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Original poster

to be sick to death of wanky language?!

423 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 19/04/2023 01:51

Late shift so cant sleep and this has been bugging me.

Loads of examples I am sure but the two that are currently pissing me off is "curating" and "sourcing".

When did "buy new clothes" become "curate a fresh wardrobe". I do not curate, I am not a curator. I need clothes, I buy clothes, I wear clothes. End of. Also clothes do no go off, they go out of fashion but if that is the case then you are buying the wrong clothes, timeless classics never go out of fashion. You do not need "fresh" clothes.

When did "going to do the big shop" become "sourcing ingedients". Has anyone ever said "I am going to Tesco to source our ingredients"? Have they fuck! If I am making stew or salad or lasagne or.....dog shit on toast (an option I have occassionally offered the kids when they were pissing me off about dinner options) I will go shopping and buy what I need. I do not "source" beef and vegetables, or lettuce or bloody pasta. I will concede that the dog shit may need more in the way of sourcing.

You need stuff. You buy stuff. Why the need for bullshit language to make this boring life task into an "experience".....actually that's another one, I didnt "experience" a restaurant or a stately home or whatever, I visited it.

Now I cant sleep even more because venting has made me more angry!

OP posts:
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5
vilepig · 19/04/2023 12:04

I hate this:
I see your wanky examples, and I raise you
Sorry to the person upthread who wrote this - it's just this "I raise you" thing really irritates me.

Gift as a verb is the absolute worst in my opinion.

inamarina · 19/04/2023 12:12

waterlego · 19/04/2023 09:11

I find fashion language is often ridiculous, but I am not into fashion so I accept I’m not the target audience. Why must people talk about ‘pieces’ rather than just naming the item of clothing?

I am into fashion and I often find the related language silly 🙂
I’m not a native English speaker though, so not always sure how common or potentially wanky a term/ phrase is.
Examples:
“This little number” - meaning this dress/ blazer/ whatever.
”I love a red lip/ a white trainer/ a straight jean” - why the singular?
Referring to a piece of clothing as “she” - “Isn’t she gorgeous” said about a dress or a handbag.

Stuckinacircle · 19/04/2023 12:14

PyongyangKipperbang · 19/04/2023 02:48

Oh dont get me started on "Vegan Friendly".....so....its not made of vegans then?!

I work in retail and we briefly (very briefly) had "vegan" labels on anything that didnt contain meat. Of COURSE it is vegan friendly.....its a fucking CABBAGE!!

Maybe it means that the product will only talk to vegans!
The latest thing I've seen recently is where you 'curate's your ears. Basically means you have loads of different earrings around your ears from lobe up to the top and several inbetween. Personally I can't stand the 'showcasing of everything. Sounds like someone trying to be more upmarket when it actually sounds really naff.

JudgeJ · 19/04/2023 12:16

Crazyshihtzulady · 19/04/2023 09:32

No it definitely is "mocking"....that's the correct term and has been since the beginning of the English language.

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I think that 'mocking' is nastier that 'teasing', when I make a comment to my neighbour about his team's lack of success I'm teasing him, not mocking.

JudgeJ · 19/04/2023 12:18

FOAD37 · 19/04/2023 09:55

and then there's disinvited or univited (to Coronations and such...)

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May I also add 'invite' as a noun instead of 'invitation'.

onlyabitnosy · 19/04/2023 12:23

I hate it when people say I brought this at the shop- no you bought it.
Bring - brought
Buy - bought

JudgeJ · 19/04/2023 12:23

Crikeyalmightey · 19/04/2023 10:16

Well I love a pp's "crappage" as a description for all these stupid terms, and I'm going to use it henceforth. (sorry). 🙄

If you do use it too often though someone will be along to complain!

PurpleParrotfish · 19/04/2023 12:24

I would never knowingly stay subscribed to any marketing emails, so I'm less exposed to this, but I don't mind 'curate' too much because it has a specific meaning - to put effort into assembling things that go together. It's a bit of a poncy term so I probably wouldn't use it, but I could consider myself as being in the process of 'curating playlists' when I spend ages pottering on Spotify, finding songs from artists I'd never heard of. And I can totally see how someone would be curating their wardrobe if they made an effort to only keep things they like and wear, and look at the whole collection and feel pleased.

My pet language hate at the moment is the invariable use of the present tense to describe past events on history podcasts and similar. Why would they say 'King Charles went to York' if it's Charles III and he did it last week, but 'King Charles goes to York' if it was Charles I and he did it hundreds of years ago? We don't need the present tense to be able to relate history to current times, it's just irritating!

CoffeeCantata · 19/04/2023 12:24

I wish the police and other organisations would stop using this insincere and meaningless formula after a tragedy:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very difficult time."

It makes me cringe - please just say nothing. It's self-evident that it's a tragic situation and this trite sentiment is so cheap. It's on a par with 'Your call is very important to us".

LilySavage · 19/04/2023 12:35

I’ve thought of another one that is dreadful.

Darling used as an adjective. ARRRGHH

’Oh your new jacket is absolutely darling!’

STOOOOP!!!

Mangolist · 19/04/2023 12:36

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it but 'Journalling'. I thought it was 'Writing a Dairy'; so I questioned it - apparently it IS 'writing a diary' but adding stuff to it and having special lists and 'reaching for thoughts'.
Writing a Bloody Diary with notes in it - like I did when I was 15.

JudgeJ · 19/04/2023 12:43

LilySavage · 19/04/2023 12:35

I’ve thought of another one that is dreadful.

Darling used as an adjective. ARRRGHH

’Oh your new jacket is absolutely darling!’

STOOOOP!!!

Off the topic, your post brings back a memory. I taught in a school where boys were referred to by their surname, yes, I really am that old, and one of the worst shits I've ever taught was called Darling. Try telling him off five times a day with a name like that!

JamSandle · 19/04/2023 12:44

I really dislike all the 'drop a like', 'drop a comment.'

Whattttt?

LilySavage · 19/04/2023 12:44

@JudgeJ that’s reminding me of BlackAdder and Captain Darling 😂

ditalini · 19/04/2023 12:44

LilySavage · 19/04/2023 12:35

I’ve thought of another one that is dreadful.

Darling used as an adjective. ARRRGHH

’Oh your new jacket is absolutely darling!’

STOOOOP!!!

Ah yes, the addition of Southern US speech into everyday discourse*

So the yoof are all Y'all-ing all over social media (I think it's meant to sound sassy, which is of course another one). I especially cringe to see the Scottish twitterati use y'all when we've got a perfectly decent home-grown youse.

*apologies for this abomination which has escaped from academia and is a perfect example of words used outside their context to sound clever.

ditalini · 19/04/2023 12:45

Argh! Mumsnet removed my asterisks! "Discourse" was the word I was pointing out as an ABOMINATION.

AutumnCrow · 19/04/2023 12:45

neilyoungismyhero · 19/04/2023 11:59

My hairdresser used to ask me if I was enjoying my new haircut/colour...ffs it's a haircut not a ruddy jam donut.

Oh yes. That's why I always feel slightly uncomfortable when I see 'enjoy your child' or 'enjoy your baby' on MN, as though the child / baby is a savoury pie. All a bit Alice in Wonderland.

whatchagonnado · 19/04/2023 12:47

Product is my pet hate

E.g Hairdresser says 'I'm going to use some product on your hair'

You mean Shampoo, or Conditioner, or Hairspray! What's wrong with those words!!?

Bruschetta1 · 19/04/2023 12:47

100% agree with you op. I spend at least one hour a day rolling my eyes.

ZittiEBuoni · 19/04/2023 12:48

My university tutor used 'unpacking' all the time in 1991. None of us understood her at first.

All the y'all and folks all over Twitter sets my teeth on edge, nice as it is to be constantly reminded of Deputy Dawg cartoons.

Chowtime · 19/04/2023 12:48

Here's my favourite hates

Wait List - it's fucking Waiting List, not Wait List

BAME (Black and minority ethnic) - it's fucking ethnic minority not minority ethnic.

That is all.

CellophaneFlower · 19/04/2023 12:51

JudgeJ · 19/04/2023 12:43

Off the topic, your post brings back a memory. I taught in a school where boys were referred to by their surname, yes, I really am that old, and one of the worst shits I've ever taught was called Darling. Try telling him off five times a day with a name like that!

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😂

MavisMcMinty · 19/04/2023 12:58

“Work colleague” is a tautology I abhor.

AutumnCrow · 19/04/2023 13:00

Kernackered · 19/04/2023 11:44

My dp does this weird thing of stopping mid word if he's listing lots of things to make a point.
"I do all the cooking and washing and driving and ironing and clea....."
"the kids just keep fighting and arguing and whingeing and moa...."
"Boris is forever lying and stealing and hiding and chea..."
I cannot bear it when he does this, just leaves the word hanging in the air, like a sneeze that won't come, for dramatic effect. So far I've not said anything but as I approach peri-menopause I suspect this will be my grounds for divorce

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I'd not be able to resist chivvying him along. 'Chea...? What's 'chea'? Do you need medical assistance?'