Things people say that bug you

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.

jabbur

Master Chef
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
5,638
Location
Newport News, VA
Since I started my interpreting classes, I've been more attuned to what people say. One of the things that bugs me a lot is on the Today show. The host will say "coming up next (insert topic) but first this is Today on NBC." then go to commercial. This really makes no sense! They are not going to their own show. The way it is stated doesn't indicate a commercial is coming. I know it's not really a big thing and I didn't notice it before I started studying language use but now it gives me the shivers each time I hear it and want to go to the studio and shake the person who mindlessly says it. Just my little rant for the day. Thanks for listening.
 
Yes, I noticed that about 12 or so years ago. I don't hear it anymore - you've only got 11.99 years to go before it doesn't bother you anymore :LOL:
 
I feel your pain. I was an English minor in college.

Lots of people use the word "orientated" when they mean 'oriented.' I'm getting better with dangling participles, but they still grate upon the ear I was given.
 
I do not like the term 24/7, it just bugs me for some reason.

That one doesn't bother me so much. I think it has become part of the lexicon. Just about everyone knows the meaning, and the implication.

There are shorthand phrases for just about any topic or hobby. I use the phrase "twice and twain" in my business. It saves a full paragraph of typing to others who know the details.
 
I can't stand people who use the word "obviously" incorrectly. Something may be obvious to them, but that does not mean it is obvious to everyone else.

I also do not like how people use the word decimate. Decimate means to reduce by a tenth. It has come to mean a large reduction and while I will admit that it is perfectly acceptable to now use decimate to reflect a large reduction it still bugs me.
 
Since I started my interpreting classes, I've been more attuned to what people say. One of the things that bugs me a lot is on the Today show. The host will say "coming up next (insert topic) but first this is Today on NBC." then go to commercial. This really makes no sense! They are not going to their own show. The way it is stated doesn't indicate a commercial is coming. I know it's not really a big thing and I didn't notice it before I started studying language use but now it gives me the shivers each time I hear it and want to go to the studio and shake the person who mindlessly says it. Just my little rant for the day. Thanks for listening.

They aren't going to their own show. They're identifying themselves. Anyone who has watched any TV in the past 50 years has GOT to know that a commercial is coming. A commercial is ALWAYS coming. That's a given when they say "coming up next."
 
I can't stand people who use the word "obviously" incorrectly. Something may be obvious to them, but that does not mean it is obvious to everyone else.

Wow... can't stand them???? Obviously you mean me right???? :LOL:
 
"One of the only ..." Not possible. It's either one of the few, or THE only - there can only be one only.

"All of the ... are not ..." when they really mean "Not all of the ... are ..." or "Some of the ... are ..."

"I had my ...", as in "I had my car crashed into last week." Should be "Someone crashed into my car last week." "I had my (something)" means I made it happen. Can you imagine saying "I had my mother killed in a robbery"? No, it should be "Someone killed my mother in a robbery."
 
I feel your pain. I was an English minor in college.

Lots of people use the word "orientated" when they mean 'oriented.' I'm getting better with dangling participles, but they still grate upon the ear I was given.

If you took any English at all then you know why I am bugged so much by people who don't have the foggiest idea how to use the terms She/He, Her/Him or the biggest one Me and I. A friend told me last night that "John went to the movies with she and I." I almost fell off the chair but of course didn't say anything. She has a master's degree. Say the sentence leaving out the other person: John went to the movies with she? John went to the movie with I? I don't think so. Geez. Try "Her and Me" instead.

And the people who are the worst at this are journalists. Listen to an "on the scene" reporter and you can get a real picture of this.

And another biggie: "Most unique, somewhat unique, very unique, not as unique as the other one." The word UNIQUE means one of a kind. There are NO degees to the word unique. It is either one of a kind or it isn't. Just like you can't be very dead.
 
Extra words in a sentence. I say, Where ar my keys?" My grandchildren in Florida say, "Where are my keys at?"
 
DQ, quite right. The reason I've relaxed my standards is that I also dislike people who interrupt a colloquial conversation with a grammar lesson.

Of course, it would be great if everyone adhered to the proper use of the language. In fact, I'd be grateful if the things I read were interesting or attention grabbing, although fractal.

One of the greatest threads I've seen here was works of fiction composed of five unrelated words.
 
No worries GB... I was hoping that was in reference to the phrase and not the actual person.

I know I have a few sayings I can't stand... but then I hear myself repeating them all the time. The one that bugs me the most is: "Like I said......" I repeat that phrase many times in a converstaion.
 
You or I would say, "The police found the criminal at his mother's house."

A TV or radio reporter/anchor would say, "The police found the criminal at the house of his mother."

There seems to be a real aversion to using the possessive form of words, thus home his mother rather than mother's home.

I have actually emailed local news people trying to get an explanation for this and they had no answer and did not even realize they were doing it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom