“Them,” as in “them is,” “them are” and “them ones.”
“at this time”
is that some other time than “now”?
Another one that I hear at work: “How can I help you on today?” ON today? Just “today” will do.
Agreed. It just sounds oddly juvenile.
“Tummy” and any variation on the word “yum” really bother me for the same reason.
Yes.
Same here! A friend of mine (female) also cringes at the word.
Yes. I hate the sound of the word, the same way I can’t stand the word “toilet.”
Stop that!
.
I actually heard someone say “at the present moment in time” in a TV news report.
Here’s another one that you hear when Cops are being interviewed on TV: “proceeded to.”
As in: “I saw the burning house, so I proceeded to enter it.”
You also hear it when civilian witnesses to a crime/tragedy are being interviewed by local TV reporters, and instead of just speaking in their normal voice, they try to talk like a cop. “I witnessed the altercation and proceeded to call 911.”
Which reminds me of the time our local news talent referred to “the alleged suspect.”
.
I’m not seeing the distinction at all. “Attributable to circumstances beyond our control, we are announcing a 2% price increase to all products, effective immediately.” It’s clunky, to be sure, but is it grammatically incorrect?
Are you saying it’s improper because the circumstances haven’t been identified? That is a pretty fine distinction, and not one that I agree with. My personal opinion is that “due to” wins on brevity and aesthetic points, but we all have our own style. Unless I were a professional writer, I wouldn’t think too highly of a manager who returned work to me for “correction” because she didn’t share my stylistic preferences.
At the top of my own personal list of hated “words” is “automagically.” It’s not magic and your cute little made-up word doesn’t add any information to the conversation, except for the fact that there’s a very high likelihood that I’m not going to like you very much.
Cops also love to say “indicate” instead of just “said”. I learned in a police report writing class not to do that because it’s ambiguous. You can indicate something other ways than saying it.
Have some pity for the British, we feel the same each-and-every time you say “pants”
I could really use a moist towelette right now, actually, after eating these BBQ chicken wings. (no joke, and I refuse to call them wetnaps, that sounds gross to me).
“Chagrin.” The sound of it just annoys me. Same with “schmear” referring to cream cheese on a bagel. Also, I had to stop reading Anne Rice when I noticed how often she used “preternatural.” I’ve also ruined Anne Rice for at least two other people by pointing it out.
I just heard another one- “price point.”
Just when would “price” not work?
Prolly, as in, "My head is prolly going to explode if you don’t stop saying ‘prolly’ " Sounds like something a Brit carries in case it rains.
Hella, as in “that was a hella good movie”
The same people who use, misuse, and abuse the above also tend to say “pitcher” instead of “picture”. “I like them pitchers of yer kids!!!”
To a degree, me also.
There should be a separate thread for “Words that are perfectly legitimate, but I hate the sound of.”
Right you are!
Another word in the same category is additionally which completely drove “also”
from the field of business language where I worked for ~20years. Wikipedia editors
are also fond of the goddam thing.
The specific price range where someone is willing to buy a produt/a company can make a reasonable profit.
Baloney. Or to be less nice about it, bullshit.
“Use” works just as well in both senses above, and the distinction is so small
that employing a different word adds nothing and clarifies nothing.
etv78-
What? Lost you after buy-
Also, how can a point be a range?
‘Specific range’ seems like an oxymoron to me.