# Words/expressions I want to be eliminated from usage RIGHT NOW TODAY ENOUGH ALREADY! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609 "2014-09-05T20:02:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/261 "2014-09-14T02:18:42Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Stand out or accentuate? Accent color? Complimentary? > > StG [Complementary](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complementary_colors) means a different thing, sometimes, and I do use that when appropriate. Accent color is a given noun, so “pop” or similar is the adjective that I use. Huh. I don’t watch home or fashion shows, so I haven’t developed the hate for words like “pop” and didn’t realise people disliked it so! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/262 "2014-09-14T02:21:20Z")
When you don’t have to hear it 10 times in 15 minutes, your tolerance goes way up. StG ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/263 "2014-09-14T02:30:11Z")
> [@vontsira](#): > > Ah, yes: I tend to forget the pronunciation thing – “American rhotic, British non-rhotic”. We spell the diminutive word “sarnie”, but pronounce it – I reckon – “sah-nie”. (I agree, it’s still odd how we managed to get an “ah” sound from the original short “a”.) “Sanny” – I heartily agree, let’s not go there ! I wondered about this for a long time as a teenager: JETHRO TULL LYRICS: I’m going up the `pool from down the smoke below to taste my mum’s jam sarnies and see our Aunty Flo… ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/264 "2014-09-14T08:17:26Z")
Thought of a term I wanted to add so I read ahead to see if anyone already had. Then I saw that this thread is six pages long. Couldn’t read all of it so I off this up anyway. I give you… “Gifting” ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/265 "2014-09-14T12:53:55Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > a… I off this up anyway. > > I give you… > > “Gifting” _screams and runs out of thread_ ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/266 "2014-09-14T14:37:50Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Speaking of which, I have what I imagine most will feel is a wholly out-of-proportion loathing of the word “utilize” — which is frequently found in corporate mission statements (a phenomenon that ought to be banned outright anyway). > > Many have tried over the years to argue that there is a genuine distinction between the words, but no one has yet convinced me that “utilize” says something that “use” does not. > > Perhaps it does, but I’m afraid I’ve seen the word…er, used in too many of those mission statements in an attempt to sound classy. To me it just sounds pretentious and hackneyed. It helps that in Idiocracy “to utilize” means “to have sex with”. So I giggle to myself when I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/267 "2014-09-14T14:49:28Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > It helps that in Idiocracy “to utilize” means “to have sex with”. So I giggle to myself when I hear it. Kinda like “to service” is a euphemism for having sex with, in a sort of non-reciprocal way, like a hooker, mainly (OK, that’s reciprocal, but not, well, you know what I mean). Recently I’ve been seeing “service” when “serve” is the word people want, and I think it’s the same thing: people think more letters and syllables = smarter and better. Instead, it sounds like you are sending a busboy over to have sex with section B. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/268 "2014-09-14T16:32:50Z")
Along with “Being…” and “Speaking as…” is “As a this, that or other”… Whenever someones says “As a …”, you can be sure bragging or chiding will come next. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/269 "2014-09-14T20:36:55Z")
> [@wombattver](#): > > Fashion magazines - making all plurals singular, as in, “Pair a sleek, tan pant with a modern boot” and of course, “a bold, red lip!” Ugh, I picture a one-legged model wearing one boot. With one red lip. And the other lip green, like when Marvel’s color plates for Storm went wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/270 "2014-09-14T20:40:58Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > One is pronounced with a ‘z’ sound, the other with a ‘zh.’ I always forget which is the more common one that I should be using, so I often go between the two pronunciations indecisively. I think the plain ‘z’ version is my default. A somewhat similar dilemma I face with “bruschetta.” Hard ‘k’ sound like the Italian or soft “sh” sound like most US English speakers? I usually use the latter unless I’m at a nice Italian restaurant, where I’ll go to the former. And in the actual phonetic alphabet? Because, sorry, but all the phonics in the world don’t make sense without having heard you speak. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/271 "2014-09-14T21:46:10Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > And in the actual phonetic alphabet? Because, sorry, but all the phonics in the world don’t make sense without having heard you speak. I think the pronunciations under discussion are: [parmezan] or [pɑɹməzɑn] [paɹməʒɑn] [parmidʒʲano] ---
**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:** [September 19, 2014, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/272 "2014-09-19T10:50:18Z")
“A teachable moment” The expression, not the concept. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/273 "2014-09-19T11:44:11Z")
Yeah. That really ought to be “teaching moment,” or “moment for teaching,” or something. “Teachable” means the moment itself is teachable, like you can teach about the concepts of short measures of time. If you mean that whatever happened in the moment is an opportunity for teaching, say that. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/274 "2014-09-19T11:54:42Z")
I would say “teaching opportunity” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/275 "2014-09-19T12:12:27Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > While we’re at it, can we kill ‘Speaking as a mother’? I don’t mind it when it’s actually relevant (‘Speaking as a mother, I spend more time pureeing squash than I thought was humanly possible’) but it makes me want to start shin-kicking when it’s just thrown in for lazy knee-jerk emotive appeal (‘Speaking as a mother, I’m horrified at what President Obama has done to this country!!!’). I hate it even more when it’s a dangling participle. “Speaking as a mother, this country really needs universal healthcare.” I saw that yesterday or the day before. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/276 "2014-09-19T19:13:50Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > “A teachable moment” > > The expression, not the concept. Seconded. The expression is so…Oprah. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/277 "2014-09-19T19:22:39Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Kinda like “to service” is a euphemism for having sex with, in a sort of non-reciprocal way, like a hooker, mainly (OK, that’s reciprocal, but not, well, you know what I mean)… When I worked for Medicare, there was a six-month spate of memos discussing how we should best service our customers, and who all those customers were (pretty much everyone…like a hooker!). ---
**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:** [September 19, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/278 "2014-09-19T19:42:17Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I also hate the abbreviation “DH”, “DS”, “DD”, etc. to refer to a member of your family. I even saw a post with a person calling her ex-husband her “DXH”. Her “darling” ex-husband, who cheated on her, stole her money, etc. The appeal of the DH, DS, DD abbreviations is that you don’t have to alter your typing if you want to refer to your Darling Husband or your Damn Husband. ---
**Author:** ![JimmyPalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@JimmyPalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyPalin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/279 "2014-09-19T20:22:14Z")
“Boots on the ground”. God, I hate this ! If I missed this in the thread, I apologize. But I don’t mind repeating it. It’s mostly a media and political phrase but it’s my nomination for most grating cliché of this millennia so far. Did these, formerly, go by the terms “soldiers”, or “troops”, or something human, at least ? Now, they’re just boots. And we have drones, too. That’s swell. Maybe we can start calling blood “catsup”, or “ketchup”. Your choice. We should probably each have our own dictionary, while we’re at it. I’m MAD. Like the magazine… you know. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609/280 "2014-09-19T20:24:09Z")
I’m really getting tired of the construction “X, if not Y,” because I think people don’t understand that _Y is not included_. I think they think it means “X and also Y, maybe.” Y is irrelevant! Argh! :mad: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-expressions-i-want-to-be-eliminated-from-usage-right-now-today-enough-already/697609.md?page=15)