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
Drive to Pennsylvania and listen for “You’uns” (pronounced “yoons”). That always boggles me.
I hate it when i ask my nephews "Would you like something to eat?" and they answer "I'm good". Whatever happened to "No, thank you."?
Just tell me where the ‘wigdets’ are and I’ll decide for myself.
“The sales person must gather information before closing a sale”
No, I must gather information and make a decision before putting my money down. Just answer my questions and let me decide.
You act like the sales person is in charge of the situation. They aren’t, I am in charge.
I’ve got to be honest with you.
Let me be honest.
Why would you not always be honest?
Remember "ubiquitous"? That one was everywhere.
.”awnt” for “aunt”
As a pronounciation, or written? Perfectly acceptable pronounciation.
.”T-boned” as in “the car was T-boned in the crash” - I have no idea what that means
Common figure of speech. Means that one car impacted the other directly from the side, making a “T” shape, like a “T-bone”
.”oh-mawj” for “homage”
It’s a french word and that’s another perfectly good pronounciation of it. How do you pronounce it? “home-adj”?
“Where you to?”
That's too much conversation for me. I rate stores more highly that don't assault me with that question as soon as I enter.
I'll say, "Gasoline prices."
“Exactly the same, except . . . . .”
People that end most of their sentences with "... you know what I mean?" Drive me nuts!
Of course I know what you mean! I speak English and am 10 times smarter than you or anyone in your gene pool.
"Proactive" is an invented word to contrast "reactive". Active is an antonym of passive; reactive is another state of action. Still, "proactive" is annoying.
I hired a contractor to build an addition to my house. He began a lot of sentences with, "I'm going to tell you the truth."
Then, he lied. Every time.
The reason it sounds weird is because it’s incorrect.
But, as always, words (should) mean something.
When I say, "You're welcome," I'm saying I (would) welcome the opportunity to do it for you (again).
On the other hand, "No problem" just says I didn't have a problem doing it for you. I guess that's more like, "Don't mention it."
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