# 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:** 41
**Author:** ![contradancer2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5a626/32.png) [@contradancer2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/contradancer2)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/802 "2021-02-02T08:07:27Z")
I dropped the ball on the floor when outside). I dropped the dish on the ground (when inside). Floor=inside, ground = outside. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum\_45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum_45/32/3385_2.png) [@eburacum\_45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum_45)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/803 "2021-02-02T08:48:39Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > 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. That’s right. Fresher it is. Freshman has a hint of sexism about it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/804 "2021-02-02T09:05:39Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In Canada, the term we used back in the Dark Ages was “frosh”. “Frosh,” certainly; in my experience at U of Toronto and U of Alberta. But neither followed the US convention of “sophomore,” “junior,” and “senior” to denote, “second-year,” third-year," and “fourth-year,” respectively, as we would call them in Canadian universities. Law school was interesting. You weren’t a “frosh” in your first year (because you had been a frosh already, in your undergrad university), but you were still a beginner. So, you were a “1L.” After that, you were in the “upper years,” which was a nice general term if you didn’t want to specify “2L” or “3L.” ---
**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, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/805 "2021-02-02T17:23:13Z")
> [@eburacum\_45](#): > > That’s right. Fresher it is. Freshman has a hint of sexism about it. Hmm. Hadn’t considered that aspect. “Freshman” is now inappropriate and “freshperson”, “freshstudent”, “freshworker”, etc., really doesn’t cut it. “Frosh” was colloquial and mildly pejorative when I went through HS & college 40-50ish years ago. “Freshman” was the one and only official term. I’d not be surprised to find that “1st year” through “4th year” become the standard soon enough. ---
**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 2, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/806 "2021-02-02T17:27:44Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > But neither followed the US convention of “sophomore,” “junior,” and “senior” to denote, “second-year,” third-year," and “fourth-year,” respectively, as we would call them in Canadian universities. That’s my experience also. When we were putting together our highschool yearbook, the kits we got from the printer included section dividers for the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. We asked our academic advisor what that was for. He said “Ignore it. It’s some American thing that we don’t use.” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/807 "2021-02-02T18:29:29Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > “momentarily” to mean “soon” or “in the near future”. Nope. “Presently” to mean “now” or “currently.” It actually (traditionally) means “soon” or “in the near future.” > : **What is the difference between** “ **presently** ” and “ **currently** ”? “ **Currently** ” basically means at the **current** time or moment — at the **present** time. “ **Presently** ” means shortly or **in a** moment. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/808 "2021-02-02T18:34:21Z")
“Most unique” Unique already means “one of a kind.” How can anything be more unique? It’s like saying our water is wetter than your water. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/809 "2021-02-02T18:40:23Z")
“Git gud” This is not advice, this is arrogant boating at best, and otherwise a dismissive insult, and it says more about the person who says it than it does about whoever it is they’re attempting to belittle. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/810 "2021-02-02T18:56:45Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And it’s companion, BOGOF! Which always looks like an insult to me. And its companion, the misuse of apostrophes. ---
**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:** [February 2, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/811 "2021-02-02T19:13:09Z")
Autocorrect. I am a lifelong editor and writer, but when it comes to my iPhone, I forswear taking responsibility for this kind of thing. It’s too small for me to deal with. ---
**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, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/812 "2021-02-02T19:18:18Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > “Git gud” > This is not advice, this is arrogant boating at best, and otherwise a dismissive insult, and it says more about the person who says it than it does about whoever it is they’re attempting to belittle. Never heard of this. What’s the context, meaning, audience, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/813 "2021-02-02T19:28:35Z")
Google says it’s gamer slang for “get good.” ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/814 "2021-02-02T20:26:04Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > “Git gud” > This is not advice, this is arrogant boating at best, and otherwise a dismissive insult, and it says more about the person who says it than it does about whoever it is they’re attempting to belittle. I know it’s a typo, but “arrogant boating” is just funny. Is that what was going on at the Trump boat rallies? ---
**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, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/815 "2021-02-02T20:30:25Z")
When I write straight text (outside of quotes, my own words), I will use something like five contractions a year. I write the whole words out, sometimes restructuring a phrase for better scan. Which means I have to watch autocorrect so that I can prevent its=\>it’s, ill=\>I’ll and stuff like that there. It does save me a fair bit of time, but it does help to get used to the troublesome corrections, meaning you do not have to watch it awl the time. ---
**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:** [February 2, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/816 "2021-02-02T20:33:17Z")
Well, I wasn’t using a contraction in that case. My phone’s autocorrect routinely changes “its” to “it’s.” I have a hard enough time with my fat fingers and my tiny phone and the teeny-tiny edit box that Discourse gives me–things will get through. I am done feeling bad about it. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/817 "2021-02-03T05:51:29Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > “all of the sudden” Seeing it printed out definitely looks strange, and when it’s said quickly / slurred, can easily sound like “a” as much as “the”. As long as you’re not trying to say you’ve seen it actually spelled\* like that. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > “momentarily” to mean “soon” or “in the near future”. Nope. Came here to post this. Play-by-play sports announcers are usually the worst for this humdinger. As well as the odd dozy newscaster, deserving a good purple nurple whenever that happens. > [@digs](#): > > From my decades in academia… Wasn’t it originally academe, back in the almost Tolkiensque mists of spectral, forlorn desolation of the mustier, older, halls of learning? And then the ole “getting distracted by macadamia nuts” manouvre took over, so that angry prescriptivists like myself are like - oh, great - another misused word (thanks MW! 😡) brought into the lexicon. \*ha, and that’s a word that can _sound_ like “spelt”. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2021, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/818 "2021-02-03T11:48:12Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > “all of the sudden” I usually hear it as “all the sudden” which sounds slightly more strange to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chelonaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Chelonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chelonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/819 "2021-02-03T15:09:32Z")
“The Venn diagram of X and Y is a single circle” instead of “There’s complete overlap between X and Y”. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/820 "2021-02-03T18:19:45Z")
I heard an example of it this morning, and it triggered a cascade of memories to the lazy people that use it: “ **Have a good one!** ” Have a good _what_? Day? Evening? Week? Hour? Geological epoch? I normally hear it from customer-service types that are too motherf\*ckin’ lazy to show any situational awareness. Today’s event was from a cashier that passively handed me a receipt while staring at his cellphone. This phrase has been harshing my calm for years now. . . Tripler Normally calm. ---
**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 3, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894/821 "2021-02-03T19:14:40Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > > [@digs](#): > > > > From my decades in academia… > > Wasn’t it originally academe, back in the almost Tolkiensque mists of spectral, forlorn desolation of the mustier, older, halls of learning? I typed _academe_ first, then did a quick dive into google and decided that all the non-stuffy types are in _“academia”_ these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-terms-that-aggravate-the-hell-out-of-you/923894.md?page=42)