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CCMommy
EVERYTHING CHANGES
Member since 12/07 2528 total posts
Name:
CC's Mommy
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The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
It's 2008, and we're pretty sure we recently had a conversation that didn't involve a single catchphrase from "Clueless." Progress, right? Eh, kinda. Oxford University -- home to the wordsmiths responsible for adding "bootylicious" to the most comprehensive dictionary of the English language -- recently released a list of the top 10 most irritating phrases in current use, and it doesn't give us much hope for humanity.
Researchers combed through a variety of British books, blogs, magazines and broadcast transcripts to compile a database of words and phrases in current overuse/misuse, and then chose the worst offenders. Among their top picks were bad grammar ("shouldn't of," #8), redundant verbal tics ("I personally," #3) and regular old overused terms ("24/7," #9).
The rest of the Oxford list: "It's not rocket science" (#10), "It's a nightmare" (#7), "Absolutely" (#6), "With all due respect" (#5), "At this moment in time" (#4), and "Fairly unique" (#2). Their top pick? "At the end of the day," gratingly popular (and totally meaningless) with politicians, athletes, pundits, and management types. It's basically a glimpse at what it will sound like in hell.
The two that get me are..
"To make a long story short"
And I think my sister may be the only person who says this.. but at the end of a long dramatic story she will say
"Well, that's the end of that Oprah show"
Message edited 11/19/2008 11:51:01 PM.
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Posted 11/19/08 11:48 PM  |
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seaside
LIF Adult
Member since 6/08 3101 total posts
Name:
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Can we add our own?
My most loathed, cringe-worthy phrases are
"It is what it is" (what?)
and "Wow. Just wow."
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| Posted 11/19/08 11:52 PM |
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Beth
The Key to your new home....
Member since 2/06 24849 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Wow. Just Wow
makes me cringe too
and not for nothing
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| Posted 11/19/08 11:58 PM |
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tourist
Member since 5/05 10425 total posts
Name:
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Posted by CCMommy
And I think my sister may be the only person who says this.. but at the end of a long dramatic story she will say
"Well, that's the end of that Oprah show"
 I kinda like that one. I hate all phrases that don't add anything to the statement.
It is what it is, at the end of the day, Wow. Just wow, etc.
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| Posted 11/20/08 12:18 AM |
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
"Woulda, shoulda, coulda" really irks me because it's not even really English.
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| Posted 11/20/08 7:02 AM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Posted by seaside
"It is what it is" (what?)
I don't like this one particuarly either.. of course it is what it is... what else would it be? It isn't what it is? It is what it isn't?
But... I still use it.
I also use "Not for Nothing" and "Honestly?" waaaaaaaayyy too much. But oh well!
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| Posted 11/20/08 7:14 AM |
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heathergirl
Cocktail Time!
Member since 10/08 4978 total posts
Name:
American mouth
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Irregardless
It is what it is...such a copout 
My 2 cents...jhust annoying
With all due respect...because you know whats coming next is gonna be rude!
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| Posted 11/20/08 7:33 AM |
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Chrisnamy
Summer is coming soon
Member since 1/07 3991 total posts
Name:
Amy
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
"Same Difference" is mine
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| Posted 11/20/08 8:23 AM |
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ThePinkGoose
In Your Hands
Member since 8/08 4706 total posts
Name:
Nunya
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Posted by heathergirl
Irregardless
!
hahhahaa This one drives me bananas!!
Also...i'm not sure if this counts but...."AnyWhoo"....
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| Posted 11/20/08 8:28 AM |
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Waste06
Waste not, want not
Member since 6/06 7219 total posts
Name:
Lois Mom Mommy Mama Ma
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I've been saying "knock on wood" a lot lately, and it's even starting to irk ME!
But with everything that's been going on lately (economy, work, health), it's seems almost a jinx not to say it.
(as I now knock on wood)
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| Posted 11/20/08 9:24 AM |
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mrsej
The cutest!
Member since 1/07 2495 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Not for nothing - I absolutely cringe when I hear people say it.
And when people say the word "conversate", for example "We were conversating by the elevator" - it is is either "we were conversing by the elevator" or "we we had a conversation by the elevator".
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| Posted 11/20/08 9:31 AM |
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sj-girl
Happy Family of 4
Member since 5/08 5654 total posts
Name:
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
i hate
" YOU KNOW"
and i always reply, NO i dont know
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| Posted 11/20/08 9:32 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
"A whole NOTHER."
Makes my skin crawl.
Use:
"Another"
or
"A whole other..."
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| Posted 11/20/08 9:54 AM |
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TreAnt427
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Member since 8/06 8652 total posts
Name:
Tracy
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I guy at work also says "Neither" when you should say "Either"
Drives me insane and he does it at least once a day!
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| Posted 11/20/08 10:11 AM |
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MrsB-07
proud RELAXIVIST
Member since 11/07 2027 total posts
Name:
b
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I don't understand the phrase "he really thinks who he is"
I had a boss that used to say that instead of "who does he think he is!"
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| Posted 11/20/08 10:18 AM |
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july0105
My three little miracles
Member since 4/06 2628 total posts
Name:
Alison
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I also cringe when people say, "Not for nothing..."
What drives me even crazier is when people who say that phrase do not want to use a double negative, so they say, "Not for anything..."
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| Posted 11/20/08 10:41 AM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Posted by Goldi0218
"A whole NOTHER."
Makes my skin crawl.
Use:
"Another"
or
"A whole other..."
We saw an episode of Mad TV where one of the guys was talking to Queen Latifah and Ray Romano and was saying this and then abbreviated it to "HNL - Ho Nother Level" I thought Queen Latifah was going to wet her pants. So now, DH and I just say "HNL" instead.
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| Posted 11/20/08 10:41 AM |
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MissRadiant
Happily Ever After
Member since 9/08 2534 total posts
Name:
N
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Not for nothing is definitely one of the phrases that makes me cringe....
Other ones
No offense... (no one ever wants to heat what comes after)
To be honest with you.... (so does that mean that you lie the rest of the time)
Clearly.... I just hate when people overuse this word.
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| Posted 11/20/08 10:45 AM |
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Deeluvsvinny
DONE
Member since 10/08 4952 total posts
Name:
Whatever
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I have this friend who says "or whatever the case may be" after every sentence! It drives me crazy!
How does this make sense?:
So then we went out to dinner, or whatever the case may be.
I'm always like..."uhhh, did you go out to dinner? Or is that a code for something else??!!"
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| Posted 11/20/08 11:41 AM |
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kahlua716
3 Girls for Me!
Member since 8/07 12475 total posts
Name:
Keri
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
Posted by Beth1210
Wow. Just Wow
makes me cringe too
and not for nothing
Both of these get me too 
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| Posted 11/20/08 12:27 PM |
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Kate
*****
Member since 5/05 7557 total posts
Name:
Kate
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I can't stand 'At the end of the day' I love that this is their top pick.
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| Posted 11/20/08 1:05 PM |
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Christine
2nd verse same as the 1st
Member since 5/05 15287 total posts
Name:
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
I can't stand when people say "I'm going to be honest with you..." because all other times they are lying? 
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| Posted 11/20/08 1:08 PM |
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headoverheels
s'il vous plaît
Member since 6/07 42079 total posts
Name:
LB
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
i HATE when people say "not so much"
my dad, DH and sister are all guilty of this 
i don't know if it's a common phrase but i HATE it
and i am guilty of saying "not for nothing"
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| Posted 11/20/08 1:13 PM |
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shiv
Twinsanity!!
Member since 5/07 4747 total posts
Name:
Shiv
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
i can't stand 'not for nothing' either
work phrases:
'At the end of the day...'
'We're not comparing apples to apples (or oranges to oranges) here'
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| Posted 11/20/08 1:31 PM |
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Re: The Most Irritating Phrases in the English Language
One of my friends starts every other sentence with "At any rate..."
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| Posted 11/20/08 1:36 PM |
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