[Ed] Top Ten Irritating Phrases according to Oxford

applecorped · 7th November 2008, 04:11 AM

The top ten most irritating phrases:

1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...g-phrases.html

Any others come to mind?

Soapy Sam · 7th November 2008, 04:14 AM

"Top ten".

plumjam · 7th November 2008, 04:30 AM

drill down on
methinks ye doth protest too much (or something like that, ALWAYS used by supercilious smartarses)
touch base
do you want to? ..... (translation - I want you to do this, but am not decent enough to ask you outright, accompanied by a 'please')
whatever (particularly when used more than once every 5 minutes)
hello-oh? (in American accent)

CrikeyBobs · 7th November 2008, 04:33 AM

I was quite surprised there was no reference to "back burners".

Ivor the Engineer · 7th November 2008, 04:52 AM

"Synergy"

Raphael · 7th November 2008, 05:02 AM

"Our panel tonight includes Anne Coulter"

TragicMonkey · 7th November 2008, 05:05 AM

"circle back on"
"irregardless"
"alls I know"
"needs fixed","needs worked", "needs [verb in past tense]"

I hear all four at least five times a day at my work. Two of them are just wrong, the first is weirdly common in this company, and the last is some sort of rural backwoods regional usage that makes me want to stuff gasoline-soaked rags down the speakers' throats and light them on fire as human Molotov cocktails. "This data needs fixed". Yeah? Your grammar needs fixed. With a crowbar.

SezMe · 7th November 2008, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by Soapy Sam

"Top ten".

Worth repeating, if only because it made me laugh. But also because it's true. What the hell is holy about "10".

geni · 7th November 2008, 05:07 AM

thrown under the bus.

plumjam · 7th November 2008, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by SezMe

Worth repeating, if only because it made me laugh. But also because it's true. What the hell is holy about "10".

Quit complaining man, at least it's one better than nine.

tyr_13 · 7th November 2008, 05:17 AM

"All of the sudden"
"A whole nother"
"try and"
"irregardless" (I needs repeating, don't say this word. Say, "regardless," or, "regarding.")

And the ten thing is because we use a base ten math system normally. If we used a base twelve that would be popular, and if we used binary 00000010 would be popular.

zooterkin · 7th November 2008, 05:37 AM

"honing in"
"going forward"

Elvis666 · 7th November 2008, 06:09 AM

My personal bugaboo, mostly seen in TV commercials: "Better that any place in town (or the state, the country, etc.)" Is it so hard to stick an "other" in there?

Travis · 7th November 2008, 06:11 AM

"If it ain't broke...I don't know what it is."

Okay so maybe only my family uses that phrase.

Bikewer · 7th November 2008, 06:27 AM

"Deal with it." Almost always used by jerks when they are confronted over their jerky behavior.

Worm · 7th November 2008, 06:31 AM

'It's a big ask'

Mashuna · 7th November 2008, 06:38 AM

Going forward, we need to be proactive.

RoboTimbo · 7th November 2008, 06:44 AM

Thank you for listening to my invisible thoughts with your own.

Ernie M · 7th November 2008, 06:45 AM

I find the following to be annoying:

“kindred sprits”
“Let’s dialog”
“I did good” grammatically correct should be stated as “I did well.”
“let’s do lunch”
“Touch base”
“Dude”
“When one door closes, another one opens” yawn...

Travis · 7th November 2008, 07:27 AM

"I just don't feel the same way about you"
"Huh, I thought you were gay?"

Cuddles · 7th November 2008, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by applecorped

6 - Absolutely

I don't get it. The rest I can kind of understand, but what's wrong with "absolutely"?

Originally Posted by Travis

"If it ain't broke...I don't know what it is."

If it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it anyway.

Morrigan · 7th November 2008, 07:45 AM

In French I sometimes hear "pratico-pratique". I want to strangle people who use that.

Dragoonster · 7th November 2008, 07:51 AM

"person of interest"
"gravitas"
"meme"
"outlaw regime"
"God has a plan"

alfaniner · 7th November 2008, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Cuddles

I don't get it. The rest I can kind of understand, but what's wrong with "absolutely"?

The same thing as "Exactly!".

When heard several times a day.

Originally Posted by Dragoonster

"meme"

Perhaps it's common knowledge 'round these parts, but I recently found out that the word was coined by Richard Dawkins.

tomwaits · 7th November 2008, 08:20 AM

On talk radio, when someone is about to make a point (and usually not answering the question), they always start by saying "Look..." or "Listen..." or "Let me just say this...". So obnoxious.

uruk · 7th November 2008, 08:20 AM

In voice overs in ads for up coming TV episodes: "Something will happen that will change everything forever!" OH god! that gets my panties in a bunch!

I know someday I'll hear: "Some thing happens that changes everything back again to way it was before the thing that happened that changed everything....forever!"

And now on to other phrases that irratate the hell out of me:

"In a world where [insert brainless movie situation]"

"Talk to the hand"

"You go girl!"

"Know what I'm sayin'"

"I hear ya"

"That gets my panties in a bunch"

"Can you feel this in my armpit?"

"[insert behaiviour] much?"

"I need to find myself."

"Yo, yo yo."

"Booyaaaaa!"

"wassup!"

"In the final anaysis."

"Were having a baby!" (really then why is she the one screaming for drugs and questioning the marital status of your parents?)

"Any joke that goes over five seconds on Family Guy" (ok. not really a phrase, but it still irritates the hell out of me)

"S/he/I was like...[insert noise or gesture]"

"What was that about?"

"Just asking questions."

"That's what she said"

"Think outside of the box"

"Paradigm shift"

brodski · 7th November 2008, 08:32 AM

Hopefully, debone, unravel, cleave, flamable , gotten, antidisestablishmentarianism, infer, imply, shibboleth and Telegraph. All have no proper place in the English language.

uruk · 7th November 2008, 08:33 AM

Oh yea here are some more:

"You/he's/she's/it's da bomb!"

"You da man!"

"See where I'm comming from?"

"If I were you...."

"Pwned"

Mashuna · 7th November 2008, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by brodski

Hopefully, debone, unravel, cleave, flamable , gotten, antidisestablishmentarianism, infer, imply, shibboleth and Telegraph. All have no proper place in the English language.

Well, you would say that. You're hardly an uninterested observer.

FramerDave · 7th November 2008, 08:53 AM

Peel the onion
Drill down
Lo and behold (especially when written as "low and behold"
Myself, when used incorrectly, and it usually is
My bad
Think outside the box
On the same page
Nearly any sports metaphor

calebprime · 7th November 2008, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by plumjam

methinks ye doth protest too much

Yes, sir. Glad someone else hates this one.

tomwaits · 7th November 2008, 09:19 AM

Loss of innocence

Darat · 7th November 2008, 09:28 AM

At the end of the day this type of list is fairly unique. I personally, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to the poster, absolutely agree it's a nightmare and shouldn't of been posted anywhere never mind a 24/7 Forum but it's not rocket science to ignore it.

Mercutio · 7th November 2008, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

At the end of the day this type of list is fairly unique. I personally, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to the poster, absolutely agree it's a nightmare and shouldn't of been posted anywhere never mind a 24/7 Forum but it's not rocket science to ignore it.

Darat doth protest too much, methinks.

Drudgewire · 7th November 2008, 09:37 AM

"Happy camper."

tomwaits · 7th November 2008, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

At the end of the day this type of list is fairly unique. I personally, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to the poster, absolutely agree it's a nightmare and shouldn't of been posted anywhere never mind a 24/7 Forum but it's not rocket science to ignore it.

Absolutely a top ten post.

bob_dezon · 7th November 2008, 10:00 AM

proactive

sinclairmcevoy · 7th November 2008, 10:04 AM

Know what I'm sayin?
Know what I mean?
Yeah, but no.
Realllllly????

DouglasL · 7th November 2008, 10:12 AM

My boss says "impacted" so many times that I would like to impact him upside the head.

NotJesus · 7th November 2008, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by geni

thrown under the bus.

That one needs to be thrown under the bus. And 'jumped the shark' has jumped the shark.

7th November 2008, 04:11 AM	#1
applecorped Rotten to the Core Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 10,629	Top Ten Irritating Phrases according to Oxford The top ten most irritating phrases: 1 - At the end of the day 2 - Fairly unique 3 - I personally 4 - At this moment in time 5 - With all due respect 6 - Absolutely 7 - It's a nightmare 8 - Shouldn't of 9 - 24/7 10 - It's not rocket science http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...g-phrases.html Any others come to mind?
	__________________ All You Need Is Love.

7th November 2008, 04:14 AM	#2
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	"Top ten".
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

7th November 2008, 04:52 AM	#5
Ivor the Engineer Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South Britain, near the middle Posts: 9,553	"Synergy"
	__________________ My Blog.

7th November 2008, 05:02 AM	#6
Raphael disheveled cell cluster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 1,786	"Our panel tonight includes Anne Coulter"
	__________________

7th November 2008, 05:05 AM	#7
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,047	"circle back on" "irregardless" "alls I know" "needs fixed","needs worked", "needs [verb in past tense]" I hear all four at least five times a day at my work. Two of them are just wrong, the first is weirdly common in this company, and the last is some sort of rural backwoods regional usage that makes me want to stuff gasoline-soaked rags down the speakers' throats and light them on fire as human Molotov cocktails. "This data needs fixed". Yeah? Your grammar needs fixed. With a crowbar.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

7th November 2008, 04:30 AM	#3
plumjam Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Valencia, Spain Posts: 7,837	drill down on methinks ye doth protest too much (or something like that, ALWAYS used by supercilious smartarses) touch base do you want to? ..... (translation - I want you to do this, but am not decent enough to ask you outright, accompanied by a 'please') whatever (particularly when used more than once every 5 minutes) hello-oh? (in American accent)

7th November 2008, 04:33 AM	#4
CrikeyBobs Critical Thinker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London Posts: 421	I was quite surprised there was no reference to "back burners".

7th November 2008, 05:06 AM	#8
SezMe post-pre-born Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 16,361	Originally Posted by Soapy Sam "Top ten". Worth repeating, if only because it made me laugh. But also because it's true. What the hell is holy about "10".

7th November 2008, 05:07 AM	#9
geni Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: UK Posts: 26,552	thrown under the bus.

7th November 2008, 05:12 AM	#10
plumjam Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Valencia, Spain Posts: 7,837	Originally Posted by SezMe Worth repeating, if only because it made me laugh. But also because it's true. What the hell is holy about "10". Quit complaining man, at least it's one better than nine.

7th November 2008, 05:17 AM	#11
tyr_13 Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Falconer, NY Posts: 9,642	"All of the sudden" "A whole nother" "try and" "irregardless" (I needs repeating, don't say this word. Say, "regardless," or, "regarding.") And the ten thing is because we use a base ten math system normally. If we used a base twelve that would be popular, and if we used binary 00000010 would be popular.
	__________________ Circled nothing is still nothing. "Nothing will stop the U.S. from being a world leader, not even a handful of adults who want their kids to take science lessons from a book that mentions unicorns six times." -UNLoVedRebel Mumpsimus: a stubborn person who insists on making an error in spite of being shown that it is wrong Last edited by tyr_13; 7th November 2008 at 05:17 AM. Reason: fix the joke

7th November 2008, 05:37 AM	#12
zooterkin Nitpicking dilettante Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Berkshire, mostly Posts: 24,531	"honing in" "going forward"
	__________________ The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232

7th November 2008, 06:09 AM	#13
Elvis666 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 278	My personal bugaboo, mostly seen in TV commercials: "Better that any place in town (or the state, the country, etc.)" Is it so hard to stick an "other" in there?
Elvis666 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 278

7th November 2008, 06:11 AM	#14
Travis Misanthrope of the Mountains Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tuolumne City, CA Posts: 17,937	"If it ain't broke...I don't know what it is." Okay so maybe only my family uses that phrase.
	__________________ "Because WE ARE IGNORANT OF 911 FACTS, WE DEMAND PROOF" -- Douglas Herman on Rense.com Zingiber Officinale The Humor blog of some not crazy guy

7th November 2008, 06:27 AM	#15
Bikewer Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 9,517	"Deal with it." Almost always used by jerks when they are confronted over their jerky behavior.

7th November 2008, 06:31 AM	#16
Worm Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Coldstream, Scotland Posts: 1,086	'It's a big ask'
	__________________ "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" Isaac Asimov Not all cults are bad - I've joined a cult of niceness

7th November 2008, 06:38 AM	#17
Mashuna Ovis ex Machina Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Welsh Wales Posts: 6,578	Going forward, we need to be proactive.
	__________________ GENERATION 10: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and put in a random number. Anti-social experiment.

7th November 2008, 06:44 AM	#18
RoboTimbo Hostile Nanobacon Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Prosperity, AZ Posts: 21,821	Thank you for listening to my invisible thoughts with your own.

7th November 2008, 06:45 AM	#19
Ernie M Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 444	I find the following to be annoying: “kindred sprits” “Let’s dialog” “I did good” grammatically correct should be stated as “I did well.” “let’s do lunch” “Touch base” “Dude” “When one door closes, another one opens” yawn...
Ernie M Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 444

7th November 2008, 07:27 AM	#20
Travis Misanthrope of the Mountains Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tuolumne City, CA Posts: 17,937	"I just don't feel the same way about you" "Huh, I thought you were gay?"
	__________________ "Because WE ARE IGNORANT OF 911 FACTS, WE DEMAND PROOF" -- Douglas Herman on Rense.com Zingiber Officinale The Humor blog of some not crazy guy

7th November 2008, 07:44 AM	#21
Cuddles Decoy Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: A magical land full of pink fluffy sheeps and bunnies Posts: 16,564	Originally Posted by applecorped 6 - Absolutely I don't get it. The rest I can kind of understand, but what's wrong with "absolutely"? Originally Posted by Travis "If it ain't broke...I don't know what it is." If it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it anyway.
	__________________ I am not a little teapot.

7th November 2008, 07:45 AM	#22
Morrigan Crone of War Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6,865	In French I sometimes hear "pratico-pratique". I want to strangle people who use that.
Morrigan Crone of War Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6,865

7th November 2008, 07:51 AM	#23
Dragoonster Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,583	"person of interest" "gravitas" "meme" "outlaw regime" "God has a plan"

7th November 2008, 08:10 AM	#24
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,378	Originally Posted by Cuddles I don't get it. The rest I can kind of understand, but what's wrong with "absolutely"? The same thing as "Exactly!". When heard several times a day. Originally Posted by Dragoonster "meme" Perhaps it's common knowledge 'round these parts, but I recently found out that the word was coined by Richard Dawkins.
	__________________ Science doesn't lie. Last edited by alfaniner; 7th November 2008 at 08:15 AM.

7th November 2008, 08:20 AM	#25
tomwaits Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chicago, IL, USA Posts: 2,288	On talk radio, when someone is about to make a point (and usually not answering the question), they always start by saying "Look..." or "Listen..." or "Let me just say this...". So obnoxious.

7th November 2008, 08:20 AM	#26
uruk Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In the land of the Shatner stealing Mexico touchers Posts: 5,313	In voice overs in ads for up coming TV episodes: "Something will happen that will change everything forever!" OH god! that gets my panties in a bunch! I know someday I'll hear: "Some thing happens that changes everything back again to way it was before the thing that happened that changed everything....forever!" And now on to other phrases that irratate the hell out of me: "In a world where [insert brainless movie situation]" "Talk to the hand" "You go girl!" "Know what I'm sayin'" "I hear ya" "That gets my panties in a bunch" "Can you feel this in my armpit?" "[insert behaiviour] much?" "I need to find myself." "Yo, yo yo." "Booyaaaaa!" "wassup!" "In the final anaysis." "Were having a baby!" (really then why is she the one screaming for drugs and questioning the marital status of your parents?) "Any joke that goes over five seconds on Family Guy" (ok. not really a phrase, but it still irritates the hell out of me) "S/he/I was like...[insert noise or gesture]" "What was that about?" "Just asking questions." "That's what she said" "Think outside of the box" "Paradigm shift"
	__________________ Fourscore and seven years ago I tapped yo mama in a log cabin! Abe Lincoln

7th November 2008, 08:32 AM	#27
brodski Tea-Time toad Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 15,066	Hopefully, debone, unravel, cleave, flamable , gotten, antidisestablishmentarianism, infer, imply, shibboleth and Telegraph. All have no proper place in the English language.
brodski Tea-Time toad Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 15,066

7th November 2008, 08:33 AM	#28
uruk Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In the land of the Shatner stealing Mexico touchers Posts: 5,313	Oh yea here are some more: "You/he's/she's/it's da bomb!" "You da man!" "See where I'm comming from?" "If I were you...." "Pwned"
	__________________ Fourscore and seven years ago I tapped yo mama in a log cabin! Abe Lincoln

7th November 2008, 08:36 AM	#29
Mashuna Ovis ex Machina Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Welsh Wales Posts: 6,578	Originally Posted by brodski Hopefully, debone, unravel, cleave, flamable , gotten, antidisestablishmentarianism, infer, imply, shibboleth and Telegraph. All have no proper place in the English language. Well, you would say that. You're hardly an uninterested observer.
	__________________ GENERATION 10: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and put in a random number. Anti-social experiment.

7th November 2008, 08:53 AM	#30
FramerDave Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 725	Peel the onion Drill down Lo and behold (especially when written as "low and behold" Myself, when used incorrectly, and it usually is My bad Think outside the box On the same page Nearly any sports metaphor
FramerDave Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 725	__________________ "You're likely to be the next one to get sucked up in a spaceship and butt-diddled and dropped off at the Seven Eleven." mayday "If you want to see what baby oil does to lactating breasts pm me your email." mayday

7th November 2008, 09:16 AM	#31
calebprime Somewhat Elitist Parasite Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,747	Originally Posted by plumjam methinks ye doth protest too much Yes, sir. Glad someone else hates this one.
	__________________ Mr. DeBakey's free, but he's a little bit conciliatory.

7th November 2008, 09:19 AM	#32
tomwaits Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chicago, IL, USA Posts: 2,288	Loss of innocence

7th November 2008, 09:28 AM	#33
Darat Lackey Administrator / JREF Forum Liaison Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 64,731	At the end of the day this type of list is fairly unique. I personally, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to the poster, absolutely agree it's a nightmare and shouldn't of been posted anywhere never mind a 24/7 Forum but it's not rocket science to ignore it.
	__________________ If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

7th November 2008, 09:35 AM	#34
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,325	Originally Posted by Darat At the end of the day this type of list is fairly unique. I personally, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to the poster, absolutely agree it's a nightmare and shouldn't of been posted anywhere never mind a 24/7 Forum but it's not rocket science to ignore it. Darat doth protest too much, methinks.
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

7th November 2008, 09:37 AM	#35
Drudgewire Critical Doofus Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 9,434	"Happy camper."
	__________________ "You post a lie, it is proven 100% false, you move the goalposts and post yet another lie and it continues on around till we're back to the original lie as if it will somehow become true if it's re-iterated again. The same misquotes over and over again. The same hindsight bias, appeals to authority, etc." -lapman describing every twoofer on the internet