101 Words Or Phrases We Could Do Without

[Muddypause]

Not really to do with self-sufficiency, but what are your least favourite hackneyed expressions of the moment?

For a lot of people, it seems to be:

1. 'At the end of the day...'

2. 'At this point in time' when 'now' would do

My selection would also include:

3. 'Passed away/departed/etc'. Why do we keep avoiding the truth of the matter - someone has died? It makes it no less painful for the bereaved.

4. 'But in the real world...' What makes you think your world is any more real than mine?

5. 'Absolutely' instead of simply 'yes'?

6. 'Burglarised'. Doubly so if it is spelled with a z. The existing word 'burgled' is perfect - no need to invent a new word that means exactly the same.

[Martin]

"I am fed up OF it!" - somehow this was accepted as correct English a short while ago - it is glaringly, horribly, jarringly WRONG, and whoever passed that should be shot!

[Martin]

referring to alternative therapies as "complementary therapies" - complementary to what precisely??? - the old-fashioned crude "poison them or carve them up" attitude of "conventional medicine".
As far as I'm concerned thay are "alternative" - "instead of", not as an adjunct to a far cruder and outdated sytem of "medicine"..........

[Chickpea]

I hate the "real world" one as well. In my other life I am a university lecturer so you can imagine I get pretty sick of that one.

[cir3ngirl]

Parents who say "because I said so"

[shiney]

'Basically....'

[chadspad]

Blah Blah Blah - if u have somethin to say, say it, dont get out of saying it by saying that rubbish!!

[Chickpea]

cir3ngirl I'd guess you aren't a parent ;-) Sometimes "Because I said so" is the best answer. There's a time and a place for detailed explanations to a four-year-old, and then there are times and places where four-year-olds should bl**dy well do what they are bl**dy well told because I'm the adult and you are four, d*mnit!

Seriously, if you are too democratic a parent your kids pick up on it and capitalise. You can sit down an eight-year-old and have a long conversation about appropriate bedtimes, the need to be rested for school tomorrow, the reasons why bedtime can be a little later than normal on non-school nights, the need for parents to have adult-only time, and answer all their questions and queries. Sounds great doesn't it, really respectful and democratic? But how many nights on a row would you be willing to have the identical hour-long conversation before you twigged that the eight-year-old has figured out a cunning way to stay up an hour later every night? And that's when you hear yourself saying "Because I said so!"

[shiney]

'joined together/up thinking' or something on those lines. I hate hearing it!

This appears to be the phrase of the moment with the government and local authorities to make you think you are included in their plans. Well, having your input, is what I mean!

When I attended community meetings this is all I heard from council members, then I heard it from a politician on telly and thought it must be a saying those in power use!

Tell me I am not imagining things.

[cir3ngirl]

Sorry Chickpea but I am a mother and childminder.

Davina

[Shirley]

"The bottom line is...... "

What is it with people giving quotes... often associated with a sharp intake of breath

[Martin]

androgynisation in all it's ludicrous forms....................
To illustrate, when young, I ogled the actress Felicity Kendall, nowadays I'm told she's an "actor"..............no she bally well isn't!!! - she is a woman/lady (god, what am I allowed to call THEM these days?????????)...she is a woman who acts, an actress, very specific and totally non derogatory in any conceivable way, she is not an actor, who is a MALE person who acts - nowadays presumably we are supposed to use two words, or risk a whole interchange to find out precisely about whom we are talking - it's sloppy, it encourages imprecision, it is political correctness gone potty!
Do I presume that if I kick over the traces, I'm no longer allowed a "mistress", instead it'll be a "master" - it's far too bally close to Brighton to be having worrying things like that going on! - do meet my master!

[Chickpea]

Fair enough, Davina. Shall we compromise - I agree that "Because I said so" isn't a good answer if it means "I know my request is unreasonable but do it anyway" or "There is a good reason for my request but I'm too lazy to explain"?

[Millymollymandy]

"Light and airy" from all those property shows. Of course it is airy, otherwise you'd be dead. Grrrrrrr.

"Gobsmacked". Oooh I really hate this word.

"Snog". Hate that one too!

[Wombat]

The Americanism "off of" ie "get off of me" instead of "get off me". I have noticed it starting to appear here - too much yankee TV! Also then some one says thanks - your welcome - another americanism! Give me "No worries mate" any day.

Nev