Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cringe when people say...

570 replies

Dalmore30 · 14/12/2020 23:39

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?

OP posts:
awwkkwwaard · 15/12/2020 08:39

Secondment??? What else you say? I was seconded during the first lockdown - I am at a loss as to how I would describe myself - 'sent to another department to help out' ??

WelliesWithHeels · 15/12/2020 08:41

@dayswithaY

I've noticed the constant and irritating use of "quietly" . As in:-

"The couple announced they quietly got married."
"He has quietly launched a new range of home fragrance."

How? Were they whispering? Pretentious!

Absolutely agree! "We quietly conceived our second child" (as announced to international media). Or, "the couple privately spent time honoring the fallen" (paparazzi in tow).
Magnoliasstreet · 15/12/2020 08:41

People describing a meal ‘the plate ate well.’
Global pandemic- no need for the global.
Live changing event- all events are life changing.
‘I was sat’- it’s ‘I sat’ or ‘I was sitting.’
When influencers say ‘I will pair this shoe or this trouser with such and such’ Confused

KaptainKaveman · 15/12/2020 08:42

I hate 'utilised' as well. [grr]

I loathe the word 'standee': " there is room for 10 standees on the top floor of the bus".

'Receiver' - she was the receiver of a delivery. IT'S RECIPIENT YOU THICK BASTARDS. Angry

This thread is making me so angry I'm liable to blow a gasket Grin

MoreJammyDodgersPlease · 15/12/2020 08:44

"Years of age": three completely unnecessary words. He's 25, she's 26, what else would it mean?

wellthatsunusual · 15/12/2020 08:48

This thread is making me so angry I'm liable to blow a gasket

Are you going to literally explode? ShockGrin

HerselfIndoors · 15/12/2020 08:50

I hate a lot of words but "gifting" is the worst aaarrrgghhhh!

You can "gift" your priceless collection of Picassos to a museum. But that is all. Not "MIL has gifted DS a toy garage". It makes my skin crawl! And why when some stupid new usage comes in, does EVERYONE start saying it? (and yes I know language changes etc - but this is so unnecessary!)

Probably an unpopular opinion as it's on here all the time!

KaptainKaveman · 15/12/2020 08:51

@wellthatsunusual

This thread is making me so angry I'm liable to blow a gasket

Are you going to literally explode? ShockGrin

Grin

"Each and every". I mean, why?

" Completely unique" - it isn't actually possible to be slightly/ quite/completely unique - something is either unique or it isn't , there is no qualification.

KaptainKaveman · 15/12/2020 08:52

Oh, and if I see one more person write "revert back" I will LITERALLY explode.

RosesAndHellebores · 15/12/2020 08:55

I'll reach out to x. No you won't you'll get in touch with x by telephone or email.

MoreJammyDodgersPlease · 15/12/2020 08:55

"one of the only". Either it's the only one, or it's one of the few.

HerselfIndoors · 15/12/2020 08:56

Re reach out, I first started noticing it a few years ago from US-based colleagues, and it really alarmed me because to me if someone "reaches out" it means they're in some kind of trouble or emotional desperation. Like reaching out for help if you're suicidal. So when I heard "Tammy will reach out if she needs to" etc I was thinking "why me?" Confused

I'm more used to it now but it still sounds weird.

HerselfIndoors · 15/12/2020 08:58

I hate a lot of food ones too. Especially "plate up". Just because they say it on Masterchef doesn't mean you don't sound like a twat saying it in your own kitchen on a Tuesday night.

PussyMalanga · 15/12/2020 08:59

When Americans say "we're going for Chinese food". It's just Chinese! Going for Chinese.

PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe · 15/12/2020 09:00

I agree with 'beautiful'. Years ago, some twat in Waitrose magazine or something described a piece of salmon as 'beautifully fresh' and it still makes all my sphincters clench when I think about it. I don't like 'beautifully' used as another other than a description of an aesthetic, anyway. 'Beautifully kind'; beautifully simple'. Bleurgh. No thanks.

FortunesFave · 15/12/2020 09:00

Pussy I know! I've said this too! Chinese Food! What??

They don't say "We're going for Indian food or Italian food do they? What else would they be having at a restaurant anyway!?

BreatheAndFocus · 15/12/2020 09:04

“Pop” as in this eyeshadow will make your eyes pop. Overused idiocy.

“Swap out”, “change out”, “change up” and all such associated Americanisms.

“Protest” used without a preposition eg “I’m going to protest the meeting” Really winds me up 😀

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 15/12/2020 09:07

Yes x 100 to ‘gifting’!

Even John Lewis, who ought to know better, has signs about ‘gifting’ in the local shop.

Re ‘at the minute’, a BiL of mine, who comes from a very northerly part of Scotland, has always said this, so IMO it’s a regional thing that has spread like the wretched virus.

PuppyMonkey · 15/12/2020 09:08

I used to work in PR and had to write a lot of press releases for interiors and homeware clients with products that didn’t have colours or colour choices, but “colourways.” Sad I still get triggered if I ever hear that word nowadays and have to go and have a little lie down to recover.

CheetasOnFajitas · 15/12/2020 09:10

forward’. For example, a dish isn’t ‘herby’, it’s ‘herb forward’.

Please tell me the name of this programme so I can avoid at all costs.

And that will be pronounced “urb forward” of course!

@dementedma

yes- “space” is definitely the cousin of “piece”. I have a colleague who likes to update us about what is “going on in the consulting space”.

I just thought of another one- “show” instead of “programme” - “Did you watch Nigella’s new show last night?” “Breaking Bad is such a great show”, along with “season” for “series”. I blame Netflix.

Frauhubert · 15/12/2020 09:10

Yummy

Blinkyblonkyblimey · 15/12/2020 09:11

Recently heard on a shopping channel; ‘It’s super, super awesome!’
It wasn’t.

CheetasOnFajitas · 15/12/2020 09:12

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Yes x 100 to ‘gifting’! Even John Lewis, who ought to know better, has signs about ‘gifting’ in the local shop.

Re ‘at the minute’, a BiL of mine, who comes from a very northerly part of Scotland, has always said this, so IMO it’s a regional thing that has spread like the wretched virus.

That’s interesting that they have been “at the minute-ing” in the North of Scotland forever, as it is most definitely not a standard thing to say in Central Scotland.
MarieIVanArkleStinks · 15/12/2020 09:12

'In regards to' when used to mean 'with regard to' or 'in relation to'. It doesn't even make grammatical sense. Where did this come from and why is it now ubiquitous?

'Been' for 'Being'. Sort out that tense confusion.

A PP mentioned 'comprises of'. That. And I'd add 'myriad of', too.

Semi-related point, stray 'thats'. Just docked myself one brownie point.

Unnecessary reflexive pronouns. In fact, the word 'pronoun' in itself is currently an extreme irritant. No, I will not announce 'my' pronouns (which in any case would be me/mine).

Dangling modifiers. My bad ... what?

Curious as to why 'plate up' is deemed annoying but 'dish up' isn't!

The one about 'onboarding' the receptionists made me laugh outright. Sounds as though he/she intends to mount them!

CheetasOnFajitas · 15/12/2020 09:14

@PussyMalanga

When Americans say "we're going for Chinese food". It's just Chinese! Going for Chinese.
There was a great line in Friends when Ross was going off to work in China- one of them said “And you can eat Chinese food every day!” to which Chandler replied, quick as a flash “or, as they call it... food”.