There is a thread of words and sayings we find annoying - how about suggesting a good response to them all?
For example - if a friend said to me ‘it was like raining ...’ I could say in all innocence - ‘ oh do you mean it was hail, or sleet or snow... or was someone pouring a watering can over you? “
I get annoyed by the use of 'robust' these days, councillors and politicians talk about their robust plans. I also dislike it if I ask someone if they would like a drink etc and they answer, I'm alright thanks. Not the answer to the question that I asked in my opinion. Also youngsters when ordering a meal or drink say, 'can I get' instead of 'could I have' or 'I would like'. Just a few random irritations.
A friend had a problem when she had a new garage door fitted. She phoned to complain, and after every statement the person taking details said ‘brilliant’ (but pronounced it ‘bwilyant’.) Eventually my friend answered that everything is ‘bwilyant except your garage doors!
When asked my name I also say xxx xxxx (give n and surname) I am then asked is it Mrs, Ms or Miss. Why do they need to know we are only talking over the phone. So I say it doesn't matter or Madam.
I don't think it's that important to use could/would or shall/will. We all know what is meant. But I hate the use of wee in N Ireland. A shop assistant once shouted to another assistant "this wee woman would like to try a size 4". I did say " wee woman. I've never been called that in my life!" ( although I'm only 5'1") I was not impressed.
I also don't like "Back in the day" which is becoming popular.
I have a big issue with people using singular when meaning plural as in: “There’s lots of trees in the forest” or “there’s ten cars in the drive”. I am foreign and if I made the mistake the other way round, as in “there are one tree in my garden” people would think I haven’t grasped the English grammar of expressing singular and plural.
How rude you all sound. Are you sure you always speak impeccable English with never an error in grammar or syntax or, heaven forfend, a popular phrase or slang.
I expect everyone of you has a phrase or word you use that drives your family to drink every time you use it. I am sure I do.
Shock, horror. I reply "I'm good." when people ask me how I am because it's usually true. It's shorthand for "I'm feeling good." According to Oxford Dictionaries, good is a synonym of healthy, strong, or well so it is the same as saying, "I'm well."
oldbatty I asked GN if it was ok to amend my name as some remarks were made about someone with my intials and, as the persons involved were being IMO 'silly', I wanted to make clear that I am not 'GG is a bloke from Widnes' and 'a person to be ignored' as someone with the initials GG is supposed to be. The people who wrote this stuff may well have been referring to me but there are others here with the same initials. I put a short note re name change on that thread to avoid confusion.
dragonfly46 The recorded intro when you ring H&M has me rolling my eyes as the 'girl' pronounces it as a very strong HAICH and em. Wish I could politely tell them to change it.
Totally agree razzmatazz. I do scream when that is said ,so often, on radio or TV. Don’t they know that ‘was sat’ means someone else put them in that position. The other thing which really makes me want to scream is just how many people cannot tell the difference between ‘their’ ( belonging to) and ‘there’ (a place).It is such a common mistake now.
The use of the word "like" annoys me. When I was teaching maths if a student answered "it is like, 10", my response would be, "No, it IS 10". My other issue is starting an answer with "So", when asked what they did at the weekend, they might respond, "So, I went to the cinema". Such a common occurrence these days.
Thread 'I predict...' Dec 8th Started to to go bit Pete Tong (wrong) after my post at 22:46, page 7 ( if using mobile) Bit of flak and it continued onto page 10. Women being silly...IMO. I'd much rather have someone ask me outright than have concerns about the veracity of my 'conflicting comments' re my 'earlier life'. If that person doesn't respond by telling me what comments were, in her opinion, conflicting accounts made by me, then I cannot address the issue or correct her. You'll get the picture when you read it. G'night.
@MOnica, you are absolutely correct, nobody speaks perfectly all the time and most of us have a particular word or phrase we say a lot and just the fact that it crops up so often can annoy other people. I am guilty of a few of the linguistic offences stated here (for example starting a sentence with “so” or asking people if I can have their name when they call at work) etc.
I think voicing what we dislike does not make us rude especially since it is the topic of this thread.
I had a friend who always used to say (when she was repeating a conversation she'd had) "and I turned round and said" she must have been quite dizzy as she was always turning round and saying!