Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .

[bousozoku]

I can't really say this annoys me, but it did make me think of this thread

I was looking up a specific table bracket. The same company makes a hinge that you can buy to go with it, instead of just using any random hinge. They point out that it's the "Same indespicable quality and design as [our] bracket."

Guess I'll take a pair then...

That sounds like Chinese that doesn't translate well to other languages.

There are things in Chinese that don't translate well to Japanese. Before both writing systems were simplified, it was easier to read the two, some things didn't make sense and are more interesting now.

 

[chown33]

I can't really say this annoys me, but it did make me think of this thread

I was looking up a specific table bracket. The same company makes a hinge that you can buy to go with it, instead of just using any random hinge. They point out that it's the "Same indespicable quality and design as [our] bracket."

Guess I'll take a pair then...

That looks a bit like autocorrupt autocorrect going loopy.

 

[Miss Terri]

It's actually a Swedish manufacturer, although this "write up" was on a well-known US website that is not the mfgr. (obviously they didn't do the least bit of proofreading).

I did just now go look it up on the US/English website of the Swedish manufacturer. They say "...is made of the same material and elegant design as the [other product they make]."

So apparently the (well-known) US vendor (not the mfgr.) that actually sells the product simply decided to take the manufacturer's English word "elegant" and replace it with "indespicable." Okay, so now it qualifies as annoying. Sloppy!

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

"indespicable"
Well, it's sort of correct. "despicable" is the spelling for "despisable", i.e, so bad you can despise it.
"in" is the negative of that, so it's so good, you can't despise it.
It is English, and it is correct, just a bit odd.

Mind you, I wonder how it would go if I called a manager "Indespicable" to their face...

 

[rm5]

This isn’t a word that annoys me, but rather one that I guess very few people use.

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. Actually, they had never heard of an evaporative air conditioner, either. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Actually, I have never, ever even heard of the term "swamp cooler" until I read your post.

What is the etymology of this expression?

Now, not only is it not ubiquitous in the English speaking world, I would wager that it is not even ubiquitous within the United States, but is, instead, a regionally specific term which is incomprehensible outside of the specific regional (and geographic) conditions that gave rise to it.

 

[Clix Pix]

This isn’t a word that annoys me, but rather one that I guess very few people use.

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. Actually, they had never heard of an evaporative air conditioner, either. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

For most of us in the Mid-Atlantic, midwest or the northern states, "swamp coolers" are not something we have in our homes. It's pretty much a Southern or Southwestern thing, Prior to centralized A/C becoming prevalent in most houses around the US, swamp coolers, which have been used for many years in the hottest states helped with heat and humidity during the summers and I guess still do in many homes there.

 

[VisceralRealist]

This isn’t a word that annoys me, but rather one that I guess very few people use.

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. Actually, they had never heard of an evaporative air conditioner, either. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

"Swamp cooler" is familiar to me! I think @Clix Pix is right that this term (and the device itself) is mainly used in hot, dry climates like the ones we're from. I remember first encountering a swamp cooler in the summer in Nevada. It was quite effective out in the desert. Can't imagine it would be of much use in a humid climate.

 

[Clix Pix]

Oops! You're right, I should've said extreme dryness rather than using the word humidity, as it is meant to create and foster humidity, not remove it! Essentially I think a swamp cooler is an evaporative cooler?

In this area, Washington, DC, we have very humid summers and we want and need to dry out our air.....

 

[Chuckeee]

I’ve heard of “swamp coolers”. They are only effective in dry heat environments and have limited cooling capacity but they are very energy efficient.

 

[Miss Terri]

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. ...

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

I know about swamp coolers and use the term. Now. But growing up in the Midwest, where it's humid, I had never heard of them. Or maybe I had heard the term, but had no idea what it referred to. Then spent time in a hot dry climate and they were everywhere (because they work there).

In a way it's funny because a swamp cooler would never work in a swamp -- too muggy!

Also just remembered: Older RV's tended to come with Swamp Coolers on the roof vs. Air-conditioner units.

 

[bousozoku]

This isn’t a word that annoys me, but rather one that I guess very few people use.

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. Actually, they had never heard of an evaporative air conditioner, either. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

I only learnt of evaporative cooling when I was looking for potential areas to live around New Mexico. Most places didn't have air conditioning and it was suggested that the alternative be checked for all sorts of dangerous residue. That probably led to the term "swamp cooler".

 

[polyphenol]

This isn’t a word that annoys me, but rather one that I guess very few people use.

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States. Actually, they had never heard of an evaporative air conditioner, either. I was mentioning how mine does not have a swamp cooler, and instead has actual centralized air conditioning.

Do any of you use that term? Or have you also never heard of that, or what it refers to?

I am well aware of both terms - but have little reason to use either in my everyday life!

 

[rehkram]

I used the term “swamp cooler” today, and the other person had no earthly clue what I was talking about. I guess that term is not as ubiquitous as I thought. It refers to an evaporative air conditioner used in many homes in the southwestern United States.

Kingman Arizona, on every roof.

 

[rm5]

Just got this one: "u are goated"

To be honest, no idea what this means. Does this mean I am respected?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just got this one: "u are goated"

To be honest, no idea what this means. Does this mean I am respected?

"Goat" - and yes, some time ago, I had to look this up, for, these days, as I no longer grace the groves of academe, I also no longer have my students to call upon as a source of infallible information re the explanation, or deeper cultural translation, of fashionable terms of slang, or argot.

Anyway, "goat", if my interpretation is correct, is an acronym that is supposed to mean "Greatest Of All Time".

So, yes, I would imagine that this was intended as a compliment.

However, it is clear that it is also following that lamentable tendency of turning a noun (the meaning of which has undergone some changes in recent times) into a verb, instead of using the perfectly functional verbs that already exist ("you are a GOAT") to make this very same point.

 

[Miss Terri]

However, it is clear that it is also following that lamentable tendency of turning a noun... into a verb...

Reading this I mentally cringed at all the times I've heard people say they are going to "air up" something (tires, a beach toy, whatever). As if "inflate" weren't already a perfectly useful verb.

 

[iUniqueUser]

totally the word 'totally' totally being totally-overused in a sentence is so totally totally annoying

 

[decafjava]

totally the word 'totally' totally being totally-overused in a sentence is so totally totally annoying

I totally agree Seriously though I do.

 

[mollyc]

totally the word 'totally' totally being totally-overused in a sentence is so totally totally annoying

this has been going on since at least the 1980s. all the valley girl speak from then.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Agreed.

And it is not as though there already aren't other (perfectly good) adverbs (completely, entirely, utterly, wholly...) which allow one to emphasise how strongly (or totally) one may wish to stress one's point.

 

[fatTribble]

I hear the phrase “bonding time” both in pop culture and from people I know. Like parents who have a baby need bonding time or time to bond, however you say it. I think it can be used towards family or friends.

To me it sounds too clinical and just isn’t necessary to have a word or phrase for this. Friends spend time together because they enjoy each others company. Parents want to be with their kids. Why do we need to call this anything?

It reminds me of the office Human Resources department that would call lunches together “team building”. They couldn’t just let us go to lunch and get to know each other. It needs to be called something. That’s balderdash I say.

Ok, I’ll stop. Now get off of my lawn 🤭

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I hear the phrase “bonding time” both in pop culture and from people I know. Like parents who have a baby need bonding time or time to bond, however you say it. I think it can be used towards family or friends.

To me it sounds too clinical and just isn’t necessary to have a word or phrase for this. Friends spend time together because they enjoy each others company. Parents want to be with their kids. Why do we need to call this anything?

Amen - a heartfelt, passionate and profound amen - to everything that you have written.

It reminds me of the office Human Resources department that would call lunches together “team building”. They couldn’t just let us go to lunch and get to know each other. It needs to be called something. That’s balderdash I say.

And, as for Human Resources....

Now, as my (late, great, and much adored) mother used to say when confronted by this particular (and somewhat mendacious) linguistic monstrosity, "What is wrong with using the noun Personnel?"

 

[Arran]

I hear the phrase “bonding time” both in pop culture and from people I know. Like parents who have a baby need bonding time or time to bond, however you say it. I think it can be used towards family or friends.

To me it sounds too clinical and just isn’t necessary to have a word or phrase for this. Friends spend time together because they enjoy each others company. Parents want to be with their kids. Why do we need to call this anything?

It reminds me of the office Human Resources department that would call lunches together “team building”. They couldn’t just let us go to lunch and get to know each other. It needs to be called something. That’s balderdash I say.

Ok, I’ll stop. Now get off of my lawn 🤭

Your mention of “Team Building” reminded me of “Networking” which seems like an entirely artificial way of saying “meeting new people”

I sometimes wonder if it’s an attempt to legitimize beneficial, business-related activities that would normally be seen as “time wasting” by shareholders intent on squeezing every last second of productive time out of employees? (Sorry “resources”).

“Team building” can be billed to a client. “Long lunch”, would be a hard sell.

 

[rm5]

This is just reminding me of awful corporate jargon.