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Original poster

Hyperbolic speech

41 replies

EmmaH2022 · 20/02/2022 18:17

Prepared for usual MN disagreements but have chosen not to post in AIBU.

Does anyone feel everyday speech is increasingly hyperbolic? I noticed it in media years ago, then social media, now I feel it's crossed into daily speech.

I completely understand if people use it to be funny - though I admit I sometimes miss the joke if it's someone I don't know.

Example - I've seen this here and now mum uses it - the word "screams".

This week with mum I've had "so I told him the parking rules had changed and he screamed".

The first time she used it was about a couple who seem to hate each other. They were giving her a lift home from somewhere and the lady made a dirty joke and mum said something like "me and Jane thought it was hilarious but Andy screamed because he was furious". Andy and his wife do have furious rows - and they like to tell us this - so I genuinely thought mum was in the car with Andy screaming at his wife in a rage.

Is it just me noticing this?

OP posts:
agapanthus1979 · 21/02/2022 08:16

@EmmaH2022

I have to ignore the word "lockdown".

Re "slammed" - yes. But I expect nonsense in the press. I'm surprised a novelist is using it now!

Not a modern novelist. She started writing in the '40s. This was in one of her later novels - '80s, I think. It just felt jarring and juvenile - something a Y8 might use in a story....
LavenderAskew · 21/02/2022 08:19

I think it's been happening for years, with ordinary words.

Thirsty became dehydrated, which is the terribly dehydrated. Hungry is famished or starving.

It's gone on everywhere too. This is why we have "supermodel" and "superstar", more emphasis needed to distinguish actual models and stars from.those who weren't but had the term applied to them.

Featuredcreature · 21/02/2022 08:23

I agree, dd (18) will ironically, screech "stop screaming at me" if asked to turn her computer down or is spoken to even slightly negatively, she is generally lovely, but very hard work.

Featuredcreature · 21/02/2022 08:24

The "I would literally die for it" when seeing a picture of a cute animal is also slightly irritating.

CailleachGranda · 21/02/2022 08:27

A poster the other week queries the use of "screamed" when it probably only meant a slightly raised voice

She was shut down pretty quickly and told that it was obvious what was meant

It did get me wondering if the meaning had subtly changed and it had passed me by

I agree about slammed and other favourite media terms.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 21/02/2022 08:29

'stunning' is the one that gets me.
I imagine people falling over comatose.

ShrillSiren · 21/02/2022 08:30

Its been happening for a while, it seems to be a side effect of the internet and social media.
If you disagree with someone online, they then say they are being piled on or bullied. This is why no one can discuss anything easily anymore. Way too much tribalism and drama lovers.

Original poster
EmmaH2022 · 21/02/2022 08:31

@Ihaventgottimeforthis

'stunning' is the one that gets me. I imagine people falling over comatose.
Love it!

Glad it's not just me. The "don't shout at me" has only happened to me once. I was speaking quietly....

OP posts:
MsTSwift · 21/02/2022 08:33

If you hang around teens op you will experience being accused of “yelling and screaming” when giving perfectly ordinary instructions 🙄

Hereforthedramaz · 21/02/2022 08:33

I agree with all of these, so much eye rolling I give myself a headache.

Another one that irritates me is "I live for this" or "this gives me life" generally over a picture of a dog, someone once said it to me about a shed!

TibetanTerrah · 21/02/2022 08:35

Yes, when I read about all the people screaming at strangers on MN I think, wtf do you live? I've never been properly screamed at in my life Confused shouted/yelled/sworn at, but not screamed.

Georgeskitchen · 21/02/2022 09:17

Soap fans "in tears" at actress's return is another one.
Has the actress recovered from a terrible illness or tragedy?
No, just had a few years away to explore other avenues (roughly translated as she had to come back cos she couldn't get any other work) 🤣

MadrigalCorp · 21/02/2022 09:28

Ah yes, dehydrated. My DP complains about once a day that they are "dehydrated". No, pet, you're a bit thirsty because you've not had a cuppa for 90 minutes.

See also raging / fuming (aka fummin) = moderately annoyed.

Mollysocks · 21/02/2022 09:34

Do people use it genuinely?

I use hyperbole if I want to be purposely dramatic e.g ‘I really fancied a slice of chocolate cake but they’d sold out, I was heartbroken/gutted/devastated’ etc

Obviously I’m not nor do I think I am. Most people don’t think I’m literally heartbroken or devastated over a slab of cake either.

Featuredcreature · 21/02/2022 09:42

Also the internetism "I'm shaking" wtf, I very much doubt you are.

Original poster
EmmaH2022 · 21/02/2022 10:16

@Mollysocks

Do people use it genuinely?

I use hyperbole if I want to be purposely dramatic e.g ‘I really fancied a slice of chocolate cake but they’d sold out, I was heartbroken/gutted/devastated’ etc

Obviously I’m not nor do I think I am. Most people don’t think I’m literally heartbroken or devastated over a slab of cake either.

I thought that too. It's only recently I realised people may not be joking.

Re "shaking" I honestly don't know if some posters are.

I don't think much when I see it on MN but I do find it odd IRL.

Especially at work. If a trivial problem is described as serious, I'm unsure how seriously to take it.

Sometimes if I ask "why is that a problem?" I get the sense that I have trivialised someone's concerns.

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