# Annoying pretentious words, sayings, or pronunciations people use to sound smarter **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456 "2001-01-04T20:43:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/101 "2012-12-05T15:27:16Z")
I skipped over all the zombie posts so I don’t know if it’s already been mentioned: “Per se.” As in, “Wellllll, you’re not being kicked out of your apartment _per se_…” …um, dude, you just told me that I have to vacate the apartment. There is no “_per se_.” Fuck I hate that saying. Once there was a speaker at a show and he was talking about dog training. He prefaced very point with a heavy sigh and “I know you’re not gonna listen to me, but…” My husband and I couldn’t even stay for this guy’s talk because he sounded so freakin’ pretentious and high on himself. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/102 "2012-12-05T15:34:25Z")
C’mon, I’ll take you out for coffee, we’ll have expresso 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/103 "2012-12-05T15:51:34Z")
> [@Shiva](#): > > car-RIB-ee-un How is this pretentious? > [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](#): > > People who say “FROM whence.” You know who you are. Stop it this instant. It’s certainly redundant; either “whence” or “from where” would make more sense. But to be fair, they _are_ following a pretty respectable precedent. “From whence” is often used in the Authorized Version of the Bible: > [@](#): > > From whence come wars and fightings among you? James 4:1. > > I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. Psalm 121:1. And in the Athanasian Creed from the Book of Common Prayer: > [@](#): > > He ascended into heaven, he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty : from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. > [@Askia](#): > > People who avoid perfectly plain Anglo/Saxon words for the pretense of more so-called ‘genteel’ words… like ‘perspire,’ ‘masticate,’ ‘fornicate,’ et. al. What’s wrong with “fornicate”? I’m not aware of any Anglo-Saxon verbs which mean “have sexual intercourse with someone to whom you are not married”. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/104 "2012-12-05T16:38:49Z")
Anyone who precedes a correction with: “Well, I think you’ll find…” Not really pretentious, but really bloody punchable. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/105 "2012-12-05T16:46:40Z")
> [@Peter\_N](#): > > When one uses the word “one”, it makes one want to throw up, vis-a-vis pretentious shite. “Utilize” instead of “use” which means the exact same thing, also drives me nuts! Sorry I meant drives “one” insane! It may not mean, as you put it “the exact same thing” in a dictionary. Dictionaries report the usage of words.They are our slaves not our masters… There are subtle differences between most so-called synonyms. That said, I agree with you, a lot of people like to use a long (and hopefully impressive) word when a perfectly good and common one will be more accurate. “Simplistic” for “Simple” is one of my favourites… As for… **“vis-a-vis pretentious shite”** “vis-a-vis”… French. Definitely pretentious. “Shite”… possibly pretentious, I’ve not read Ulysses, and it’s on my list of top ten things not to do before I die. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/106 "2012-12-05T16:49:49Z")
Started reading this, didn’t know it was a zombie until I got near the bottom of page one and saw Speaker for the Dead mention “the high school crowd”. I’m pretty sure Speaker hasn’t been in high school for some time now. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/107 "2012-12-05T18:29:50Z")
What’s wrong with ““coupon” [q-pon]” (post 29)? Post 37- in some areas “ATM” meant “Any Time Money” so yes, “ATM machine’ would be OK. Post 60, as regards “moi”- unless you’re Miss Piggy, of course! I know, zombie, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/108 "2012-12-05T19:28:50Z")
“…but I digress.” Me no like. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/109 "2012-12-05T19:51:23Z")
Using “man” instead of “people” or “humans.” As in: “Man is a complex being.” ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/110 "2012-12-06T00:12:33Z")
Almost 12 years and “methinks” hasn’t made an appearance yet? I can’t be the only one. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/111 "2012-12-06T07:44:54Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Ladies and Gentleman, may I direct your attention to one of the most annoying sayings/statments of the last ten years: > > “Hello. You’ve reached the desk of Joe Schmoe. I’m either on the phone or away from my desk. Blah blah blah.” > > C’mon people, leave a more original message than \*that \*. It shows you have the personality of a lawn ornament.Whenever I get that message I usually counter with, > > “Gee, Joe, really used up some braincells to come up with that message, huh?” Or, Joe needs a secrectary. (Ahem, _administrative assistant._) ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/112 "2012-12-06T07:58:37Z")
I have some but the most laughable has got to be “methinks.” Nobody ever says that but I’ve run across it several times here on the Dope. Makes me want to smack 'em and force them to drink beer. The misuse of “I.” “It was given to Larry and I.” No it wasn’t. Nothing has ever been given to “I.” To _me,_ yeah. Subtract Larry (the plural) and you get “me.” Please never give _me_ something from “Larry and I.” ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/113 "2012-12-06T16:01:57Z")
For me, it’s the tendency of Christians to randomly slip into Olde English when they talketh about the LORD. Because apparently, not only is the KJV the One True Revealed Word of God, but the LORD can only heareth you (or perhaps the LORD only understandeth, or only payeth attention) when you speaketh as if you were reading the KJV. (Also, the convention of LORD in all caps in the Bible always bugged me. :)) Oh, as to periods in phone numbers–I tend to avoid it now, but when I did it, it was mostly because I was using the keypad and it doesn’t have parentheses. ---
**Author:** ![bartleby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bartleby/32/10491_2.png) [@bartleby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bartleby)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/114 "2012-12-06T20:39:53Z")
Pretty much everything I say? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/115 "2012-12-07T00:31:47Z")
Dear defense attorneys: when you use the phrase “rush to judgment” it merely serves to convince me that you have a sleazeball for a client. Reporters, commentators and government officials: please stop making yourselves sound moronic by referring to the situation “on the ground”. We’re already pretty sure what’s happening is on the ground, as opposed to 20,000 feet up or orbiting Venus. Even if these have been mentioned in zombie-land, they’re still occurring and action is urgently needed. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/116 "2012-12-07T00:35:37Z")
Writers, particularly political/economic writers, looooove to begin a sentence with: “To be sure”. God, they’re smart! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/117 "2012-12-07T01:28:10Z")
I used to work for a woman who would insert “obviously” into contexts that were not at all obvious. “What time should we arrive?” “Obviously, four o’clock.” “What color paint are you using?” “Obviously blue.” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/118 "2012-12-07T01:34:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I used to work for a woman who would insert “obviously” into contexts that were not at all obvious. > > “What time should we arrive?” > “Obviously, four o’clock.” > > “What color paint are you using?” > “Obviously blue.” The only person who can get away with saying that is Sherlock Holmes. 🙂 I don’t know if it was said in the thread way back when, but “myself” drives me a little crazy, when “me” or “I” would be perfectly okay in its place. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/119 "2012-12-07T04:15:15Z")
Whenever someone ends a sentence with “if you will” I respond “I won’t”. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456/120 "2012-12-07T06:48:24Z")
> [@Gundy](#): > > “Le-zhure” for “leisure”. > I guess any British pronounciation or spelling when the person in question is quite American smacks of pretentiousness to me. I’m confused. How else could you possibly pronounce “leisure”? Rhymes with the first half of “freezer” and the second half of “treasure”, right? What other option is there? Do you say the second syllable like the second syllable of “monsieur”? Because that would sound pretentious to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pretentious-words-sayings-or-pronunciations-people-use-to-sound-smarter/48456.md?page=7)