Words and Phrases That Need to Die

[girl_dee]

grammar police!

*i could care less*.... think about it....


"irregardless"........ *smh*

oh and *smh*

[pajama]

Originally Posted by girl_dee

grammar police!

*i could care less*.... think about it....


"irregardless"........ *smh*

oh and *smh*

OMG I was totally going to put irregardless. grrrrr

And I used to say "I could care less" until I thought about it....Now I say "I couldn't give a rat's ass". Better, no?

LOL

[sis]

'unthaw' ........ as in, unthaw that steak before you put it on the grill. Now, just exactly what are you going to do with a frozen piece of meat on the grill - thaw it?!?!?!


Deb

[*Anya*]

Thanks to Write Divas. Com, some that bug me (and that I, also, am probably guilty of).

My personal favorite: "Have a good day". Please stop the madness.

Overused Phrases and Idioms

it’s only a matter of time
calm before the storm
before she/he knew it
in a instant
opening a can of worms
it’s not you, it’s me
pull a fast one
can I take a rain check?
you don’t know the half of it
what she didn’t know
ruffled feathers
missing the boat
curves in all the right places
around the bend
broke out of my reverie
larger than life
break a leg

Redundant pairs or words that describe the same thing. The following list from Purdue Online Writing Lab is great.

past memories
various differences
each individual
basic fundamentals
true facts
important essentials
future plans
terrible tragedy
end result
final outcome
free gift
past history

[Sweet Bliss]

whatever ... really?...

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

Hope no one said the word "neat" to eliminate from the vocabulary.

I believe this word is used by me on a diurnal basis. Some of the young 'uns cock their head with curiosity when they hear "neat".

Truth be known, my favorite word is neat-o.

[cinnamongrrl]

Originally Posted by Happy_Go_Lucky

Hope no one said the word "neat" to eliminate from the vocabulary.

I believe this word is used by me on a diurnal basis. Some of the young 'uns cock their head with curiosity when they hear "neat".

Truth be known, my favorite word is neat-o.

I've happened into the word "groovy".... Not even in the lexicon of my generation....but everything old is new again...

The only word peeve I can think of is when designers say "pop of color". It's makes me cray cray....

Sorry I just had to....I have the devil inside today...

Otherwise, the general confusion of their/there/they're and here/hear gives me fits. I swear I was an English teacher in a previous life... I read craigslist ads and just cringe

[~baby~doll~]

Originally Posted by Sweet Bliss

whatever ... really?...

Yes yes yes "whatever" This word twists me the wrong way all the time.
"Duh" also gets me.

[*Anya*]

Some of these we have already listed but we haven't written about them exactly like this guy.

I think that "He's a riot"! (Another phrase that makes no sense).

I will probably post some more of them "When pigs fly".

Nuff' said, which is also something that should be put to bed.

I will work on that. (I need to stop using this phrase).

1. To say the Least

How about you just tell me the appropriate amount, you lazy bastard. If water is boiling, don't tell me it's warm to say the least, tell me it's boiling.

2. Per Se

If I remember my high school Latin correctly, Per se translates to, "through itself", and means "innately", or "fundamentally". It's proper usage would be something like, "I don't hate all ugly people per se, but I hate when ugly people sit next to me on airplanes.".

Graduate students at Moron University are taught that adding "per se" to the end of any declarative sentence makes that sentence sound 25% more intelligent. They'll say, "I don't think he is lying... per se!" . Such usage is both incorrect and needless- notice I couldn't even bring myself to italicize the incorrect "per se"? That's how badly I hate it.


"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn....per se".


3. All I know is...

When you begin a sentence with, "All I know is....", I will take your words literally and assume you know nothing else. Speaking of which....

4. Literally

This can be butchered two ways- the first is when it's already clearly believable, as in- "Usually it takes me 20 minutes to get to work, but today it took me literally- literally, 35 minutes with traffic."- no one was going to ask you if you meant that figuratively, dimwit. Secondly, and more horrifically, is when people use "literally" when it isn't literal, as in, "my jaw literally hit the floor when I heard the news.". So you said, "literally" but meant the opposite. Got it. Which reminds me...

5. "Not to interrupt....." while interrupting

We all hate being interrupted, but saying, "not to interrupt", cushions the blow about as effectively as if I said, "not to kick you in the nuts...." before I kick you in the nuts. Just be honest and say, "to interrupt..." next time. Better yet, wait your turn to talk.

6. Mind if I ask you a question?

You just did, a-hole. Aaaaand you didn't ask if you could. So just go ahead and ask your super humble question already.

7. Easier Said Than Done

Can't we just assume everything is easier to say than to do? If anyone ever heard, "Well that's easier said than done!", and thought, "My God, you're right. I never thought it like that. But, make no mistake.....you are correct. Wow. " they should be put to sleep.

8. Maybe, maybe not

The word "maybe" implies it may not happen, otherwise the speaker would use the word, "definitely".

9. .....if you will

This phrase is also popular for Alumni of Moron University to use in meaningless fashion. Unless you are taking a metaphorical leap of word definitions this phrase is unnecessary. While shameless alumni think per se makes sentences sound 25% more intelligent, most morons agree that "...if you will." adds a mere 10%. Why? B ecause it's ah, well, annoying, if you will.

And I hope you won't.

10. Needless to say

When I hear that preface what I really hear is, "Hey, I know how to waste your time- keep listening....".

11. Not to Mention

That's funny, you are mentioning something you said you weren't. Oh wait I didn't mean 'funny', I meant, 'ignorant'.
___

My father advised me on this list and suggested I improve the first two paragraphs of the Gettysburg Address with the aforementioned phrases. The improved version appears below.

Literally Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation per se, conceived in liberty, and to say the least dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

All I know is, Now we are engaged in a great civil war, if you will, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure- maybe, maybe not. We are met on a great battle-field of that war, per se. Needless to say, We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, which is easier said than done, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. Not to mention, It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.



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