# Phrases we could do without. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 29, 1999, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718 "1999-12-29T20:24:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/special)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/41 "1999-12-31T03:17:00Z")
## i have a reeaall problem w/ using ‘resources’ when referring to employees. if you make them inanimate, non-human, objectivized numbers, it’s ok to ‘downsize’ them. the business world is way too full of ‘bottom line’ decisions w/ a vocabulary that eliminates responsibility for the lives of people employed in the business, because they aren’t people: they are resources. cold. very, very cold. The purpose of life is to matter, to count, to have it make a difference you lived at all. ---
**Author:** ![N\_oR\_jVIaL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@N\_oR\_jVIaL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N_oR_jVIaL)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/42 "1999-12-31T03:36:00Z")
“I expect one hundred and ten percent” … just makes me want to puKe ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/43 "1999-12-31T04:01:00Z")
Exactly. Gimme a break. At work: “Pam, I know you’ve already got a lot on your plate …”. So don’t add to it, okay. I’m on a diet. Oh, and redefining a problem as an opportunity. Opportunities are good things. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/44 "1999-12-31T04:41:00Z")
Well (I know in advance that PO’s some of y’all),… “Task” can be a proper verb, as can “effect.” Employees are, in fact, resources. Thinking about them in that manner is a prerequisite for being able to effectively manage that part of their lives that you must steward (also a verb). Holding that view hardly precludes considering them as human beings living with unique situations. Lots of phrases attain a level of usage that becomes wearisome to the ear; as do individual words - witness “diversity” - they nevertheless facilitate what we once called the “small talk” that was thoroughly derided during my early days (60’s) when we greeted each other with the standards “Hey, brother” “Peace, man” etc. Those recurring phrases _are_ wearisome, but they also constitute a common currency, a _lingua franca_, that allows us all to muddle through the day with some degree of communication. They _are_ tiring, and it _is_ refershing when some obsequious genre such as “politically correct” gets rightfully turned on its head. I remember a great controversy in high school, visited when the local proprietor of an SS 396 was being urged to leave remnants of his tires on the parking lot: should one urge: “Get it on!” or Get on it!" Ultimately, deal with it. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/special)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/45 "1999-12-31T06:13:00Z")
i personally don’t like the bbq pit because i feel it gives people not only the license but also, seemingly, the incentive to be rude, often with little other cause than being in the pit. however, the flashy little monolog above by beatle brings to mind an old colorado saying (those of you who have lived thru the yearly invasion of out-of-state hunters will know what i mean): what can you expect, s/he’s from texas. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 1999, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/46 "1999-12-31T06:53:00Z")
The next person to use “is all” to describe someone saying something (as in “He’s all, ‘No way!’ And she’s all, ‘Way!’”) is going to suffer. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/47 "2000-01-04T20:11:00Z")
**special** , that’s the POINT of the PIT. I’d rather have all the nastiness in one place, instead of in every other post in the other forums… And I’m like, “That **SaniMani** better mind his own damn bidnezz!” And he was like, “Canny, why you gots ta be like dat?” And I was like, “Whoa, you’re so exciting SaniMani. Too bad I’m married, 1500 miles away from you and twice your age!” And he was like, “What? Who said I wanted your ol’ gramma butt, anyway?” And I was like, crying, knowhuttamean? ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/48 "2000-01-04T20:51:00Z")
What’s the dilleo? ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/49 "2000-01-04T20:57:00Z")
**ruuuuuuuubes** , where are you? I’m callin’ yer braided butt… ---
**Author:** ![Studi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Studi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Studi)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/50 "2000-01-04T23:12:00Z")
If I hear “I am appalled…” I’m going to go on a wild killing rampage. Not that I wouldn’t anyway. * * * “What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?” --W.C. Fields ---
**Author:** ![special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/special)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/51 "2000-01-05T01:09:00Z")
yeah, cant, i understand that; but it makes me uncomfortable. we teach little kids that words don’t go away. still, i guess this is sort of like gestalt therapy. anyway (!), another one that gets to me is ‘trust me!’ seems to come often from people you have no reason at all to trust & plenty to mistrust. another is ‘end of story’. of course, it’s far from the end of the story for most people who use the phrase! trust me, both those phrases make my eyes roll back. end of story! * * * Stay with me folks, I’m certain I’m driving towards a conclusion here, but I refuse to stop and ask for directions. Baloo ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/52 "2000-01-05T01:41:00Z")
I am so sick of “resonate” used carelessly. All kinds of things “resonate” that don’t. Also “parameter” and “paradigm” used by people who don’t know what they mean. And “closure”; it’s been so overused and pounded into the ground I wince when I hear it. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/53 "2000-01-05T03:24:00Z")
Okay, only people in my own family would agree, but “nar.” My younger sister (who’s 15 - a little old to be inventing annoying words, yes?) uses it to mean “this annoys me.” And since she is an angry, unhappy teenager, she says it ALL THE TIME. You cannot understand how terrible this is. Also, people that say “like” in between every other word should be taken out and…um, forced to move far away from me. * * * ~Kyla “Anger is what makes America great.” ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/54 "2000-01-05T04:08:00Z")
**a poorly composed, long-winded explanation of something** followed by _ **In other words…** _ If you could have said it more clearly in the first place by using other words, why the HELL didn’t you instead of wasting MY time explaining something to me twice?!?! GAH! ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/55 "2000-01-05T04:31:00Z")
How about the use of “to be like” in place of “to say”? As in “They were like ‘How are you?’” In everyday speech, not terribly infuriating, but when people are thinking about what comes out of their mouths, (like an argument) it’s really intolerable. Ex: A) “They were like ‘what did you do today.’” (irritating, but not hideous) B)“No, no one was like that.” (I had to throw a basketball at this guy) Maybe the difference is only in my mind, but I see a line between carelessness and outright abuse of the language in there. –John ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/56 "2000-01-05T23:42:00Z")
What a cluster fuck. The New Millennium. Y2K Cheese Head. Like. Did you like see that like really like new girl like. ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/57 "2000-01-06T05:25:00Z")
I hate all butthole-oriented phrases: “Oh I’m very anal about keeping my house clean” … do anuses really clean their houses? Do anuses even _have_ houses? “He was so rich, he had money up the wazoo!” … that’s a funny place to keep your money. “Aw man, you’re always agreeing with the boss; you’re such a brown-noser” … uhh, that’s just an image I could do without. “That guys been around a long time - he’s just an old fart” … what is a fart anyway? I mean, as a noun? Is it the whole gas cloud? Does it include ambient air or not? Or is it just the sound? And what does being old have to do with it? There are some non-butthole-oriented phrases I hate too, but I can’t think of any of them. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/58 "2000-01-06T07:09:00Z")
Phobia dislikes: > [@](#): > > What a cluster fuck. Hmmm. Must not be military. Here it’s a way of life. Perhaps you’d like the sanitized “Charlie Foxtrot” better… * * * Sue from El Paso Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/59 "2000-01-06T22:33:00Z")
Canthearya said: > [@](#): > > M.K., isn’t surreality in the eye of the beholder? Actually, surreality is in the bicycle of the bread holder. * * * **Launcher may train without warning.** ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718/60 "2000-01-06T23:26:00Z")
JODIH and her constant buh-byes. it sucked back on SNL, and she just made it worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-we-could-do-without/3718.md?page=4)