These forae have inspired me to embark on a foray to examine the florae and faunae of the environs...
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Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .
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These forae have inspired me to embark on a foray to examine the florae and faunae of the environs...
Hm, fascinating.
Ah, so, just as stadium becomes stadia (not stadiums), I (for, as it happens, I did study Latin at school, that is, secondary school, not university, quite some time ago), had assumed that forum, - derived one suspects from the Roman term - when used as a public space, but an online one, supposedly becomes "forums" (my teeth are already grinding, reading that horror), not fora.
Well, one lives and learns, and I suppose that language changes as does everything else.
Yet my old school mind will still prompt me to write "fora", when considering how to describe a plural version of an online space.
Ah, so, just as stadium becomes stadia (not stadiums), I (for, as it happens, I did study Latin at school, that is, secondary school, not university, quite some time ago), had assumed that forum, - derived one suspects from the Roman term - when used as a public space, but an online one, supposedly becomes "forums" (my teeth are already grinding, reading that horror), not fora.
Well, one lives and learns, and I suppose that language changes as does everything else.
Yet my old school mind will still prompt me to write "fora", when considering how to describe a plural version of an online space.
Actually, assuming you're referring to a sports arena and not the ancient measure of length, both "stadiums" and "stadia" are acceptable plural forms of "stadium", and most people are going to use the former, as "stadia" sounds WAY too formal in casual conversation.
Sure. Fair enough.
However, - and this just happens to be true in my case - some of us (among whom I count myself) just are formal, formal by nature, by upbringing, by preference, in life, when using the written aord, and in casual conversation.
It is how we were raised, and how we are, and these are the words we use.
However, I do understand that language changes just as life does.
Doggo, puppers, or any other words like these that is used to describe a dog. Dog is a perfectly good word. Puppy works just fine for a young dog. I have a friend who refers to cats as "kitters", but I think that she's just trying to make it something. I've never heard that anywhere else and I hope that I never do.
Also the whole "pet parent" thing. Dog mom, stuff like that. Though I wish that I'd thought to jump on that bandwagon when it first started. I wonder how much money the people that sell "Dog Mom" clothing make. It sometimes feel like half of the women I see have "Dog Mom" clothing.
Also the whole "pet parent" thing. Dog mom, stuff like that. Though I wish that I'd thought to jump on that bandwagon when it first started. I wonder how much money the people that sell "Dog Mom" clothing make. It sometimes feel like half of the women I see have "Dog Mom" clothing.
I can't believe that I forgot furbaby. My only excuse is that it's still early and my thinking is still a little slow.
When it comes to people, the terms "Baby Mama" and "Baby Daddy" irk me. I"m also not fond of a little boy being gushingly referred to as "our Little Man."
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I wonder who thought this was a good idea:
‘Daddy’s Little Slut’ kid’s shirt pulled from Amazon amid backlash
The shirt has been removed, but other similarly offensive items by the seller remain.
nypost.com
I wonder who thought this was a good idea:
‘Daddy’s Little Slut’ kid’s shirt pulled from Amazon amid backlash
The shirt has been removed, but other similarly offensive items by the seller remain.
Never underestimate the depths of depravity some people will sink to. Unreal.
Another annoying word: "nothingburger" (meaning something that turns out to be insignificant or insubstantial). It's just a very weird sounding word.
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Did anyone say awesomesauce yet? I cringe when I hear that.
I cringe at the overuse of the word "awesome". It actually used to have some major significance when said; now it's so common that it is mundane.
BL.
Could be your subconscious was trying to blank it out. 😄I can't believe that I forgot furbaby. My only excuse is that it's still early and my thinking is still a little slow.
I'll know I have many examples or encounters of something annoying but when trying to recall them it's just blank.
"2023", such as "It's 2023 and Apple still doesn't support X."
We can see what year it is from the post date.
We can see what year it is from the post date.
Well, actually we can't until the post is at least a week old 😉 And if you're like Steve Wozniak, who has stated, "I don't do years," you might need to be reminded, lol!
Have the various "any" words been mentioned? There's a general lack of awareness that there are times to use a space, and a time to lose it. Does "any body" agree with that?
The most common violator seems to be anyway, when any way is what is needed.
The most common violator seems to be anyway, when any way is what is needed.
That problem has pretty much gone away. Anyway and Any Way have both been replaced by Anyhoo.Have the various "any" words been mentioned? There's a general lack of awareness that there are times to use a space, and a time to lose it. Does "any body" agree with that?
The most common violator seems to be anyway, when any way is what is needed.
Formal is not the word that comes to mind but educated is!
"Elitist" comes to mind reading that, if you're implying that people who say "stadiums" aren't educated. It's a completely legitimate plural form of that word.
First, here's a big THANK YOU to the OP for posting; this is a topic that unfortunately can really get under my skin. I don't remember which publication featured this recurring year-end article -- something like "Words that need to be retired for 2003," or whatever year it was at the time. I miss those articles. They, and my list below, include trendy words, overused words, outdated words, incorrectly used (or spelled) words, and I'd add incorrectly pronounced words too. While I'm far from a verbal perfectionist, I am a fan of the proper use of language, including understanding vocabulary. One of my favorite possessions is this wonderful unabridged second edition of Webster's Dictionary -- all 2300ish pages of it -- in its lovely, ridiculously tiny font. I inherited it from my grandmother, after it spent an actual lifetime in a hallowed spot in her house, second in reference, size, and value only to her Bible. It now resides in our home tavern, where it is consulted regularly in case of lexical interest or dispute (pint glass for scale).
(Aside - where in the world am I going to find a book cover specialist to replace the 55+ year-old leatherette and plastic custom cover? There aren't too many bibliophile curiosity shoppes here in central IN.)
The following ideas are my pet peeves only, and not representative of the management of MacRumors.com. They are, however, my pet peeves and my mere opinions, and thus indisputable. And I've got some free time here in front of the mac. Anyway, on to the list, in no particular order:
😘
(Aside - where in the world am I going to find a book cover specialist to replace the 55+ year-old leatherette and plastic custom cover? There aren't too many bibliophile curiosity shoppes here in central IN.)
The following ideas are my pet peeves only, and not representative of the management of MacRumors.com. They are, however, my pet peeves and my mere opinions, and thus indisputable. And I've got some free time here in front of the mac. Anyway, on to the list, in no particular order:
- Agnostic - I don't mean the word itself; it's a perfectly fine word, by way of its classical etymology. The current use in place of "ambivalent," "indifferent," or maybe "oblivious" is not overly aggravating, but still annoying: "I'm fine with using Apple or Windows; I'm OS agnostic." Yuck.
- Aks - As in, the mispronunciation of "ask," pronounced exactly like "axe." No, it's not cultural; no, it's not colloquial; it's just aspiring to ignorance. "You better aks somebody." No, you better not. You'll go to jail, and somebody will end up hurt or dead. I have occasionally called that one out in conversation when said conversation requires a monkey wrench thrown into the works.
- At speed - ARRGHH! There's a burr in my saddle. I see this one in car magazine articles all the time. "The new Tatra Avant Hybrid shows a remarkable composure at speed." At what speed?!?!? 5 mph? 150 mph? How about 0.3 mph in reverse? That's a speed too, ya know! Geez, can you quantify that a bit??? Hey car guy, saying "At speed" does not make you sound any more sophisticated or qualified.
- At this point in time - Utter verbal filler. While I enjoy embellishments and garnishes as much as the next guy, I'm going to go out on a limb and say they need to stay in poetry and music. I much prefer concise and economical language if one is trying to get a point across, i.e., the simpler the better. I've thought about it for a while, and I can't come up with a sensible use for this expression. Here's some alternatives: "At this time," "now," "then," or a personal favorite: leaving the expression out altogether. There's a good chance the sentence will still work without it!
- Back in the day (see At speed) - Good grief, do I hate this one. It has insidiously crept its way from slang to common use to seemingly proper English in the last few years. This nondescript qualification will derail my attention from the topic to the obvious question, "Back in what day?” Yesterday? January 8, 1827? Boxing Day? It takes Herculean effort on my part not to ask, "Which day?" when I hear that in a conversation with an otherwise experienced practitioner of the English language. That move inevitably brings the chat to a grinding halt, which, as I mentioned before, is sometimes a good thing.
- Beast - Ok, we get it. Your shiny new laptop is really good at updating spreadsheets or whatever. It's even better than your last one. It's not a "beast." Neither is your car, your phone, your stereo, or your favorite political pundit. There are almost limitless ways of expressing that thing's superiority over your last thing that was kind of like it. Please stop saying "beast" though. That one is done, and well past its freshness date.
- Ec cetera - GAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
IT'S "ET CETERA!" "ET! ET!" FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, IT'S "ET CETERA!!!!" Wow, I know it's from an old language and everything, i.e., "Latin," (which is the root of something like 75% of the English vocabulary - no citation, no hyperlink, I'm pretty sure I heard that from my Latin teacher, Sr. Paul, nearly a lifetime ago. Still, it sounds reasonable) but can you please bother to say it correctly? I used to hear that and just think "Hmm... moron." But I have been hearing that so frequently as of late, even from learned and educated folk, that I'm afraid that's a new optional way to say it. I can't help but make something like that one Christian Bale meme face when I hear "ec cetera." Exaggerated, yes, but fully expressive of my inner turmoil. It's not the conversational monkey wrench, but it can distract nicely.
- Ecosystem - I know it's a convenient way to describe all of your techie devices, "Oh, I live and work entirely in the Apple ecosystem," but you know what? It is just not right. Yeah, yeah, everybody knows the prefix eco- comes from a Greek word for "house" (duh!) so in some way ecosystem just means "parts of a system that are from the same manufacturer," but, hmmm, no. Ecosystem as a word popped up after "ecology" which referred almost exclusively to a branch of BIOLOGY regarding living organisms and their environment. You know, like the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees. (Also something-something in Sociology about humans and resource distribution or some such.) There are no biological Apple Inc. organisms (yet) so you don't get to claim ecosystem. Find a more appropriate word. By the way, if you ever said something like, "I'm agnostic to the OS of my work ecosystem," I... well..., I'll just go ahead and say it: **** you. I hate you.
- Laughable - This one is an MR regular. Many forums (this one particularly) have a noticeable number of users who seem to throw in clunky, 50 cent words to sound more intelligent. Often those words are obvious, and out of place. Now "laughable" isn't the worst in that regard, but it is definitely boring, and overused. Just stop, ok? Read a thesaurus or just stick with tried and true words like, "funny," or "silly."
- Orientate - Ok, again, this is a needless word, with a needless syllable. And it doesn't even sound good. Orient is perfectly fine. Have you ever heard of someone who is "goal-orientated?" If there is, perhaps he should orient himself towards a better description. I know "orientate" has been around for a long time, but then so have wasps, IPAs, and the human appendix. We don't need it. Stop.
- Performant - This is appropriate only in the most sophisticated, specialized, scientific papers, and even then, only very rarely. I'd say that, if words had personalities, this would be the absolute d-bag of the dictionary. Use of this word in common conversation and forum posts is such a desperate cry for attention to one's alleged intelligence, that it borders on pity. Honestly, anyone who uses this word in conversation is almost guaranteed to actively pursue and enjoy the smell of their own flatulence. Seriously. While the fact that it has seen a lot of use on MR lately is not surprising, it needs to stop, nevertheless.
- Price Point (see This Point in Time) - No, not one, not any use for this phrase. There's one good word to describe the amount of money assigned to the cost of an item, and that's "price." Entirely annoying. If you're trying to sound like you know business, but you don't, adding superfluous words like "point" to "price" does not help. Take a class or something. Or better yet, use logic.
- Rinse and Repeat - Ahahahaha. Hahahah. Ha ha. Ha. First of all, it's actually "Lather, rinse, and repeat," from the back of every shampoo bottle, I'd say, from 1972-2020 (or still now? I don't know. I've been shearing my dome with the triple aught setting on my Wahls since the mid 90s. I haven't bought shampoo since.) It was mildly cute to say this as a colorful way to just say "repeat" but like child TV stars and baby tigers, the cute goes away fast. It's kind of like the saccharine of expressions.
- Robust - I can only handle this word in regards to zesty Italian dressing, Burgundy wine, or as a description of the efforts of those late 19th century strongmen (you know, those handlebar-mustachioed bald dudes, with few words to say and strength measured in barges toted and bales lifted. Hell yeah, those were some real men.) Please, no more using it to describe software, fonts, or discussions. It doesn't fit and it's sooo overused.
- 'S - Seriously, who does not understand plural vs. possessive? I understand that the modern American public school has been dumbing down for years, and I can't see how it can dumb any more down, but can we at least get this one correct? I am continually amazed and flabbergasted by the number of natively English-speaking adults who pluralize nouns with an "apostrophe s" on the vast wasteland of internet forums, let alone on public signage. I see this probably every day somewhere on a sign in, or in front of a business. As I have been a regular visitor to a variety of, umm, establishments that often advertise specials on chalkboards and whiteboards, I have no problem correcting the excessive apostrophes with just a little swipe of the finger on the offending punctuation, but reading as many as I do in forum posts, publications, and other uncorrectable formats is the written version fingernails-on-the-blackboard.
- Theatre, fibre, litre, etc. - With any due respect paid to the UK residents, all Americans who think it is sophisticated to use that infernal (actually French, incidentally) "-tre" ending, and for that matter any other British spelling, your pretense fails and you are incorrect and infuriating. The phonics of the -tre just don't play out. (Yes, I know English is a mishmash of all kinds of oddly spelled words that seem to have no correlation to their pronunciation, but can we minimize it at least?) The -tre is the one that really grinds my gears. According to the spelling, that should be pronounced "trāy," as in "thē-uh-TRĀY" when we actually say "thē-uh-TER." By that logic, the ex-N.W.A. bossman's name would be pronounced "Doctor DER." This certainly applies to any other French-spelled-word-in-English ending in "TRE" when it should be "TER" as God intended and Noah Webster executed. I'm actually a bit surprised the Brits capitulate to the French spelling for so many (but not all) of the -tre/-ter words. I mean, all the old-timey extraneous usage of "u,” for example, seems quaintly appropriate for British spelling (colour, flavour, honour, etc.) but silly and desperately snooty for modern American usage. Ok, I guess "theatre" is the real offender here, as I see that one everywhere. Just stop that ****. I and everyone around me is growing tired of me pointing out that pet peeve by always pronouncing it "thē-uh-TRĀY" when it is spelled the French way.
(Much love to the Brits - I've enjoyed many kilometers of traveling from the coasts to the center and had many liters of ale with all varieties of folk in the UK. But again that was in the UK. Get your spelling right over here, Yanks.) - This. - Holy crap is "This." annoying. It's been around a while as a version of "I agree," or maybe "Right on!" in the online forum world. It annoyed me then and it annoys me now. "This." is not a sentence. It's a pronoun, or an adjective, or an adverb, but it is not a sentence. It's so ****ing lazy. Any time I see that as the first "paragraph" in some online post, I automatically skip the rest and go the next post. If the author is so *** **** lazy and uncreative that he can't come up with a reasonable way to express his agreement with a previous post, then I figure the rest of his writing is equally lazy and uncreative. Pass.
- Verse - It's pronounced "VERSUS." Is it spelled "versus?" Then it's pronounced "versus." Is it abbreviated "vs.?" Then it's pronounced "versus." I don't know who came up with "verse" as an abbreviation (?) or some odd replacement for versus, but it makes me angry. Hey midwits, a verse is a line of poetry or a line from the Bible or a lyrical stanza, but it has nothing to do with any kind of competition. Is it too much to ask to include the whole word? (V. as in a legal abbreviation, and pronounced "vee" is acceptable, but in legal usage only, like Roe v. Wade, Brown v. Board of Education, Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard, etc. Lawyers are really busy and don't have time for all those extra syllables.)
- Whilst - Again, no hate for the Brits. It's all good... for you guys. I've seen more Americans lately playing this affectation for some kind of sophistication credit. It doesn't work.
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We don’t use kilometres for distance in the UK, we use miles and we drink pints of beer and ale. Other than that, well done, do you feel better now 🤣.
Whilst I'm agnostic about some item's in you're robust list of peeve's, I will say "This" for it's performant extensivenessivity.