One of the meteorologists on local TV over-uses "into" in her reports, whereas "in" or "at" would be grammatically correct. At the moment, I can't reconstruct one of her abusive uses, but I'll cringe the next time I hear one.
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Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .
- Thread starter usagora
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Especially when I see “our thoughts are with the victims and their families”. This seems to be part of the official formula for public statements. And sometimes this statement is preceded by “obviously” and followed by “but”. 🤨 I realize our society needs these kinds of statements to function, but I wish it didn’t come off as so insincere.
Drop the "but" part and the statement would be sincere. As Ned Stark was fond of saying, "Everything before but is horse****."
All the horse**** before the but is to soften the blow. Some folks feel the need to sugarcoat it. I don't. I come off as an AH a lot of the time, but I prefer that to a future misunderstanding. AITA? Yes I am.😑
It's ritualistic language; in these cases, the performance of the statement is more important than the content of the statement. Saying things like this signals to someone that you are acknowledging their grief and conscious of their feelings.
Yes.
I used to think that.
An excellent point.
I only finally (very belatedly) understood how welcome such fumbled and awkwardly expressed - invariably with excruciating embarrassment at their inadequency - words were at my dad's funeral.
Prior to that, I had held the views expressed by @adrianlondon.
Now, I think differently.
I will admit that the expression "thoughts and prayers" irks me.
Well said.
Exactly.
The formula of words allows for a ritual expression of regret and an acknowledgement of shared sorrow that recognises the loss the bereaved have suffered, and in words where anyone can seek sanctuary.
I don't agree. If someone said such trite phrases to me in grief, it wouldn't be helpful. Society would get along just fine without such cliches. It doesn't take much imagination to reword it in a way that actually seems sincere.
"bad boy," "sucker," "puppy," and similar words/phrases when referring to inanimate objects. Just watched a battery replacement tutorial for something, and the guy goes, "Now just sink that bad boy right in there" (referring to the battery). Ugh. So cringey. Why not just say "it" or "the battery"?
Proprietary eponyms really bug me. The corporatization of the English language.
I have loathed this tendency - it strikes me as a form of infantilisation of language - for quite some time.
Agreed.
Both linguistically ugly and wholly unnecessary.
Generalized trademarks are interesting; some of them I didn't even know were one, like "bubble wrap". Though I don't know if I can stop using them. It would be difficult to get used to saying "fabric hoop and loop fastener" instead of "Velcro". Though I guess you could call it "FHLF" for short.
Sometimes, the proprietary word (noun) fills a need to express something that the language lacked.
Actually, in the UK, (and Ireland), "Hoover" was the word used for vacuum cleaner when I was a child. It wasn't until well into my teens that I (belatedly) discovered that this was a proprietary noun that had come to describe the activity in question.
And if something snapped off it, you'd fix it with velcro or cellotape. Or blutack even.
Or even take it apart using an Allen Key and cut the cello tape with a Stanley knife lol.
It’s amazing how many brands are the default names for objects and this will now always be the case.
Anyone who 'pulls the trigger' on a new MacBook or iPad annoys me. 
Oh yes, yes, yes, yes.Anyone who 'pulls the trigger' on a new MacBook or iPad annoys me.
What is wrong with "I bought", or, "I decided to buy..." instead?
Well unless it's buggy but a hammer is cheaper...Anyone who 'pulls the trigger' on a new MacBook or iPad annoys me.
And sometimes the proprietary word means something different in different countries.
"Durex" used to mean sticky tape in the Antipodes, but means something different elsewhere...
Anyway it has now been replaced with "Sellotape".
But then my evil mind conjures up using Sellotape for its UK Durex meaning.
Well, yes.
Ah, yes.
Well, Durex has had a specific meaning in one's student days.
Not in my world.
Is this one of those strange terms now familiar Down Under?
Now, you have lost me.......
When used in a purely military context, I think it valid.
However, when one transfers military vocabulary (or, vocabulary or terms which started out as military vocabulary) to the civilian world in order to try to generate a sense of entirely unnecessary aggressive urgency to - for example - some academic or commercial activity, then, yes, I would find myself in complete agreement with you.
Oh! Another one, "bridge the gap" - used in a corporate setting. Eww.
Creepy: Everything is "creepy" to people these days. It's like everyone is constantly looking over their shoulders.
Vibes: "Sending positive vibes, maaaaaan" just really makes my skin crawl. I'm not even an overly negative person and it just drives me nuts.
More often than not: Of course it's more often than not doing something. What is the point of this phrase?
Vibes: "Sending positive vibes, maaaaaan" just really makes my skin crawl. I'm not even an overly negative person and it just drives me nuts.
More often than not: Of course it's more often than not doing something. What is the point of this phrase?