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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| The ten most annoying expressions in the English language |
| 2008-11-07 |
| Not all University of Oxford researchers are uptight and humorless, "irregardless" of what you might think. In fact, a bunch of them compiled a list of the Top 10 Most Irritating Expressions in the English language -- just because we needed one. . . . The great hierarchy of verbal fatigue includes: 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 The list appears in a new book, Damp Squid: The English Language Laid Bare, by Jeremy Butterfield. . . . With all due respect, I personally at this moment in time absolutely intend to watch my own fairly unique rhetoric, 24/7, to insure I never use one of these phrases, mor others like them, ever again. You might say that it's a nightmare to even try, and I shouldn't of posted them here at Rantburg, but at the end of the day it's not rocket science. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #23 ARCLIGHT |
| Posted by: Thererong Turkeyneck2094 2008-11-07 21:55 |
| #22 Bling. Worse, bling-bling. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-11-07 20:09 |
| #21 "He took control of his own destiny" NO!! If he had control, by definition it wasn't destiny! |
| Posted by: GORT 2008-11-07 19:30 |
| #20 Boo - Yaaaa! |
| Posted by: Stuart Scott 2008-11-07 19:27 |
| #19 "Quantum Leap" Which we all know from Physics would be the smallest-possible leap. |
| Posted by: BigJonC 2008-11-07 18:55 |
| #18 Okay-y-y, so we're NOT talking about "ZOMG, like, IDK my BFF Jill ...TSUF"??? Gut Nuthin. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-11-07 18:44 |
| #17 Oh, totally!!! |
| Posted by: Adriane 2008-11-07 18:33 |
| #16 Presently I'm to bussy to contribute to this discussion. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-11-07 17:11 |
| #15 Iwas like He/she was like or commentator instead of comentor. A commontator is something you dig out of the ground to eat. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-11-07 16:55 |
| #14 "I could care less" - which means exactly the opposite of what's intended! It should be "I couldn't care less". |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2008-11-07 16:53 |
| #13 "One of the only..." This makes me hit my head on the desk. It's written by people who would like to say that something is the only thing of its kind, but aren't sure of their facts, so they create this abomination. Try "One of the few..." Also: most for almost. "Most everyone agrees that words mean what you want them to mean." Grrr. Ah, there. I feel healed and cleansed! |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2008-11-07 16:38 |
| #12 Please add....."Fair and balanced" "Spin Zone" "Don't be a pinhead" "Surge" "Disenfranchised citizens" |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-11-07 16:31 |
| #11 "journalistic integrity" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-11-07 16:11 |
| #10 How about "healing" and "cleansing" when not applied to cosmetic or health products/procedures? "Game-changer" is up there, too, though. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2008-11-07 16:04 |
| #9 using mute when intending moot. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2008-11-07 15:56 |
| #8 My personal teeth grinder is "I feel" instead of "I think". |
| Posted by: ed 2008-11-07 15:50 |
| #7 Looks like Hope and Change is leading the ballot. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-11-07 15:49 |
| #6 Q ships? |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-11-07 15:41 |
| #5 I think "Thrown under the bus" should be added to the list. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-11-07 15:40 |
| #4 That's hot. The above saying always sends me into a homicidal rage. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-11-07 15:22 |
| #3 paradigm at this point in time (more American than 'moment') really strawman ad hominem BFF these ones |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-11-07 15:10 |
| #2 11. Hope and Change |
| Posted by: ed 2008-11-07 14:54 |
| #1 1A - Hope and Change |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-11-07 14:52 |