Phrases that Currently Get Up Your Nose

[Wombat]

Some phrases just give me the irrits, big time (that's one of them). The ones that really annoy me would probably have been really good the first three or four times but have just become part of the grab bag of phrases that people who want to sound 'up to date' all say. Here's my current favourite hates, together with sample sentences, translations into more normal English and, where that isn't helpful, some further indication of their function, as far as I can tell. Please add your own. A cacophony of cliche. The more the merrier; it's all good (that's another.)

It's all good. As in 'My wife just left me to run off with an orthodontist, my uncle was diagnosed with a brain tumour, my dog just ate my hashish stash and vomited on the Persian rug and me secretary just made a blackmail call but, it's all good.' Translation: it's all rather crappy, but nobody really wants to hear me say that, do they?

Going forward .... As in, 'Despite another quarter of diminished profits, we look set for secure profits going forward.' Translation: in the future. But since all predictions are for the future, it's a bit puzzling why you would need to affirm this. My guess: it distracts from your lack of evidence for optimism and gives your audience the reassurance of knowing that you weren't planning on time travel in the immediate future.

Get over it! As in 'All right, we know your father disinherited you and your boss just made a billion with that invention of yours he stole. Just get over it! Translation: I'm well aware that you are the victim of massive injustice but I don't give a toss right now and I probably never did and never will.

Tell someone who cares As in 'All right, we know your father disinherited you and your boss just made a billion with that invention of yours he stole. Tell someone who cares! Translation: I'm well aware that you are the victim of massive injustice but I don't give a toss right now and I probably never did and never will.

Negative growth. As in 'Bolivia just experienced its 32nd consecutive quarter of negative growth.' Translation: the Bolivian economy just shrunk again. Oh come on, it might be OK. 'My brain tumour just went through a steady period of negative growth.' Now that couldn't be bad, could it? Trouble is: economists have the virus but doctors with good news don't.

Singing from the same hymn book As in 'If you're forced to approach senior management at any stage in this project, just make sure they're singing from the same hymn book.' Translation: have the same understanding and objectives. Straightforward enough, but where I work, whenever senior management are singing from the same hymn book, they seem to be on a different page.

[djm]

Sorry, but I would have to disagree with your use of the term "going forward". I have not heard it used the way you apply it in your examples. Rather, I have heard it used to mean progressing versus receding or degenerating. e.g. "I realize our thirty-third quarter of continued negative growth is beginning to wear creditor patience a bit thin, but going forward, I want to emphasize the potential we Bolivians have for positive growth." Something like that.

Of course, the obvious retort to such nonsense would be, "I don't Bolivia."

djm

[jkwest]

MY BAD

enough said...

[Congratulations]

MY BAD

enough said...

My father swears he invented the phrase "my bad." He really believes it in his heart of hearts. So you can punch him in the nose or something, if you want.

[Wombat]

Sorry, but I would have to disagree with your use of the term "going forward". I have not heard it used the way you apply it in your examples. Rather, I have heard it used to mean progressing versus receding or degenerating. e.g. "I realize our thirty-third quarter of continued negative growth is beginning to wear creditor patience a bit thin, but going forward, I want to emphasize the potential we Bolivians have for positive growth." Something like that.

Of course, the obvious retort to such nonsense would be, "I don't Bolivia."

djm

It's used the way I use it in this country. Of course, it's meant to suggest that optimism is warranted without actually supplying any evidence. It's possible that those who use it in the way I object to first heard it used your way but but only took on board (oops, there's another) the feelgood sound of the phrase.

[Wombat]

MY BAD

enough said...

Hasn't caught on here yet but it will. I hate it already, even from a distance of 15 thousand miles.

'My bad!' 'Whatever.'

[straycat82]

I hate words constantly tossed in while someone else is speaking... and I'm talking about when the speaker isn't pausing or looking for confirmation. I don't know if the interruptor wants to make it clear that they're listening or if they just can't stand to not speak for more than a moment but it drives me nuts.

Example: Person one and Person two talking:

So I was on the Chiff and Fipple Message Board the other day-

uh Huh...

And I noticed that there weren't as many conversations going that day-

right

so I decided to check google for any hot topics that could start some good discussion-

sure

and I came across an article about a coyote that had made its way into a sandwich shop-

crazy

and you can't imagine how many different people from various parts of the country had stories about coyotes-

oh, wow

that they had seen in thier rural community-

for reals?

No, for fakes... would you shut up and let me get through a sentence?

sure, sure, my bad

Anyways, there was this one story-

yeah?

That's it, I'm outta here.



Oh, and I threw another phrase in there that I can't stand: "For reals?"
It's very big with the teens... it also comes in the flavor of "No Way" or "shut up!" or "Get out!" or "Seriously?" or "no s**t?"

gah.

[jkwest]

haha!!

I always answer "For reals?" with no, for fakes...

[jsluder]

"No problem."

This one is particularly irritating when uttered by a waitron at a restaurant in response to a paying customer placing an order, requesting a drink refill, etc.. They make it sound like they're doing you a big favor by doing their bleedin' job!

[Tyler]

straycat

you got almost every one that annoys me in there.

For reals, man, I'm outta here

[I.D.10-t]

"No problem."

got problem?

[Tony]

Anyhoo...

[Jack]

"That's so gay." (In using the word "gay" to mean something stupid, horrible, laughable, obscene.)

"That's retarded." (In using the word "retarded" in much the same way.)

[Innocent Bystander]

Whatever.

[straycat82]

Anyhoo...

Oh, my sister uses that constantly and it makes me want to punch myself in the ear!