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

Four Words: Use Other Words Please
"Use other words please."
Commonly used phrases that inexplicably bug you
Most irritating cliche/phrase/expression
"Taking Things to a Whole `Nother Level!"
words that annoy
Words that should earn the author a slap
PROVERBIAL and other tip offs to poor writing

-- caitlin (wpsal...) (webmail), December 23rd, 2003. (caitlin)

Oh yes, yes yes. I second that one. And the people who say it, say it over and over.

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

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?

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

'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.

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

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?"

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

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

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?"

"hating on"

I have just learned a new spooky season-related word ENTIRELY AGAINST MY WILL: "boo basket"

Boo. Basket.

Boo....

Apparently this is an entire mylar-wrapped assorted gift basket that you...give someone for Halloween?? Made up completely of things they don't need that you bought at TJ Maxx or whatever??! I hate it so much. Go outside and smell some fucking leaves.

Civilization was a mistake.

maybe tomorrow i’ll go into work with a jason mask! spooky!

how is "and whatnot" not on this thread? i feel like i hear it every day and i never enjoy hearing it. i don't really know why it bugs me. but it does.

it had its day but i agree

Tired of "word salad" in record time.

People have Christmas decorations up in my office and I saw two trees in people's living rooms last night. Too early"!

Cohort … it sounds like a gross phlegmy noise… and it is growing in prevalence in my world … “cohort based learning” … which is also annoying because it reminds me of how many stupid people there are and why would I want to subject myself to that. It comes from a good place, in terms of assuming everyone has value, but in practice it rarely lives up to that ideal.

"late capitalism" - sorry guys capitalism is going to be around regenerating itself and fucking up the earth forever

― example (crüt), Thursday, March 12, 2015 1:09 PM (nine years ago)

i think its useful as a way of indicating that this is the last stage capitalism will be recognizable in its traditional form. the foundation of how a market works may stay the same but micro transactions, high frequency trading, 3d printing, online crowdfunding, automation/robotics etc (all phrases that annoy...) all point to a much more unrecognizable form that's clearly right around the corner.
― dutch_justice, Friday, March 13, 2015 7:29 AM (nine years ago)

Right around the corner, you say?

Herbert Hoover was notoriously fond of claiming "prosperity is just around the corner". It wasn't.

Ah, but Hoover didn't have the transformative power of 3D printing to help him.

Tired of "word salad" in record time.

― clemenza, Friday, October 25, 2024 2:16 AM (twelve hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

while it may not sound particularly technical, fyi 'word salad' is a commonly used term among psych professionals to describe a particular type of verbal disorganization in people who are floridly psychotic. i too am tired of seeing it casually used to describe trump though, with you there

As someone who likes salad and dislikes Trump … otm

Didn't know that...Harris is getting it now too.

do you guys think that "air of menace" would be a good band name? i read that in a book every once in awhile and think it might be good. there's nobody using it...

needs an umlaut

heir of menace...hair of menace...hmmm.

"the festive period"

https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Iconic-Book-Banner-wide-740x370.png

enough, for fuck's sake

was just in a zoom meeting and a colleague made a reference to 'boiling the ocean,' i.e. something that takes a great deal of effort when we probably don't need that level of detail

assuming this is some new business-speak I'll be hearing more of

We’ve been boiling the ocean for awhile now, nothing new.

Tired of "word salad" in record time.
― clemenza, Friday, October 25, 2024 2:16 AM (twelve hours ago)

This is actually getting worse with AI. Someone sent me an assessment last week that was 5x longer than it needed to be, to say what she wanted to say. Also at first she forgot to take the header off the top that said, "Here is your sophisticated, complex summary" or something like that.

I'm convinced this woman I've been seeing recently is using AI to compose text messages, too 'uncanny valley'

I'm convinced this woman I've been seeing recently is using AI to compose text messages, too 'uncanny valley'

"boiling the ocean" is one I've heard for many years

Ahh, okay... it was new to me

It’s been current in Britain for awhile in work contexts. I like it, it’s useful

Well, we don't have to boil the ocean.

We may have to drink from the firehouse.

But we should beware of drinking our own bathwater.

We need to figure out the long pole in the tent. Cover down. Answer the mail. Salute the flag.

Careful about the sharks in the water, and the wolf that's closest to the wagon.

*firehose, dammit

don't drink your own bathwater, but always eat your own dogfood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AsQtt3wmPc

“Whisper it, but….”

There was a particularly ludicrous version of this in the Telegraph this week, soundly ridiculed by its own readers:

“Whisper it, but the Middle East may be on the brink of peace”

oh that's great news tho

Surely the Telegraph was wittily harking back to Tacitus's "they make a desert and call it peace".

Saying some was “not on my bingo card” has had its time and now must go.

*something

Beginning a post with "(profession) here."

Ha, I almost posted that here a few days ago. 'Art historian here...'

I've never heard of "not on my bingo card"!

Obv it wasn't on your bingo card

Bingo player here

Bingo.