# Words & phrases that need to be retired **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890 "2000-08-02T20:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/61 "2000-08-04T16:22:18Z")
Of course one fun thing to do is use overworked phrases in a new way. “My Bad” is so trite that I prefer to say “Malus meus” when appropriate. For more of those: [http://www.cyberdrive.net/~ckawalek/LatSayings.html](http://www.cyberdrive.net/~ckawalek/LatSayings.html) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/62 "2000-08-04T16:31:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dumb Ox \* > \*\*Endora, I agree that grammatical errors repeated often enough start to sound right. But just between you and I :eek:, I see just as many errors from people trying to be _ **too** _ correct. Languages change. “Whom” has had a good run. We still aren’t quite ready to let it go entirely. But, as Samuel Johnson said, “The pen must at length comply with the tongue.” > \*\* Another example of people trying too be too correct is, “I and my sister went shopping.” I have heard this mistake quite a lot lately. This is because (I think) they think using “I” is more correct than saying, “ME and my sister…” when it should be “My sister and I…” And of course there is the vexing answer to “Who went shopping?” “My sister and me” or “My sister and I” ??? It’s “My sister and ME.” ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/63 "2000-08-04T16:33:19Z")
Another vote for removing “empower” and all the variations. Also, “Basically.” That is just such an incredible irritant to me. ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/64 "2000-08-04T16:38:26Z")
I have always beieved that “tubular” (adjective) was a term from So. California surfer talk from the early 1960’s - “tubular” referred to surfiing the “tube” (being under the curve of the wave, bjust before it breaks). This was the objective of every surfer-my surfer buddies comapred this to the best orgasm you could ever have! Ant surfers care to comment? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/65 "2000-08-04T17:35:22Z")
egkelly: You beat me to it! I’m no surfer, but I remember this adjective being discussed on a radio show years ago. It was traced, I believe, to a popular southern California radio surf report. Surfers would eagerly await to hear the reporter say that the waves were “tubular,” meaning that the surfing was the best. Anyone who thinks that pugs are ugly will have me to deal with. Oops, I ended a sentence with a preposition! I should have said: Anyone who thinks that pugs are ugly will have me to deal with, hodaddies. ---
**Author:** ![Dumb\_Ox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dumb\_Ox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumb_Ox)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/66 "2000-08-04T18:07:18Z")
**Roppy Bork** > [@](#): > > “Resource” as a verb makes me twitch. I don’t think I’ve ever heard this. Could you use it in a sentence? Preferably without twitching. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/67 "2000-08-04T18:51:33Z")
Anyone that says “Nu-Kew-Lar” instead of “Nu-Klee-Ar” when discussing nuclear power, etc. should be shot immediately. “Think out of the box” has become very irritating also. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/68 "2000-08-04T18:58:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Roppy Bork \* > But what’s wrong with “utilise” and “facilitate”? They are good words that have been around for centuries. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with them. I use facilitate myself when the situation calls for it. Unfortunately, “utilize” has taken on the foul stench of the buzzword–it’s been years since I heard someone use it unpretentiously. It always seems to appear in sentences like: “We must utilize our resources more efficiently if we are to leverage our synergy with blahblahblah…” ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/69 "2000-08-04T19:16:01Z")
How about “per se?” I am CONSTANTLY hearing this come out of the mouths of dumb people who are trying to sound smart. It’s pathetic. Now there’s nothing wrong with this word _per se_ :), it just irks the hell out of me when you use it every three sentences to try to sound like you know something (when, of course, all the words in between are monosyllabic). My boss is guilty of that crap. Another thing he does is begin practically every sentence with the words “of course.” Drives me up a freakin’ wall, though I suppose it’s correct since everything he says is so obvious that he probably shouldn’t have said it in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/70 "2000-08-04T19:43:01Z")
I know it’s kind of a non-sequiter, but as long as we’re venting our literary spleens, what about those who “use” quotation marks in totally inappropriate “places?” Of course, the ever-present apostrophe’s in place’s where they don’t belong really get’s my panty’s in a bunch, too. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Creant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Miss\_Creant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Creant)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/71 "2000-08-04T20:18:12Z")
Sorry to veer off the thread, but I think the word maroon needs to be brought back. Maroon (marroon?)sp? as in: “what a marroon” Bugs Bunny ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/72 "2000-08-04T20:18:43Z")
I’m tired of all the dimwitted managers where I work bragging that they “walk the talk”. Psst…dickhead…it’s “walk the **walk** ”. I’m also tired of the whole “talk the talk/walk the walk” crap. ---
**Author:** ![Mauve\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@Mauve\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauve_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/73 "2000-08-04T20:30:23Z")
It goes without saying, but the phrase “it goes without saying” must go. Preferably, without saying. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/74 "2000-08-04T20:36:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shay519 \* > Sorry to veer off the thread, but I think the word maroon needs to be brought back… as in “what a marroon” [said by] Bugs Bunny I think the “maroon” you’re referring to is an intentional mis-pronunciation of “moron”. Bugs also says “nincowpoop,” and, if I recall correctly, “imbessle,” amongst other favorite put-downs. That being said, I’m all for adding gentle Warnerisms to the language… you consarn idjit galoot! ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Creant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Miss\_Creant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Creant)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/75 "2000-08-04T20:44:11Z")
Zut: You are probably right, but I still like it. I find it is an exceptional PG alternative for asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Endora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Endora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Endora)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/76 "2000-08-04T20:47:48Z")
> [@](#): > > I think the “maroon” you’re referring to is an intentional mis-pronunciation of “moron”. Bugs also says “nincowpoop,” and, if I recall correctly, “imbessle,” amongst other favorite put-downs. That being said, I’m all for adding gentle Warnerisms to the language… you consarn idjit galoot! \*\* Bugs also called Elmer a “masher” once when Elmer was coming on to girl-Bugs. I want to bring that back. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Creant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Miss\_Creant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Creant)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/77 "2000-08-04T20:52:47Z")
Bugs also called Elmer a “masher” once when Elmer was coming on to girl-Bugs. I want to bring that back. I still use that. I had no idea it was gone. When I ran into my neighbor the other day, I said, this was the first time I had seen him sans children. He had no idea what it meant. Is it me? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/78 "2000-08-04T21:37:48Z")
As long as we’re discussing Warnerisms, I pronounced the word “misled” as “my-zuld” for years, because that’s how Charlie Dog pronounced it. Don’t be my-zuld, Bub! Although I had also heard “misled” pronounced correctly, somehow I never made the connection. I think that when Bugs Bunny and Charlie Dog did comical mispronounciations, they were impersonating Leo Gorcey. Gorcey’s schtick was to mispronounce (in a strong lower east side accent) words to hilarious effect. ---
**Author:** ![vaporlad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ea5d25/32.png) [@vaporlad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vaporlad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/79 "2000-08-04T21:43:08Z")
first, i must agree with Green Bean: all academic lit-crit / post-whatever jargon must go; if i hear one more reference to foucault, deleuze + guattari, “empowerment”, “transgression,” or “inhabiting a critical space of power” i might go postal in the faculty lounge. “going postal” must go, too. ditto everything anyone has mentioned re the world of management. (ditto the term “ditto”, by the way: it’s gone) in a related vein, anything bred in the business schools–especially as it relates to this dotcom thing that seems to be catching on. lately i’ve spent some tiem around a lot of recent b-school grads–their jargon grates on my nerves like, like, like…fingernails on a blackboard (which must also go): examples, to wit: “let’s pull the trigger on that” (um, i have a suggestion for what we might pull the trigger on…) “what’s the plus delta on that?” “we’re getting a good signal” “burn rate” “let’s reach out” “it’s viral / hyperarchical / strategic vs. tactical” “it’s a 7-figure play” and my least favorite (but this is personal): anyone who “architects” anything, but especially if it relates to information or software–e.g. bill gates’ new title as “chief information architect”. yes, i’m an architect. a real one. a bit sensitive? maybe. (then again, i own tech stock… so call yourselves whatever you want. and no offense, by the way, to any software architects on this board who imagineer all my great integrated software solutions). incidentally, a good source for all sorts of catchy phrases to fill your next “stragetic partnering” “pow wow” is here: [http://www.dack.com/web/bullshit.html](http://www.dack.com/web/bullshit.html) it’s a brilliant e-business jargon generator which supposedly generates ridiculous, meaningless combinations of trendy info-economy terms… yet it seems i’ve already heard most anything it comes up with. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2000, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890/80 "2000-08-04T22:44:43Z")
I will admit to using some of those phrases…I think anyone here would be lying if they said they didn’t. One word I hate: Buzzword. I just can’t stand it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-that-need-to-be-retired/27890.md?page=5)