# Things that annoy you (Language Pet Peeves, get 'em while there hot!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265 "2000-10-09T15:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Catrandom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@Catrandom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catrandom)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/81 "2000-10-10T22:12:26Z")
Ah, if we’re ranging into pronunciation issues, it’s been years since I’ve heard a newscaster call a meteor shower anything other than a “meatier shower.” A dear friend of mine says it always makes him think of a Sumo wrestlers’ locker room. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/82 "2000-10-10T22:25:00Z")
“Woman doctor/lawyer” made me think of this: “Female” used as a noun makes me think of all those old movies where the men refer to all women as “dames.” How about “mirror” pronounced “meer”? Also “drawer” pronounced “droor.” When there is a hanging, afterwards one says he has been hanged, not “hung,” correct? Being “hung” can mean either of two things to me – one being a cute way of saying someone has a hangover – but not that someone has been executed. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/83 "2000-10-11T07:55:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Medea’s Child \* > \*\*My pet peeve, not that I am entitled to any, is a\_lot. It’s two words. It should remain two words. They are even _little_ words, people. Nothing difficult. \*\* I absolutely adore Medea’s Child as she knows, but the way she spells, she’s NOT entitled to any pet peeves. “Alot” doesn’t annoy me–as a matter of fact, some of my friends here still do that. But I’ll NEVER knowingly do that, thanks to Mrs. Morganthaler (god rest her soul), my fifth and sixth grade teacher. Apparently **a lot** of students were making that very mistake, and she walked over to the left blackboard (our classroom had two blackboards side by side) and wrote “A” on the left side. Then she walked all the way over to the other side of the right blackboard (on the other end of the front of the class), wrote “Lot” and said, “Get the picture?”. I’ve never, **EVER** forgotten that. ---
**Author:** ![Estrella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Estrella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estrella)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/84 "2000-10-11T15:23:14Z")
I hate redundant phrases/sentences such as “The color of his eyes are blue.” Just say “His eyes are blue.” I hate useless words like “basically”. And I really, really hate overused exclamation points. I once read somewhere (and I’ve been trying to find where) that a person is only entitled to five exclamation points in their entire lifetime…and you might as well use them all at once to get them out of your system. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/85 "2000-10-11T15:51:09Z")
First of all, “a lot” is a place to park your car. That it’s become acceptable to casually use it to mean “much” or “many” doesn’t make it correct. Therefore, if you’re going to use the phrase at all, you don’t get to complain. Beyond that, I think everyone’s hit on every pet peeve of mine. I find sign misspellings and poor punctuation the worst though. If I were a sign maker and had the faintest question of proper spelling or usage, I would look it up. This stuff goes in the public domain, for criminy’s sake! I refuse to buy anything from a stor with poorly written signs. There’s also excessive use of acronyms (I use acronyms to make myself seem smart)…IMHO. My sister says “also, too” all the time. To wit: “I bought a pair of pants. Also, too, I bought a top.” Grrrr. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/86 "2000-10-11T15:52:35Z")
Ahhh! STORE. And that “First of all” didn’t need to be there. Geez. I humbly apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/87 "2000-10-11T16:06:06Z")
[nitpick for the hell of it] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Estrella \* > **I hate redundant phrases** > _{follwed by}_ > \*\*And I really, really hate overused exclamation points. \*\* > > - _{underlining mine}_ One “really” will suffice, otherwise it is redundant. Practice what you preach. [/nitpick for the hell of it] ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/88 "2000-10-11T16:07:56Z")
Present tense: Drownd Past tense: Drownded In the imortal words of Charlie Brown: “AAAAUUGGGHH!” ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/89 "2000-10-11T16:17:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gundy \* > **First of all, “a lot” is a place to park your car. That it’s become acceptable to casually use it to mean “much” or “many” doesn’t make it correct. Therefore, if you’re going to use the phrase at all, you don’t get to complain.** I must differ with you here. ‘Lot’ has meant ‘a group of things’ since before it was ever applied to land. Sure, it’s often considered an informal usage, but it is quite correct. ---
**Author:** ![Estrella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Estrella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estrella)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/90 "2000-10-11T16:29:07Z")
_sheepish grin_ Yeah, ok, ok. I was trying to emphasize my…ah, whatever. You got me. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/91 "2000-10-11T16:30:03Z")
As in, “a lot of the time”? “She says ‘seen’ a lot”? as opposed to, “We just received a lot of widgets today”? Still incorrect, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/92 "2000-10-11T16:32:50Z")
God, I hate it when people do that to me. I’m generally not a nit-picking dink. Oh well. “There’s nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?” - Courtesy of Kevin Smith. ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/93 "2000-10-11T16:37:27Z")
Here in Columbia, SC, we get the ubiquitous “John Boy and Billy Big Show” in the mornings. They break for local news and weather, and the–DJ? Reader? Whatever she is–person who does these mispronounces at least 4 words a day. The other morning she was talking about a couple of guys who spent three days on a disabled boat, after they had departed from (and I swear that this is an exact quote), “O-hoo-hah…Hoo-wah-hah…Oo-ha-ha…that island in Hawaii.” But the one that drives me crazy, the one that makes me want to email-bomb the station manager (along with a fax-loop that says, “Who hired this moron?”) is when she says that, “The car was traveling at 100 **mile** an hour.” Fucking mile **s**! More than one! Plural! I still have two more exclaimation points to use! Just one more; fire the moron! ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/94 "2000-10-11T16:44:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*An office supply house has an ad that exclaims, “The new way to office!” May I please officiate at the firebombing of every one of their stores? Pretty please > \*\* I worked at their corporate office when that particular bit of brilliance was forged. My response: “What the hell is that supposed to mean? It sounds stupid.” I don’t work there anymore. Their old slogan, “Your branch office,” was also stupid, but at least it made some kind of sense. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/95 "2000-10-11T16:45:35Z")
**Gundy** re. LOT or A LOT According to Merriam-Webster, 1 lot noun Pronunciation: 'lät Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hlot; akin to Old High German hlOz Date: before 12th century 1 : an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance 2 a : the use of lots as a means of deciding something b : the resulting choice 3 a : something that comes to one upon whom a lot has fallen : SHARE b : one’s way of life or worldly fate : FORTUNE 4 a : a portion of land b : a measured parcel of land having fixed boundaries and designated on a plot or survey c : a motion-picture studio and its adjoining property 5 a : a number of units of an article, a single article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale) b : all the members of a present group, kind, or quantity – used with the 6 a : a number of associated persons : SET b : KIND, SORT 7 : a considerable quantity or extent \ \ synonym see FATE - a lot 1 : to a considerable degree or extent \ 2 : OFTEN, FREQUENTLY \ 3 : LOTS Your dislike of it is one thing, but it does not seem to be “incorrect” as you suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/96 "2000-10-11T17:19:06Z")
My favorite mispronunciation of all time was when Amy What’s-her-name on “Democracy Now!” was going out of her way to be all literary and dramatic about some supposedly-innocent man on death row, and she dropped an allusion to the apostles in the garden of GETH-sa-main. Gee, would that be near JER-oo-SA-lem? ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/97 "2000-10-11T17:43:36Z")
**"For all intensive purposes."** --\> **“For all intents and purposes.”** (What, exactly, is an “intensive purpose?”) Overused cliches and cute acronyms, particularly in business: “ **FYI:** We need to get **all our ducks in a row** so we’ll all be **on the same page** , because they’ll **eat you alive** if you don’t **CYA**. **Don’t sweat the small stuff** , just **think outside the box** and look at **the big picture**. We’re **playing hardball** here, so **take no prisoners**. There’s **blood in the water** already and we’ve got to **circle the wagons**. Make sure we’re **apples to apples** so we don’t get caught like a **deer in the headlights** , or we’ll end up **DOA**.” People who begin talking to you with, **"Okay, listen …"** IPATA (Internet posters addicted to acronyms): **OMG, OMFG, IIRC, AFAIK, ROFL, ROTFL, ROTFLMAO, IMHO, WTF?** ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/98 "2000-10-11T17:48:07Z")
I was listening to a man being interviewed on NPR - can’t remember the topic at the moment - and one of his comments was about a “pa-RID-dig-gum”. From the context, he knew what a paradigm was - just couldn’t pronounce it. Is it that difficult a word?? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/99 "2000-10-11T17:50:18Z")
Ladies and gentlemen (especially **ladybug** and her detractors), the AP Style Manual is **not** the supreme arbiter of correct or incorrect use of our language. As its title implies, it is meant to be used by AP reporters to ensure conformity of style. Said style is simple, clear to the average person, and non-literary. While there is much good and useful information in the book, that does **not** mean that a usage rejected by the Style Manual is necessarily incorrect. Therefore, while it makes perfect sense the AP would frown on the overlapping meanings of “entitle” and “title,” (on the grounds that they might confuse their readers), it doesn’t mean we have to discard those valid meanings in our non-journalistic writing. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265/100 "2000-10-11T17:56:14Z")
**Five:** Well said! May I buy you a drink, sir? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-annoy-you-language-pet-peeves-get-em-while-there-hot/36265.md?page=6)