Trendy Expressions That Need to Die!

In My Humble Opinion
161

The one that really drives me up the wall is “little ones”. And every last cocksucker who says it wears a smug smile like they’re the first ones to come up with it.

I say “here you go” at certain points in the middle of the transaction–handing the customer a receipt, a pen to sign a credit card slip, his/her card back, etc–because otherwise I get into a maddening gratitude loop that makes me want to go on a murderous rampage. It already ticks me off when customers thank me for every god damn thing I say and do–about 75% of the time the customer thanks me a minimum of four times, I shit you not, before I even begin preparing their drink. If I said anything more polite than “here you go” in those circumstances, I’d end up drowning in a sea of overdone pleasantries. (I’ve tried it.) I do thank the customer once after taking their order and again when giving them their order, though.

Careful with that brush, buddy! You never know who you might paint over with it–including, I’m sure, a majority of the people representing whatever your party is.

What rock are you living under where it hasn’t died yet? Did it ever really live outside of early 90s movies? I only ever recall my elementary school classmates doing this, and they were mostly imitating film and TV characters.

162

[QUOTE=levdrakon]
Google. Google, google, google. I google all the time. I love googling.
[/QUOTE]

Arrrrghhh - my eyes are bleeding! You owe me a new keyboard.

163

I’m ashamed to admit I frequently say “no worries”, “no problem” and probably a few others in this thread. And I thank servers at restaurants whenever they bring anything to my table, but only because having been a server myself, I want to let them know their work is appreciated – I can see how that might become annoying though!

My sister says this one all the time: “How ____ is that?” (usually “cute” is filled in there, meaning “that’s so cute!”) I just want to answer the question, snarkily.

Oh, and someone saying to you “Tell me what you really think.” after you’ve just done. Arghh, annoying. What is the point of saying that?!

But actually I have no idea if those were/are trendy…

164

[QUOTE=wonderlust]
What sayings or expressions are you hearing too often recently that deserve to die in 2007?

Right now, at the top of my list: *It is what it is. * :dubious:

Makes me foam at the mouth.

Yours?
[/QUOTE]

Well looks like this thread has hit critical mass

Declan

165

[QUOTE=metonymic]
Oh, and someone saying to you “Tell me what you really think.” after you’ve just done. Arghh, annoying. What is the point of saying that?!
[/QUOTE]

It’s meant sarcastically, you know.

166

[QUOTE=fetus]
What rock are you living under where it hasn’t died yet? Did it ever really live outside of early 90s movies? I only ever recall my elementary school classmates doing this, and they were mostly imitating film and TV characters.
[/QUOTE]

Bit harsh, sirrah. It’s surprisingly popular with 12 year old girls at my school.

mm

167

“Band name!”

It was funny once, but sorry folks, this does not need to be said for every odd or clever combination of two or three words.

168

[QUOTE=Declan]
Well looks like this thread has hit critical mass

Declan
[/QUOTE]

No, it’s reached the tipping point.

…not so much.
1st and 2nd least favorite trendy expressions.

169

[QUOTE=Martini Enfield]
It’s meant sarcastically, you know.
[/QUOTE]

Well yeah, of course.
Maybe it’s more that every time I’ve heard the phrase used, it’s been in a conversation like this:

Person A: Hey, did you finish reading that book? What did you think?
Person B: Oh, I absolutely hated it (etc).
Person A: Tell me how you really feel.

So aside from hating the expression, it might be that I also hate how often the person uttering it does so after inviting the discourse which then inspires its use. I just feel like it’s often used to deride the ranter because the user wasn’t prepared for such an onslaught. But why? That’s ridiculous. And so, it annoys me. :wink:

170

<whatever> is gay!

I’m not actively pro-gay or anything, but it’s a stupid expression either way.

171

“Sexy” - in reference to things that nobody really wants to have sex with. I don’t want to have sex with an iPhone. Or the theory that our low crime rate is the result of Roe v. Wade (yeah, I heard some guy on NPR refer to that as “sexy”).

172

**Business Finance **published this sequel to their original “interview” (below, collected from an old e-mail, no longer on the Business Finance site).

[QUOTE=E-Mail Glurge]

Frank Lingua, president and CEO of Dissembling Associates,is the nation’s leading purveyor of buzzwords, catch phrases and cliches for people too busy to speak in plain English. “Business Finance” contributing editor Dan Danbom interviewed Lingua in his New York City office.

Danbom: Is being a cliche expert a full-time job?

Lingua: Bottom line is I have a full plate 24/7.

Danbom: Is it hard to keep up with the seemingly endless supply of cliches that spew from business?

Lingua: Some days, I don’t have the bandwidth. It’s like drinking from a fire hydrant.

Danbom: So it’s difficult?

Lingua: Harder than nailing Jell-O to the wall.

Danbom: Where do most cliches come from?

Lingua: Stakeholders push the envelope until it’s outside the box.

Danbom: How do you track them once they’ve been coined?

Lingua: It’s like herding cats.

Danbom: Can you predict whether a phrase is going to become a cliche?

Lingua: Yes. I skate to where the puck’s going to be. Because if you aren’t the lead dog, you’re not providing a customer-centric proactive solution.

Danbom: Give us a new buzzword that we’ll be hearing ad nauseam.

Lingua: “Enronitis” could be a next-generation player.

Danbom: Do people understand your role as a cliche expert?

Lingua: No, they can’t get their arms around that. But they aren’t incented to.

Danbom: How do people know you’re a cliche expert?

Lingua: I walk the walk and talk the talk.

Danbom: Did incomprehensibility come naturally to you?

Lingua: I wasn’t wired that way, but it became mission-critical as I strategically focused on my go-forward plan.

Danbom: What did you do to develop this talent?

Lingua: It’s not rocket science. It’s not brain surgery. When you drill down to the granular level, it’s just basic blocking and tackling.

Danbom: How do you know if you’re successful in your work?

Lingua: At the end of the day, it’s all about robust, world-class language solutions.

Danbom: How do you stay ahead of others in the buzzword industry?

Lingua: Net-net, my value proposition is based on maximizing synergies and being first to market with a leveraged, value-added deliverable.

That’s the opportunity space on a level playing field.

Danbom: Does everyone in business eventually devolve into the sort of mindless drivel you spout?

Lingua: If you walk like a duck and talk like a duck, you’re a duck. They all drink the Kool-Aid.

Danbom: Do you read “Dilbert” in the newspaper?

Lingua: My knowledge base is deselective of fiber media.

Danbom: Does that mean “no”?

Lingua: Negative.

Danbom: DOES THAT MEAN “NO”?

Lingua: Let’s take your issues offline.

Danbom: NO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY “ISSUES” OFFLINE.

Lingua: You have a result-driven mind-set that isn’t a strategic fit with my game plan.

Danbom: I WANT TO PUSH YOUR FACE IN.

Lingua: Your call is very important to me.

Danbom: How can you live with yourself?

Lingua: I eat my own dog food. My vision is to monetize scalable supply chains.

Danbom: When are you going to quit this?

Lingua: I may eventually exit the business to pursue other career opportunities.

Danbom: I hate you.

Lingua: Take it and run with it.
[/QUOTE]

173

goldenmean1975, didn’t the Grizwald family go to Wallyworld
In National Lampoon’s Vacation?

When did the plural of “death” become “deaves” The news anchors on our three local stations all use it. (They are NOT “Talking Heads”)
They also always refer to criminals who have not been apprehended as “on the loose.”
I feel like I’ve slipped into the old west.

174

That’s a little different. When I’m ringing you up at a cash register, steaming some milk, pouring some coffee and maybe tossing something in a convection oven, a “thank you” at the end is kind of cool but a million expressions of gratitude every time I exhale is downright maddening. Almost to the point that it ruins the moderate gratitude by association.

Yeah, I guess it was a bit harsh of me. I was in a mood that day. Anyway, it really surprises me that this is popular with the next generation–it seemed to me like it was just fading out of public consciousness when I started middle school in the mid-90s. If you don’t mind me asking, where is that?

I am “actively pro-gay” (I was pleasantly surprised today by a gift of antique (is that the right word?) collectible stamps I recieved from the founder of the local PFLAG chapter) and I’ve found it illimunating to mentally switch out any words you hear and see having to do with homosexuality – “gay”, “homosexual”, “homo”, “fag”, etc. – for other words like “black” or “Jew”. You’ll be pretty shocked by the results, I’m sure.

There’s a website that filters anti-gay hate groups’ rhetoric this way. I don’t remember the address but it’s fascinating if you can find it.

175

[QUOTE=fetus]

Yeah, I guess it was a bit harsh of me. I was in a mood that day. Anyway, it really surprises me that this is popular with the next generation–it seemed to me like it was just fading out of public consciousness when I started middle school in the mid-90s. If you don’t mind me asking, where is that?
[/QUOTE]

Under a rock, obviously! :wink:

No, smalltown Queensland, Australia.

mm

176

Huh. Whoda thunk. Maybe it is from the movies, then. (…Right?)

177

[QUOTE=Ice Wolf]
I’m no hipster and I say “no worries” a fair bit. 'Course, I’m also a Kiwi, so geography has a lot to answer for.

Have to second Cunctator’s “24/7”. Just too, too overused.
[/QUOTE]

How 'bout “Hakuna Matata” instead?

178

Haven’t read EVERY post in this thread - did anyone mention Snoop-speak, such as:

“shizle”

used in a variety of ways like:

“for shizle” instead of “for sure”

179

I’m late to the thread, but the two I really hate are, You know what I mean or You know what I’m saying?. It becomes especially annoying when they haven’t even said anything yet.

180

Here’s another one I could do without:
Server in restaurant: “My name is ________ and I’ll be taking care of you this evening.”
Me (to myself): Take care of me? What the hell? Just serve the food!