# Phrases/terms that aggravate the hell out of you **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894 "2020-10-26T02:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 40
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/782 "2021-01-30T13:19:36Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > But with “processes” the stress is two syllables before the last, not immediately before the last. > > Can you find counterexamples in which the stress comes two syllables away from the end of the word, instead of right before it—and yet the standard pronunciation of the last syllable is “ess”? Abcesses. ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/783 "2021-01-30T13:38:15Z")
Sorry, I hadn’t read the whole thread when I posted this; I see others have mentioned this word. Now here’s another “pet peeve” of mine. I’ve heard people talk about the “COMP-troller” of an organization. At times I’ve heard “conTROLLer”. Are these the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/784 "2021-01-30T14:33:27Z")
> [@jerseymule](#): > > Are these the same thing? Yes: > **[Comptroller | Etymology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comptroller#Etymology)** > > The word is a variant of "controller". The "cont-" or "count-" part in that word was associated with "compt-", a variant of the verb "count". The term, though criticized by lexicographers such as Henry Watson Fowler, is probably retained in part because in official titles it was deemed useful to have the title dissociated from the word and concept "control". > A variant explanation is that comptroller evolved in the 15th century through a blend of the French compte ("an account") and the Middle En... ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/785 "2021-01-30T14:38:16Z")
> [@jerseymule](#): > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > But with “processes” the stress is two syllables before the last, not immediately before the last. > > > > Can you find counterexamples in which the stress comes two syllables away from the end of the word, instead of right before it—and yet the standard pronunciation of the last syllable is “ess”? > > Abcesses. Congresses ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/786 "2021-01-30T16:25:44Z")
Use of the word ‘aggravate’ when what is meant is ‘irritate’. (Ducking for cover)… ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/787 "2021-01-30T17:42:44Z")
Using the word “Exasperate” instead of “Exacerbate” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/788 "2021-01-30T23:12:10Z")
I once used “exacerbated” on a production report, causing my boss to yell at me to use words that he knew. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/789 "2021-01-31T01:08:40Z")
How candid of him. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/790 "2021-01-31T01:23:44Z")
He was as good a department manager as anyone could ask for. Far from lacking in wisdom and finesse, cranky but well-liked, just not an intellectual. I would guess that more than half of America could not use that word properly any more than they can “effect” the “affect”. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/791 "2021-01-31T04:30:36Z")
> [@jerseymule](#): > > Abcesses. > [@Acsenray](#): > > Congresses Thanks, both. Upthread, there was some agreement with the idea that ‘process-eez’ had become familiar in America because of the large numbers of UK and/or Commonwealth-educated people, and people from nations that used to be UK-influenced (Indian sub-continent, etc.), in science, medicine, and engineering disciplines, who work here in the USA. (Given that those people would have grown up with the “eez” ending instead of the “es” ending.) For those people, the ‘using it to sound Special’ criticism wouldn’t be reasonable or appropriate. For those born-here Americans who take it up…well, cases may vary. If the person who trains you uses “eez,” you might use it too, without any intention of being pretentious. Kind of a ‘shades of grey’ situation. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/792 "2021-01-31T05:06:13Z")
> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#): > > I hardly ever see the word “offer” used anymore, it appears to have been replaced by “proffer”. > > The extra “p” strikes me as ppretentious. But you’re okay with the extra R? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/793 "2021-01-31T05:10:03Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > This is not really aggravating, but I work with a lot of people from India, and their word for moving a meeting earlier is “prepone.” I’ve pointed out to several of them that it makes sense, and I sort of like it, but it’s not standard in US English, and they’re always surprised to find that out. That makes me think of “freshie” in Thailand. Thais use that “word” for “freshman” and flat-out don’t believe it is not standard English. It makes my skin crawl whenever I encounter it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/794 "2021-01-31T05:13:23Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > It bugs me much more than seeing U’s in colour, etc. Know why Americans removed the letter U from the British spelling of words like “humour” and “colour”? Because Fuck U, that’s why. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/795 "2021-02-01T22:53:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > That makes me think of “freshie” in Thailand. Thais use that “word” for “freshman” and flat-out don’t believe it is not standard English. It makes my skin crawl whenever I encounter it. My son goes to university in the UK. First year students there are called “freshers”. Not sure how widespread it is in other English-speaking countries. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/796 "2021-02-01T22:57:10Z")
In Canada, the term we used back in the Dark Ages was “frosh”. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/797 "2021-02-01T23:16:57Z")
Here in Northern Piper’s town in the late-medieval, “frosh” was the slang term but, if I remember right, the official term was “freshie” of all things. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/798 "2021-02-01T23:35:57Z")
Yeah, we used “frosh” in some parts of the US. Mostly, I think, as an adjective. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/799 "2021-02-02T00:14:04Z")
From my decades in academia, almost every time “freshers” or “frosh” or “freshies” is used, it’s coupled with a lack of respect. It’s like a diminutive, like “Oh, isn’t little Bobby cute.” It isn’t until he’s proven himself that he gets to be Robert… though sometimes he’s still Bobby at home (where they still _neotanize_ him). Upper classmen (oh, look, _“upper”,_ the opposite sort of nickname) do not take incoming _freshies_ seriously. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/800 "2021-02-02T01:57:36Z")
“all of the sudden” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/801 "2021-02-02T02:01:46Z")
“momentarily” to mean “soon” or “in the near future”. Nope. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=41)