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

[Scepticalscribe]

Ah, yes, the infamous "So" when beginning a sentence. Wholly unnecessary!

Using "so" when beginning a sentence is annoying, agreed.

However, while I can (just about) forgive such a lapse in actual speech (which tends to be less structured, and less formal than the written word), on these very threads, when reading a post, a post that will start with a sentence that commences with the word "so", I find myself grinding my molars in mute frustrated agony.

Something else which always bothers me is a situation in which someone uses "formally" instead of "formerly". Those two words have distinctly different meanings!

Agree completely.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Confusing (and misunderstanding) - and thus, misusing - the respective meaning of the words (nouns) "rein" and "reign" also irks me.

This is an error one will often find in the sports pages of papers. For example, one might read something along the lines of "his rein as manager is coming to an end".

No: Monarchs, or rulers, (or managers, in this context) "reign"; whereas, one "draws rein", (when asking the animal to come to a halt), or "holds the reins" when and while riding a horse.

 

[Chuckeee]

People who start a sentence with “So”. Drives me nuts!

Somewhere it was ingrained in me that whenever I heard a sentence start with “so”, I wanted to stand up and shout “sew buttons”.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Ah, yes, the infamous "So" when beginning a sentence. Wholly unnecessary!

Something else which always bothers me is a situation in which someone uses "formally" instead of "formerly". Those two words have distinctly different meanings!

I have noticed, of late, the use of the word 'rouge', where the writer meant 'rogue'. And not just once, which could be a spelling mistake, littered through the whole article.
As in -- The rouge councillor held up the meeting.
We have red-coloured councillors, now?

But then, who am I to talk, who regularly confuses 'discrete' with 'discreet'...

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

I cannot find it now, but something somebody in this (or perhaps another thread) reminded me of this quote from Tolkien's biography by Humphrey Carpenter --

“his form-master Brewerton was a medievalist. Always a fierce teacher, he demanded that his pupils should use the plain old words of the English language. If a boy employed the term ‘manure’ Brewerton would roar out: ‘Manure? Call it muck! Say it three times! Muck, muck, muck!”

Something similar happened with Winston Churchill. He was apparently always a little slow at school, and ended up mostly taking English lessons, which accounts for his mastery of that language.

 

[dannyyankou]

People who start a sentence with “So”. Drives me nuts!

I can forgive it because filler words like that are used to pause to think about what you're going to say. It's something we subconsciously do and not intentionally. It's like beginning a sentence with "I think". We know that's what you think, you're the one saying it. But people say things like that when they're formulating the sentence in their head, and I guess they feel a silent pause is more awkward.

 

[AVBeatMan]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

When people (and/or posters here, and elsewhere), seem unable to draw a clear distinction between between the (appropriate use of the) verbs/words "affect" and "effect".

 

[Ericdjensen]

Gyat, rizzler, sigma, anything late gen z. I’m 28 and have no idea what these mean. There are other ones too

 

[VisceralRealist]

Gyat, rizzler, sigma, anything late gen z. I’m 28 and have no idea what these mean. There are other ones too

What about skibidi Ohio Fanum tax Grimace shake, zaddy?

 

[decafjava]

"Gen X confused screaming intensifies"

 

[decafjava]

Dear god I looked all of these up on break.

Now I can chat with my niece on other topics besides Dr. Who.

 

[VisceralRealist]

Now you can yap like a real zoomer

 

[rm5]

Gyat, rizzler, sigma, anything late gen z. I’m 28 and have no idea what these mean. There are other ones too

I don't know, either, and I'm 19 myself. Honestly not worth spending any time researching or learning

 

[rm5]

Now you can yap like a real zoomer

In my experience, I hear those (honestly atrocious) words being spoken more by Gen Alpha than Gen Z.

What is going to happen to all these kids' brains after 10 years of speaking like this, goodness...

 

[bousozoku]

In my experience, I hear those (honestly atrocious) words being spoken more by Gen Alpha than Gen Z.

What is going to happen to all these kids' brains after 10 years of speaking like this, goodness...

They're really going to need the "English for Dummies" book.

 

[GerritV]

"Hey Y'all"

 

[Doctor Q]

"Please listen carefully because our menu has changed."

How often have we all listened to that recording, when the menu has been the same for years?

 

[rm5]

"Hey Y'all"

"Y'all" is a perfectly acceptable word in American dialect. I don't mind it at all.

"Please listen carefully because our menu has changed."

How often have we all listened to that recording, when the menu has been the same for years?

I wonder if it's just so that people will actually listen to the options--sure, they haven't changed. But maybe it's a tactic to reduce the number of people who select the wrong one.

 

[Mousse]

"Hey Y'all"

Y'all happens to be one of my favorite Southern words. It's up their with yumpto (phonetic spelling, as there is no official spelling).

Me: Y'all et yet?
Kids: Nah.
Me: Yumpto?

Translated into Yankee 😉:
Me: Have you [kids] had lunch yet?
Kids: No.
Me: Do you want to [get something to eat]?

 

[Doctor Q]

I wonder if it's just so that people will actually listen to the options--sure, they haven't changed. But maybe it's a tactic to reduce the number of people who select the wrong one.

I think it will backfire!

January 2020:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 for a relaxing tune. Press 3 to erase all files on the Internet."

You listen to the choices and press 2.​

January 2021:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 for a relaxing tune. Press 3 to erase all files on the Internet."

You listen to the choices, since you were warned that they have changed. Then you press 2.​

January 2022:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 for a relaxing tune. Press 3 to erase all files on the Internet."

You listen to the choices, since you were warned that they have changed, and notice that nothing has changed. Then you press 2.​

January 2023:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 for a relaxing tune. Press 3 to erase all files on the Internet."

You listen to the choices, since you were warned that they have changed, and once again nothing has changed. Then you press 2.​

January 2023:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 for a relaxing tune. Press 3 to erase all files on the Internet."

After being misled for so long, you don't bother listening to the choices. You press 2.​

January 2025:

"Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. Press 1 for a knock-knock joke. Press 2 to erase all files on the Internet. Press 3 for a relaxing tune. "

After being misled for so long, you don't bother listening to the choices. You press 2.

Oops!​

 

[GerritV]

"Y'all" is a perfectly acceptable word in American dialect. I don't mind it at all.

I understand.
But I'm not an American and it is dialect after all, so perhaps that is why I do mind

 

[bousozoku]

"Hey Y'all"

Y'all isn't any worse than yuins/youins or yous guys. I've never used the middle one, but I have used the other two. I worked with someone who used the middle one. It's a large country and there are loads of colloquialisms.

The worst thing with English is how it splinters regularly with all the slang.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

"Hey Y'all"

Gudday, mate...

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

"Please listen carefully because our menu has changed."

How often have we all listened to that recording, when the menu has been the same for years?

It's on the same par as road signs that say "Conditions ahead have changed", with no other information.
It tells nothing to people unfamiliar with the road, and is only marginally helpful to people who are familiar with it.