# Words you hate people using **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990 "2012-01-28T14:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/241 "2012-02-27T19:08:19Z")
“Sooner than later”. I’ve been hearing this one a lot lately. I first heard it in a pop song by Canadian singer LIGHTS (“Sooner than later, I need a saviour”), and I can forgive it in a song or poem where meter is more important than grammar. But I’ve since heard it spoken and seen it in prose, and it offends me. It should be “sooner _rather_ than later”, of “I’d rather have it sooner than later”. “Sooner than later” makes no sense on its own. I suppose you could say that “sooner than later” is a wordy way to say “now”: “I need you do to this thing.” “I’ll do it later.” “No, I need you to do it _sooner_ than later.” ---
**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:** [February 27, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/242 "2012-02-27T22:33:37Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [Here’s where “self of steam” comes from.](http://chronicle.com/article/Do-Them-No-Favors-Tell-Them/128583/) That may be where it came from, but I consistently see it used to insinuate that the student whose ‘self of steam’ is under discussion has an unwarrantedly high opinion of their capabilities. I can’t imagine that the students in the article were anything but mortified to realize that they’d been spelling it wrong for presumably years and greatly appreciated someone pointing it out. (As Ellen DeGeneres says, “Does he have it? That’s what the line is? Why have I been singing Monkey Hatchet? How many people have heard me sing MONKEY HATCHET?!”) ---
**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:** [February 27, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/243 "2012-02-27T22:36:33Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > “good on you.” > > Makes no sense, but I’m hearing it more and more. Really? It’s not a new construction at all, although it is not usually associated with American English. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/244 "2012-02-27T22:47:21Z")
“Well wishes” instead of “good wishes.” “Of” used instead of “with” or “by”: Bored of, embarrassed of, etc. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/245 "2012-02-27T22:57:45Z")
“Yew betcha.” People in Alaska say that quite often. It sickens me, and because I am in Alaska, I have to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/246 "2012-02-27T22:59:30Z")
> [@katriona](#): > > “well wishes” instead of "good wishes. thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/247 "2012-02-28T00:19:10Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I’m on your team. Also, quit referring to human beings in the workplace as “resources”; call them people. [rant] Problem being, in a lot of companies, a “resource” really is all you are to them. An expendable, disposable, use-once-and-toss _resource_. You’d think the HR toads could at least disguise their attitude a little better in the terminology they use. But no, it better suits the corporate purposes for all employees to always know and never be allowed to forget it. [/rant] ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/248 "2012-02-28T00:49:19Z")
> [@LegsAkimbo](#): > > Ginormous. Just seeing that abomination makes my skin crawl. Gigantic means “very large, huge”. Enormous means “greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc., huge, immense” So what the heck does “ginormous” bring to the language that either of those words don’t? ---
**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:** [February 28, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/249 "2012-02-28T00:56:07Z")
Indeed. Fuck synonyms. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/250 "2012-02-28T01:03:26Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Sorry, but “expiration” is clearly the abomination here. Expiration sounds like something an adult would say. Expiry sounds like something a barely talking toddler would say. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/251 "2012-02-28T01:23:14Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Problem being, in a lot of companies, a “resource” really is all you are to them. An expendable, disposable, use-once-and-toss _resource_. This is the Euphemism Treadmill in action. “Resource” is meant to at least have positive connotations. (Whee, I am in a class with the wind, the trees, the seas, aye, verily with the Sun itself! Am I not magnificent?) This is meant to dress up the lowly “employee,” those of whom that possessed dictionaries may have noticed simply denotes “one who is used.” ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/252 "2012-02-28T01:41:45Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Expiration sounds like something an adult would say. Expiry sounds like something a barely talking toddler would say. Sorry, I completely disagree. Expiration (to me) sounds like the overly complicated examples given earlier in the thread: Persons conversating about their burglarised (though underutilized and defuncticated due to the expiration of the cream cheese) sammich. I’ll give you the fact that expiration has been used for longer, but many other medieval words have also been modified over the years and expiry has been acceptable since around 1750. And, on an unrelated note. “Good on you” has been in common usage down under since the mid 20th century at the very least, almost certainly much longer. Often shortened to “Onya!” IME. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/253 "2012-02-28T01:46:25Z")
> [@maggenpye](#): > > And, on an unrelated note. “Good on you” has been in common usage down under since the mid 20th century at the very least, almost certainly much longer. Often shortened to “Onya!” IME. I’ll withdraw my objections (for non-Americans). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/254 "2012-02-28T02:46:25Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Fuck synonyms. Screw, shag, bang. ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/255 "2012-02-28T03:15:09Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > “Luncheon”. I don’t know why this word annoys me so much. > > “Peoples.” It’s already plural damnit! How about “persons?” As in, “… any persons needing assistance …” How about just saying people? Nothing wrong with that. And it doesn’t set my teeth on edge, which is nice for me. Also, “myself” when it’s misused. “If you have any questions, please let Bob or myself know.” When I hear that one, I don’t know whether to scream or weep. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/256 "2012-02-28T13:05:47Z")
Revert, when people mean reply or respond, usually on email. “If you have any queries, please revert to Bob or myself.” ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/257 "2012-02-28T14:01:25Z")
Cromulent: HATE HATE HATE. Copacetic: BLECCHHH As always, marketing texts continue to mangle the language: last week I saw a presentation discussing “learnings.” Great. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/258 "2012-02-28T16:06:20Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Cromulent: HATE HATE HATE. But … it’s a perfectly good word! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/259 "2012-02-28T16:08:54Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > Just seeing that abomination makes my skin crawl. > > Gigantic means “very large, huge”. > > Enormous means “greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc., huge, immense” > > So what the heck does “ginormous” bring to the language that either of those words don’t? Whimsy…at least, at first. I think it entered the lexicon about the same time as “humongous”. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990/260 "2012-02-28T16:31:17Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Cromulent: HATE HATE HATE. > Copacetic: BLECCHHH… You are killing me, here. Please. Listen. Cromulent is pretty awesome. I don’t use it often, but when I do, it is the prefect fit! Copacetic is gold. No way you can hate that. As a bit of trivia, this word is already pretty corrupted on the street level. Most folks say ‘copastetic’. I’m not joking. They have added a ‘t’. Now, when I say it correctly, I actually get people trying to make me put the extra ‘t’ in. Of course I know that you have a right to hate any words you choose. But, damn, those are two really good ones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-hate-people-using/610990.md?page=14)