# Three non-technical, non-PR, non-Management Speak words you really hate **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754 "2005-04-11T05:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/21 "2005-04-11T23:14:16Z")
For some reason, I’m hearing **“bravery”** more and more, and it bugs me. It’s so artificial-sounding, like you took an adjective and tweaked it to make a noun. And it’s so inferior to the perfectly good **courage**. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/22 "2005-04-11T23:38:39Z")
“schedule” - however you pronounce it, it always sounds wrong. “Boswelox” - fucking made-up cosmetics swindustry word. “receipt” - something about this one just irritates the crap out of me. Incidently, I enjoy the word “visceral.” ---
**Author:** ![neisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4bbf92/32.png) [@neisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neisha)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/23 "2005-04-11T23:43:15Z")
**Vigilant** Since 9/11 we must all be **vigilant.**** Vigilant **this…** vigilant** that. If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a 1000 times. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/24 "2005-04-11T23:51:48Z")
Impact used as a verb. It’s a noun, people. I am not impacting you, I am having an impact on you. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/25 "2005-04-11T23:54:15Z")
“Literally” when used as hyperbole to mean “not literally.” Argh. I’m all for properly used hyperbole, but for the sake of clarity, can’t we keep a word like “literal” unambiguous :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/26 "2005-04-12T00:18:05Z")
“masturbate” “spouse” “lap” (Only when it’s used to refer to your upper legs. “The cat will lap the milk” is fine, but not "the cat is on my lap.) These words really bug me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/27 "2005-04-12T00:24:28Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > “masturbate” > > “spouse” > > “lap” (Only when it’s used to refer to your upper legs. “The cat will lap the milk” is fine, but not "the cat is on my lap.) > > These words really bug me. What if your spouse masturbates on your lap? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/28 "2005-04-12T00:41:37Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > What if your spouse masturbates on your lap? _Actually_, ( 😃 ) I was wondering what he thinks a lap dance is… ---
**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:** [April 12, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/29 "2005-04-12T00:56:21Z")
Lifestyle Spiritual (except for the musical genre) Prolly Any euphemism for “pregnant,” especially “preggers” “Uh . . . excuse me?” “Ciao!,” or worse, “Chow!” (unless you’re yelling from a chuck wagon) “Like,” as in “He’s like, ‘Get over here,’ and I’m like 'Get away from me.” ---
**Author:** ![davmilasav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@davmilasav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davmilasav)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/30 "2005-04-12T02:04:20Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Impact used as a verb. > > It’s a noun, people. I am not impacting you, I am having an impact on you. May I add _Internet_ to that list? Internet is not a verb! There’s a high-speed ISP commercial that uses the tagline “The fastest way to Internet!” Where the hell did the “the” go? _Internet_, whether a proper noun or not, is still a noun. Use the indefinite article, it won’t kill you. But I want to. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/31 "2005-04-12T02:28:15Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Actually. > > The idiot I used to work for abused this poor word. Once, during a meeting, he said it 10 times in less than three minutes! He must be related to a guy whose (insanely boring) meetings I used to go to. His favorite word was **essentially**. He said it 19 times during a one-hour meeting. Counting his usage of this word was the only thing that kept me from falling asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/32 "2005-04-12T02:37:58Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > What if your spouse masturbates on your lap? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favor of spouses, masturbation and laps. It’s just the words that irritate me. I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![wonderwench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/35a633/32.png) [@wonderwench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderwench)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/33 "2005-04-12T02:48:57Z")
It absolutely drives me up the wall when people use “insure” instead of “ensure”. One does not take out an insurance policy to make sure that something happens. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/34 "2005-04-12T03:10:16Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > ‘Cunt’. Ugliest word in the language, IMO. I once gave a paper on the history of the word ‘cunt’ and its effect on the English language. Did you know that Count was replaced by Earl owing to its resemblance to our little friend? Hence, Earl and Countess Spenser rather than the more congruent Count and Countess Spenser. Now, many people know that, but I wager that fewer know that there’s a similar stroy behind the word ‘rabbit’. Originally, this just meant a young coney (the generic term for the furry creature which tastes like chicken if you boil it long enough and are careful to remove all the little bones). Back in the days of yore, ‘coney’ was pronounced lto rhyme with ‘honey’, thus ‘cunny’. Far too close to our little furry friend. So, what they did was to change the pronunciation to coney as in Coney Island. No good, of course. The damage had already been done. Naughty schoolboys throughout the kingdom would still titter behind their hands and carve naughty pictures on their desks. So, ‘rabbit’ was promoted from an also-ran (and a hyponym) to the generic word (or superordinate/ **hyper** nym). ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/35 "2005-04-13T01:49:19Z")
I hate hearing about how people “better themselves.” What the &\*$()& does that mean? Improve themselves? Advance themselves? Become healthier? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/36 "2005-04-13T04:50:49Z")
> [@neisha](#): > > **Vigilant** > > Since 9/11 we must all be **vigilant.**** Vigilant **this…** vigilant** that. If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a 1000 times. **Resolve** is another Sept. 11-related word that rubs my nerves. “We must have strong **resolve**.” Our **resolve** will not waver." These were cliches the first time they were used. There must be better words to replace these rediculous pieces of trash. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/37 "2005-04-13T05:08:52Z")
**Advertisement** Sounds awkward pronounced the American way but pretentious pronounced the British way ---
**Author:** ![Shana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Shana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shana)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/38 "2005-04-13T05:18:45Z")
invariably typically apparently evidently These words are just fine when used _sparingly_, but when over used (by a certain neighbor I know) they set my teeth on edge. GRRR. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/39 "2005-04-13T05:38:47Z")
“Panties” Something about the word makes me grind my teeth. It sounds so…filthy. The word “underwear” is a perfectly fine substitute. “Tasty” Did it taste bad or good? “Fresh” Only when used in a certain way. Fresh vegetables are fine, fresh air is fine. What irks me is when “fresh” modifies a verb. “Fresh ways with chicken!” How about I punch you in the face? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754/40 "2005-04-13T05:54:41Z")
I only have one at the moment: fellowship, as used by religious types. This word is a noun. It is not a verb. It does not describe an action. It is not possible for one to fellowship. A group of people can not be fellowshipping. Last week, they had not fellowshipped. You can belong to or be part of a fellowship. You can offer a fellowship to someone. But then they will have a thing; they will not be doing that thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-non-technical-non-pr-non-management-speak-words-you-really-hate/298754.md?page=3)