenever I hear/read it. It’s part of my regular lexicon, but usual said with a smirk to a friend just to be a pest

Also, chuffed and gutted are the only two descriptive words one needs and I need to use them more (particular chuffed, what a banger (do we hate “banger” in here?))

Hyperbole in the workplace in a positive matter? Absolutely classic. Would love to be called a star for my regular work tbh

Reading the top of this thread thoughts:

1. Didn’t know other countries said “veggies”
2. I didn’t know Ben Shapiro wasn’t the first person to say “p-word”
3. Bring back “touch base” (and you know what? Let’s say p-word more, it’s so silly and fun)

I'm guessing/hoping the p-word is not what it means in the UK

Oh okay I didn’t know that was a thing. Definitely not silly or fun

I don't know what the p-word means on either side of the Atlantic tbh.

... oh hold on, no that is not advisable in the UK.

Hyperbole in the workplace in a positive matter? Absolutely classic. Would love to be called a star for my regular work tbh

― #1 García Fan (H.P), Monday, October 30, 2023 8:53 AM (thirty-six minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

It feels demeaning in some way when it's for really simple things. If it were something amazing that would be one thing but for literally everyday tasks I'm responsible for it's weird.

sometimes it can be used as a pretext to shit all over you later.

subtext being 'i said nice stuff to you before so i'm not a monster now that i'm saying really nasty stuff'

Agree with ENBB - saying someone is a star generally comes from above; there’s no way the receptionist is telling eg. a director that they’re a star for some small nice thing but a director handed a cup of tea by the receptionist will absolutely tell them what a star they are.

I called the woman who went out of her way to make me up a bag of donuts a star the other day and I definitely meant it

I mean most words can be used to patronise this is true but sometimes you're just legit elated when somebody does something for you

anyone can call anyone a star ime

Todd Rundgren can

I completely get what ENBB and suzy are talking about, lol it’s pretty much my mother’s mo

context matters I guess. I do often do what NV does and lavish people who take care of me with praise.

in conclusion,

anyone can call anyone a star ime

favorite Sly & The Family Stone song

re British hyperbole and "brilliant", I have heard British people complaining about Americans saying everything is "awesome"

idc about either fwiw

back in mIRC #metal chat in the eons before social media one of my friends used to get tired of my other friend calling every music release "amazing" so he'd type AMAZINGS! mockingly every time he used the word.

Suzy - yes!! I can't explain it really I just really really hate it. I do lots of things that would actually warrant the comment but it's more often said after things like literally sending one email or getting someone a coffee and I almost always cringe and just wish they'd said thanks.

I have also heard British people complain about awesome but lol come on. Hyperbole is their specialty!

I think I probably say "brilliant" more sarcastically than sincerely tbh

In the work setting where you are a worker and the ‘star’ compliment comes from someone up the hierarchy, it’s cringe. In other settings where a person is serving you, and they do something extra, you calling them a star isn’t as bad (but is still a compliment given to someone who is of service to you and not someone who you are serving).

Fuckin' magic, by the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASGgn8bNQuA

star is bad, but rock star may be even worse

because that's not only cringe, but also it's rockist

no one at work has ever called me a pop star :'(

Cheers for that, amazing stuff, you're a top DJ producer

Great work! You're one of Rolling Stone's Top 250 Best Guitarists!

Being told you're a star is the "that's a lovely dress you're wearing" of work compliments, it's sort out of randomly doled-out unthoughtful praise, because the idea of consistently valuing somebody who works for you is too scary and difficult

the proper response of course being "thanks, now let's talk about my pay"

i just think that you can imagine a phrase used every day in pleasant interactions across the world as fulfilling that function in specific cases and you're well within your rights to do so

id stop you short of "this is therefore what that phrase means" because its really not

I hear 'you're a star' all the time at work. It's phatic speech, innit? - shorthand for 'thanks for helping me out/sorting that thing/generally being amenable and not a dick'.

I'm with ENBB and Suzy here -- it's equivalent to when I am working as a server and I do what someone asked me to do (my job) and they say "you're the best"

The first few times in my life that someone told me that I was "the best" I was sincerely flattered and felt seen. When someone says that after I bring them what they asked me to bring them, it feels hollow and condescending.

YES

It's too much and feels phoney. Thanks really is sufficient.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it."

I think the offensive part is in the “you’re a/the (superlative)” — “thank you” is more than enough and it is nice when someone says they appreciate something I did. Because the focus is on them, not me.

I’d appreciate this minimal probably required interaction not representing my personal worth. I know ppl do it in a tossed-off way and still I think it’s worth noting the alternatives are superior for everyone involved in the interaction.

I’m even a fan of “I appreciate you” because it’s not a referendum am I good y/n it’s an appreciation.

I love “I appreciate you.” This is the worst fucking thread. :-(