To be sick of pretentious use of “said”

[Driftingawaynow]

Increasingly I notice people using the word “said” where “the” would do fine.

for example:

asked my husband to take out the washing, he left said washing in the dryer.

it’s really bizarrely irritating

Eh? It’s been a usage for ages. Can be useful. Not pretentious at all.

It doesn't mean the same thing?

I can't say it's something I use or that I notice, but it has a slightly different meaning. I don't know why it's pretentious?

Yanbu but it would be better replaced with "that" than "the" whenever it's used

I’m irritated by the word “super”. It was super simple! Or I’m super busy! I don’t know why but it irritates me. I’m also starting to get annoyed with “gotten”. Maybe I’m menopausal..

I agree. "Aforementioned" would be much better imo.

Mine happens to be one which everyone else vociferously defends on here...

I do not like the word-inflation around the term "vile".

It used to be a very powerful word . The recently killed singer Ian Watkins committed crimes we could easily describe as "vile". A former TOTP presenter who liked cigars? Vile.

It used to mean extremely unpleasant. Morally repugnant.

Today, I see so many folk using the word "vile" deliberately in scenarios which do not deserve the word.

Someone phoned the Vanessa show recently to say how they thought a certain American duchess is "vile". Vanessa ( a very educated woman, lest we forget) was stunned and replied "why do you say this?!"

It's such an extraordinary leap to describe someone in this way.

Why do we over-use the word "vile"?

I agree, also think ‘grim’ is similarly overused on here.

Haha that’s worse! 😂

Ahhh it’s a slippery slope when we’re wanting people to reduce their vocab on the basis of words sounding ‘pretentious’.

Communicate with vivacity!

I can’t say I’ve noticed this but it’ll never out-irritate “methinks”.

I agree. "Aforementioned" would be much better imo.

'It' would do perfectly well.

asked my husband to take out the washing, he left it in the dryer

Oh my goodness. It’s everywhere. Just saw Rick Astley interviewed and he was super excited to be there and super happy to be doing this. Super everything. Cringe.

Me too!!! I hate “super” used like this.

I’m on a roll now - the use of the word “legend”.

It was once reserved for those whose achievements put them on the edge of god-like status. People with names and actions that would echo down the ages.

Now it’s basically applied to anyone who does something.

It has always been used, mainly for emphasis. Not pretentious at all.

That's a perfectly normal way of speaking - 'said' becomes the object. It's not pretentious at all!

Agree, I only use it in terms of really appalling and generally criminal behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological damage.

Why is it pretentious?

Oh I was completely misunderstanding, in my head it went - asked my husband to take out the washing, he left, said 'washing in the dryer'.
But now I agree OP, sounds odd and pretentious. It's just 'the washing' not 'said washing'. I haven't actually seen this anywhere though.

😉 👍

It's just a turn of phrase to emphasise it is the same thing you are talking about that you were already talking about. It's not pretentious

Agree. “Methinks” gives me a sphincter spasm

Would you prefer “the aforementioned washing”? It’s a stylistic thing.

Saying “yeah” every other word

asked my husband to take out the washing, he left said washing in the dryer.

I suppose the intention is to make it clear that the washing he left in the dryer is the same washing they asked him to take out. It's a bit unnecessary, though because it's unlikely that anyone is going to think they are talking about two different loads of washing.

It's unnecessary and a bit annoying, but hardly a hanging offense, unlike when people are talking about something someone else said and they say

Quote, unquote "He didn't take the said washing out"

instead of:

Quote "He didn't take the said washing out" Unquote.

That is a hanging offense...