# What annoying/pretentious terms and figures of speech should be abolished? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627 "2003-09-09T22:40:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![skeptic\_ev](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@skeptic\_ev](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skeptic_ev)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/61 "2003-09-10T22:51:42Z")
I’d like to second (fourth?) the “literally” nomination. Normally I do not correct others’ grammar, but I am going to start making exceptions for that one. Big threat, I know. Also, “gift” or “gifted” as a verb. Why? In the name of all that is holy, why? What’s wrong with “to give”? We give, we gave, we have given … in all tenses, it conjugates easily. So WHY does a useful and accurate word need to be replaced with a noun? (Admittedly, this idiotic verbal crime is committed mainly by accountants and lawyers, but still–it must stop.) ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/62 "2003-09-10T23:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > \*\*The term “ma’am” is archaic and degrating in any context. Its use is as ugly as calling a Black man “boy”. I simply cannot utter such words from my lips - sounding like someone from a more ignorant era. \*\* If you you happen to be a woman over forty, it’s probably best that we never meet, as I can’t turn off the “ma’am” habit my family drilled into me. Here’s another vote for “literally” and “process” needlessly tacked onto any word that works just fine on its own. I have a visceral hatred of “like” and “you know” used as fillers. I once had to prepare about 20 transcribed interviews for linguistic analysis, and every single bloody “like, you know, we, like, went to like, McDonald’s and got, you know, like, fries” had to be coded so they would be recognized as “nonfluencies” rather than verbs and pronouns. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/63 "2003-09-11T00:23:52Z")
“Now we’re cookin’ with gas!” What kind of slack-jawed, slobber-chinned, yokel-speak is that? “Hey Ma! We don’t have to whack down no more trees and bang the rocks together no more! We’re cooking with gas!” ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/64 "2003-09-11T00:24:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by skeptic\_ev \* > \*\*I’d like to second (fourth?) the “literally” nomination. Normally I do not correct others’ grammar, but I am going to start making exceptions for that one. Big threat, I know. > > Also, “gift” or “gifted” as a verb. Why? In the name of all that is holy, why? What’s wrong with “to give”? We give, we gave, we have given … in all tenses, it conjugates easily. So WHY does a useful and accurate word need to be replaced with a noun? (Admittedly, this idiotic verbal crime is committed mainly by accountants and lawyers, but still–it must stop.) \*\* I have to say any noun that suddenly becomes a verb (esp. in workplace vernacular) grates on me. **Office** , is not a verb. Also, saying “know what I mean?” after every sentence that comes out of one’s mouth and then continuing on as if it was rhetorical. Grrrr. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/65 "2003-09-11T01:17:25Z")
I can’t stand the use of “goodness” as in “The new Xbox game provided hours of gaming goodness.” Hate that. Other than that, any use of “clearly”, “obviously” , No offense, but", “To be honest…”, “literally” when not literal. Corporate buzzwords including the word buzzword drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![complx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@complx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/complx)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/66 "2003-09-11T02:24:59Z")
There’s a guy I work with who begins every sentence with the word ‘actually’. “Good morning! How are you today?” “Actually, I’m good.” He seems to want me to be surprised about everything he says. How annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/67 "2003-09-11T04:13:58Z")
Count me in as someone who hates when people verb nouns. In SDMB context, and just to use one that no one’s said yet, I am getting quite sick of seeing “Pitting so-and-so” or “Pitting such-and-such” in Pit thread titles. Although I admit that’s not as high on the Irritate-o-Tron as “In which…” Also, it drives me up a wall when people say “I call bullshit.” I can’t explain why it bothers me so much, it just seems like some lame SD slang (I’ve never heard it outside of here) that people use to sound cool. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/68 "2003-09-11T04:36:36Z")
Count me in too. I especially _hate_ seeing the word “parent” used as a verb. Makes me grind my teeth. Also the phrase “I could care less.” I also agree with the others about “literally” and “extreme”. I don’t agree about “ma’am” though, i think it’s a fine word. I’ll even say “madam” occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![sajwalke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@sajwalke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sajwalke)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/69 "2003-09-11T04:57:44Z")
“One month anniversary” There’s no such thing! ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/70 "2003-09-11T05:10:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > \*\*The term “ma’am” is archaic and degrating in any context. Its use is as ugly as calling a Black man “boy”. I simply cannot utter such words from my lips - sounding like someone from a more ignorant era. \*\* Since when and how is it degrading? There are plenty of places in the United States were women are still referred to as ma’am. Marc ---
**Author:** ![dinoboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dinoboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinoboy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/71 "2003-09-11T05:31:02Z")
This doesn’t come up a whole lot outside of textbooks but it always irritated me when the author wrote; “…it is intuitive to the student that…”, if it **was** intuitive you wouldn’t need to point it out, now would you. ---
**Author:** ![Herb\_Twoleaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Herb\_Twoleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herb_Twoleaf)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/72 "2003-09-11T06:48:04Z")
this, that, and the other, thus-and-such, …and all, …and everything, …and stuff, _awe_some, _to_tally, _axe_ a ?, etcetera, etcetera (isn’t one enough?), _Dude!_ Skwerl-- “I call bullshit” is Liar’s Dice for “Let’s see what you’ve got.” ---
**Author:** ![Herb\_Twoleaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Herb\_Twoleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herb_Twoleaf)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/73 "2003-09-11T06:52:53Z")
Also: _“I know it’s none of my business, but…”_ ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/74 "2003-09-11T07:26:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lenny & Carl \* > \*\*Anthing that’s “X” or “EXTREME” > > I can’t stand it!! EVERYTHING is EXTREME these days!! > > Extreme sports > Extreme rides > Extreme foods > Extreme TV shows > > 9 times out of 10, these “EXTREME” things just end up being the same old boring crap. \*\* [You are right](http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=xtreme_bullshit). As for my opinion, I hate ALL corporate waffle. I guess I’m just not a customer-focused team-player, or an enthusiastic professional who aims to meet and exceed the expectations of both internal and external customers on an ongoing basis, with a view to growing the business and embracing change. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/75 "2003-09-11T09:50:36Z")
Posted by **Skwerl** : > [@](#): > > Count me in as someone who hates when people verb nouns Is that a whoosh? Aren’t you using the noun verb as a verb in that sentence? ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/76 "2003-09-11T12:20:56Z")
**Ludovic** - [Redouble](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=redouble) wouldn’t bother me if it actually meant “to double again”. It doesn’t. It simply means: > [@](#): > > 1. To double. > 2. To repeat. So what’s with the _re_? Why not just say “double”? **Ponder Stibbons** - Individual French-based words don’t bother me. It’s French _phrases_ such as the one used in the OP as an example that bother me. I have no frickin’ idea what “je ne sais quoi” means, and in most cases I don’t have time to try looking it up or translating it. Such sudden aberrations from English interrupt the flow of my reading. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/77 "2003-09-11T12:36:10Z")
And I go, like…and then he goes, like…so I go, like…ad naseum. What is wrong with “I said.” “In excess of…” No. Use “over” or “more than” ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/78 "2003-09-11T12:54:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamar Mundane \* > \*\*“Now we’re cookin’ with gas!” > > What kind of slack-jawed, slobber-chinned, yokel-speak is that? > > “Hey Ma! We don’t have to whack down no more trees and bang the rocks together no more! We’re cooking with gas!” \*\* Perhaps by accident, you have stumbled upon the precise origin of that phrase. By the end of the 1940’s it was still considered high-tech, cutting edge and on the forefront of progress to be cooking your food with a gas-range. from this [site:](http://pw1.netcom.com/~mrlucky/cookwgashtml.html) > [@](#): > > Cooking with gas begins to appear in the United States in the 1930’s. It is an example of jive talk, the lingo of jazz musicians. The phrase means to perform to perfection, or excellently. A related expression is gasser, a person or event that stimulates a very enthusiastic response. and from [here:](http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#CookingWithGas) > [@](#): > > Although common place today, gas stoves have not always been the norm. Gas stoves started to be available in the 1800’s, and until that time wood stoves were the standard. > Now you’re “cooking with gas” comes from an old advertisement for gas stoves. The phrase suggests that gas is faster, easier, cleaner, better than cooking with wood. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/79 "2003-09-11T13:11:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by madmonk28 \* > \*\*Posted by **Skwerl** : > > Is that a whoosh? Aren’t you using the noun verb as a verb in that sentence? \*\* Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627/80 "2003-09-11T13:39:56Z")
“I’m not a racist but…” Followed by a bigoted rant. “Leverage” as in “Let’s leverage our synergy through this focus group,and see if we gain traction for a paradigm shift” “I’m minded to…” A fancy-pants way of saying “I feel like…” used by British politicos Got to disagree on the “je ne sais quoi” thing - it’s such a common phrase in English, like cul-de-sac, al fresco etc (in fact “Etcetera”) - Ad naseum. It’s not like you need to go on a course to learn how to use them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-annoying-pretentious-terms-and-figures-of-speech-should-be-abolished/200627.md?page=5)