The things people say...that irk you

[JLee]

On TV last night, an announcer on the Hollywood Today show said someone was on the red carpet with "her latest boo". She meant "beau".

I don't know.  People seem to call their lovers "boo" these days.  Maybe it's a mispronunciation of beau, but maybe it originates somewhere else.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=boo

[Elle 8]

I've been hearing this on a specific commercial lately:  'pure'.  I've always heard it and pronounced it as rhyming with 'cure' or 'sure'.  On this commercial they pronounce it 'peeure', with an 'ee' sound running into the to 'u' sound.  Is this new or a regional thing?  I'm in the northeast.

[BlueHouse]

I've been hearing this on a specific commercial lately:  'pure'.  I've always heard it and pronounced it as rhyming with 'cure' or 'sure'.  On this commercial they pronounce it 'peeure', with an 'ee' sound running into the to 'u' sound.  Is this new or a regional thing?  I'm in the northeast.

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

[RetiredAt63]

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

"white" without the h is wite as Old English =  a fine imposed by a king or lord on a subject who committed a serious crime. or a fee demanded for granting a special privilege.
    or "wight" as     a supernatural being, as a witch or sprite.    any living being; a creature.
   or Wight as in Isle of Wight.

In other words, keep the h where it belongs!   ;-)

Pee-ure for pure, on the other hand - ick.

[cerat0n1a]

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

That's how all English speakers would've said it a few hundred years back. They still do in Scotland.

[Cyaphas]

"it's like..." and then they never finish the sentence.
"Ya know?" in some cases 5-10 times in a paragraph.

[BlueHouse]

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

Yuck!  wHen you put it that way, I will just have to conform. Consider me changed.

[RetiredAt63]

Sorry about the yuck factor.  I am sure people would get "when" if you said "wen" from the context, but if they actually knew the word "wen" it might freak them out a bit.

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

Yuck!  wHen you put it that way, I will just have to conform. Consider me changed.

[mak1277]

Sorry about the yuck factor.  I am sure people would get "when" if you said "wen" from the context, but if they actually knew the word "wen" it might freak them out a bit.

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

Yuck!  wHen you put it that way, I will just have to conform. Consider me changed.

Come on, now...if the listener knows the word "wen" then I'm sure they're smart enough to figure out when you are and aren't using it.

[JoRocka]

A few comments in this thread remind me of an old dialect quiz I came across on the NY Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html?_r=1&

The question "Could you do me a favor?" before the actual favor is revealed irks me to no end. Tell me what you want first, then I'll tell you if I can or I'm willing to do said favor.

I'm wildly amused at this- I grew up in CA- but I was born in Va- went to school in VA and now I live in NJ- and i'ts really interesting to see the differences of where my style of speaking fits.  It had me pegged for mostly the SoCal- but a few things I recognized instantly as North East things- like hoagie- we don't have subs in NJ- we have hoagies LOL.


I'm catching up and having fun on this thread-(I'm guilty of a few of these- I saw "so" quite a lot- as well as 'literally')

Only two things- that apparently really bother me a metricFUCKLOAD-
 when people say "I'm sorry" for something they did not do.  (happens a lot when someone runs into a woman- she apologizes- social conditioning- something I notice I do and it really intrinsically bothers me)

And

"deep dive" in a work setting (or any setting unless you're a god damn scuba diver)- no- I will not deep dive with you- you sound fucking stupid. 

[Miss Piggy]

A pet peeve of mine: preventative. Why the extra syllable? What's wrong with preventive?

And another: orientated. Again, why the extra syllable?

[TheBuddha]

And another: orientated. Again, why the extra syllable?

Yeah, it's weird. But that's the correct way to say it in England.

[cerat0n1a]

And another: orientated. Again, why the extra syllable?

Yeah, it's weird. But that's the correct way to say it in England.

Both forms are correct, but the longer -ate is definitely more common here. It's a back formation from orientation, I suppose.

My dad used to get annoyed about commentate and commentator, when there is the perfectly good English word "comment", but I think that battle was lost at least 50 years ago...

[Miss Piggy]

My dad used to get annoyed about commentate and commentator, when there is the perfectly good English word "comment", but I think that battle was lost at least 50 years ago...

Oh, my. I think I might lose it if I heard someone say "commentate." 

[shelivesthedream]

My dad used to get annoyed about commentate and commentator, when there is the perfectly good English word "comment", but I think that battle was lost at least 50 years ago...

Oh, my. I think I might lose it if I heard someone say "commentate."

But surely commentating is a word? To commentate is to narrate sport as it happens, usually on the radio. The person who does this is a commentator.

[Shinplaster]

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

I wonder if anyone has told Chaz Dean that his fancy/schmancy Hollywood hair products are named after a tumor?

[JoRocka]

I'm not a big fan of hearing the 'h' pronounced in "when", or "white". I always imagine a burst of hot air ejecting from the speakers mouth when they say these words.

but "when" without the h is "wen" = Pathology. a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst

I wonder if anyone has told Chaz Dean that his fancy/schmancy Hollywood hair products are named after a tumor?

that's TOTALLY what I thought when I saw "wen*

Also- the family guy where Stewie and Brian are discussing Chool WhhhhIp.

[BlueHouse]

And another: orientated. Again, why the extra syllable?

Yeah, it's weird. But that's the correct way to say it in England.

Yep, that bugged me too.  But don't they also mispronounce AND misspell "Aluminum".  :)

I didn't like acclimate / acclimatize, but then I looked it up and found there might actually be a distinction (on the interwebs anyway, for what that's worth)

[Chaplin]

But surely commentating is a word? To commentate is to narrate sport as it happens, usually on the radio. The person who does this is a commentator.

Who narrates? The narratator of course!

[nobodyspecial]

But don't they also mispronounce AND misspell "Aluminum".  :)

No, The British spell and pronounce it the way the rest of the world, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemists, spell and pronounce it.

However, in return we were forced to spell  <shudder> Sulfur </shudder>

[cerat0n1a]

But surely commentating is a word? To commentate is to narrate sport as it happens, usually on the radio. The person who does this is a commentator.

Indeed - there is now, and it would feel a bit weird to call them anything else. A few decades ago, it was a neologism. Many of the complaints on this thread are about people using new words (or continuing to use old ones...)

I find it quite interesting how quickly new words come in and how slowly other things change. I grew up in a town where in the 1970s kids used thee, thou and thy to close family and other children at primary school, at least a couple of hundred years after it went out of usage in standard English. The southern English long "a" in words like "bath" or "grass" started in Victorian London and has taken ~150 years to spread to most of England.

[esq]

Can we talk about the word "non-negotiable"?

Obama started using it, as an adjective, of course, because that's what it is.

Then my principal thought it would be a good idea to change it into a noun:  "Staff meeting at 5 pm Monday.  This is a non-negotiable."  Used it throughout the year, except for the last 6 weeks or so; probably because we haven't one of her stupid-ass meetings.

On accident.
On tomorrow.
Ugh.

[nobodyspecial]

The only way to deal with it is to extend it yourself, try "the meeting is non-negotiablizory"

[alsoknownasDean]

On TV last night, an announcer on the Hollywood Today show said someone was on the red carpet with "her latest boo". She meant "beau".

I don't know.  People seem to call their lovers "boo" these days.  Maybe it's a mispronunciation of beau, but maybe it originates somewhere else.

Don't they call them 'bae' as well? Honestly that sounds dumb.

Why do some people pronounce 'specific' as 'pacific'?

Also, people using 'most' when they mean 'almost', such as 'most everything'. It just seems weird. Is it an American thing? I've not heard/seen it used here.

[shelivesthedream]

Also, people using 'most' when they mean 'almost', such as 'most everything'. It just seems weird. Is it an American thing? I've not heard/seen it used here.

I think it is an American thing, but I find it rather cute and quaint.

[esq]

The only way to deal with it is to extend it yourself, try "the meeting is non-negotiablizory"

Yeah.  They'd probably just steal it from me and use it in the next email. :D

[BlueHouse]

Is there a correct way to use "I haven't" vs. "I've not"? 

[SyZ]

"I think"

I know it's what you think, because you're the one saying it

Just say it

[Warlord1986]

"You don't understand because you don't have....(kids, debt, whatever)."

I don't understand having kids because I don't have any yet. But nine times out of ten having kids has nothing to do with the challenge or the action required to resolve it.

[sparky28]

'telephonic call'
'endeavor to'
'I myself am included in this equation'
When people copy a hyperlink and don't make it clickable

Pretty much anything one of my managers says - speaking indirectly to avoid irritating anyone irritates me.

[Miss Piggy]

"hack" anything

[shelivesthedream]

'telephonic call'
'endeavor to'
'I myself am included in this equation'
When people copy a hyperlink and don't make it clickable

Pretty much anything one of my managers says - speaking indirectly to avoid irritating anyone irritates me.

For several years my mother used to email me links, mostly to eBay items (which had long strings of random numbers and letters). Eventually I realised that she didn't know how to copy and paste from the URL bar and was typing the entire URL manually into the email. My head just about exploded.

[cerat0n1a]

Is there a correct way to use "I haven't" vs. "I've not"?

Both are correct, but "I haven't" is much, much more common usage.

I think in Britain, it's a little bit of a regional marker. I'm from the north of England and would sometimes say "I've not" and "I'll not", whereas most people in the south of England would always say "I haven't" and "I won't."

Have is a funny one anyway. We can say "I have a dog" although it would be more usual to say "I have got a dog". Using a contraction with the lexical rather than auxiliary form of have sounds old-fashioned. For example "I haven't a dog" sounds odd, but this form is still used in set phrases e.g. "I haven't a clue" is used in British English.

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

Isnt this a bunch of peachy people lol

The only one that really bothers me is "I can't"

I'm freakin living proof that if I can do it, you can too, get off your ass man!

[JoRocka]

"hack" anything

OMFG- THIS.

I hate when people say "life hack" or I found this cool "hack" for doing X.

no you didn't. it's not a fucking hack. you fucking nitwit.

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

Selfie... and YOLO....

Makes my cringe just typing them.

[Miss Piggy]

"hack" anything

OMFG- THIS.

I hate when people say "life hack" or I found this cool "hack" for doing X.

no you didn't. it's not a fucking hack. you fucking nitwit.

How do you really feel?  ;)

[Cellista]

"Wait on" to express that you are waiting for something to happen.

No.  If you are waiting "on" [someone], you are a server in a restaurant or a salesclerk in a store. 

If you anticipate an event, you are waiting "for" it to happen.

[pbkmaine]

I don't like it when people reply: "Perfect!" to something I've said. Nothing is perfect.

[MissNancyPryor]

I am very sick of everything being "amazing."

Consecutive consonants are a problem for some so they become "fusstrated."

We should solve our bad language habits "sooner than later."

   -urp- 

[MissNancyPryor]

And how can I forget "could of" and "should of"

[simmias]

"Begs the question."  99% of the time I hear it it's being used incorrectly.

[WranglerBowman]

"My question is..."  You don't have announce that you have a question before you ask it, just f'ing ask it!

Indians (India) like to use "shall" a lot.  "I shall be late to work this morning", "I shall attend your meeting today at 3".  I actually think this is humorous but if I use "shall" they look at me like they don't understand what I'm saying or I'm ignorant, not sure which one.

[kite]

Shaming.
Privelege.
Inequality.
Cultural appropriation. 

[chesebert]

"that's a mute point"

My blood boils with rage!

don't you meant "moot"? What is a "mute" point?

[chesebert]

I found myself using y'all in my conversation from time to time (more often lately) and I irk me! I have nothing to do with Texas, never lived there, no friends from there, no ties to the damn state whatsoever...where did this "y'all" come from??

[Dollar Slice]

"that's a mute point"

My blood boils with rage!

don't you meant "moot"? What is a "mute" point?

I feel like you're missing how this thread works :-)  Yes, it should be "moot." That's why it makes his blood boil when people say "mute."

[UnleashHell]

Is there a correct way to use "I haven't" vs. "I've not"?

Both are correct, but "I haven't" is much, much more common usage.

I think in Britain, it's a little bit of a regional marker. I'm from the north of England and would sometimes say "I've not" and "I'll not", whereas most people in the south of England would always say "I haven't" and "I won't."

Have is a funny one anyway. We can say "I have a dog" although it would be more usual to say "I have got a dog". Using a contraction with the lexical rather than auxiliary form of have sounds old-fashioned. For example "I haven't a dog" sounds odd, but this form is still used in set phrases e.g. "I haven't a clue" is used in British English.

Its all messed up. I was dragged all around the UK but mostly in the south. Parents from Different sides of the penines with one an RAF brat to boot.
Bath vs barth
my sister vs our kid
hi vs all right luv.


throw in over a decade of NE USA and now SE USA its no wonder my kids vocab is all over the place!! Especially as the other side is a Sussex/Danish mix....

YEars ago a mix was when someone from the village married someone from the market town...

Aluminium vs aluminum is always a fun one.  Yes my American friends - the reason we say it differently is because a) you are wrong and b) it has a different spelling....

[chesebert]

"that's a mute point"

My blood boils with rage!

don't you meant "moot"? What is a "mute" point?

I feel like you're missing how this thread works :-)  Yes, it should be "moot." That's why it makes his blood boil when people say "mute."

never heard anyone using "mute"; thought it was a typo :)

[calimom]

"that's a mute point"

My blood boils with rage!

don't you meant "moot"? What is a "mute" point?

I feel like you're missing how this thread works :-)  Yes, it should be "moot." That's why it makes his blood boil when people say "mute."

+1