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Phrases that like really bug us all, basically
The Telegraph ^ | 5/29/2007 | Johanna Leggatt

Posted on 05/29/2007 2:17:17 AM PDT by bruinbirdman

Readers have responded in their thousands to The Daily Telegraph's call to select the worst phrases in the English language.

Since our invitation was issued in February, more than 3,000 of you have submitted personal inventories of the damned, containing the phrases, aphorisms and clichés that irritate the most.

High on the list of grievances was the increasing use of slang, poor grammar and the incorporation of Americanisms into everyday speech.

Many of you shared frustrations over the misuse of "forensic" and "literally", while management jargon such as "downsizing", "brainstorming" and "thinking outside the box" also received plenty of nominations.

The Daily Telegraph has responded with its own compilation of annoying phrases, and She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook is now available on Amazon.

Here is a selection of your comments so far:

"It's not rocket science". Rocketry is engineering, not a science. - Tony

The phrase "up close and personal" was irritating to start with and has become hackneyed and meaningless e.g. I went on a river trip and was thrilled to get up close and personal with a crocodile - Margot Lang

I can't stand "to die for". Nothing's that good and even if it was, you'd be dead and wouldn't be able to enjoy whatever it was. - Vivsy

"Pushing the envelope" always conjures up for me some ridiculous scene in a mailing room or post office. - Nigel Brown

Why, when someone famous dies, do tributes always "pour" in? Also, when a plane crashes in the sea, the media is quick to remind us that the waters are always "shark-infested". - S.Winrad

Only £1,999.99. - P.H.Heilbron

"This door is alarmed". Is it really frightened? - Alan Lawrence

The infuriating rising inflections at the end of sentences that make everything sound like a question? - Steve Grant

I hate being addressed as "hallo there". My name is not "there". And why have all the cookery books and frying pans disappeared? What is a "cook" book and a "fry" pan? - Susan Byers

When the waitress plonks the plate in front of you and says, "there you go". Where do I go? Where's there? - Ken Clarke

"It will be in the last place you look". Well of course I'm not going to continue to look for it when I have found it. - Tom Batt


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: cliches; language
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To: CalvaryJohn

“Not a problem.”


101 posted on 05/29/2007 5:00:17 AM PDT by Daffynition (A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.)
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To: gitmo

Between is used with two items, among is three or more.


102 posted on 05/29/2007 5:05:31 AM PDT by stayathomemom
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To: MaryFromMichigan
“Bush’s fault.”

(Can I get an Amen?)

Surely you jest.

No, I am not calling you Shirley.

I tell you what.

If you are from Texas, THAT is a complete sentence.

103 posted on 05/29/2007 5:07:33 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Guns don't kill people. None of my guns ever left the house at night and killed anyone.)
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To: bruinbirdman
"Best practices"-- pretentious and awkward management buzzwords. Efficient usually suffices.

"That said"-- Yeah, you said it; I just heard you. What happened to however?

104 posted on 05/29/2007 5:10:59 AM PDT by Dysart
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To: DManA
I've noticed southerners often begin a sentence
I feel like that we should .

.

Actually, we say "I think we oughta"

105 posted on 05/29/2007 5:11:10 AM PDT by WKB (It's hard to tell who's more afraid of Fred Thompson; The Dims or the rudibots.)
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To: WKB

I hear especially from authorities being interviewed. Maybe they are trying to sound formal.


106 posted on 05/29/2007 5:13:44 AM PDT by DManA
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To: Arrowhead1952
Great minds...
107 posted on 05/29/2007 5:13:46 AM PDT by MaryFromMichigan
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To: GATOR NAVY
"“I could care less” when they really mean “I couldn’t care less.”"

That one always gets me too. I also despise "have your cake and eat it too".

108 posted on 05/29/2007 5:15:41 AM PDT by KoRn (Just Say NO ....To Liberal Republicans - FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT!)
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To: bruinbirdman
"What's up?" When the speaker actually means to say, "How are you ?".

A good reply is, "the ceiling", or, "the sky".

109 posted on 05/29/2007 5:17:49 AM PDT by Red Boots
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To: DManA
Maybe they are trying to sound formal.

.

Kinda like saying "You and I" when we
oughta be saying "You and me".

110 posted on 05/29/2007 5:18:09 AM PDT by WKB (It's hard to tell who's more afraid of Fred Thompson; The Dims or the rudibots.)
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To: bruinbirdman

This is slightly off topic but I hear a definite shift going on in how the soft j as in just or ginger is being pronounced. It seems to be moving forward in the mouth so that it comes our dzust and dzinger. Anyone else hearing that?


111 posted on 05/29/2007 5:18:52 AM PDT by DManA
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To: MaryFromMichigan

LOL!!


112 posted on 05/29/2007 5:20:05 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Guns don't kill people. None of my guns ever left the house at night and killed anyone.)
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To: Red Boots
"What's up?"

.

"Ever thing" that ain't down!

113 posted on 05/29/2007 5:20:42 AM PDT by WKB (It's hard to tell who's more afraid of Fred Thompson; The Dims or the rudibots.)
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To: bruinbirdman
Well, for me, personally, I hate redundancies.
114 posted on 05/29/2007 5:23:42 AM PDT by leadpenny
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To: bruinbirdman
"Learners" instead of students.

This is rife in the education bureaucracy. I recently interviewed an educrat about a new charter school starting up in our area.

She went on and on about "learners". Finally I told her, " Learner is not a word. Go look it up in the dictionary; its not there."

What is wrong with using the word student ?

115 posted on 05/29/2007 5:23:47 AM PDT by Red Boots
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To: bruinbirdman

‘disrespect’ and its derivatives.

Drives me nuts.
An offshoot of the ‘self-esteem’ BS.


116 posted on 05/29/2007 5:23:49 AM PDT by Vinnie (You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Jihads You)
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To: Strategerist
"“At this point in time.” Means the EXACT SAME THING as “At this time” yet takes longer to say."

The fleeting quality of time means that by the time you say “At this time” it is already another time.

117 posted on 05/29/2007 5:25:02 AM PDT by OldEagle
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To: Wil H
I cannot stand “winningest”

Ouch!

Work is the worst for this stuff. My personal peeves are "touch base" and "24/7."

118 posted on 05/29/2007 5:26:09 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: WKB
"What's up?"

If I'm feeling nasty, I say, "The sky. I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

Then I wonder why no one wants to talk to me !

119 posted on 05/29/2007 5:28:51 AM PDT by Red Boots
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To: MaryFromMichigan
Great minds think alike.

Overused and generally untrue.

120 posted on 05/29/2007 5:30:44 AM PDT by CharacterCounts (Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!)
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