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AIBU?

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Original poster

to get wound up by a completely harmless phrase?and what phrases/sayings get your goat

419 replies

mayorquimby · 08/05/2009 12:14

i know on the spectrum of tragedies this falls solidly on the unimportant end, but still what is life without trivial annoyances?

the phrase? it'e when people say "i personally..."
i mean why put in the personally? obviously if you preface your statement or belief with "I" it is clear to me that you are about to express your views or personal beliefs.

so what things that people say wind you up?

cheap at half the price is another.
and also the americanisation of "i couldn't care less" to "i could care less" because to me it no longer makes sense.

i'm beginning to think i am doomed to spend a jack dee like existence getting pissed off about tribvial things people do and say which have no bearing on the state of the world and which i could easily ignore and live a happier life.

OP posts:
CJCregg · 12/05/2009 11:16

No, I'm with spenthen - it's 'another think coming'. Makes no sense, but it's comical, innit?

spenthen · 12/05/2009 11:36

Doesn't "another think coming" just mean "you'll have to go off and have another think"?? Whereas "another thing coming" - now that to me makes no sense, what sort of a "thing" are they talking about, if not a good long think?

BTW I get really annoyed when Simon Cowell says "That is one of my favourite songs of all time." Cos of course Stone Age pop was just a pile of poo wasn't it?

spenthen · 12/05/2009 11:38

Oooh wonder what happened to the italics??

StealthPolarBear · 12/05/2009 11:46

You're not fighting me - I can completely see the logic of "think" - but others disagree

StealthPolarBear · 12/05/2009 11:48

here you go

branflake81 · 12/05/2009 11:48

I cannot watch BBC Breakfast because of Susannah Reed. Whenever she greets a guest/the camera she says "a very good morning to you". I HATE IT!!!! What's wrong with good old "good morning"??

Original poster
mayorquimby · 12/05/2009 11:53

i didn't even realise there was a debate about it. only ever knew it as "another thing coming to you" because i assumed it meant "if you think your going out tonight you've got another thing coming to you" i.e. the other thing was that i was not going out in fact something quite different was in my horizon, my dads boot most likely.
have probably heard people saying "another think" for years but selective hearing or not even realising their was a possibility of an alternative saying meant i just heard "thing" even if they said "think"

OP posts:
GentlyDoesIt · 12/05/2009 12:01

branflake81 I have the same aversion to the same person for similar reasons, good to know it's not just me!

spenthen · 12/05/2009 12:04

Thanks for the link StealthPolarBear! I'm a little bit scared now, actually.

BTW that thread reminded me - "slither" instead of "sliver". No-one in DH's family understands. Whenever anyone brings out a cake at the in-laws' house I sort of shrink a bit inside, waiting for it to happen....

stickylittlefingers · 12/05/2009 12:10

I think it's most definitely "think"! But have no evidence to back that up. I think Judas Priest got it wrong - perhaps the "thing" movement stems from that?

I've also noticed a growing trend of people not realising it's the horse that's bolted - therefore they bolt the stable door after the horse - um - runs off or something. Quite comical! But then I love a good misuse of the English language. I had a friend who used to keep things for prosperity and thought I was a fresh air fee.

GetOrfMoiLand · 12/05/2009 12:17

The use of surreal in inappropriate places. "Oh yeah what happened was, like, so surreal". No, you mean odd.

"Blue Sky Thinking"

The way fashion is described in Grazia. "Fierce" jewellery (wtf?). Colors that "pop" (eh?). The use of trouser in the singular a la Trinny and Susannah (aneurism).

GetOrfMoiLand · 12/05/2009 12:19

However, DP is a 'd'ya know what I mean' bloke. I think he spent too much time in fields raving in the late 80s.

He just uses the phrase as meaningless punctuation. I have often said 'no, I don't know what you mean you twat', but I can't make him break the habit

Original poster
mayorquimby · 12/05/2009 12:19

having read that thread i'm definitely sticking with "another thing coming"

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 12/05/2009 13:08

A friend of my cousin was asked to say a few words at my cousin's 21st birthday party.

"Right, well. I am X's best friend, ken whit I mean, like. And like, he is a great guy, ken whit I mean, like. No shittin'. He is aye up for a great night oot on the town, ken whit I mean, like."

Every second sentence ended with "ken whit I mean like".

LOL at the end of every sentence makes me shudder. "This is my favourite photo of the babby, lol"

Baby talk. "ta" "babby"

Thunderduck · 12/05/2009 13:10

I also hate 'fanjo' 'winky' etc. Call it by it's proper name fgs and stop being so prudish.

thumbwitch · 12/05/2009 13:20

MQ, it never crossed my mind it was anything else - must have had the same issue as you all these years!

chegirl · 12/05/2009 20:42

When some daft bint says

'Well I just LOOKED at her' and you are supposed to be impressed. Like she holds some sort of special power.

AramintaCane · 12/05/2009 21:25

I am amazed, I always thought people that said 'another think coming' were confused. You know how some people say nothink and somethink.

AramintaCane · 12/05/2009 21:35

chegirl my mum says that all the time.

chegirl · 12/05/2009 21:43

DOES she have special powers?

chegirl · 12/05/2009 21:45

I think its been established that we all hate 'I am mad me'. I particularly loathe it when they add 'just ask any of my mates, they'll tell you' that usually means not only are they incredibly dull, they dont have any friends either.

AramintaCane · 13/05/2009 07:54

She seems to think so. I will have to contain myself next time she comes over I may snigger. "Well I was on the bus and this woman said... Well, I just looked at her" I have always wanted to say AND ?

Nancy66 · 13/05/2009 09:59

I've started to really hate the expression 'going to hell in a hand cart' - everyone seems to be using it at the moment.

why in a hand cart?

fizzpops · 13/05/2009 10:15

OK slightly OT but can someone tell me why Americans seems to say, 'I could care less' and we say 'I couldn't care less'?

And I am 'guilty' of a lot of these but I think there is a difference between incorrect speech and just annoying phrases. If I say something incorrectly by all means let me know, if I just irritate you, shut up!

Original poster
mayorquimby · 13/05/2009 10:39

after many discussions with a yankee room mate who refused to accept that their version made no sense i have come to the following conclussion based on his arguments.
basically it started with being a response to the phrase "i couldn't care less" and so advertising executive A would say "i couldn't care less" and then angry advertising executive B would say " oh yeah well i could care less" inicating that he in fact cared even less than person A.
however to my mind it shows a distinct lack of mathematical understanding. if a person couldn't care less they are at the lowest amount of caring possible, so on a scale of 0 to 10 they a 0 they don't care at all, however the person saying they could care less obviously has to care somewhat in the first place,lets say a 1, to be able to care less than they already do.

OP posts:
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