Are there certain phrases you hear people say that just irritate the hell out of you?
Phrases so bad, you wish they could be un-invented?
I absolutely despise the phrase, "Step up to the plate." As in, "You need to step up to the plate and take responsibility."
I think anyone who uses the phrase, "Raise the bar" should have to stand in the corner for an hour.
But worst of all...the phrase that should be abolished forever is, "Think outside the box."
AARRRGH!!!!
What other bad phrases can you think of?
Post Edited (11-01-05 01:28)
None, especially not any of those.
Good grief, life is too short to get upset over people using idiomatic catch phrases, especialy when they are used to convey an intention that would otherside take much more explanation
Dude,
Why don't you tells us how you REALLY feel.
Ok, My soul was just blackened that little bit by writing this. those TV quips drive me nuts,
Here are my not-so phrases...
My company is a big one for slogan that are totally meaningless. For a cost-cutting plan they instituted Project Bullet Train. They are always trying to have catchy yet meaningless slogan-y names for stuff.
Also I HATE i-anything. It was OK for iPod and iMac... but its just getting stupid nowadays.
-Ed
"Good grief, life is too short to get upset over people using idiomatic catch phrases, especialy when they are used to convey an intention that would otherside take much more explanatio"
People (well, myself anyway) don't get that mad. Some of us just like to feign extreme anger over minor annoyances.
That said, it irks me a bit when people say "I got bit by a bee" or "That snake stung me".
Jim H wrote:
> That said, it irks me a bit when people say "I got bit by a
> bee" or "That snake stung me".
Yeah, those people suck, but then again, depending on the snake 'sting' they might not be around for too much longer, so the problem usually solves itself I guess...
My girlfriend is always getting frustrated at silly things I say, so I guess I'm the annoying one, but something that always makes me laugh is when people come into my work, buy some stuff and I say 'have a good day' or 'see ya later' or what have you, and they look at me and just say 'no thanks I don't need one' assuming that I asked whether they wanted a bag for their goods! It's just so silly...
That being said, I haven't really come across people saying stuff like 'Think outside of the box' in a serious tone before: anyone would just make too much fun of them for it!
Although I haven't heard it in a while, "WAZZUP!" tends to bug me. My usual reply is "Your Time" (although, most people tell me that my favorite phrase is "What?").
But it really bugs me when one of these WAZZUP! Guy wannabes tries to employ the same verbal technique when pronouncing my name.
'Sup wid 'at?
Yes, "Wazzup" is very annoying. But I feel I must interject and say that when you're drunk it is very fun to say. Of course, I wouldn't try it outside of a group of other very drunk people.
I'm a bit confused about taking the same tact with your name though. I'm guessing your name is, I don't know, Philip? Billy Crudup? Suzup? (I kid, I kid.)
Anyway, I would say that if you are using any advertising slogan as a punchline, you're probably not that funny. But once again I must confess to having used that "I've got good news, though, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance" as a joke. In my defense, it was in relation to horrifically bad situations, which if I told you what they were you would find out I am much more callous than I let on.
I think the worst phrases are lame comedic punchlines. A few years ago it was quoting Austin Powers. Today, I would say that you should safely be able to punch anybody in the face who uses the phrase "Git-R-Done". How's that for a punchline?
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE lines are fast losing any semblance of acceptable socialization.
I guess it all boils down to an observation I made several years ago: "You know what the great thing about quoting movies and television is? You never have to think of you're own thoughts!"
Mofo Rising wrote:
> Yes, "Wazzup" is very annoying. But I feel I must interject
> and say that when you're drunk it is very fun to say. Of
> course, I wouldn't try it outside of a group of other very
> drunk people.
>
'Lost my taste for it a while back, so maybe that's the problem. Still, these were forklift drivers on the clock. Eh, maybe that's why my old boss was always making ME do everything. (grumble, grumble)
> I'm a bit confused about taking the same tact with your name
> though. I'm guessing your name is, I don't know, Philip?
> Billy Crudup? Suzup? (I kid, I kid.)
>
Well, I usually answer to the single syllable version of my first name, which has an "L" at the end, which for some reason makes it rather easy for someone to spend 25 or 30 seconds identifying me by a single syllable with their tongue hanging out as far as it'll go.
"I tell ya', life aint easy for a boy named Sue" - Johnny Cash
GAH!!!! There are so many things that bother me but at the moment, the only one I can think of is: Can you hear me now?
There's assclowns that run around here where I work and they say it like as if it's the most witty thing in the world. Well, considering the intelligence level of the people in this building, perhaps it is to them.
I have emotional trauma anytime I overhear a wild "git-r-done." It just reminds me like a bludgeon what part of the country I live in. Stupid southerners.
Napoleon Dynamite quotes are still viable. A tactfully drawn out "idiot" still hits its mark. However, there was a time between its release and today when everyone was doing it. And no matter the situation, you still got a dirty look. Most overdone was the whole "Vote For Pedro" campaign on EVERYBODY'S crap. Even girls were proudly wearing it on the sides of their purses. While its cool that one movie can pervade and entire generation, it's tiresome to come across it everywhere.
What's funny abou that movie is that even my professors and my professor's friends find it hilarious. Guys and girls in the 30's and 40's are walking around exclaiming "idiot" or "GOSH." The movie was a phenomenal success any way you look at it.
Like, you know the people who like, use the word like, like, every time they, like, say something. Like, it's really irritating, like, you know?
You know, that phrase you know, is like, you know , really irritating too, you know.
Oh yeah, I'm one of those stupid southerners, and I have noticed that every region in this country has their own unique version of the ignorant redneck. Usually they're morons who make blanket statements about entire regions or groups of people.
odinn7 wrote:
> GAH!!!! There are so many things that bother me but at the
> moment, the only one I can think of is: Can you hear me now?
> There's assclowns that run around here where I work and they
> say it like as if it's the most witty thing in the world. Well,
> considering the intelligence level of the people in this
> building, perhaps it is to them.
>
Yeah, well, the geniuses around here have modified "Can you hear me now?" to "Can you smell me now?" There's wackiness aplenty in these parts, let me tell you.
Trek Geezer wrote:
"Oh yeah, I'm one of those stupid southerners, and I have noticed that every region in this country has their own unique version of the ignorant redneck. Usually they're morons who make blanket statements about entire regions or groups of people."
>
>
>
Ouch. Sorry to offend. I'm just getting tired of coherent statements and expressions being reduced to catch phrase sputterings. Maybe if "git-r-done" had a logical place in dialogue I wouldn't be complaining, but I think even "think outside the box" has been accurately quoted. I've only heard "git-r-done" used for a quick laugh or to show one has an understanding of redneck popular culture. The problem I have with the phrase and its usage is that when it's said, it means nothing. The statement is empty and the people who say it don't mean anything by it. What is "git-r-done" anyways; just another way to say 'let's do it.' It doesn't have the same implications as say, "think outside the box" which means to break the conventions of thought and to attempt an untried method of accomplishing a task. Gitting-r-done doesn't even hit the same level as "keep on trucking" which suggests persistence in life, or "walking the line" which implies being in a dangerous position. It's utter baseness is revolting as a serious suggestion, because weren't we going to "git-r-done" anyways, whether you made the suggestion or not?
Sorry if I might have offended you, Trek, or anyone else in the south. I simply find the usage of the phrase to be exclusively southern.
No offense really taken, just couldn't resist firing back.
I'm trying to recall where that phrase came from (gt'r done). Sounds like a Foxworthy phrase.
"Turn that frown upside down!"
Look, it's not like I'm some whiny emo kid. Hell, I don't even get sad (what most people find depressing I just find funny. actually, when I make jokes is often when I hear this, making it even more annoying). Still, that phrase bugs the hell out of me, mostly due to the fact that it rhymes. I HATE rhyming. Yes, all of it. And yes, that does mean I hate almost all poetry. I'm sorry, but poetry is just a stupid form of "art". It's basically someone admitting that they don't have the intelligence to come up with a good story or idea to cover the length of even a short story.
Two bit penny hacks. Need to read a novel and learn what literature is. Rhyming isn't, and never has been clever. Same goes for puns.
Christ, i've probablly offended a bunch of people. Sorry about that. It's just that my dad was a poet, so i heard ALOT of poetry, and am very sick of it.
Post Edited (11-01-05 14:48)
Squeakmiester...your father wasn't a Vogon was he?
I must agree about every phrase mentioned here. The one that I hate the absolute worst is "Get-R-Done" as Scottie pointed out. I live in a very rural (redneck) area of North Carolina and apparently Larry The Cable guy is the funniest damn thing on the Earth and I am a "retard" for not finding him funny.
I see the word everywhere. I've seen it on signs just randomly put on the side of the road, and even in legit local newspaper articles, with the word being used seriously.
As Scottie said, it seems to be only a Southern thing. I personally find the whole Blue Collar group insanely stupid and without any merit at all. Some people on this board might find them funny, and I'm not trying to make fun of you in any way at all. Actually, I feel sorry for you.
Skaboi wrote:
> ...apparently Larry The Cable guy is the funniest damn thing on
> the Earth and I am a "retard" for not finding him funny.
>
>
> As Scottie said, it seems to be only a Southern thing. I
> personally find the whole Blue Collar group insanely stupid and
> without any merit at all.
I hear it all too often up here in Pennsylvania...there are rednecks here of course but also quite a few people that migrated here like myself. I am one who finds no humor in that crap and apparently that scares them as it proves my intelligence is above theirs.
Can I interest you in this nice shirt?
(http://www.larrysfleamarket.com/uploads/images_products_large/158.jpg)
Post Edited (11-01-05 18:17)
Aw Trek and Skaboi....you sure you don't want one of these fine decals for your vehicle?
(http://www.larrysfleamarket.com/uploads/images_products_large/154.jpg)
"You've got another thing coming."
This drives me nuts. THINK! It's 'You've got another THINK coming.'
I don't know why it annoys me so much but I'd like to take a baseball bat to the collection of idiots who use it. Judas Priest didn't help much when they used the wrong version as a song title.....
Also, would somebody please shoot George Bush's script writer? The man needs professional help.
"You Go Girl!"
Not only is it annoying on it's own it has to be fused with an super annoying voice that makes me want to kill them.
Skaboi wrote:
> As Scottie said, it seems to be only a Southern thing. I
> personally find the whole Blue Collar group insanely stupid and
> without any merit at all. Some people on this board might find
> them funny, and I'm not trying to make fun of you in any way at
> all. Actually, I feel sorry for you.
>
I'll agree with you on Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy, but Ron White is actually a funny, witty guy. His "Drunk in Public" is definitely worth checking out. White's been the one who has most distanced himself from the Blue Collar tour, and is the only one who doesn't appear on the television show.
I have never actually watched the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, so I cannot tell you whether Bill Engvall is funny or stupid.
Minor thread hijack:
Ungrammatical and common things tend to p**s me off. Especially "free gift," "very unique," that sort of s**t. Can't help it.
And "the reason is because."
And "irregardless."
And "bling." Or even better, when it's used as a verb ("bling-blingin'," in the song "Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy").
The word "impact" is greatly overused and I hate to hear it. "What's the best way to make impact on this one?"
Most corporate speak is inherently vacuous and offensive. Project this, mission that. Consumers become clients become customers, doctors become providers, insured persons become covered lives. Bleeecch. All dehumanizing.
And just about nobody correctly uses "affect" and "effect," but that doesn't matter in spoken form.
And for some reason, "shill" nettles me too. One African-American coworker of mine used to say the word "shill" about every fourth word, and it generally seemed to denote agreement. Fortunately, I've not yet met anyone else who incessantly says that.
Oh yeah, saying 'impact' when you mean 'effect' really p**ses me off. Even worse is 'impacted' in place of 'affected.' Impacted is something that happens to your wisdom teeth. I hate when another word is improperly substituted for a perfectly good one, just to sound sophisticated. But the absolute worst are the people (also usually corportate types) who think they can just stick any prefix or suffix onto any word to make another word. I've heard many examples, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. My brain is not trained to process language in that way, you see. The one that is the obvious extension of what I've already said is the truly idiotic term 'impactful.' Imagine going to the trouble of coming up with that awkward bit of nonsense to extend the improper use of 'impact.' The word is 'effective!' Just say that!
Mofo,
I must agree with you about Ron White. When I wrote the above post, I completely forgot about him. I don't quite consider him to be part of the Blue Collar team, eventhough he is.
He is a pretty damned funny guy, and most of his humor doesn't come from being a redneck. I'll track down Drunk In Public. I've only seen him in "They Call Me Tater Salad" which is pretty good.
"There is no I in team"
"This is a win-win situation"
I also hate when people use the made up word "flustrated" when they mean "frustrated" or "flustered".
I hate "could care less"
I hate "consenses (sp) of opinion"
I hate "most unique" or "more unique"
But the one that makes me cringe the most.............drum roll please..............NUCULAR...........thanks dubya.
Empowerment, empowered, just more corporate bulls**t. I really hate it, but working for a so called educational instittution I have to use this BS in reports and evaluations all the time.
Just about anything in lawyerese.
Wow, it seems that corporate speak is really a sore point to many of you here. Rightly so I might add. My own personal experiences in the matter isn't anywhere near so stereotypically corporate, but it's always funny [not annoying, as one may often feel] when people make anagrams and such out of ideas and strategies, such as, at my work, S.E.S.A.M.E which for some unknown reason is of crucial importance according to our head office [its on the wall at work but nobody reads it] I know there is at least ONE 'Smile' in there, but for the life of me can't remember the rest...
I really do enjoy taking the p**s out of all the slogans our head office comes up with. I guess it's just human nature to mock your superiors!
Well, at least in our country our 'leader' is not frequently miss-spelling/pronouncing words, that seems like its pretty annoying for those who have to put up with him... [though, I'm sorry to say, it is of great enjoyment to those I know around here who like to poke fun at American Presidents]
Georgie Boy wrote:
> I hate "could care less"
I hate that one too, because the correct term is "couldn't care less." I've tried to explain to somebody that if you could care less, that means you must care.
> I hate "most unique" or "more unique"
Sticking degrees on absolutes - good one.
Skaboi wrote:
> He is a pretty damned funny guy, and most of his humor doesn't
> come from being a redneck. I'll track down Drunk In Public.
> I've only seen him in "They Call Me Tater Salad" which is
> pretty good.
>
Well, they're the same thing, so you've already heard Drunk In Public.
Acronyms. God help us. It's just sad that whenever some citizens' group forms and has to figure out what to call itself, everybody starts thinking of words that could stand for something.
Of course, the one that really bugged me for a while was an environmental group that started in my home town around 1990 or 91 - APT Environment, which stood for "Assuring Protection for Tomorrow's Environment." OK, first of all, that's not a name. It describes what they (in their own minds) were doing, not who they were. And "apt" is not a particularly significant word either, so the acronym was kind of meaningless. But the real sore spot for me was that they couldn't even come up with a clean acronym. They left a whole word hanging off the end. Seriously, that was the best they could do. I wished I'd have been there just to explain that the whole point of an acronym is to avoid spelling things out in full. Jeez, pick another word and come up with a name that actually fits it. That would only be moderately stupid.
Best acronym, hands down, has to be from the Polymorph episode of Red Dwarf: the Committee for the Liberation and Integration of Terrifying Organisms and their Rehabilitation Into Society, or CLITORIS.
I hate the phrases "family friendly" and "24-7."
JimH and Dean brought up something interesting, the misuse of the word sting for the word bite, which is actually covered in one of the films reviewed at this site. In "Lair of the White Worm," P.C. Erny (Paul Brooke) says: "Your ladyship, I've been stung by a snake." And Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe) somewhat irked, says: "Bees sting. Snakes bite."