Author Topic: Words/phrases I wish would go away  (Read 611852 times)

Laura33

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #50 on: August 14, 2017, 08:40:19 AM »
"Literally" to mean "figuratively."

That's true but you have to understand that all superlatives are eventually abused, e.g. "really" now means very/much in many situations, "epic" is getting abused too, etc. Language evolves with time.

Well of course it does, or I'd have included my diatribe about "hopefully" (now used as "I hope" instead of as "in a hopeful manner," e.g., "hopefully, I'll win the Powerball," instead of "she walked hopefully to buy a lottery ticket"), or "impact" as a verb in sentences not involving meteorites or wisdom teeth.  And none of the "new" phrases people have mentioned here bug me much, other than when they are overused (my DD now uses "yeet" as an all-purpose word -- I thought it was just an exclamation, but, no, now it's "man, she really yeeted that turn!" and the like).

What I object to are changes that obfuscate instead of clarify.  A word or phrase should not "evolve" to mean precisely the opposite of what it was originally meant to.  Language is designed to express thoughts and feelings and ideas.  And when you can't find the right word to describe your thoughts or feelings, then go ahead, coin a new one -- I think that's pretty cool (not surprisingly, my favorite kids' author is Dr. Seuss).  But when you redefine a word to include its opposite, then you just confuse your audience, who has to stop and think and process which meaning is intended.  And that bothers me.  That's the realm of politicians and corporate consultants, not something normal people should aspire to.  And so that's where I draw the line -- where I think we should appropriately rage, rage against the dying of the light, instead of just saying, "meh, language changes."

Cwadda

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #51 on: August 14, 2017, 08:58:55 AM »
Any sort of buzzwords used as click bait, especially to get you to watch a video or click through 16 pages filled with ads just to see content.

Written in large, bold text, with extra clickbaity words colored differently.
"Millennials"
"You'll never guess his reaction"
"What she did next was astounding"

Other words/phrases that make me cringe:
"Literally" used to meant "really". That's not what it means!

"I can't."
-You can't what?
"I just can't"
-You just can't what?
"I just can't even"
-You can't even what?
"I just can't EVEN!"

Uturn

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #52 on: August 14, 2017, 09:40:54 AM »
The use of the word hate.

Person1:  I disagree with your solution to <Problem> concerning <GroupX>
Person2:  Why do you hate <GroupX>?
Person1:  I never said that I hate <GroupX>, I simply feel there is a different solution to <Problem>.
Then we all get to see headlines about how Person1 hates <GroupX>, what are we going to do about Person1's hate speech.  Meanwhile <Problem> is still not resolved. 

Could it be that Person1 and Person2 grew up or lives in different circumstances and therefore view <Problem> from different perspectives, with neither being wrong? 

Now if Person1 or Person2 said "eradicate <GroupX> and <Problem> goes away", we can call that hate.

Fishindude

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #53 on: August 14, 2017, 09:52:07 AM »
Organic
Grass Fed
Farm Raised

These labels have created a bunch of food snobs that really don't know much about where there food came from, yet they see these labels not fully understanding them and condemn everything else not labeled in this manner.

Samuel

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #54 on: August 14, 2017, 10:10:04 AM »
Adulting

jambongris

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #55 on: August 14, 2017, 10:19:05 AM »
Update: the NYT style guide says:

Quote
Use apostrophes for plurals of abbreviations that have capital letters and periods: M.D.'s, C.P.A.'s. Also use apostrophes for plurals formed from single letters: He received A's and B's on his report card. Mind your p's and q's.

But do not use apostrophe's for plurals of abbreviations without periods, or for plurals formed from figures: TVs, PCs, DVDs; 1990s, 747s, size 7s.

So it depends, but "IRA's" is indeed incorrect. Now I know.

More thoughts on topic: I HATE "on accident," and I wish people would stop talking about "toxins" in food as opposed to in snake bites.

Wouldn't "IRA's" still be wrong according to the NYT Style Guide because it doesn't have both capital letters and periods? I think "I.R.A.'s" would be correct if it were ever written that way.

wenchsenior

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #56 on: August 14, 2017, 10:48:59 AM »
Update: the NYT style guide says:

Quote
Use apostrophes for plurals of abbreviations that have capital letters and periods: M.D.'s, C.P.A.'s. Also use apostrophes for plurals formed from single letters: He received A's and B's on his report card. Mind your p's and q's.

But do not use apostrophe's for plurals of abbreviations without periods, or for plurals formed from figures: TVs, PCs, DVDs; 1990s, 747s, size 7s.

So it depends, but "IRA's" is indeed incorrect. Now I know.

More thoughts on topic: I HATE "on accident," and I wish people would stop talking about "toxins" in food as opposed to in snake bites.

Wouldn't "IRA's" still be wrong according to the NYT Style Guide because it doesn't have both capital letters and periods? I think "I.R.A.'s" would be correct if it were ever written that way.

I think you missed the "incorrect" part.  I also misread it late at night as "correct" and I was SO CONFUSED.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #57 on: August 14, 2017, 11:09:48 AM »
The real question is thus: when is it acceptable to spell acronyms with periods?

https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/74099/where-are-the-periods-in-acronyms

The plot thickens.

Travis

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #58 on: August 14, 2017, 12:15:29 PM »
Organic
Grass Fed
Farm Raised

These labels have created a bunch of food snobs that really don't know much about where there food came from, yet they see these labels not fully understanding them and condemn everything else not labeled in this manner.

Organic is supposed to mean something that is alive.  It describes an organism.  We turned it into some description of a particular way of growing food (which even then is still vague). I was at the store yesterday and in the organic produce aisle they had a couple crates marked in English and French. The French word used to substitute organic food is apparently "biologique."  To me this confirms how misused "organic" is in our culture that the French couldn't think of a better word to use for the translation.  I imagine if a French speaker looked at a crate of food that was marked "biologique" they'd think "well, no shit. Of course it's alive."

Travis

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #59 on: August 14, 2017, 12:19:46 PM »
Lol this thread is full of middle aged people hating on millennials I love it. That being said I hate the word "millennials" because it actually describes so few of us.


I've never understood why "millennial" somehow goes all the way back to people born in 1980.  I was born that year. I'm creeping up on 40 years old, I have a salaried career, long-since completed my education, but the mass media wants to lump me in with folks who just graduated high school.  Some of my friends who are the same age as me have kids in high school, but they're of this same "millennial" generation?

caffeine

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #60 on: August 14, 2017, 01:00:11 PM »
I hate sensationalism and click-bait news. I'm seriously thinking about subscribing to WSJ or NYT or something.

Anything with SLAMS or DESTORYS in the headline makes me irrationally upset unless it is summing up WWE's Royal Rumble.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2017, 01:18:01 PM by caffeine »

Laura33

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #61 on: August 14, 2017, 01:23:13 PM »
Well, that at least explains why I don't understand 'on fleek', then - don't use Vine, not planning to.

That's good, since it doesn't exist anymore.

With respect to using and/or pioneering new words...I guess I will never be Shakespeare, lol.

I mean, I thought most scholarly understanding held that words Shakespeare "invented" were really just use of slang that wasn't recorded anywhere else. His audience obviously understood him, which is a little difficult if you just start inventing words out of thin air - they have to be culturally popularized first.

A word or phrase should not "evolve" to mean precisely the opposite of what it was originally meant to.

So "peruse" and "nonplussed" must really frustrate you.

Peruse:
1. to examine or consider with attention and in detail :  study
2. to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner

Nonplussed:
1. surprised and confused
2. not disconcerted; unperturbed

Language is crazy but that makes it fun, I think. For word nerds, a list of contronyms (words that are their own opposite): http://mentalfloss.com/article/49834/14-words-are-their-own-opposites

The one that gets me is "scan," which nowadays invariably seems used to mean "skim."  I didn't even realize the other two had alternate meanings now.  :-)

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #62 on: August 14, 2017, 01:37:36 PM »
Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments, about words that mean the opposite of what people think they do.
They're good words. I don't want them to go away, except that last one, I just wish people would use them correctly, gah!

Spendthrift
Penultimate
Nadir
Hoi polloi
Nonplussed
Inflammable
Irregardless

Of course, on this site, spendthrift is my favorite misused word, for what I hope is an obvious reason.

stackorstarve

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #63 on: August 14, 2017, 02:23:55 PM »


Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments....
...

Another thing that gets me is using "off" instead of "on" in idiomatic phrases. (i.e. based on, feeding on, going on, etc.)

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk


GuitarStv

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #64 on: August 14, 2017, 02:28:49 PM »


Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments....
...

Another thing that gets me is using "off" instead of "on" in idiomatic phrases. (i.e. based on, feeding on, going on, etc.)

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

I figured that it was a simple omission typo.  'Feeding off of previous comments' makes as much sense as 'feeding on'.

tralfamadorian

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #65 on: August 14, 2017, 02:30:03 PM »
I've never understood why "millennial" somehow goes all the way back to people born in 1980. 

I've heard it explained as those who graduated from high school in 2000 or later. 

NoraLenderbee

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #66 on: August 14, 2017, 03:15:50 PM »

“on a daily basis”. We have a word that efficiently summarizes that phrase. It’s “daily.”
Likewise on a monthly/weekly/yearly/regular/periodic basis.

“In the event of [something happening]”. How about “If [something] happens,” “In case of [something]”?

The addition of unnecessary "of" to adverbs and prepositions. Feeding off of. Outside of. Getting off of.

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #67 on: August 14, 2017, 03:25:42 PM »


Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments....
...

Another thing that gets me is using "off" instead of "on" in idiomatic phrases. (i.e. based on, feeding on, going on, etc.)

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

I figured that it was a simple omission typo.  'Feeding off of previous comments' makes as much sense as 'feeding on'.
Well, shit, I was going to fix it, but now I don't know what to do. I do say "based on", but when the feeding is kind of an act of extraction or removal, "feeding off" seems more logical than "feeding on". Is only "on" correct?

GuitarStv, thinking it's a typo coming from me is pretty darn accurate, lol!

stackorstarve

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #68 on: August 14, 2017, 03:54:52 PM »


Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments....
...

Another thing that gets me is using "off" instead of "on" in idiomatic phrases. (i.e. based on, feeding on, going on, etc.)

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

I figured that it was a simple omission typo.  'Feeding off of previous comments' makes as much sense as 'feeding on'.
Well, shit, I was going to fix it, but now I don't know what to do. I do say "based on", but when the feeding is kind of an act of extraction or removal, "feeding off" seems more logical than "feeding on". Is only "on" correct?

GuitarStv, thinking it's a typo coming from me is pretty darn accurate, lol!
"off of" is also formally wrong but used conversationally in the US. This one doesn't bother me as much as other stuff though

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dougules

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #69 on: August 14, 2017, 04:04:45 PM »
All acronyms and then managerial buzzwords like "synergistic", "empower", and "team player."

On a sidenote, this reminds me of Weird Al's "Word Crimes."

Travis

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #70 on: August 14, 2017, 04:05:00 PM »
When I went through my mid-career school as an Army officer (exchange student at a USMC course) at age 28 we had to take a writing test before we showed up. After arriving we were separated into two groups for before-class English writing taught by some university professors.  There was enough feedback from the fleet that their field grade officers sucked at writing enough that everyone going through this course pretty much had to repeat 12th grade English.  Even though I received one of the higher scores on the writing sample I still had to go. The things we learned were never covered in my public school education.  Fast forward a few years to grad school where those lessons paid off.  After learning to write properly finally I noticed how half of my grad school classmates were writing at the 10th grade level using many of the improper, but conversationally accurate words we've listed.

Morning Glory

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #71 on: August 14, 2017, 04:15:33 PM »


Slight sidebar, feeding off earlier comments....
...

Another thing that gets me is using "off" instead of "on" in idiomatic phrases. (i.e. based on, feeding on, going on, etc.)

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

I figured that it was a simple omission typo.  'Feeding off of previous comments' makes as much sense as 'feeding on'.
Well, shit, I was going to fix it, but now I don't know what to do. I do say "based on", but when the feeding is kind of an act of extraction or removal, "feeding off" seems more logical than "feeding on". Is only "on" correct?

GuitarStv, thinking it's a typo coming from me is pretty darn accurate, lol!
"off of" is also formally wrong but used conversationally in the US. This one doesn't bother me as much as other stuff though

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

Could be some regional preferences at play here. I lived in one place where people said they had to " be to" somewhere as in " I have to be to work by nine" instead of " be at work"  or "go to work" Drove me crazy.

In the place I live now people use the word"feel" when discussing facts they are not completely sure of as in " I feel like the conversion from fahrenheit to Celsius is five ninths minus thirty two". Sounds really non-committal. They also use this expression as a polite way of correcting someone.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #72 on: August 14, 2017, 04:31:13 PM »
baby bump is OK, being descriptive. In Australia we sometimes use ‘preggers’   Take your choice.

I detest 'preggers'.

And 'hubby'.

And 'hubs'.

And 'wifey'.

And 'work husband'/'work wife'.

And 'the boyfriend'. As in, Look what the boyfriend bought me.

calimom

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #73 on: August 14, 2017, 05:39:05 PM »
baby bump is OK, being descriptive. In Australia we sometimes use ‘preggers’   Take your choice.

I detest 'preggers'.

And 'hubby'.

And 'hubs'.

And 'wifey'.

And 'work husband'/'work wife'.

And 'the boyfriend'. As in, Look what the boyfriend bought me.

I am so with you! "Hubby" and "Wifey" are so….1955. "The wife" sounds like the person in question is describing a household appliance.
"Hubs" is just ugh.

May I add to the list:

* Push Present (because every woman needs jewelry or an SUV after giving birth, and then needs to share that information)


marble_faun

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #74 on: August 14, 2017, 06:38:27 PM »
influencers

toxic people

Breaking. Up. Sentences. Like. This.

self-care

amirite?

"I just NOPED right out of there."

"bad skin" or "good skin" [If it's keeping your organs from falling out of your body, it's doing its job!]

****

I don't have logical, well-thought-out reasons for disliking most of these. I'm just weary of them. Weary of the realms of internet where they tend appear in the wild.

Miss Piggy

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #75 on: August 14, 2017, 06:58:21 PM »
Kiddos. Can't stand that "word."

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #76 on: August 14, 2017, 09:16:26 PM »
Oh, this Reddit thread just reminded me of another.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday/comments/6tol88/baby_due_in_2_weeks_prepped_my_ass_off_today/

Quote
OP: Luckily grandma and great grandma live nearby and I have a feeling they will be more than generous food-wise.
Quote
Commenter: How lucky are you to still have your great grandmother alive. Really cool!
Quote
Commenter 2: I mean, they could still be alive, but I think it more probable she is speaking on behalf the pending baby. OP?
Quote
OP: Baby's great grandma aka my grandma. Baby will be the first great grandchild on both sides of the family!

Kid's not even here yet! Stop promoting your relatives and expecting the rest of us to follow along.

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #77 on: August 15, 2017, 12:51:17 AM »
baby bump is OK, being descriptive. In Australia we sometimes use ‘preggers’   Take your choice.

I detest 'preggers'.

And 'hubby'.

And 'hubs'.

And 'wifey'.

And 'work husband'/'work wife'.

And 'the boyfriend'. As in, Look what the boyfriend bought me.
I love your hate list!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #78 on: August 15, 2017, 12:53:37 AM »
baby bump is OK, being descriptive. In Australia we sometimes use ‘preggers’   Take your choice.

I detest 'preggers'.

And 'hubby'.

And 'hubs'.

And 'wifey'.

And 'work husband'/'work wife'.

And 'the boyfriend'. As in, Look what the boyfriend bought me.
I love your hate list!

Spread the love!

Paul der Krake

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #79 on: August 15, 2017, 03:10:12 AM »
The real question is thus: when is it acceptable to spell acronyms with periods?

https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/74099/where-are-the-periods-in-acronyms

The plot thickens.
MORE THICKENING:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/14/business/dealbook/merck-trump-charlottesville-ceos.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-1&action=click&contentCollection=Business%20Day&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&pgtype=article

The NYTimes (at least the business section) doesn't even respect its own guidelines! It's using C.E.O.s, even though there are periods in the acronym.

Death to apostrophes. Death to periodical acronyms.

GenXbiker

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #80 on: August 15, 2017, 06:20:55 AM »
Very common on this forum:

loosing instead of losing
loose instead of lose

Cwadda

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #81 on: August 15, 2017, 07:46:57 AM »
I hate sensationalism and click-bait news. I'm seriously thinking about subscribing to WSJ or NYT or something.

Anything with SLAMS or DESTORYS in the headline makes me irrationally upset unless it is summing up WWE's Royal Rumble.

This!

"White guy DESTROYS black lives matter in 30 seconds!!!"

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #82 on: August 15, 2017, 10:23:29 AM »
I don't know what "woke" means, and I don't intend to find out.

dougules

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #83 on: August 15, 2017, 11:13:21 AM »
Another one for me is when adults use the word "yummy" when there are no kids involved. 

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #84 on: August 15, 2017, 12:30:23 PM »
"Payed" instead of "Paid". I do not get where that one even comes from.

calimom

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #85 on: August 15, 2017, 08:12:47 PM »
"Payed" instead of "Paid". I do not get where that one even comes from.

It would be understandable spelling for someone new to the English language, but when you see it used by those who claim to have a college education, it baffles.

"Anyways" always grates with me. But apparently it is not entirely incorrect:

http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-anyway-and-anyways/

Miss Piggy

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #86 on: August 15, 2017, 08:14:40 PM »
Preventative. Please, just say preventive. Same with orientated; just say oriented.

GenXbiker

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #87 on: August 15, 2017, 09:11:35 PM »
Here's another very common one on this forum:

your instead of you're

calimom

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #88 on: August 15, 2017, 10:36:27 PM »
Here's another very common one on this forum:

your instead of you're

And there instead of their. Fourth graders know this.

nnls

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #89 on: August 15, 2017, 10:55:42 PM »
Preventative. Please, just say preventive. Same with orientated; just say oriented.

isn't this a difference between American English and British English though?

I don't think here in Australia I have ever heard anyone use oriented or preventive though maybe I am just hanging out with the wrong people

MightyMauler

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #90 on: August 18, 2017, 08:46:59 AM »
I’m getting pretty sick of hearing/reading “hack” as in:

Life hack
Money hack
Food hack
Beauty hack

I was a bit surprised this hadn’t already made the list. 

Paul der Krake

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #91 on: August 18, 2017, 08:58:12 AM »
Preventative. Please, just say preventive. Same with orientated; just say oriented.

isn't this a difference between American English and British English though?

I don't think here in Australia I have ever heard anyone use oriented or preventive though maybe I am just hanging out with the wrong people
It is. Orientated is perfectly valid.

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #92 on: August 18, 2017, 09:48:05 AM »
From Grammar Girl's "Quick and Dirty Tips". The original had charts, which I eliminated. If you like charts, goog will give them to you. I'm adding this quote to the discussion because of the interesting explanation I bolded below.

"We often make new words by adding suffixes. For example, we got the word syndication by adding the -ion suffix to the end of the verb syndicate. But the process can also work in reverse: we can make new words by dropping suffixes. For example, we got the verb edit by dropping the suffix from editor. That’s called back formation, and it’s how lexicographers think we got the word orientate—by dropping the -ion suffix from orientation.

Orient and orientate are both acceptable English verbs, but orient has become the preferred form in American English, whereas orientate coexists more strongly with orient in British English. If you’re writing for Americans, you’d write about family-oriented activities; but for a British audience, you may write about family-orientated activities.

Although the Verb Orient Is Still More Common Than Orientate in British English, Orientate Is More Common in British English Than It Is in American English. [This bit was between the omitted charts, which may explain the wonky caps.]

To sum up*, in both cases there’s a preferred form in American English—the shorter form: preventive and orient—but in both cases the other word isn’t wrong either."

* Dicey here from the Department of Redundancy Department. Does anyone sum down? Just wondering ;-)

Miss Piggy

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #93 on: August 18, 2017, 10:07:16 AM »
I thought of another one: relevancy. Again, what's with the extra syllable? Just say relevance.

Cache_Stash

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #94 on: August 18, 2017, 10:52:02 AM »
Prolly

I can't even describe the emotions that "word" evokes in my soul.

teen persuasion

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #95 on: August 18, 2017, 09:35:15 PM »
Prolly

I can't even describe the emotions that "word" evokes in my soul.

Is this a regional contraction?  I've seen it multiple times on forums, but I've never ever heard it said.  In my area probably is commonly shortened to prob'ly.

Dicey

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #96 on: August 18, 2017, 11:29:25 PM »
I've been tempted to use "prolly" for "probably" when I'm texting. I stop myself every time, but it's a slippery slope.

Cache_Stash

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #97 on: August 19, 2017, 05:22:21 AM »
Prolly

I can't even describe the emotions that "word" evokes in my soul.

Is this a regional contraction?  I've seen it multiple times on forums, but I've never ever heard it said.  In my area probably is commonly shortened to prob'ly.

I frequent a forum that ha a global participation and I only see prolly.  I really dislike the use of that fake word

Leisured

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #98 on: August 19, 2017, 06:51:26 AM »
utilize     should be   use    Thanks MrsWolfeRN

on a daily basis     daily    thanks NoraLenderBe
and ...
at this point in time          now

obligated     obliged.   'Obligation' is a noun from the verb 'oblige', so we see a new verb 'obligated' formed from the noun 'obligation'.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Words/phrases I wish would go away
« Reply #99 on: August 19, 2017, 08:02:37 AM »
This was a fun read.  You all do know that there is a Grammar Nazi thread that has already aired these and more?

 

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