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Expressions Which Annoy!


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Oh dear this thread is bringing out the pedant in me.

I hate different to instead of different from, bored of instead of bored by or with, alot as one word instead of two.

What about those shop assistants who, when handing you a package say, "There you go."

TU I agree that partner is an odd way to describe the man you live with. I don't like it even though I use it for want of anything more fitting. I would welcome suggestions for something more appropriate for people of a certain age who live together, but aren't married.

Hoddy
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'It' refers to the slip or crack, of course, with 'notice' being used as a substitute for 'show', but with the extra meaning that there is an observer who will not notice 'it' because 'it' does not show. Rather elegant phrase, actually, relying on the listener to allow the substitution of 'notice' for 'be noticed', which is also a useful simplification.

I must admit to disliking the use of 'different to' as it is illogical, and as for 'different than' - that is hard to make any sense of. Or should I say that is a phrase of which it is hard to make any sense, not wanting to split any infinitives.

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"Going forward". Only to be used every other sentence in order to add gravitas.

For me, probably because a former (hated) boss used it all of a sudden. He got it off of his new boss.

Sends me apoplectic (I think that means angry).  

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Hoddy, spice it up then, say he's my live in lover, LOL, call him your LIL. At least that implies a relationship, yes I would be more than happy with someone saying they had a LIL.

Or you could say boyfriend or say that you live together. I have done this, I did this before it was respectable to live with someone, well in the NE of England, before it was respectable.

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[quote user="Teamedup"] .. say he's my live in lover, LOL, call him your LIL. At least that implies a relationship, [/quote]

This needs a little 'unpacking'...... but I like your style TU

Dicksmith said this once on the forum (not the 'I like your style' bit) and I threw the computer at the wall. Strangely, no one noticed my absence.

And Jond, I like 'gobsmacked', which you loathe.  I think it's bordering on onomatopeic.

I did enjoy the exquisitely crafted way that you said you hated it though[:D]

 

 

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'Going forward' when people mean in the future.

Apparently people who win medals now 'medal' which really sounds odd, very confusing if you hear 'meddle' instead or even worse, athletes now 'podium', sounds like medical treatment.

'I mean' at the beginning of a sentence when a person has not said anything previously - nothing to explain so why try to explain what they mean?

And being a real grumpy old man, people who write messages here (not very often I'm pleased to say) or on other Forums in textspeak using 4 instead of for and similar ...... 

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'24/7'  has me climbing the walls  -  Whatever happened to good old fashioned seven days a week ?

'Ya know what I mean?'  No I don't until you explain it to me !

'Innit ?'  -   coming at the end of every sentence.

Also this terrible aversion some people have to pronouncing their 'T's'.  My nephew calls me Aunie !![8-)]

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The phrase I really hate occurs when somebody answers a question and leads with the phrase 'Obviously...' even worse when they then fail to answer the question because they are merely repeating something which isn't clear.

(Often used by telephone sales people with only a limted grasp of the situation)

Some phrases may be inelegant (such as 'gobsmacked') but can be crackingly appropriate for certain situations ! (smile)

good night   (isn't that a strange phrase when written at 2.am?)

 

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The use of "loose" when it should be "lose" and vice-versa.

"The top of the hour" as by sky news, does it mean that half past is the bottom of the hour and hence quarter past would be half way down the hour!!!! and quarter to the hour would be----?????

Regards

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[quote user="Dick Smith"].
I must admit to disliking the use of 'different to' as it is illogical, and as for 'different than' - that is hard to make any sense of. Or should I say that is a phrase of which it is hard to make any sense, not wanting to split any infinitives.
[/quote]

 

Dick

Fowler, MEU, page 113 (in my edition) "that d. can only be followed by from & not by to is a SUPERSTITION..........This does not imply that d.from is wrong:......it is only now usual owing to the dead set taken against d.to by mistaken critics.

Couldn't resist it, sorry!!

But my pet hate is 'disinterested' for 'uninterested' - there is a big difference.

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Baby on Board? Surely, this informs you of the mental age (and ability) of the driver, thus allowing you to take evasive action![;-)]

Anyway, this thread seems to have allowed some inner thought to be dispelled!

Double negatives: ah yes, very common around here: in fact a core aspect of Esturine language.

How about "Anythink"? Even apparently educated people fall into this trap.

Anyone noticed how so many younger people are unable to pronounce the word "The"?

Instead of the correct RP "Thee" it is so often, pause "Thurgh". I include many BBC announcers/presenters in this criticism.

By the way: you no longer score your golf card: it seems in line with "The boy done good", scoring is now called "Carding" thus for your score, you "Carded" x. As your golf improves, you "Play good".

Evolution of language. Why is it that excepting the flowery style and clauses acting as adverbs and adjectives of Dickens, (which is style, anyway),  the English language remained virtually unchanged until about 25 years ago?

 

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