Trendy words and phrases that grate - just for fun

[specialmama]

Two that bug me have already been mentioned: "prolly" and "my bad." But the one that really irks me is "walla." Okay, you're trying to mimic the french "voila" and saw some bozo write it as "walla" and that means it *must* be a word. :001_huh: It's now a common "word" but it doesn't mean anything; just nails on a chalkboard. A few weeks ago I was reading a (yes, published) fiction work and came across "bow newee" for "bon nuit." I just about blew a gasket. :cursing:

[Food4Thought]

The internets

 

I love that one. I use it all the time. Only in my head it's spelled "teh internets" and I don't mind that people think I'm strange for using a meme IRL.

 

Chillax is the top of my current most-hated list. Sadly, it's entered my vernacular via our youth group. I despise myself when I use it!

 

"For the win!" shouted out about any old thing. "Blackberries for the win!" DH overuses this one. :glare:

[hsbaby]

Oh man...I am so guilty of the over use of the word "random". However, I have said it for 15 years now...before it was trendy. Thus, I am a trend setter....right?!?!? The only phrase that really gets to me is "own". For example, when eating breakfast with dh in Las Vegas a few months ago, we overheard these twenty-something group of guys saying to each other "We OWN this night!" Yeah, we are old and were up eating breakfast before the "cool" people had even gone to bed. Anyway, I have heard it used in the same way a few times since and it is so irritating to me. It sounds like a line from The Hangover or something.

[breadnbutter]

 

Oh, and the dot.between.every.single.word. (Literally, I think that one is more cute than annoying...but I digress...)

 

When I read these I feel like I'm in a car and someone keeps slamming on the brakes every other second. I understand that it's an easy way to convey emphasis, I just wish I could read it without the whiplash.

[Brigitte]

My pet peeve is when people say "He went off on a tangent," when the mean "he went off on a tirade."

[angela in ohio]

I keep reading that someone or something is "in need of ______." It drives me nuts. Why not just say "needs _________." :glare:

[runamuk]

My husband and oldest daughter use the phrase "I'm just sayin'," to make a point in a conversation or argument.

 

The use of the word "gift" as a verb, as in "I was gifted some yarn" or "I'm gifting her with some homemade jam". It drives me up a wall! <---I hope that's not on anyone's list. :)

[annandatje]

Skill set

 

Networking as in meeting and mixing with people in your field of work

 

Rage as in "It's all the rage."

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I know that it has changed to "gramatically correct" according to some online dictionaries, but I HATE IT!!!

 

To use "invite" instead of "invitation" as in "I sent out the invites" or "Did you get the invite?" or "Do you think I should phrase the invites this way?" I had NEVER heard that until I was an adult and I think it has become more common in the past ten years. UGH! HATE it!! :glare:

 

Oh, and I hate it when they say "pant" on those "how you should dress" shows. Can you not say "pair of pants?" I don't wear A PANT. I always wear them in pairs.

 

And calling furniture "piece". "It's a great piece for that space. It will really make it POP!"~ACK!! :001_huh: That and karate-chopping the pillows makes me unable to take them seriously.

[Belacqua]

I know that it has changed to "gramatically correct" according to some online dictionaries, but I HATE IT!!!

 

To use "invite" instead of "invitation" as in "I sent out the invites" or "Did you get the invite?" or "Do you think I should phrase the invites this way?" I had NEVER heard that until I was an adult and I think it has become more common in the past ten years. UGH! HATE it!! :glare:

 

 

I always associate it with the doofus fraternity boys who used to urge us to "hand out invites" to their parties (nb: not marking all fraternity boys as doofs; the non-doofuses probably said "invitations").

 

I'm loving this thread, despite my fondness for some of the hated phrases ("epic fail" will always have a place in my heart, and I adore "chillax"*). Keep them coming!

 

* Granted, I prefer, "Chillax. You know you love me!" Stolen directly from Broadway, which I maintain elevates it a tiny bit. :)

[Parrothead]

 

The use of the word "gift" as a verb, as in "I was gifted some yarn" or "I'm gifting her with some homemade jam". It drives me up a wall! <---I hope that's not on anyone's list. :)

Oh, I despise this one. Does it really make the giving that much more special because it was gifted instead of given?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Oh, I despise this one. Does it really make the giving that much more special because it was gifted instead of given?

 

 

Hearing someone say, "She gifted me with a cake" makes me want to shove her face into it.

 

But, perhaps I'm just in a bit of a snit tonight? :glare: :confused:

[Word Nerd]

But the one that really irks me is "walla." Okay, you're trying to mimic the french "voila" and saw some bozo write it as "walla" and that means it *must* be a word. :001_huh:

 

Once I saw someone jump all over a person for saying walla on Facebook. Then she told the person the "correct" spelling—viola. :lol:

[Janie Grace]

I can't stand the FB thing between teen girls where one posts a pic and all her friends say "WHY do you have to be soooo pretty!?!" "WHHHY are you SOOOO CUTE?" etc.

 

Huh? How about "pretty!" or "you look cute"? I can't stand the melodrama.

[Belacqua]

I can't stand the FB thing between teen girls where one posts a pic and all her friends say "WHY do you have to be soooo pretty!?!" "WHHHY are you SOOOO CUTE?" etc.

 

Huh? How about "pretty!" or "you look cute"? I can't stand the melodrama.

 

Sounds like an offshoot of the old, "You're so pretty. I hate you."

[Lisa in Jax]

Lately, my son has been saying, "Beast," as in, "That's beast." "He's beast." I may turn into a BEAST if he doesn't stop. ;-)

 

DD says that things are "sketch," when she means "sketchy." If I'm feeling obnoxious, I just say, "y" (ee) when she says "sketch." ;)

 

"Yeah, No," makes me cringe, too. I hear it all the time lately!

 

I haven't heard it lately, but "my bad" was one that used to make me a little crazy, too.

 

Finally, when I watch a home improvement or crafts show on TV, I get so irritated when I hear glue gun or stapler used as a verb -- "I glue gunned it" or "I staplered it." Is it so hard to say, "I hot glued it," or "I stapled it?"

 

I need a job. These things irritate me too much! LOL

[GingerPoppy]

Awesome and Amazing. Everything is now awesome or amazing. How do we now describe something that really is awesome or amazing?

 

Especially if Gordon Ramsey is describing it: "You'll have the MOST AMAZING lemons and they'll bake into this MOST AMAZING pie..."

[Rosie_0801]

Anything talking about a "ball-park figure" gives me the darby dits. It's annoying enough coming from an American show, but it is almost inexcusable from an Australian.

 

I also hate when someone says "Cheer up, it could be worse!" Yeah, Lady, there are worse things than spending the morning at my grandfather's funeral, but I think I'm entitled to my flat mood just now.

 

Calling one's spouse "Dear" is taboo in our family. It's a very, very loaded word. :lol:

 

OK, no one has yet mentioned how preteens and teens are using literally to mean...not literally! I had one girl in my Sunday School class say "I literally died!" and I am blinking my eyes in incredulity because she, of course, is standing right in front of me very much alive.

 

I got a shock the first time I came across that too.

 

And it "drives me up a wall" (does that bother anyone?)

 

Of course not. I think of the synonyms and feel "drives me up the wall" is most definitely the polite choice.:lol:

 

"I staplered it?"

:001_huh:

 

I'm almost certain the worst linguistic crime out there is to apologise for things you haven't done. I don't mean "I'm sorry" when the person clearly means "I'm sorry to hear that, what a bummer," I mean when you drop something and someone says "I'm sorry" as though it was their fault for bumping you, but they didn't.

 

And a pretty close second is the way my hubby (yes I know that one grates, but see my sig below :D) puts "-ality" on the end of everything. My washing machine doesn't have "good functionality," it works.

 

Rosie

[cin]

I didn't read all the responses, but 'LIKE' bugs me, and when combined with 'REALLY?' It puts me over the top. (Did somebody say something about that phrase?)

 

I was talking to another HS mom recently and she was conveying a previous conversation to me. Whatever the other person said to her, and her next sentence was 'And I was like, Really?' Could she not have said "and I said is that really what happened?' or So I told him did you really have to say that to me?'

 

LIKE drives me crazy. But I'm finding myself using it too.

[Kathleen in VA]

I can't possibly reply to everyone but I've been nodding my head and laughing at quite a few of these. Y'all are so funny.

 

Rosie - what in the world are darby dits? Actually, it doesn't matter - I'm stealing that anyway.:D

 

I thought of a few more.

 

Go figure.

 

I can't wrap my mind around that.

 

And this is isn't really a phrase or word - it's just the quirky way Dd18 says "I'm going to" as in "I'm going to read a book." She says "I'n gonna." AACCKK!! "I'n gonna go take a shower now," "I'n gonna go for a run."

 

Oh, and I totally do not like the "pop" thing on home improvement shows either. (Although I do say it.)

[DawnM]

well, could be, but to me, you lay things out on the table (to deal with now) and put things on the shelf for later.

 

Ok, Robert's Rules of Order say:

 

Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending

 

However, people don't say that. They say, "Let's table this."

 

Dawn

 

Hmm, I thought this phrase came from Robert's Rules of Order where a topic can be tabled (deferred).

Edited August 29, 2011 by DawnM

[DawnM]

Huh, I hadn't heard that.

 

Dawn

 

:D Funny, ladies...

 

 

 

I agree with the first, but for the second item, I think it refers to a parliamentary procedure where a pending question is "tabled"--I think it means to set it aside with the option to take it up in another session.

 

ETA: Sorry, I missed that other posters already saw this...

 

This is probably just me, but I can't stand the word "modernity". I heard it endlessly in college classes and can't stand it anymore. Ugh!

[Janie Grace]

well, could be, but to me, you lay things out on the table (to deal with now) and put things on the shelf for later.

 

Ok, Robert's Rules of Order say:

 

Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending

 

However, people don't say that. They say, "Let's table this."

 

Dawn

 

That's a very common phrase in debate. It's sort of like shorthand. I don't think it's slang or a misuse; it's just how debaters say "let's suspend this discussion."

[Denisemomof4]

this "my bad" saying grinds my nerves to no end.

[mcconnellboys]

"Winning"

 

...especially when used by the idiot who coined it....

[LucyStoner]

well, could be, but to me, you lay things out on the table (to deal with now) and put things on the shelf for later.

 

Ok, Robert's Rules of Order say:

 

Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending

 

However, people don't say that. They say, "Let's table this."

 

Dawn

 

They say table it, I move to table this, etc in Congress. They have for many generations. I have never heard anyone say "I move to lay this on the table" ever. And I know Robert's very well, having served as a party officer as an adult and being a political nut since childhood (mock congress, model UN etc).

[musicianmom]

"Delish" instead of delicious.

 

"Like" when used as anything other than a simile or a verb.

[DawnM]

Interesting. Well, I learned something! Thanks.

 

Now to just get it not to bug me.

 

Dawn

 

They say table it, I move to table this, etc in Congress. They have for many generations. I have never heard anyone say "I move to lay this on the table" ever. And I know Robert's very well, having served as a party officer as an adult and being a political nut since childhood (mock congress, model UN etc).

[Rosie_0801]

Rosie - what in the world are darby dits? Actually, it doesn't matter - I'm stealing that anyway.:D

 

*cough, cough* Rhyming slang *cough, cough*

 

 

:blushing:

[Kathleen in VA]

*cough, cough* rhyming slang *cough, cough*

 

 

:blushing:

 

oooohhhhhh!!!!! :d

[ChristusG]

I can't believe no one has mentioned "sick" or "dope" when referring to something that they like.

 

For example: Wow, look at that motorcycle, it's really sick!

 

OR

 

That concert last night was dope!

 

Ummm....yeah, okay.

 

And when my 15 year old nephew visited us this summer, he used "epic" all the time. I just can't bring myself to describe something as epic LOL.

[Rosie_0801]

oooohhhhhh!!!!! :d

 

One of my grandfather's specialties...

[Barb_]

Rachel Ray. Everything that comes out of that woman's mouth annoys me.

[Audrey]

"I hate to ask, but... "

 

Then don't, I say! :glare:

 

Because I hate passive-aggressive crap.

 

And, "I have friends who are (fill in ethnic group here), but..."

 

Because I hate racist/sexist/classist/elitist crap even more.

[Audrey]

Rachel Ray. Everything that comes out of that woman's mouth annoys me.

 

 

:lol: :iagree: :lol:

[pie]

:iagree:with "Really?" (heard my niece talking in a hateful/sarcastic tone to her 10dd while reprimanding her for something she'd done, and it sounded so mean!)

 

also tired of "wicked" as in "that was wicked funny!"

[lillysmom216]

Rachel Ray. Everything that comes out of that woman's mouth annoys me.

 

:iagree: and the word foodie. As in , "I'm a real foodie, what wine would you suggest to pick up the subtle tones of vanilla in this dish?" makes me want to serve them mad dog 20/20 in a bag.

[delaney]

"My bad." I HATE that! My bad what? Attitude? Body odor? Attention span? What? What is bad because you can't just leave it hanging there.

Even worse is what my DS 12 says "My B" He can't even get the whole word BAD out!

Others:

Brah-instead of Bro

hit me up

ping me

pinging

you right, you right

cell's good(meaning you want texts)

[LibraryLover]

What a bunch of cranky pants. You all remind me of George's parents on Seinfeld.

 

:)

Edited August 30, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Jumping In Puddles]

OK, no one has yet mentioned how preteens and teens are using literally to mean...not literally! I had one girl in my Sunday School class say "I literally died!" and I am blinking my eyes in incredulity because she, of course, is standing right in front of me very much alive.:confused::tongue_smilie:

 

Lakota

 

This is not new ;) The Trouble with Literally

 

As is often the case, though, such "abuses" have a long and esteemed history in English. The ground was not especially sticky in Little Women when Louisa May Alcott wrote that "the land literally flowed with milk and honey," nor was Tom Sawyer turning somersaults on piles of money when Twain described him as "literally rolling in wealth," nor was Jay Gatsby shining when Fitzgerald wrote that "he literally glowed," nor were Bach and Beethoven squeezed into a fedora when Joyce wrote in Ulysses that a Mozart piece was "the acme of first class music as such, literally knocking everything else into a cocked hat." Such examples are easily come by, even in the works of the authors we are often told to emulate.

 

How did literally come to mean the opposite of what it originally meant? The earliest uses of literally were "in a literal manner; word for word" ("translated literally from Greek") and "in a literal sense; exactly" ("He didn't mean that literally").

 

By the late 17th century, though, literally was being used as an intensifier for true statements. The Oxford English Dictionary cites Dryden and Pope for this sense; Jane Austen, in Sanditon, wrote of a stormy night that, "We had been literally rocked in our bed." In these examples, literally is used for the sake of emphasis alone. Click link to read more...

[Teachin'Mine]

What a bunch of cranky pants. You all remind me of George's parents on Seinfeld.

 

:lol:

[Cinder]

Brah-instead of Bro

 

Brah is Hawaii pidgin for brother. I grew up hearing this word all the time. In Hawaii. Haven't heard it outside HI, though.