It isn't only certain words that annoy me. The construction of sentences, i.e. the bad grammer that annoys me. Particularly the use of double negatives in everyday speech. Someone forcefully says, "I don't want nothing more from you." meaning he/she wants no more. But 2 negatives = a positive. The true meaning of that comment means that he/she does want more.
quotidian
crepuscular
Use either of these words, and i won't be responsible for the consequences . . . and i told you so . . .
But... but... but there are some birds in my house that appear to be somewhat crepuscular, probably in response to the circadian rhythms of the insects they eat. Honest.
Now your prose smacks of antipodean ridiculosity . . .
I use the F-word all the time but then I'm a no-good potty-mouth so .....
However, one word that I cringe if I hear it (and I rarely do) is the C-word. I see red if I ever hear that. It's as bad as the N-word.
I also dislike hearing faggot in the context it is used these days. I look fondly back when my mom used to call us faggots - back then it meant something akin to ... pest, rowdy, bratty, something innocent but naughty, said to us in fondness - "come here you little faggot". Now it is bandied about as an insulting term for homosexuals.
Um, faggot means what it always has, in relation to people. My understanding is that it's related to the tendencies of certain folks in certain cultures to burn homosexuals, and the term likens them to bundles of firewood -- the real real meaning of faggot. That could be misinformation, but it sounds very plausible to me. (It was pointed up very nicely in the Ridiculous Theater Company's production of some archaic play in which the lord or lady of the house -- I'm a little fuzzy on details -- asks that more wood be thrown on the fire, and is informed that "There's not a faggot in the house." The lord/lady is incredulous, looks out over the audience, and says -- again, disbelievingly, "There's not a faggot in the house? Well go find one in the street, then!")
A fag is a smoke in the UK, right?
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.
Yep, I have a tendency to say it on occasion and I crack up at the looks I get when that slips out!
Although it is a perfectly good word with a derivation distinctly different from the N-word, I suggest that 'niggardly' be avoided unless you are absolutely certain your audience is familiar with the word.
Yep CJHSA, in the UK, a fag is slang for a cigarette.
Someone nearly got fired over "niggardly" a year or two ago. Can't remember who or where...
A couple of cretinous and illiterate boyhood chums (tongue! out of cheek! now!) used to point and giggle whenever they walked by the map in the school library that boldly proclaimed, at the appropriate geographical location, "Niger."
Mmmm, public education.
pyko wrote: remember my year 6 teacher saying..."You should never use the word 'get', instead use words like, understand, receive etc."
Are you sure there is never a correct context gor "get"? Right now cannot think of a non-slang phrase, but I can think of [hrases in use that woul sound ridiculous if the word "get" was changed to something diferent though some ways would still make plenty of sense (get lost -- become lost -- go away for example). I guess this still reiterates your point.
Roberta wrote:Waiting on when waiting or waiting for should be used. (I'm waiting on that response.){/quote]
This is a holdover from older versions of English. "Waiting on" can be found if looked for, especially in the Shakespearian era. I'm not saying it is a correct use, only trying to hang on to its previous status.
Phoenix32890 wrote:Also, what about those people who insert "you know" in every other sentence. Drives me nuts!
I used to be one of those people, until I drove myself nuts over it! I think overuse of any word (I still catch myself with this often) is irritating.
Quote:I attempt to avoid using the word "should" in my conversations. It is so damn pedantic!
But aren't there some cases when "should" is apporpriate, though maybe not as often as it is currently in use?
kerver wrote:One thing that kinda bugs me is when some people add the letter "T" to the end of words as if it belongs there. I don't think I've seen "reasont", or "cousint", ect in the English dictionary, but what do I know.
roger wrote:So right, kerver. That's hillbilly. I think it's an attempt to make something other than a verb show past tense, like "I oncet went to New York City and brung the whole family."
Hillbilly?! If you ever go to New Orleans, you will hear such overuse of it, it goes well beyond hillbilly to just plain annoying!
ex: If someone used the funds from a check, they "spunt" it. It goes beyond just adding a T to words, and on to mutilating the very language we speak!
lol should be punishable by death. I hate that 'slang'. /me shudders
waiting on is what waiters do - it is about serving
You're right -- in today's sense of the word. But centuries ago (which makes it surprising that it has remained so common for so long) was different.
Vivien wrote:cjhsa wrote:A fag is a smoke in the UK, right?
true
I still remember the shock I got when I first came to UK and a guy on the street asked me if "I had a fag" !!
What street were you on, Gautam?
