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Original poster

To be sick of pretentious use of “said”

135 replies

Driftingawaynow · 14/10/2025 15:17

Increasingly I notice people using the word “said” where “the” would do fine.

for example:

asked my husband to take out the washing, he left said washing in the dryer.

it’s really bizarrely irritating

OP posts:
NOTTHEHOUSEPLANT · 14/10/2025 15:57

I can’t say I’ve noticed this but it’ll never out-irritate “methinks”.

ObliviousCoalmine · 14/10/2025 15:55

Ahhh it’s a slippery slope when we’re wanting people to reduce their vocab on the basis of words sounding ‘pretentious’.

Communicate with vivacity!

Original poster
Driftingawaynow · 14/10/2025 15:52

UnctuousUnicorns · 14/10/2025 15:27

I agree. "Aforementioned" would be much better imo.

Haha that’s worse! 😂

OP posts:
ChuckGarabedian · 14/10/2025 15:42

JacquesHarlow · 14/10/2025 15:34

Mine happens to be one which everyone else vociferously defends on here...

I do not like the word-inflation around the term "vile".

It used to be a very powerful word . The recently killed singer Ian Watkins committed crimes we could easily describe as "vile". A former TOTP presenter who liked cigars? Vile.

It used to mean extremely unpleasant. Morally repugnant.

Today, I see so many folk using the word "vile" deliberately in scenarios which do not deserve the word.

Someone phoned the Vanessa show recently to say how they thought a certain American duchess is "vile". Vanessa ( a very educated woman, lest we forget) was stunned and replied "why do you say this?!"

It's such an extraordinary leap to describe someone in this way.

Why do we over-use the word "vile"?

I agree, also think ‘grim’ is similarly overused on here.

JacquesHarlow · 14/10/2025 15:34

Mine happens to be one which everyone else vociferously defends on here...

I do not like the word-inflation around the term "vile".

It used to be a very powerful word . The recently killed singer Ian Watkins committed crimes we could easily describe as "vile". A former TOTP presenter who liked cigars? Vile.

It used to mean extremely unpleasant. Morally repugnant.

Today, I see so many folk using the word "vile" deliberately in scenarios which do not deserve the word.

Someone phoned the Vanessa show recently to say how they thought a certain American duchess is "vile". Vanessa ( a very educated woman, lest we forget) was stunned and replied "why do you say this?!"

It's such an extraordinary leap to describe someone in this way.

Why do we over-use the word "vile"?

UnctuousUnicorns · 14/10/2025 15:27

I agree. "Aforementioned" would be much better imo.

Jujujudo · 14/10/2025 15:26

I’m irritated by the word “super”. It was super simple! Or I’m super busy! I don’t know why but it irritates me. I’m also starting to get annoyed with “gotten”. Maybe I’m menopausal..

MumoftwoNC · 14/10/2025 15:21

Yanbu but it would be better replaced with "that" than "the" whenever it's used

Bottlefall · 14/10/2025 15:21

Driftingawaynow · 14/10/2025 15:17

Increasingly I notice people using the word “said” where “the” would do fine.

for example:

asked my husband to take out the washing, he left said washing in the dryer.

it’s really bizarrely irritating

It doesn't mean the same thing?

I can't say it's something I use or that I notice, but it has a slightly different meaning. I don't know why it's pretentious?

CurlewKate · 14/10/2025 15:20

Eh? It’s been a usage for ages. Can be useful. Not pretentious at all.

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