http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/debates/3394545/Oxford-compiles-list-of-top-ten-irritating-phrases.html
Oxford compiles list of top ten irritating phrases
A top 10 of irritating expressions has been compiled by researchers at Oxford University.
By Charlotte Bailey
Heading the list was the expression 'at the end of the day', which was followed in second place by the phrase 'fairly unique'.
The tautological statement "I personally" made third place â€" an expression that BBC Radio 4 presenter John Humphreys has described as "the linguistic equivalent of having chips with rice."
Also making the top 10 is the grammatically incorrect "shouldn't of", instead of "shouldn't have".
The phrases appear in a book called Damp Squid, named after the mistake of confusing a squid with a squib, a type of firework.
The researchers who compiled the list monitor the use of phrases in a database called the Oxford University Corpus, which comprises books, papers, magazines, broadcast, the internet and other sources.
The database alerts them to new words and phrases and can tell them which expressions are disappearing. It also shows how words are being misused.
As well as the above expressions, the book's author Jeremy Butterfield says that many annoyingly over-used expressions actually began as office lingo, such as 24/7 and "synergy".
Other phrases to irritate people are "literally" and "ironically", when they are used out of context.
Mr Butterfield said: "We grow tired of anything that is repeated too often â€" an anecdote, a joke, a mannerism â€" and the same seems to happen with some language."
The top ten 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
I would like to add one of my own... "It is what it is".
You don't get it.
Back in the day.
Apples to apples.
A level playing field.
Nice... Thanks...
What about, "ya know what Im sayin'?"
or the same phrase in one word, like most people use it, "nomsane?"
"perfect storm" needs to be retired
I like think the like most irritating phrase is like when like people always like tell me to like "Stop saying like all the damn time!" Then I'm like how else can I like totally like get my point across so like people like know what I'm saying? Like know what I'm saying?
;D
Just writing that was really pissing me off! ;D
Quote from: Jason on November 07, 2008, 02:47:00 PM
I like think the like most irritating phrase is like when like people always like tell me to like "Stop saying like all the damn time!" Then I'm like how else can I like totally like get my point across so like people like know what I'm saying? Like know what I'm saying?
;D
Just writing that was really pissing me off! ;D
It is what it is... :D
Add to that list:
- "Ya know?"
How about:
"A whole nother"
"Irregardless"
"Would/n't or Could/n't of" (to pair with the already-stated 'shouldn't of')
"Leader" (as opposed to 'supervisor' or 'manager')
"administrative assistant" ...it's a freakin' secretary. When did secretary become un-PC? What's wrong with that?
"C'est la vie"
"Psht" or "pfft"
Been there/done that (bought the tee shirt)
Whatever*
*someone saying this to you should be grounds for dismissal in a murder case-
^ Even better grounds...
"Like, whatever!"
"Totally!"
"Word"
"I heard that!"
"snafu"
"i'm calling the cops"
"your car payment's past due"
"stop touching me"
"why are you in my bed?"
"i'm pregnant"
the list goes on and on...
I have my own...
Gender? As in Esta o Esto in Spanish, "A" is fem, "O" is masculine, You are not the alphabet, it's SEX stupid!
Co-Conspirator? WTF? Conspirator MEANS you worked with one or more people to do ______ , So wouldn't co-conspirator mean that you worked with a criminal that worked with a conspirator?
Hero? As in "She was the hero". Uh, not according to the English language, see "GENDER".
What is the politically correct way to say Man Hole? Don't laugh, Women Hole has already been tried...and failed.
Unthaw, Double negative, if it's thawed out, and you UNthaw it, dummy you must be freezing it again!
Ain't Got No. Ain't got no money - Would mean, that you don't have ZERO money, so really you HAVE money.
Nosotros, Ustedes, (in Spanish) for all of us or all of you... For you Yankees out there it is simply Y'all in the South.
Yuse-Guys, If you say this, might I suggest a peaceful row house in Hoboken.
YANKEE = The foulest of words, an insult, as in "Those are fighting words". Or as in "You ain't had a good butt kickin lately right? Often used with the preface DAMNED, or DAMN. Involves railroaders in South America who now have broken noses... as in DON'T CALL DR. ROBERTO YANKEE!
"Hey Lookie Here Y'all!", Okay this phrase doesn't bother me at all. But for you Yankees, if you are out in the woods, the lake, a creek or river and some good ole boy yells this, GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY - it's probably the last thing he'll ever say!
On the other end of this is those words of comfort and joy.
God
Jesus
Bible
Wife
Family
Pecan Pie
Iced Tea (sweet of course)
lard
fatback
collards
cabbage
sucursal
RAILROADQuote"snafu"
David, I've not heard it used in the civilian world - but if it is they probably don't know that it really does mean something to us old military types. Here's a couple for your consideration and enlightenment:
SNAFU = Situation NORMAL - All F--KED UP.
FUBAR = F--KED up beyond all recognition.
BOHICA = Bend Over, here it comes again. OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: The Compound on November 07, 2008, 02:28:51 PM
What about, "ya know what Im sayin'?"
or the same phrase in one word, like most people use it, "nomsane?"
Far and away the most irritating phrase.
Ock,
I hear snafu being used alot by the softy office types.
It's usually something along the lines of "yeah hey how are you? Listen, there was a little....snafu with the Johnson account, yeahh if we could fix that it would be grrrrreat.
Let's see, what other phrases are annoying
Oh I know, the phrase "har har har' is pretty annoying when someone doesn't think something is funny (i get it a lot)
Hm what else..."i'll have a Latte with soy milk?"
"god willin the creek don't rise"
"do what now" when someone is asking you to repeat yourself
"i tell you what" a phrase commonly used to preface whatever it is the person is going to say next anyway.
Common phrases heard in the south also irk me for some reason, such as:
"that jags game was sadder than two two legged dogs trying to mate outside a kenny chesney concert" er maybe any of the it's hotter than sayings: "It's hotter than two gophers f***ing in a wool sock"
or any other jeff foxworthy-ism that requires that you speak in metaphors for that matter.
"youbetcha"
quote from RiversideGator
quote from StephenDare
quote from Driven1
quote from Midway
quote from Uptowngirl
quote from Bostech
quote from CharlestonNative
quote from Lucian
quote from BridgeTroll
quote from Tufsu1
quote from RiversideGator BHO ;D
I'll add one I can't stand..."my bad"
Yeah, the excessive quoting is really annoying. Especially when people quote themselves.
Boy, I couldn't agree more with that!
Quote from: Doctor_K on November 07, 2008, 03:39:42 PM
How about:
"Irregardless"
I love this definition to that word. "without lack of disregard" ;D
How about ANY of Rachel Rays "cutesy" words or sounds. My most irritating thing is when you are talking to someone and they keep repeating "Right".."Right"..Like they are trying to speed up the conversation or validate it for you.Yea you know who you are...
During hurricane season:
"Hunker down"
^ Very annoying!
Continuing with the hurricane season phrases, how about "Hi, I'm Jim Cantorie."
:)
Apparently at my work the phrase "sounds like user error to me" is just the pinnacle of comedy that never gets old.
For anyone who hasn't been subjected to it, if there’s something wrong with your computer or any kind of equipment you're using for that matter, someone here almost always say's "sounds like user error to me!" and then everyone laughs and laughs while I envenom a dagger.
Quote from: Jason on November 07, 2008, 02:59:23 PM
Add to that list:
- "Ya know?"
Yikes.
I had a friend who ended almost every sentence with that.
*shudders*
How about people jokingly refer to Target with the French pronunciation "Tar-zhay"?
and whatnot >:(
Quote from: David on November 07, 2008, 06:16:36 PM
"i'm calling the cops"
Hahaha, my friend Emily says that ALL THE EFFIN TIME! And sometimes she actually does it.
http://www.jacksonvilleconfidential.com/2008/07/mom-jeans.html
"an such"
"synergy"
"See what I'm saying?"
any acronym...UGGHHH and it is really bad when work has five acronyms for different items!!!!
As for military words, just to point out, CF was left out: "Cluster F***"
My one phrase that I had not heard until I moved here is, "usta could"...
Don't even get me started on that!!
I'm getting tired of "Mashup" not so much the word, but the annoying mixing of two unrelated songs.This is as talented as highly Vocoded Disco mixes. No creativity or original music,just copycatting.
Key word for a bad dj or a club that feels like they have to play every kind of music on one night
"Git 'er done!" So annoying!!