over-use of phrases

I would normally introduce my self as Chris. then I would expect to be called Chris, otherwise I would expect to be called Mr. Pompa and would have no qualms about correcting any over familiarity.

Does anyone bridle at the free use of first names? (I understand we're not supposed to say "Christian" nowadays, in case in offends Others) I was speaking to a bank employee, who sounded about 15. Her only reply to most comments was "Fantastic", until she asked if she should call me "Sera". My reply? "That won't be necessary, thank you. My name is still Mrs Digit" Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I even help with the local Sunday School, where I was introduced to the children as Sera. More Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Annobel and where I was born and grew up...Northampton...

Alright m'duck? was the common greeting when we lived in Nottingham.

Ah but where I come from GG we have been using "Alright?" or even "Alright Butt" for a long, long time so I claim it as a bit of Welsh culture. It is not being an opening to a conversation, but a greeting to someone you are passing in the street perhaps, equivalent of "Morning!"
Butt is short for Butty which I think is a version of Buddy (or is Buddy a version of Butty maybe) . In other words "mate".
Where to draw the lines in this wonderfully diverse language of ours, mate. That is the question.

I cringe when someone says...*Gob-smacked!*...

Especially when visiting a patient in hospital GoldenGran.

" You alright?" as a greeting, instead of "Hello".

'Laters' instead of 'Goodbye'

And long ago a distinguished athletics commentator announced, to my confusion, that high jumpers were achieving 'greater height in depth'.

Annobel I have never forgotten reading that a certain football team "had found their feet". A good start, I would think.

Several times this weekend I have heard sports broadcasters saying that a certain golfer has his head 'in the right place'. Well, thank goodness for that! I wonder where it has been.

Sorry seraphicDigitalis Pedant's Corner is clearly the place where I should have to stay – facing the wall until suitably penitent. I wasn't "correcting" you. I agree that it's rather sad to lose such a useful word when there is no alternative that means quite the same thing. However, when you think of some of the horrible expressions used to describe homosexuals, perhaps we should just give in graciously. Perhaps I shall start describing cheerful and delightful people as alacritous and see where that gets me.

I stand corrected! But I'd still like to use it in my way!

How d'you feel about "Absolutely!" What's wrong with "yes!"? and, of course, not "Yeah!"

Elegran gay, meaning light-hearted, dates from the Middle Ages but later came to mean especially keen on social pleasures with a hint of immorality. Hence expressions such as gay dog and gay young things. That led on to your point about it being one of many terms for a prostitute in the nineteenth century. Gay as a term for homosexuality comes from prison slang before World War II. It's a shame to lose words that once had a very precise meaning and don't really have substitutes – charisma is a classic example – but words do change their meaning and usage over time and that's what gives our language is richness. That said, there's no excuse for sloppiness and I'm impressed with the range of pedants on this thread.

Fellow pedants will love this article from today's Independent on line:

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/06/14/the-banned-list-top-100/

I like Orwell's principles quoted at the end of the feature.

seraphicDigitalis'
It is not new. I believe that in Victorian times a "gay" was one of the many terms for a prostitute (female). How it then came to mean "happy" and "cheerful" for so long before meaning - well, gay - I really don't know.

I once wrote what was intended to be a light-hearted article in the Village newsletter about the intrusion of Americanisms into our language. to my horrified bewilderment, a reply was sent which attacked me savagely, saying I was crass and ignorant, jumping on the bandwagon of disparaging all things American. I really think he'd missed the point. I wish I'd also mentioned the hi-jacking of words like "gay" which can no longer be used with impunity to express their true meaning. I think this is sad.

It should read,"The bigger picture" basically and" Im loving it", I must
have had a little senior moment on 1st post,sorry!

"The bigger picture,loving" basically, Im loving it,

'For sure' instead of 'certainly' ... it started with foreign drivers in F1 and now everyone uses it...makes me wince!

Ooh definitely 'leveraging', ChrisGoddard - at least the other two are interesting and it's obvious what they mean even if you've never heard them before. But 'leveraging' - I think I once knew what it meant but I now can't remember (no surprises there then - oops, is that another one?).
I consider it to be one of those business jargon phrases used (usually be men I think) to make us inferior mortals feel just that - inferior, and ignorant to boot.

I hate the word.s Awsome and Cool grrr. I loathe It's not rocket science is it? Grrr grr grr.

1. "like" = "as if"
2. "convince" = "persuade"
3. to stop someone from doing something
4 "Me and my mates were (or even "was")......"

Oops, I know; I said I'd lurk for a while.

Dig

That really annoys me too ShirlR Grrrr...