# Trendy buzzwords that you wish you could just blow up into smithereens **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 17, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223 "2016-03-17T00:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/161 "2016-03-21T20:33:27Z")
“Help me understand. . .” This is NEVER followed by anything that will be pleasant for you to hear, so why sugarcoat things? Nobody ever says “Help me understand why you’re doing such a great job on this project.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/162 "2016-03-21T20:46:15Z")
Well, I wouldn’t really want to hear that either! I’d interpret that as meaning they view me as incompetent generally. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/163 "2016-03-22T05:50:24Z")
I don’t see the big problem with “no problem” as a response to “thank you”. It’s very close to French “de rien” or Spanish “de nada”. > [@Graymalkin](#): > > I remember first hearing “reach out” on that 1989s cop show. Sipowitz always said it. Phony as hell. I remember not Sipowicz, but Kelly (David Caruso) saying that often in a quiet, meaningful low voice. Blechhh. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/164 "2016-03-22T12:24:21Z")
Does anybody know what the hell “left shift” is supposed to mean? One of my managers just used it in an email that would have been good for Buzzword Bingo. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/165 "2016-03-22T12:32:22Z")
In some contexts I could see it meaning making the project deadlines earlier, since it would be to the left on an MS Project file. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/166 "2016-03-22T14:01:30Z")
Non-starter. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/167 "2016-03-22T14:37:06Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > ok…FTW…(for the win) (ha!..get it?) > > BOOM! > > seriously, though - isn’t that the fucking worst? > a frat boy staple if ever there was one Holy cats, I came back here to mention this one and I can’t believe I didn’t include it in my earlier post. Somehow this abomination got stuck in a coworker’s head and he says it all the freaking time. That is when he’s not sarcastically saying “glorious”. Another one I hope goes away soon is “nailed it”. Somehow I associate it with that ginger haired chick on the Wendy’s commercials though I’m not sure she actually says it. Either way, it and she can fuck right off. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/168 "2016-03-22T20:35:02Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > Female - as in I saw my bf talking with another female. This hadn’t been on my radar until I saw the new _Rocky_ movie the other day. In one scene, the young boxer’s lady friend asks him “How many females have you been with?” Seems rather. . ._clinical_; she may as well have been asking him “how many bitches has your rottweiler copulated with?” ---
**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:** [March 23, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/169 "2016-03-23T00:08:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > This hadn’t been on my radar until I saw the new _Rocky_ movie the other day. In one scene, the young boxer’s lady friend asks him “How many females have you been with?” Seems rather. . ._clinical_; she may as well have been asking him “how many bitches has your rottweiler copulated with?” It’s exactly that, clinical, distancing, and objectifying. My earliest encounter with it was with police jargon. “Young, black males,” and all that. These days, “females” is very common with PUA and MRA types. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/170 "2016-03-23T00:28:34Z")
_Bestie_ ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/171 "2016-03-23T00:31:29Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > ‘Revert’ used in place of ‘respond’ or ‘reply’. I get this a lot in emails from buzzwordy people; “I’ll check my calendar and revert back to you” . No you won’t. You’ve never been me. Many things in this thread are buzzwordy/connotation has changed/people like to shorten phrases. Some are irritating or goofy. But I shrug them off. People are just peopling. ‘Revert’ instead of reply or respond? I may have to go on some sort of…my brain just shut down. I will need to go meditate or do deep breathing exercises. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/172 "2016-03-23T00:37:10Z")
“Peopling” 😃 ---
**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:** [March 23, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/173 "2016-03-23T01:40:58Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > _Bestie_ ok that was just plain mean. (putative thumbs up emoji) This phrase has been around for a long time, generally considered bothersome (completely unlike this poster), but I think it’s…yes…totally _amazing_: **I shit you not.** ---
**Author:** ![starryspice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@starryspice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starryspice)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/174 "2016-03-23T02:28:56Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > “Somewhere there cumbers this fair earth with his loathsome presence a man who, for the common good, should have been destroyed in early childhood. He is the originator of the hideous vulgarism of using contact as a verb. So long as we can meet, get in touch with, make the acquaintance of, be introduced to, call on, interview or talk to people, there can be no apology for contact.” F.W. Lienau, 1931. This wins the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/175 "2016-03-23T03:08:48Z")
Not ‘trendy’ (come to think of it, I’ve never been on close terms with ‘trendy’), but… “Look at” in any kind of professional report. “Next, our study group looked at [some vague, incomprehensible, and probably completely irrelevant collection of words put together]. We didn’t have the courage or ability to come to any actual conclusions about it, but we do need to pad our report, so we thought that we’d spend a bunch of words saying that we looked at it.” “Send a message” in politics speak. It just sounds so effing pretentious. Hey, anyone you’re trying to send a message to is never going to receive 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:** [March 23, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/176 "2016-03-23T03:26:41Z")
> [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > “Send a message” in politics speak. bothersome in sports speak also. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/177 "2016-03-23T05:07:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It’s exactly that, clinical, distancing, and objectifying. My earliest encounter with it was with police jargon. “Young, black males,” and all that. These days, “females” is very common with PUA and MRA types. I am always amazed at the lengths people will go to to find something supposedly offensive in a common word. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/178 "2016-03-23T05:53:28Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I am always amazed at the lengths people will go to to find something supposedly offensive in a common word. Well, I don’t know if it’s “offensive,” but it certainly has always sounded odd to my ears if I heard someone say “let’s go to the bar and check out some females” instead of using the word “women” at the end. Definitely has a clinical vibe to it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/179 "2016-03-23T13:24:35Z")
> [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > … > > “Send a message” in politics speak. It just sounds so effing pretentious. Hey, anyone you’re trying to send a message to is never going to receive it. Thank you for this one. I hate “send a message” in any context. The statement itself, whatever it is, sends its own message. Period. Piggybacking another message on that is… _to get technical_: ICKY. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223/180 "2016-03-23T14:50:22Z")
> [@starryspice](#): > > This wins the thread. I learned of that quote from the podcast A Way With Words which is like an Ann Landers column for language but far more interesting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trendy-buzzwords-that-you-wish-you-could-just-blow-up-into-smithereens/749223.md?page=10)