I hate the word “solution”, but only when used in a specific context.
For example, when talking about a solution in chemistry, or a solution to an equation in maths, that’s fine. However, when managers and other business types start using solution to refer to one of their products, like “software solution”, it makes me cringe. I can’t stand to hear the word used in that context, and I’m not entirely sure why.
We had a talk the other day given by some big boss from IBM. He was well into his business speak, lots of “networking” etc. etc. and he referred to “software solutions” so many times I couldn’t stand it.
What other words can you not stand to be used in a certain context but you are fine with them anywhere else?
I don’t like to hear newscasters talk about the gravitas of anything. It’s this year’s pompous phrase that serves no purpose except to sound like a cliché.
I agree with the solution one. I don’t know if it’s just a recent thing, but it seems everyone’s describing their products as being a “solution” to something or the other.
not so much as a specific word, but pronunciations.
Specifically - example 1 - my roomie pronounces ‘thigh’ as thig, rhymes with twig. I detest it. You are not 3 years old, say the damn word.
example 2ish - reverting back to the foreign language pronunciation when there is a perfectly valid long established american english pronunciation - if you aint speaking french, dont use the french pronunciation for it … or if there is a perfectly good english word, dont dress up your language with that word of the day calendar. If you mean obsession, dont say idee fixe. If you mean absinthe, say it not absannnnnn[nasal n, drop the ‘t’]
I can’t stand the way a certain radio station news announcer in my area keeps using the word “synchonicity” when she really means “synchonized” or “synchronous.”
That one irks the bejeezus outta me. Product. It could be a processed *meat * product for crissakes. You need to define the product or it makes no sense!
I cannot stand it when the word “resource” is used to refer to a human being. I am sick and tired of statements such as “I’ll see if my resouces are available”. I’m a human being not a stapler!
If have also noticed “utilise” being used instead of use. Every time I hear it I want to scream “What wrong with use you moron?”
Issue, even though I use this one myself all the time, I cringe on every occasion; most of the time, it’s just used because thing doesn’t sound precise enough, even though issue is not really any clearer.
I know it’s perfectly valid, but it still irks me no end when sportswriters use “veteran” to describe an experienced athlete. To me, a veteran is someone who served his/her country in the armed forces.
I also hate to hear military terminology used in office settings, e.g.: “Let’s lock and load, people! The division manager is visiting this morning.”