AIBU about the word ‘horrid’

[VivienneHolt]

I’ve seen this on about 4 different threads in the last couple of days. AIBU that it gives me the rage?

Terry Pratchett said it best in the Hogfather:

‘That’s horrid’.

Horrible, thought Susan. The word is “horrible.” “Horrid” is a childish word selected to impress nearby males with one’s fragility, if I’m any judge. She knew it was unkind and counter-productive of her to think like that. She also knew it was probably an accurate observation, which only made it worse.

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered it in the real world save for in some of Enid Blyton’s more saccharine efforts, but suddenly it seems it’s invading mumsnet. It’s so twee and prim! It’s one of those words that immediately changes my whole perception of the post, regardless of what else it says.

Am I unreasonable to have such a visceral reaction?

What other words give people instant rage?

I love beastly and am trying to resurrect it. I like to refer to my DD as having been beastly or a beast
Love frightful! Need to dip into some Blyton for inspiration and bring back these sayings!

Love frightful! Need to dip into some Blyton for inspiration and bring back these sayings!

Enid's most devastating epithet: 'Frightful little coward with no spunk!'

God love her ...

I find myself reading PG Wodehouse and then turning into Bertie Wooster for a short spell. My children find themselves being referred to as 'absolute pills' or 'little ticks' if they are being unbearable

Charity, I enjoyed your post enormously. This happens to me whenever I'm able to get fully immersed in a book that has a distinctive use of language. When I first read Bridget Jones many years ago, I'd find myself stuck in "diary speak" for a good hour after I'd put the book down

But your comment particularly brought to mind that my brother used to try hard to emulate the likes of Bertie Wooster and I recall him losing a cricket ball into next door's garden when he was about 13 and shouting "hello there! Couldn't lob that ball back, could you old bean?" to the kids next door. It was the early 1990s. They must've have been pissing themselves.

I like horrid.

My 7yo daughter actually said "hurrah" in a non-ironic way this morning. It sounded really sweet.

I say horrid. And use poorly and tummy for the kids. Upset stomach for adults. Don't really see the problem. I like the word horrid. I think the word horrible sounds really harsh.

I said I had a deathly fear of feathers the other day. Quite wanky of me, it just slipped out.

I also say frightful, ghastly and very well....I'm 27. Still don't see the issue. And I'm not 'posh' either. Very working class. Not that it matters

‘Twee’. It’s only used when people are too lazy to be bothered to think about why something irritates them.

Dinner instead of lunch
Tea instead of dinner

Horrid makes me have a reaction as my mum always used to tell me I was being horrid if I disagreed with her. And would then proceed to be 'horrid' to me. Hate that word.

I also say supper. That is totally normal in Hampshire

Really? I've always live in the south east and we're moving from Berkshire to Hampshire in August. I might have to rethink that if everyone says 'supper'.

Horrid, Beastly and Grisly are all fine to my ears.

The word that always ends up making me shudder on here is piss. I don’t mind a “piss off” or “taking the piss.” But I hate when people start talking about “cat piss” or “DP went for a piss.”

No idea why I hate it, just do.

I like horrid, ghastly and dreadful.
My DP says tummy and biccie which I find odd but put down to regional variations.
I use all sorts of words from different eras; I like golly, gosh, bonkers and also groovy, dig and loose.

Language is an ever evolving form of expression and I think we should honour and cherish that

Ooh, ‘frock’ is another, and ‘pop’ instead of fizzy drink!

Yes pop! Fizzy pop! Much better than soda

I like horrid. It's more succinct than 'horrible' and can be said with a clipped venom

There is nothing remotely venomous about a word as pathetically twee as horrid.

'It's childish' said the woman having a paddy about a perfectly valid word.

You’re right - none of us ever expressing an opinion would be far preferably to a thread of 170 interesting comments about linguistics, wouldn’t it?

‘Twee’. It’s only used when people are too lazy to be bothered to think about why something irritates them.

Twee means excessively or affectedly quaint, pretty, or sentimental and in this case it perfectly encapsulates what I loathe about the word - the affectation, the disingenuous attempt to be cutesy, the sanctimonious childishness of it! I could spell that out, but twee does the job perfectly as fair as I am concerned

It's all a bit Violet Elizabeth Bott.

On a slightly different note - curate and source. Crumbs.

I could drone on about this forever...The worst, for me, are 'juice' when it is actually cordial, 'pudding', unless it is actually a sticky toffee or Christmas pudding, especially when fruit is offered as a pudding, 'pooh' when talking about defecation, 'pissed' with no 'off' when someone is angry and I don't think anyone has mentioned 'boob' as a verb yet.

I think of words like 'horrid' as 'teacher words' - words which in real life l have only heard uttered by teachers of small children. Ditto words like 'tummy', 'poorly' and 'marvellous'.

I was going to say I hate the word “grim” and just seen you’ve just used it, sorry! But I really hate that word. It’s only a word I see on MN and I don’t know anyone in real life who uses it.

"Grim" and "vile", both used a lot on MN.

'Pudding' is what you have for dessert, whether it is fresh fruit or apple pie, but the word 'dessert' is French and should only be used by the French or in a restaurant.