Competition time.
Based on the Oxford list of top ten most irritating phrases from 2008, you are charged with coming up with the most irritating combination of them, when combined with my own personal list. Also, add your own.
Oxford's most irritating phrases:
1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science
Marcel's most irritating phrases/words (not exhaustive):
1 - Like2 - You know? OR You know what I am saying?
3 - Don't judge me / You are being judgmental / Judge not (when misunderstood)
4 - actually...
5 - synergy
6 - Any overused sports cliche' (e.g. "110%", "bring our A game", etc.)
7 - It is what it is
8 - OMG
9 - Don't go there
10 - Any word that ends in "z" when it should be an "s" (e.g, boyz, songz, kidz, etc)
Now it is your turn. What is your list of the most irritating words or phrases.
Ready. Set. Go.
(FYI - comments may take a little while to approve. I am about to start jury duty.)
(FYI - comments may take a little while to approve. I am about to start jury duty.)
44 comments:
I mostly get irritated when 40-something year old white guys try to insert urban slang (or really any teen or 20-something slang) into conversations to appear hip and young.
I was on the elevator and this guy was probably late 40s and was recapping a meeting for someone over the phone. When he was done he said, "So that's the download on that."
First of all, the word you're looking for is "lowdown."
Second, the slang you attempted to use is "downlow" and that has a different meaning altogether than what you intended. Embarrassingly so.
Please stick to "standard" English unless you're absolutely certain you're employing the slang properly and even then, just don't.
irregardless
it's not you, it's me
"What is all boils down to..."
"to the cloud ..."
"I know - right?"
My all-time irritating phrase - "To be honest with you . . ." Okay, so the other stuff you told me was a lie?
"Nothing could be further than the truth," especially when used frequerntly.
It is, what it is.
LOL, and "think outside the box", also any "quick" text abbreviations.
"(anytime)AM in the morning."
This post is, like, you know, not exactly rocket science. With all due respect, Marcel - and don't judge me by saying this, but actually...OMG, I've dropped the ball on this comment! Oh well - it is what it is. As far as "synergy" goez...I won't go there. Because at the end of the day, at this moment in time, I personally and absolutely believe this fairly unique post does an okay job on how common speech is, like, a nightmare. 24/7.
I'm sorry - this comment shouldn't of been so ramblish. I know, I know - you could care less.
;-)
OK, my list:
* the overuse of the letter "X" in things like: "Xtreme"
* "could of" (it's could've or could HAVE)
* touch base or touch bases
* paradigm shift
Oh, and to Ragamuffin - no, that guy meant what he said: download. Especially if he does a lot of work with computers. That in fact, IS the lingo. Not "lowdown".
And that reminds me of the other one:
* download - I actually hear it all the time!
The use of the word "monies" as a synonym for "funds."
Any way, shape or form
I have a friend who fancies himself as a very devout Catholic. What is so annoying is that so many times he starts a sentence with, "Forgive my sin of pride, but . . ." He then proceeds to say nothing but extremely prideful and arrogant/elitist things about himself.
Some other pet peeve phrases are:
"I don't mean to be critical, but . . ." Of course nothing but critical comments follow.
"I don't mean to step on your toes, but . . ." They then do nothing but step on your toes.
"To be perfectly honest with you . . ." To which the perfect response must always be, "No, please continue to not be fully honest with me."
"Please don't take this the wrong way, but . . ." There of course is only one way to take it and it's not fun at all!
"It's a win-win situation"
"pick your brains" and "wrap my/your head around x.."
"That being said..."
"That being said..."
"Its scary"
"I could care less."
"Its a quantum leap..."
"I don't disagree."
"whatever" especially by teenager.
Anything that is texting but spoken out load " lol" brb" etc.
"No disrespect but..." usually followed by something very disrespectful.
"Swag"
"pick your brains" and "wrap my head around..."
"Not gonna lie"
"No offense, but..." and then I will proceed to insult you.
Answering a question with "Yeah, No." Contradictory much?(I do this all the time! And I annoy myself)
To all concerned, "I get it..., but"
I dislike (very much) the word "mashup". I also very much dislike the word "pop" when used like "this will make all the other colours pop".
"Let me be perfectly clear."
"When I was your age"
"Things were different/better back when..."
Anything that contains the words "young lady"
Well, basically anything my parents or most old people say but that would be too long of a comment.
Misused apostrophe's.
@Adoro
Well, it wasn't computers he was discussing. In fact, I'm in the IT field myself. That lingo isn't really all that popular but I could see some using it. He was just being Old White Dude Trying To Be Cool.
I dislike ", as it were."
I guess... (just say what you mean)
It's okay (no, it often isn't)
It doesn't matter (really?)
Good job (do you mean it?)
Don't worry (did I say I'm worried?)
Relax! (just leave me alone)
I'm hearing a lot of people saying "REALLY?!" in a sarcastic manner, which I am finding a little annoying.
Although I am 41 and am use many of these phrases, (single and going to school late in life... I never used the word, "Dude!" until I was 28 and going to school in Steubenville.) I still can't stand, "FYI". Also, although I am guilty of bad grammer, I still can't stand, "I had went...". I heard it in a professional commercial and almost drove my car into a wall.
Let me add "gifted" when "gave" would have been better. Example: "I would like to thank the Smith family, who have gifted us with the lovely poinsettias."
Oh, and here's another one: Using transitive verbs as though they were intransitives, as in, "This movie will not disappoint."
Acrost
Excape
Pundint (it's pundit!!!)
Alls (as in "alls I want to do...")
You go...(as in "you go, girl")
"Is what you do is this..."
"For what it's worth" - what does that even mean!?!
With all due respect, these are the only ones I could think of at the end of the day:
1) Imagining (as a business verb)
2) Refactor
3) Action item (instead of "thing to do")
4) Fundamentalist (from people who can't differentiate a crazed dynamiter on a Jewish schoolbus from the Wheaton College English Department)
5) debrief
6) deck (referring to a PowerPoint presentation)
7) in an ideal world
8) social network
9) new world order
10) across the enterprise
But, sigh, it is what it is...
Oooh, may I add to this already exhaustive list?! I teach at the university level. Recently, I had to discuss with my students the appropriateness of using certain words and phrases in formal presentations and essays. Here they are in order of popularity:
1) crap-ton (another variation on this is sh*t-ton)
2) hella
3) OMG
4) sooo totally awesome
5) making my head explode
Near or close proximity.
At the 50,000 foot level
And using "solution" as a verb
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