What word would you use as an alternative?
Given the local canine situation, may I nominate “needs room to run”? Whenever I hear it, I want to introduce Mr. Clueless Dog Owner to my friend Mr. Clue by 4.
These two examples were what I thought of immediately.
It’s typically in some type of interview where more specifically, the person answers every question with “so…” I can not adquately describe how much that irritates me. The “so” virus as it’s called.
The “like” thing kills me too. If you try counting “likes” in a discussion where someone is recalling a conversation, it can be unbearable.
I don’t have a 50-something year old brain, I’m only 28 and none of my peers have any idea what I’m talking about when I bring these two subjects up.
It doesn’t do anything, it’s just marketing bullshit. But you knew that. 
Side note: anytime I see “supports ______ health” I recall that the Quack Miranda Warning is on the label in tiny print.
“Being…” a lot of things. There are some developers in my office that start all tickets with "Being a developer, I need … "
I can see why they do it, but it just reads badly to me.
My favorite bogus medical claim is “boosts your immune system.” A hyperactive, or “boosted” immune system is what we usually call “allergies.”
I heard it just this a couple of hours ago on Morning Edition. What kills me is that the guy who was being interviewed was obviously very intelligent and otherwise well-spoken, so this affectation really stuck out.
I can see absolutely no reason to begin a sentence this way. I guess it points out how imitative some are of others’ conversation patterns.
This is a societal meta-problem.
Small talk is supposed to be small. And, frankly, dishonest.
“How are you?”
Social convention demands you respond positively and in absolutely no detail.
“I’m great, how are you?”
A response in kind and the exchange is done.
“How are you?”
“Well, my dog died, and I think my wife’s cheating on me, and I’ve got this weird rash on my ass (zzzzip)…you think maybe it’s cancer?”
“Uh, oops, gotta go!”
If you mistake a solicitation to empty social pleasantries for a call for deep and honest confession, technically, that’s your mistake. :o
To this? That requires too much thought for a woman who just gave birth, and it’s too infrequent and event in any one woman’s life to qualify as the subject of small talk. Ask the woman how she is, observe that the baby is cute, even if he isn’t, and leave it there.
“Discombobulate / discombobulated”. I know that this one has been around for ever; and that very many people like it, and joyfully use it; but personally, it makes me want to vomit, and always has done. I feel that it’s just so whimsy / arch / cutesy / twee; and unnecessary. There are perfectly good standard words to express what the D-word supposedly does.
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 don’t know. “Pretending stuff that isn’t a game is a game”? Clumsy, but easier to pronounce.
Oh, and along the same lines of “pop of color”, which I also hate, is “wow factor”. Sometimes the wow factor is a pop of color. That’s really bad.
Oh, yes. It’s September, and I want my immune system stunned and stuporous.
“Makes your eyes pop”? Yike. Sounds like the aftermath of a GWAR concert.
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.
So you are saying new mothers would prefer to be socially ostracized, are you? :dubious:
I would have preferred it to being asked how I liked being a mother, because there were lots of moments when I had a newborn that I honestly hated it.
I just watched Project Runway. I hate: edgy, “my aesthetic”, pop, edgy, “fierce”, and edgy.
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.
StG
Yes, yes and yes - I also loathe the cutesy DH, DD, DS - I have never seen a man refer to his wife as DW; does that ever happen? Or is it a woman thing? (And I am a woman BTW, but would never use those abbreviations.)
I’m a painting contractor and often advise clients on colors. I sometimes use the word “pop” to refer to bright or punchy accent paint colors and for me, it works in that context. I see that several people hate that word. What words would convey the same meaning?
Stand out or accentuate? Accent color? Complimentary?
StG