Topic: Oxford University~ the most annoying phrases in the English language

[Ecosse]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/debates/3394545/Oxford-compiles-list-of-top-ten-irritating-phrases.html

Scroll down.

[rhos1355]

Ha, good one Ecosse.
Someone had to start this thread. And I was too gutless to do it.
But, case in point , I've just watched the rugby internationals this afternoon and why the BBC puts those twittering blondes to interview players before/during/after the game just defeats me. Anyway, to get back to the point, both those blonde twitterers made a comment about winning the game being "a big ask" for ................ (fill in the name of the team here)
A BIG ASK??? WTF?? Where the hell did that one come from??

[333]

Well, that was fairly unique.  I personally think most of those shouldn't of been on that list.  With all due respect, those Oxford guys must have something better to do with their time.  After all, at the end of the day, it's not rocket science.  You would think those guys would be spending  their time, 24/7 on, I don't know, solving the worlds problems?  It's absolutely a nightmare that they would waste their time on something as trivial as this at this moment in time.


Did I miss any?

[Ecosse]

I don't speak good English so I shouldn't go there, no what I sayin?  

Some of my sources of irritation:

1) 24/7  A product of an illiterate and lazy society that can't or won't take the time to spell things out.

2) Anything "Xtereme" especially spelled in this way. See above.

3) "Celebrate________"  (life, diversity...) Thank the hippie Baby Boomers for this bit of self indulgence.

4) Grow your wealth, business... 'Growing' is for plants and children, period.  Marketing crap poisoning the well.

5) Fox News calling suicide bombers 'homicide bombers'. What is any bomber if not a homicide bomber?!

 

[rhos1355]

Well, that was fairly unique.  I personally think most of those shouldn't of been on that list.  With all due respect, those Oxford guys must have something better to do with their time.  After all, at the end of the day, it's not rocket science.  You would think those guys would be spending  their time, 24/7 on, I don't know, solving the worlds problems?  It's absolutely a nightmare that they would waste their time on something as trivial as this at this moment in time.


Did I miss any?

The issue you are missing, 333, is that people nowadays seem to be proud of their bad grammar, or lack of eloquence and by repeating well worn "televisionese" phrases.
Initially it was just the poorly educated members of society, but now it's professionals and newscasters and celebrities. Speaking properly is a signal to other people that you are educated, have self respect and self esteem, as well as respecting the person you are speaking to.
Where do think Barak Obama would be now if he sprinkled his speeches liberally with lots of "dja know what I mean" and "at the end of the day" etc.? The public would classify him as an imbecile, and he would have been long forgotten by now.

[333]

Do you miss most jokes?  I intentionally used every one of the examples TO BE FUNNY.

[HavocTurbo]

No one put me on the stake for this but he's English 333....

If there's anything we learned from history, it's that Englishmen have no sense of humor.


And of course that in and of it self was a joke.

[333]

Well, we(Americans) have screwed up the Queen's English.  Eddie Izzard put it well when he said that "England and America are two countries separated by a common language".

[rhos1355]

Do you miss most jokes?  I intentionally used every one of the examples TO BE FUNNY.

Oh Bugger
Yup, I do miss a lot of jokes and that one went clear over my head
Must be an age/country boy thing
Here I am always thinking this forum is a deadly, quote, unquote, serious site. So, for all intents and purposes, I guess, like, the joke's on me this time, like.

[Soos]

My one word that drives me nutz...

Gridiron.

Since when the %$## did a football(american) field have a friggin grid of iron on it?

I'd like to shoot some of the sports commentators for their complete lack of understanding of the english language.
I thought the general american public hacked the english language... those commentators make them up faster than goerge bush can.


l8r

[mkramer1121]

My one word that drives me nutz...

Gridiron.

Since when the %$## did a football(american) field have a friggin grid of iron on it?

I'd like to shoot some of the sports commentators for their complete lack of understanding of the english language.
I thought the general american public hacked the english language... those commentators make them up faster than goerge bush can.


l8r

gotta love google.  the term is used by many outside the US to describe the kind of football played here (gridiron football).  it stems from the lines and markings on the field which resemble a gridiron for a grill.

[333]

The one that chaps my cheeks is used in the custom car/bike shows on TV.  When they refer to a custom creation, they call it a "one off", and I always thought it was "one of", as in "one of a kind".

[Ecosse]

If I hear "old skool" one more time I'll vomit blood and go berserker. 

[kach_me]

We have a guy at work who is constantly mixing common sayings, so much so, that we've started a listing of all of his mix-ups.  Recently, during a fairly serious meeting he dribbled one out and I saw my cohort write it down.  I could not help but laughing.  More than a few eyebrows were raised in my direction.  I had some 'splainin' to do that day.  It was worth it though!  

Here's a taste:

Lowell's instead of Lowe's
Walmarts (when talking about a specific Walmart)
Labtop instead of Laptop
Rocket surgery instead of Rocket science (my personal favorite)
Chip off the old block head

...and the list goes on.  The funny thing is he knows he does this but continues to do so, but the guy is good as gold and he can take a joke.  Makes for great laughs for all of us.  

[Ecosse]

  God that's funny!

Another for me is when otherwise reasonably articulate people say lie-berry rather than library.

[333]

I've actually seen "labtop" in a pawn shop window.  For a couple of years, now.

[rhos1355]

We have a guy at work who is constantly mixing common sayings, so much so, that we've started a listing of all of his mix-ups.  Recently, during a fairly serious meeting he dribbled one out and I saw my cohort write it down.  I could not help but laughing.  More than a few eyebrows were raised in my direction.  I had some 'splainin' to do that day.  It was worth it though!  

Here's a taste:

Lowell's instead of Lowe's
Walmarts (when talking about a specific Walmart)
Labtop instead of Laptop
Rocket surgery instead of Rocket science (my personal favorite)
Chip off the old block head

...and the list goes on.  The funny thing is he knows he does this but continues to do so, but the guy is good as gold and he can take a joke.  Makes for great laughs for all of us.  

His name isn't John Prescott is it? Sounds very like him. John Prescott was our deputy Prime Minister when Blair was still running the show here. We all wondered where he'd ended up. Now we know.

[thrownchain]

Another one is "pitcher" instead of "picture".

And of course aks instead of ask.

[HavocTurbo]

And of course aks instead of ask.

That and "Man.. We funna do a drive by".... Are "G" sounds that hard to pronounce??? 

[Ecosse]

"Could care less" Hmmm, should it not be couldn't care less to express an utter lack of caring for something?

[HavocTurbo]

"Could care less" Hmmm, should it not be couldn't care less to express an utter lack of caring for something?

Maybe it's sarcasm for "You're lucky I care enough to respond?"

Either way I agree with you.

[Ecosse]

"Could care less" Hmmm, should it not be couldn't care less to express an utter lack of caring for something?

Maybe it's sarcasm for "You're lucky I care enough to respond?"

Either way I agree with you.

That's a good point actually. It's possible it started out that way with people eventually misusing it as a phrase to say they don't care at all. I have a book on the origins of common phrases. Good conversation lubricant and should look it up.

[rhos1355]

One phrase with a high cringe factor we're subjected to at the end of a meeting is; "Go and make value, guys"
Means go and work your butts off or, you're sacked!!

[upperlake04]

"Could care less" Hmmm, should it not be couldn't care less to express an utter lack of caring for something?

That one always made me (privately) shake my head too. 
                                      Dave from the near Artic
 
 -another one from the news "an Obama administration will explore talks with Iran to see if shared objectives can’t be found."

[333]

  -another one from the news "an Obama administration will explore talks with Iran to see if shared objectives can’t be found."

I am not that good with grammar, but isn't that ending a statement with a preposition?  If so, shouldn't it be;
"an Obama administration will explore talks with Iran to see if shared objectives can’t be found , #$%*."