Additional words that really wind me up

[PumpkinSpiceGirl]

Swap it ‘out’
Fry it ‘off’

And also ‘works do’ - surely it’s just work do?

Tell me I’m not the only one (and I bet there are more).

@Geamhradh

I wonder if, as their use becomes more and more widespread, the "new" compound verbs you mention will shift to form a one word verb. Probably, as that's what happened with others (babysit, proofread etc)

Yes, I'm sure they will. My aversion is probably the slow process of my resistant brain getting used to the sound of it.

Proofread still looks odd to me as one word tbf, and it's part of my job!

Plate up (of food)

At work i was asked to 'tidy up' 3 letters that a colleague had drafted.

They were absolutely shocking...just full of nonsensical rambling prose, non-existent punctuation and repeating points they had already made.

They were almost unrecognisable by the time I had finished with them.

I felt like Blackadder, when Prince George asks Blackadder for some pointers on a poem he's written.
And Blackadder says 'Your Highness...it was wonderful, but do you mind if I change one small aspect?
The words'

I'm amazed no one has mentioned "very unique".

@countrygirl99

I'm amazed no one has mentioned "very unique".

They have. Twice. On Sunday.

It is Pedants Corner after all

That will teach me to skim read

I hate 'for free' Even the M and S tills 'say' it

Not an additional word, but when someone says they substituted X for Y, when they really substituted Y for X (ie they took X away and put Y there instead) - or else substituted X with Y, I’d grudgingly allow that.
I’ve seen this in supposedly intelligent newspaper reports.
Makes me seethe.

And why has 'noone' made an appearance??

What's wrong with the space bar, all of a sudden.
It's right there!

I’m a bit confused about PP being so shocked at “broad daylight” on the Guardian front page - that’s just a well-known traditional phrase isn’t it? Not like the other daft ones in here - off of, swapped out etc.

@Ihopeyourcakeisshit

Off of drives me potty too.

Off of is generally used in an arch way though, no?

'work colleague'

Yes "off of" is hardly ever used straight.

@Palavah

'work colleague'

That does my head in...

Sneak preview

Station stop

'work colleague'

Yes, but it’s not as bad as using the word colleague simply to mean an employee. This is rife now.

Off of is generally used in an arch way though, no?

Roman or gothic?

Anyway, "off of" is good English.

@ClaudiusTheGod

'work colleague'

Yes, but it’s not as bad as using the word colleague simply to mean an employee. This is rife now.

Oh no, it's worse.

Another employee is, technically, a colleague.

I like works outing / do - makes me feel as if we are all getting our annual holiday from labouring up t'mill or down at the factory.

Sadly my works colleagues are nothing like this.

How is off of good English then?
Genuine question btw.

@PuppyMonkey

I’m a bit confused about PP being so shocked at “broad daylight” on the Guardian front page - that’s just a well-known traditional phrase isn’t it? Not like the other daft ones in here - off of, swapped out etc.

Swapped out has been used, in IT, for years and years. Nothing daft about it. Seemingly, (I've not heard it tbf) its meaning now seems to be evolving and broadening from its original specific one. Doesn't make it daft. Makes it interesting for people interested in observing language change.

Station stop is a station at which the train stops. Unlike the station which the train goes past without stopping. It's a new turn of phrase, certainly, but the "stop" isn't a pleonasm.

Station stop used to grate until it was pointed out to me that it is actually more pedantic - as PP says, it's to distinguish from stations you don't stop at and stops that aren't stations.

@Ihopeyourcakeisshit

How is off of good English then? Genuine question btw.

It depends in what context it's used, but it's the opposite of "on to". And it's similar to "out of". I think it's got something to do with phrasal verbs. And anyway, Shakespeare used it!

Muriel can you use it in a sentence to show what you mean?