Words and Phrases You’ve Come to Hate

[checotah]

"Climate change", "ISIL", "politically correct", and most recently, "FDA".

 

[mso489]

" ... until the last dog is hung..." Sounds like animal cruelty to me. Or, "...swing a dead cat..." Call the ASPCA.

 

[jmill208]

"Turn your head and cough"... Gets me every time.

 

[phil67]

Addressing someone as 'dude'. 'Dude, I totally disagree with you.'
Seriously... grow up.

 

[blueeyedogre]

"Do you know who I am???"...... When I was bouncing it was a sure way to end up at the back of the line.

 

[mso489]

Okay, this one's a little subtle, and I don't hate it in all cases. It is "those of us." Now if the context is "those of us in the train wreck who survived," it's just fine, and I'm glad people survived and I wish everyone could have. But often this is slipped in to congratulate the writer or speaker on their elite status, as in, "those of us who have sufficient command of the information," or "those of us who knew Nehru very very well," or, "those of us with the good sense to buy the stock early and sell during the boom." Okay, brag, but don't think people don't know you are bragging.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Folks who start a sentence with "Seriously..." is another gripe of mine :crazy:
They will have return tickets I hope Phil67 :nana:
Regards,
Jay.
PS: Taste of fine ash? I know not but burning briar I am familiar with.

 

[kanaia]

Islamophobia, homophobia, tranophobia, microaggression, social justice warriors and comming soon cacomorphobia.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

"...swing a dead cat..." Call the ASPCA

Ha ha, like beating a dead horse, swinging a dead cat really doesn't hurt the cat. Down here, you'll hear this very often, along with "as the crow flies," "a stone's throw," and "turn here Old Man Warren's barn used to be." None of these bother me, as I am one of those who actually knows where his barn used to be. ::

 

[weezell]

If your pipe says lit for more than four hours, call your doctor.

Call my Doctor? Hells fire I'd call everybody I know I would be so HAPPY!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Seriously, those of us who are experienced pipe smokers and above average intelligence and palate are the only ones who can appreciate _________ blend.
[thanks to mso for the inspiration.]
'S'up?

 

[maxx]

The words hegemony, valorize, privilege, and interrogate as used by the Cultural Studies people. Also the word butthurt used by anyone. Cohort seems to be another newspeak word, replacing group.

 

[maxx]

Selfie sounds like baby talk, like poopie.

 

[maxx]

Going forward, I am of the opinion that we should work as a team and put our heads together to think outside the box. We need to interrogate this topic and uncover the ways we valorize the current hegemony and privilege the language of the oppresive culture of paternalism.

 

[maxx]

Should have said patriarchy, not mentioning paternalism.

 

[danielplainview]

We celebrities demand a plan. :crazy:

 

[iamn8]

Max, we share this desire... Reading through these makes me want to write an essay utilizing each and every word listed...

 

[tmb152]

How about "hate crime?" Everything anymore in the news is a hate crime, as if anyone ever committed a crime with love.
Then there is:
"Gun-free zone."  Really? I've noticed that every time there is a news event, folks are getting shot in gun free zones. Aren't gun-free zones supposed to make you safer? Perhaps the problem is all the defenseless people.
And then there is "assault rifle" or "assault-style rifle." Virtually no one has a true assault weapon. Fully automatic rifles were banned long ago and those few with a federal stamp to own them are very very responsible people.

 

[mso489]

Earlier in this thread I complained about the word "pivot," to mean a change in direction. The media has caught up with me and I have heard at least two commenters criticizing its use. It was a fair image when it was first used to denote changes in emphasis in foreign affairs, but now everyone is pivoting to everything. Pivot to lunch, as I said in an earlier post.
Another bad one is "back in the day." Try to think what you mean. "When I was a child," or, "when my parents were children," or, "in the nineteen eighties," etc. Specify.
Also, that silly space filler (which once sounded so precise and serious) "at this point in time." How about as of today, or right now, or currently.

 

[mso489]

peck, I don't object to "so" beginning a sentence on grammatical grounds. I think it became a time-buyer and a tick with broadcast folks and others influenced by them. I've heard it used repeatedly in interviews, when the interviewee seemingly starts every other answer with "so." There are other alternatives, not the least of which are healthy pauses. Americans are afraid to pause for fear of being interrupted or getting a follow-up question before they have started their answer. 'Tis a shame. People need those several seconds to formulate an answer -- unless all we value are fast-talkers. That can't be right. A well-placed so could be a good start, just selectively.