Words I am already sick of

@Fido,

Fido wrote:

FBM wrote:

Wow. Sorry, and no intent to offend, but...

It does not matter where the words come from... We have some words like 'Rug' in our language only because the Anglo Saxons made slaves of the Celts they displaced... Many words entered the language by conquest or defeat... That is not the point...

Oh.

OK.

You win.

Neutral

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As for the "Happy Holidaze" red herring that popped up in this thread I only have one response to the "Mary Xmassers" that I'm insulted with in passing---I'll be merry in January, but in the northern hemisphere now it's dark and getting darker.

Bah Humbug! May you choke on your fruitcake--Fruitcake

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Getting back to the original question:

Going forward- Can one "go backwards"?

Entitlements- Originally, it was called "charity", which had a negative feel. Later, "welfare" was a more neutral term.Then, attempting to be "politically correct", another term of which I abhor, the word became "entitlements". Personally, I don't think that people are "entitled" to the fruits of another's work.

It may be a kindly and ultimately practical thing to do, but the recipients are certainly not "entitled" to the largesse. If people are taking money that was created by other people, let's call it what it is, and screw the sugar coating.

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George Carlin--Euphemistic Language http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNk_kzQCclo

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@raprap,

Thanks for the clip- It was a hoot!

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"Engaged"
Here at the Widget Factory, we are urged to be not only engaged,
but fully engaged.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

I was guessing it meant checking an area of some kind out, as in I'm going to canvass the neighborhood. I haven't looked it up though, so it remains a guess. If I were going to use a form of the word as "medium of expression", I'd pick canvas, just like an artist's linen canvas.

Word I'm weary of even though I think it's a valuable word: security.

Oops, I see I'm two pages behind the posts, and that Ragnel showed the meaning of canvass.

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@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Thanks for the clip- It was a hoot!

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote

Quote:

Often phrases used in foreign, but english speaking countries will find their way here to the States.

Referring to the US as "the States" is one as is "At the end of the day..."

Hoist with his own petard

It has been my experience that the phrase 'the States' is used by Americans visiting or living in other English speaking countries, most 'foreigners' call it America. Maybe things are changing these days (tourism, saturation tv, etc) but that's how it was when I was travelling. Some friends and I (a mix of English, German, French, Australian) were lectured on our ignorance by a young marine because we called him 'American'. He insisted he was 'United States'.

Shocked

Reminding him that his country was the 'United States of America' only succeeded in getting him hot under the collar. Pointing out that the Englishman came from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the German from the Federal Republic of Germany, the Frenchman from the Republic of France and me from the Commonwealth of Australia meant nothing to him. His opinion made him feel good, so we said 'no worries!' and left it at that.

Rolling Eyes

Quote:

I wonder what US originated phrases have found new homes in places like Australia and the UK and which are despised by their locals as much as I hate "No worries?"

'Have a nice day!'

Quote:

Whenever I hear an American say it, it makes me feel like retching.

1 Reply

@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Getting back to the original question:

Going forward- Can one "go backwards"?

Entitlements- Originally, it was called "charity", which had a negative feel. Later, "welfare" was a more neutral term.Then, attempting to be "politically correct", another term of which I abhor, the word became "entitlements". Personally, I don't think that people are "entitled" to the fruits of another's work.

It may be a kindly and ultimately practical thing to do, but the recipients are certainly not "entitled" to the largesse. If people are taking money that was created by other people, let's call it what it is, and screw the sugar coating.

With every bit of due respect on the planet, sqwew you on the entitlements... This is supposed to be a commonwealth... The people originally took this land, and they hold the ultimate title to the land and what is produced in this land, and they have fought and died for this land on a thousand battlefields around the world....They are entitled to this land, and their share of the wealth and there is no part of charity involved...

They do not, and did not put the public lands in private hands to be held free and clear without a view to public benefit... It has been taken that way, and taken altogether from most of the people who once lived off of the land... If the small farmer has been driven from the land it is still the land that must support him on it, or off of it... It is his right because he holds the title to it, and if the government did not accelerate the number of people into poverty by taxing wages and leaving property and wealth free of taxation, there would be no problem... This country was designed with wealth paying taxes and it has been turned to people paying taxes out of their poverty...

This is not what the people voted for... When they first accepted the income tax as constitutional, it only affected 11 to 13 percent of the people... It was to give the people justice, and it has been turn against the people to give them injustice...

We are made after the image of the Roman commonwealth, and there too there was the corn dole, and it was only fair that people driven from their share of the commonwealth by slaves and slavery should have something good for their sacrifice... We should to, because it is our right, and it would not be a problem if those with the wealth were taxed in consideration of the rights they receive and the blood that has been spilled in defense of their rights... They want something for nothing, something they cannot defend alone, and they want the working class to lay down their lives for their peoperty and pay for the privilage... They can go to hell... Pay up or get off the gravey train...

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Here is one of my favorites: Grow the Economy... What the hell does that mean but putting more people to work at lower paying jobs, turning everyone into credit slaves, and maximizing profits at the expense of the environment and future generations??? Just more political cant.

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@ragnel,

ragnel wrote:

Finn dAbuzz wrote
Quote:
Often phrases used in foreign, but english speaking countries will find their way here to the States.

Referring to the US as "the States" is one as is "At the end of the day..."

Hoist with his own petard

In response Finn wrote:
And you really think this was unintentional on my part?

Remind me to bring out the 2 X 4 if I want to express something directly to you.

But I hope it made your day thinking you so cleverly spotted my error.

It has been my experience that the phrase 'the States' is used by Americans visiting or living in other English speaking countries, most 'foreigners' call it America. Maybe things are changing these days (tourism, saturation tv, etc) but that's how it was when I was travelling. Some friends and I (a mix of English, German, French, Australian) were lectured on our ignorance by a young marine because we called him 'American'. He insisted he was 'United States'.

In response Finn wrote:
Obviously our experiences differ

Reminding him that his country was the 'United States of America' only succeeded in getting him hot under the collar. Pointing out that the Englishman came from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the German from the Federal Republic of Germany, the Frenchman from the Republic of France and me from the Commonwealth of Australia meant nothing to him. His opinion made him feel good, so we said 'no worries!' and left it at that.

Quote:
I wonder what US originated phrases have found new homes in places like Australia and the UK and which are despised by their locals as much as I hate "No worries?"

'Have a nice day!'

Quote:
Whenever I hear an American say it, it makes me feel like retching.

In response Finn wrote:
You seems to have (unintentionally or otherwise) misunderstood the question.

1 Reply

Another phrase I despise is "How are you doing?"

Seems innocent enough and it can be, but when it is used in a business setting, it is almost always asked by someone who couldn't care less how you are actually doing, but has read in a management book that this is a good way to show peers and subordinates that you have human emotions and care.

With the worst, and most common version, the question is asked with a voice pitched to drip with sincerity, but comes across utterly counterfeit.

One day I will answer, "Not bad, although my entire family just died," and I fully expect the questioner to nod his or her head, respond "Good, that's good," and walk away feeling mission accomplished.

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@Phoenix32890,

I think you misunderstand the meaning of the word entitlement. Every right we have - all of them - are entitlements.

Cycloptichorn

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Like. Ya know. Like. like. like...

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@PUNKEY,

i fear that world will suffer with increase in poverty and finantial problems

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@Finn dAbuzz,

I recently met a man I knew, after a separation of almost a month. He was coming onto the sidewalk, on the way for a follow-up with a doctor. He greeted me quite brightly and I had nothing for the situation, but to say, "How are you doing?"
"How am I doing?" he asked. The man lifted his shirt and displayed a wound from a recent open heart surgery.
"I'm sorry I asked that. I didn't know."
He appeared rather surprised. "You didn't know? You signed the card with the rest of the staff."
"But I didn't know it was for something so serious."
The truth is, the office had sent a card in all our names, without informing me. That's an easy oversight, since I go home at noon. I learned to quit asking, "How are you doing?" on the spot.

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@edgarblythe,

edgarblythe wrote:

I recently met a man I knew, after a separation of almost a month. He was coming onto the sidewalk, on the way for a follow-up with a doctor. He greeted me quite brightly and I had nothing for the situation, but to say, "How are you doing?"
"How am I doing?" he asked. The man lifted his shirt and displayed a wound from a recent open heart surgery.
"I'm sorry I asked that. I didn't know."
He appeared rather surprised. "You didn't know? You signed the card with the rest of the staff."
"But I didn't know it was for something so serious."
The truth is, the office had sent a card in all our names, without informing me. That's an easy oversight, since I go home at noon. I learned to quit asking, "How are you doing?" on the spot.

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@Ceili,

Ceili wrote:

Like. Ya know. Like. like. like...

It is never what it is, and is always like it's like.

1 Reply

@Fido,

Ceili wrote:

Like. Ya know. Like. like. like...

Fido wrote:

It is never what it is, and is always like it's like.

I remember that from the Beatniks of the 1950s.
If I remember accurately, thay sought to justify it as a denial of objective reality.

David

1 Reply

Words I am already sick of

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