To cringe when people say...

[Dalmore30]

Food being described as ‘beautiful’, ‘gorgeous’ or ‘stunning’ makes me wants to vomit.

I have to bite my tongue when people say ‘fry off’ rather than just fry.

And the word ‘secondment’ makes my skin crawl!

Is anyone with me on these?

In a similar vein aks drives me nuts. The word is ask and I simply cannot comprehend how the k is pronounced before the s.

Letters swapping places is a thing that happens over time and has happened to other words. I also found aks baffling at first but I've become more accepting of it. I think it doesn't wind me up as much as things like "gifting" because it's not usually done in a pretentious way IYSWIM.

Though actually "mis-chee-vious" does annoy me and that's the same kind og thing.

Agreed @notreallybotheredaboutausernam, I made a similar point earlier about the expansion of “at the minute” from the regions where the dialect originated.

To be clear, this is all very interesting stuff about the fluidity of language and how some dialects come to dominate others. These are just lighthearted observations about things which grate on a gut level. I find it really fascinating that some people absorb phrases and expressions like sponges and find themselves using them without really thinking about where they came from, versus others (like me) who over-think everything that comes out of their mouths!

@Thickhead

'Ram packed' annoys me.

I also get irritated by journalists / newsreaders using the word 'big'. As in 'it's a big problem for the government', 'this will have big repercussions'. It sounds so childish. Use 'significant', or 'substantial', or 'profound', or any other elegant synonym that isn't something a three year old would choose.

Big gets used often due to typesetting - it probably started as a different word but big is a small word and sits better in a narrow column!

@Yeahnahmum

The word "cringe"....

Cringe used as an adjective, not a verb.

Cos im copywriting a ton of really REALLY boring shit at the minute, in a truncated style that isn't natural... there are a LOT of words I am getting sick of at the minute.

'Essential'.. 'vital'... 'appealing'.

Its also making me massively unreasonable about other peoples word usage.

'Puzzled', particularly when clearly the concept the writer is faced with is not at all confusing, they are just choosing to be a twat about it.

'Grab'... context 'grab a snack'. Grab means to snatch something physically and generally rudely, I doubt the writers are actually snatching or grabbing anything out of someones hands or from a plate, they are eating at a normal pace, in a polite manner!

It'll be another bunch of words next week though, I am fickle in my word-hatred!

I also hate hubby or any of the variants, and ‘how many sleeps’.

The latter is an abomination in that form.

It has to be sung Beastie Boys style. Complete with guitar and drum effects.

There's just no excuse for hubby though.

Carolling - instead of Carol singing

@thegrassisgreenwhereyouwaterit

People saying “can I get” instead of “can I have”. They rarely follow it with the word please.

I was always taught ‘may I have.......’ followed by ‘please’

I was thinking about 'grab' after reading the thread earlier. I really dislike its new ubiquity, especially in food marketing and blogger-speak. 'Just grab lunch / a coffee' etc.

It's meant to imply that the 'grabber' is soooo busy and important and leads such a fun-filled life that they barely have time to eat, between exciting appointments.

Whereas what is conveyed is a greedy-guts with no manners and probably indigestion, constantly snatching food from people, with barely time for a 'thank you'; then no doubt eating it in the street, while talking with their mouth full into their phone.

"Someone on MN referred to it as "intercourse" the other day!"

I saw that 😂

Intercourse one minute, taking a call the next.

‘If that makes sense’ added to the end of every sentence. Aaarrrggggh! I long to say ‘no, can you simplify it for me please’?

People saying “can I get” instead of “can I have”. They rarely follow it with the word please.

This one comes up over and over again on these threads and it has made me hyper aware of it. Shortly before lockdown I made a point for a few weeks of listening to what everyone was saying around me, and the vast majority of people (including me) said 'can I get' followed by 'thanks'. My super nosey ears listened in the queue in a sandwich shop, in a couple of cafes and in a couple of restaurants and a couple of takeaways. And it was the same everywhere, regardless of clientele or type of establishment. It is absolutely standard speech where I live and not viewed as rude or abrupt at all.

Or please may I have?

I also detest "fry off"". It makes me feel queasy.

I can't stand it when people call food AND drinks "tasty", ie, ooh what a tasty cocktail. Bleugh.

I hate the creeping use of "got to", especially to do with children. As in "Lexi-Mai got to meet Santa" and "Darcie got to ride on a pony". Sounds so spoilt and bratty.

"..at the end of the day.." when summarising a situation infuriates me, it just makes no sense.

Also, when people write "On route" instead of "en route" ....arhh!!

Normalcy. Hate it.

A parent calling themselves and their kids/ partners 'Team xx(insert family surname)'

@Standrewsschool

Carolling - instead of Carol singing

Caroling isn't a new thing though. It's been around since the 50s if not earlier.

The word, I mean. Not the act 🙄😂

A parent calling themselves and their kids/ partners 'Team xx(insert family surname)'

My ex's Mum used to sign all her Christmas cards "From the Robertson Gang" (not real name).

Always made me picture a gangster Ann Widdecombe roaming her suburban, twee village.

I also detest "fry off"". It makes me feel queasy

Where are all the posters who hate 'fry off' hearing it in the first place? I do a fair bit of cooking, but I can't remember the last time I talked someone through the process

@PussyMalanga

I hate the creeping use of "got to", especially to do with children. As in "Lexi-Mai got to meet Santa" and "Darcie got to ride on a pony". Sounds so spoilt and bratty.

Really? I think of it as meaning the opposite - that they had an exciting opportunity.

That is, the opposite of a 'spoilt and bratty' disregard.

I admit (having championed regional usages, of which I think this may be an example) to really struggling with 'off' instead of 'from' with regard to gifts ('ds got concert tickets off his aunt this year'). It alwys makes me imagine the recipient snatching/wrestling the gift out of the giver's hands.