Posted on 12/17/2010 10:53:07 AM PST by JoeProBono
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -A New York pollster said its survey indicates "whatever" is considered the most annoying or phrase in the English language by 39 percent of U.S. adults.
The Marist Poll of 1,020 U.S. adults, conducted via telephone Nov. 15-18 by pollsters at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., found 39 percent of respondents despise the word "whatever," while 29 percent cited "like" as the most annoying word or phrase in contemporary conversation and 15 percent said they were most incensed when people say, "you know what I mean."
The survey found "to tell you the truth" is the most irritating phrase to 10 percent of those polled while 5 percent said the word "actually" is their least favorite thing to hear in a conversation.
Remember....Talk To The Hand! Now that was dismissive.
Whatever. Ya think? But now, not so much.
I will not quibble over the diction of the late great Douglas Adams.
I hate the recent use of “on tomorrow”. IE- “we will be having a staff meeting on tomorrow”. Frickin’ hate that.
“Talk to the hand” has faded out like a bad fart, but “whatever” in this context is older. :’) I first noticed being annoyed by it when some late 1990s larvae would use it regarding *everything*, a signal that they didn’t want to discuss something further.
"Well, Duh!"
Brit writer.et.al, Jeremey Clakson has said "whatever" is modern youth's greatest contribution to the English Language.
How many times does one want to say "I have heard and understood what you said, but have such utter contempt for it that I cannot be bothered thinking of a response" - One word.
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