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Tired, annoying phrases
- Thread starter David Jayne
- Start date
I've been hearing and reading, "to be honest ..." a lot lately and it is definitely annoying. When I hear it I usually interrupt and reply, "why, what's the occasion?"
I don't like anyone starting what they have to say off with "so". No real reason, it's just annoying.
"Just saying". This usually ends a statement when someone has tried to say something shocking and wants a get out of gaol free card. Congratulations, you've abandoned the 90s catchphrase of "No offense" and stepped into the 21st Century, but your statement is still superfluous and I'll make up my own mind whether you've insulted me or not without you bombarding me with meaningless niceties.
"In my opinion". If you don't say that in your statement, is what you are saying not actually your opinion? "To be honest" is the same thing.
"I could care less". Good, have a go at caring less. "I couldn't care less" means you're at your rock bottom level of caring, you don't care at all. On a positive note you've only got one direction to go.
And people who talk in similes. "Like this" and "like that". "And he was, like, dead". Do you mean he was in a similar state to dead but not completely dead, or do you mean he was dead?
"Just saying". This usually ends a statement when someone has tried to say something shocking and wants a get out of gaol free card. Congratulations, you've abandoned the 90s catchphrase of "No offense" and stepped into the 21st Century, but your statement is still superfluous and I'll make up my own mind whether you've insulted me or not without you bombarding me with meaningless niceties.
"In my opinion". If you don't say that in your statement, is what you are saying not actually your opinion? "To be honest" is the same thing.
"I could care less". Good, have a go at caring less. "I couldn't care less" means you're at your rock bottom level of caring, you don't care at all. On a positive note you've only got one direction to go.
And people who talk in similes. "Like this" and "like that". "And he was, like, dead". Do you mean he was in a similar state to dead but not completely dead, or do you mean he was dead?
I've been noticing that ever since the song "All About That Bass" became hugely popular people are now saying "____ is all about the _____" ALL THE TIME.
Just this morning my local weather babe said "Today is all about the sunshine." Sunshine is great, bass is great, but please stop using this phrase!
Gotta agree about "like," one of my daughters uses that word more than all other words combined.
Also gotta agree about "I could care less." That has been a peeve of mine for decades. When you say that, you're saying you care a lot... or a little... or some.
Another peeve of mine is something where people are trying to say the right thing but just misunderstand the rule when to use "I" or "me." They know to say "Sue and I are going to the mall" so they also say "Wait for Sue and I at the food court" which should be "Wait for Sue and me at the food court." It's easy when you take out the other person and say it the way you would if you were only referring to yourself. You wouldn't say "Wait for I ar the food court."
About 8-10 years ago EVERYONE around here was starting statements with "guess what." Drove me nuts, so glad that one finally fell off...
Just this morning my local weather babe said "Today is all about the sunshine." Sunshine is great, bass is great, but please stop using this phrase!
Gotta agree about "like," one of my daughters uses that word more than all other words combined.
Also gotta agree about "I could care less." That has been a peeve of mine for decades. When you say that, you're saying you care a lot... or a little... or some.
Another peeve of mine is something where people are trying to say the right thing but just misunderstand the rule when to use "I" or "me." They know to say "Sue and I are going to the mall" so they also say "Wait for Sue and I at the food court" which should be "Wait for Sue and me at the food court." It's easy when you take out the other person and say it the way you would if you were only referring to yourself. You wouldn't say "Wait for I ar the food court."
About 8-10 years ago EVERYONE around here was starting statements with "guess what." Drove me nuts, so glad that one finally fell off...
Jaco only needed four strings.
That'd be a great claim if it was four strings ever!
I can deal with cliches pretty well.
What drives me bonkers ( cliche) is the "I'll speak in vague terms and you fill in the words so you can understand". For instance: I went to the place and got the stuff for whaddayacallit's thing today"! Then you have to guess around and try to fill in the words the can't think of so you can get a clue of what in the world they are trying to say. They'll let you guess until you fill in the blanks, which apparently are too much effort for them to handle.
The other is the um uh you know o.k. spewer. That really gets me nuts when it is a person you would expect more from , such as a journalist, public speaker, or it would seem about 80% of people who do reviews and instructional videos on you tube. There is a guy on a radio show who boasts of having more degrees than a thermometer, but who doesn't seem to be able to get two sentences out without you know or o.k.
Then there is the person who tries to switch the conversation in a group of people to you, when they don't have eye contact or say your name, like you telepathically know across the room they are now speaking to you.
What drives me bonkers ( cliche) is the "I'll speak in vague terms and you fill in the words so you can understand". For instance: I went to the place and got the stuff for whaddayacallit's thing today"! Then you have to guess around and try to fill in the words the can't think of so you can get a clue of what in the world they are trying to say. They'll let you guess until you fill in the blanks, which apparently are too much effort for them to handle.
The other is the um uh you know o.k. spewer. That really gets me nuts when it is a person you would expect more from , such as a journalist, public speaker, or it would seem about 80% of people who do reviews and instructional videos on you tube. There is a guy on a radio show who boasts of having more degrees than a thermometer, but who doesn't seem to be able to get two sentences out without you know or o.k.
Then there is the person who tries to switch the conversation in a group of people to you, when they don't have eye contact or say your name, like you telepathically know across the room they are now speaking to you.
I agree, that phrase is stupid and it irritates the heck out of me. You're just saying ... what, exactly? Did you already say it? If so, then I know you've said it and you don't have to remind me. If not, why not?
So, if I'm honest, my faith in humanity has been, like, umm, restored and junk.
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Oh man my wife is TERRIBLE about this. She gets it from her mom and my father in law says it will never get any better. She will tell a 5 minute story and you have no idea what it's about. Then she turns the corner and starts into something totally different... maddening.
My wife would often ask me "Do you know what?" I finally got her to stop asking that question by replying, "Yes, I do."
@ChrisB2...yes. this is what I call the left turn w/o a signal. Change of subject with no warning. My favorite line is you'll have to tell me what you are talking about , I can't see the picture in your head.
I have some friends, a couple, who have this as their default communication style. I'll spew words, you interpret. They seem to do fine together with it, but I guess they wonder why other people can't get a clue what they are talking about.
I have some friends, a couple, who have this as their default communication style. I'll spew words, you interpret. They seem to do fine together with it, but I guess they wonder why other people can't get a clue what they are talking about.
Snarky........hate that one, really hate it. Maybe the stupidest new word to emerge on social media. Please don't call me "snarky" cause you can have a great big 'ol F U back atcha.
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