Subject: Top ten irritating phrases
Posted by: lesley153
Date: Nov 07 08
A top 10 of irritating expressions has been compiled by researchers at Oxford University.
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
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/debates/3394545/Oxford-compiles-list-of-top-ten-irritating-phrases.html
Do we find any other phrases even more irritating than this lot?
Posted by: lesley153
Date: Nov 07 08
A top 10 of irritating expressions has been compiled by researchers at Oxford University.
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
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/debates/3394545/Oxford-compiles-list-of-top-ten-irritating-phrases.htmlDo we find any other phrases even more irritating than this lot?
465 replies. On page 11 of 24 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
boxjaw 
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True, but I didn't bring up the thing about american baby talk. As an editor, don't you think we should exclude long held colloquialisms from this post? Just a thought. What? Reply #201. Jul 24 11, 8:52 AM |
| boxjaw
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:^) lesley, when was the last time you told someone that you went to the so british adult sounding "moving pictures"? What? Reply #202. Jul 24 11, 8:58 AM |
lesley153
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I don't see why long held colloquialisms should be excluded from a discussion of irritating expressions. Longevity doesn't reduce the power to irritate. And no, I don't go to see Moving Pictures, I go to the cinema, to see films. If you're searching for British colloquialisms, try seeing a flick, or going to the flicks. Reply #203. Jul 24 11, 9:16 AM |
| boxjaw
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from reply 200: "I may be imagining this, but I think we had railways even earlier than Americans got trains! And yes, the word "movie" is baby talk for the much more demanding words Moving Pictures. What else?" So one cannot shorten "moving pictures" to movie? I also enjoy going to the cinema (French). What is "flick" shortened from? Enlighten us all. What? Reply #204. Jul 24 11, 9:27 AM |
romeomikegolf
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"As an editor, don't you think we should exclude long held colloquialisms from this post? Just a thought. What?" No way. It allows people to learn about different versions of languages. Language evolves, most of us tend to stick to what we learn as children, but we must be open to other varieties. As long as it isn't garbage like chat speak. Reply #205. Jul 24 11, 9:32 AM |
| boxjaw
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RMG, if I would had called something "stuffy british talk", you would have been all over me about it. Have fun with this one guys. I'm going to eat some "Bubble and squeak" in "me" "flat". I'll turn on me "telly" and watch "Midsomer Murders". Then maybe a little "Auntie". I may get a little "ratted" after all the "pints" I've quaffed, I'll have a "rollie" and "hit the sack". What? Reply #206. Jul 24 11, 9:55 AM |
| lesley153
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" So one cannot shorten "moving pictures" to movie? " I didn't say one cannot, because one can, may, and clearly does. I just offered it as a word I find irritating. I believe that flick(s) refers to cards being flicked to produce a series of moving images, or to the way early films flickered: or both. http://www.slang-dictionary.com/definition/flicks.html Reply #207. Jul 24 11, 10:07 AM |
REDVIKING57
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Boxjaw,you've been here before,haven't you? Stone the crows! Be orf wiv ya! :))) Reply #208. Jul 24 11, 10:09 AM |
| boxjaw
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:^) lesley, the thread is fun, but you don't have to throw your imperialism around like dirty laundry. I tried have fun with that point on british slang. Look at the beginning of your own thread. These are now universal phrases that are bad. How can the word "movie" irritate you? Would not "moving pictures" be more irritating to hear? Fortnight. Who still says that? Now that's an irritating word. Do you talk with that lazy softish R that the english are so good at? Reply #209. Jul 24 11, 10:37 AM |
| boxjaw
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You know, the one that sounds like a W. Reply #210. Jul 24 11, 10:38 AM |
| REDVIKING57
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Another thread,perhaps? :)) Reply #211. Jul 24 11, 11:14 AM |
| lesley153
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Very few people pronounce R as W. It's not a British affectation: it's a speech impediment. Most people here use fortnight. Very few people here say "two weeks" when "fortnight" is appropriate. Have you ever actually been here, or listened attentively to British speech? How can the word "movie" irritate me? Because it does. Why can't you have a simple conversation without throwing in words like "imperialism" and "dirty laundry"? Reply #212. Jul 24 11, 11:16 AM |
| boxjaw
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We can have a most civilized and simple conversation. No more imperialism no more "American baby talk at its most babyish". As I said, I love the thread. As far as laundry goes, I need to do one today. ;^) Reply #213. Jul 24 11, 11:27 AM |
MotherGoose
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"Very few people pronounce R as W. It's not a British affectation: it's a speech impediment." After working with children for a while, I discovered that substituting "w" for "r" is a common but temporary speech impediment in children. They usually grow out of it by the age of 6 or 7. It reminds me of a funny but true story. We had a Japanese exchange student who was trying to learn English. She was very reluctant to speak with adults and make a mistake in her English, thus losing face, but she was happy to talk freely with the children in the neighbourhood. She used to chat quite a lot with one little boy who had such an impediment and needless to say she picked it up from him, thinking it was the correct pronunciation. We then had to try to correct her new English and explain to her why it was wrong. She had quite a bit of difficulty understanding that he had a speech impediment. On top of which, she had one too (typically using "r" instead of "l"). She used to say "it's a groomy day" instead of "it's a gloomy day". Decades later, we still say (deliberately) "it's a groomy day" in our house! (Apologies for going off-topic but I couldn't resist). Reply #214. Jul 24 11, 5:12 PM |
TungstenGillig
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No offence needs to be on there. I had an ex that used to say "Oh and no offence but, *here comes something extremely offensive". Reply #215. Jul 28 11, 8:37 PM |
bloodandsand
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Agree with you there, Tungsten. As soon as you hear the word "but" you know the person is going to say exactly the thing he or she is claiming NOT to be saying. Reply #216. Jul 29 11, 4:54 AM |
turbotude
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Tungsten and Blood: Is it possible we are all more annoyed with the people who USE the phrase, "no offense, but..." than we are with the phrase itself? Somehow, the ignoramus who prefaces a statement that way, feels that he/she is justifying rudeness, and it's okay to fling an insult as long as you've been 'forewarned'. These people are immature snots and should be avoided whenever possible. It's a little different from the friend, family member or colleague who occasionally throws out a trite idiom every now and then. Maybe? Reply #217. Jul 29 11, 1:13 PM |
| bloodandsand
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I think it's more to do with the subject matter, Turbo. You can hear the phrase used when someone is trying to point something out politely, but it seems to have become the phrase choice of bigots of all descriptions. Reply #218. Jul 29 11, 2:08 PM |
| lesley153
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Another bigots' favourite - "I tell it like it is" - announced with pride by people who see tact as weakness. Ouch - I've just seen "inbox" used as a verb. "Inbox me a number, and I'll write something about you." Please let it not catch on! Reply #219. Jul 29 11, 3:01 PM |
BOB501
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Lately: Congress is working hard.... makes me laugh and also sends chills up my backside. Reply #220. Jul 29 11, 3:45 PM |
465 replies. On page 11 of 24 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
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