To be irritated by the term "reaching out"?

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When what is meant is "contacting"?

I recently left a comment on a company's FB page with some suggestions as to how they could improve their service. A company rep has now replied and their response starts "Hi Page, thanks for reaching out to us..."

I didn't reach out to you! I contacted you. The only time I "reach out" is to grab something that's arm's length away. I'm not a needy supplicant approaching you with my arms stretched out.

It's not the first time I've seen this used, so AIBU to dislike the creeping replacement of a perfectly serviceable, no-nonsense word like "contacting" with this wank?

(And yes, before anyone wonders, obviously this is all I have to worry about; all wars are over, famine has been eradicated, we're all wonderfully equal and tolerant, free unicorns all round and so now I can get onto worrying about the really important stuff )

oh yes, I HATE:

reach out
going forward
touch base

Do what I do and fully embrace the hipster chat - great fun talking like a babbling idiot at work and getting paid for it - its like a win win situation #smashedoutthepark

I also dislike "circle back" instead of "reply". I always picture my interlocutor wheeling in the air above their office like some sort of kestrel on the wing.

awful op cant stand it, love the diagram on page 1

I always picture my interlocutor wheeling in the air above their office like some sort of kestrel on the wing.

^^

My department has solved the creeping use of this in academic by breaking into choruses of I'LL BE THERE, WITH A LOVE THAT WILL SHELTER YOOOOO! in meetings.

I'm hoping to prevent the use of 'cascade' by encouraging everyone to do wiggly arm movements imitating waterfalls.

Academia.

Fucking hate 'reaching out'. In my book that means asking for help at a traumatic time, not asking someone's opinion on some proposed pamphlets.

I wonder who decided that "contacting" wasn't a good enough word and "reaching out" was a much better description of what folk were doing.

"Going forward" has got to be the worst though. It's usually completely redundant to the scenario.

"What shall we do with Project X going forward?"

Jus say: "What shall we do with Project X?"

Urgh I hate the use of "reaching out" and all the other horrors mentioned upthread,

May I also throw "using nouns as verbs" into the mix? (God, I hope nobody objects to "into the mix").

For example: "let's workshop that idea."

Gahhhhhhh

It's not just people chatting shit in meetings either, it's creeping into general conversation too.

"Are you still free for Coffee tomorrow?"

"Yeah, shall I reach out to X and see if she wants to come along?"

NOOO!! By all means fucking text her or WhatsApp her or phone her like a normal person though!!

Ugh.

"Going forward" has got to be the worst though. It's usually completely redundant to the scenario.

Totally agree - it's like pre-book and pre-warn.

OP you have committed the capital offence of using grab instead of get though.

This is such an insidious Americanism that I noticed a warning message on an office printer that referred to grabbing paper from the tray - when it actually just meant taking.

Everyone, it seems, is going to grab a coffee, grab some water, lunch etc. No you aren't.

It drives me mad too.

Yes to hating using nouns as verbs Mrs Spenser! Someone used the word 'solutioning' the other day. But my least favourite is 'leveraging'.

OP, yeah, that would totally yank my chain.

Solutioning?????

A small part of me died when I read that

Solutioning? What fresh hell is this?

OP you have committed the capital offence of using grab instead of get though.

I still haven't got over "to medal" and "to podium", I'm not going to take "solutioning" lying down.

When he said it, I glanced at the others to gage reactions as I was thinking wtf, but nothing...not a flicker on anyone's faces.

Someone recently suggested we "socialise" a report I was involved with at work - I.e. Share with a few bigwigs and get their comments.

It's useful insofar as it communicates all of the above in one word (once you know what it means) but ffs, it's a report, not a fucking dog.

My dp talks about 'new projects coming online' all the time when talking to colleagues if the phone. He's a builder ffs! It annoys the shit out me.

Arghh yes to all...

Workshop - discuss
Socialise - share
let's park that and take it off line - I'm ignoring you

Cao - its buzzards that wheel. Kestrels hover.

and my most hated is 'what are the takeaways from this?'

Reply with..."well we could have a Chinese, an Indian, a pizza or even a kebab. Are you paying for it all?".