Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

Does it annoy anybody else....

(112 Posts)
Daddima Thu 24-Mar-16 13:21:57

...when people say, " the proof is in the pudding"?

specki4eyes Thu 24-Mar-16 15:13:48

Yes they should say "the proof of the pudding is in the eating".

Teetime Thu 24-Mar-16 15:14:15

Not really but 'at the end of the day' and 'in this day and age' can drive me mad. Not a fan of clichés. My old English master used to cross them out in our essays in red pen with - THINK!!! written next to them.

PRINTMISS Thu 24-Mar-16 16:44:03

Teetime Oh! Yes, - at the end of the day - and what about "to be perfectly honest"

grannylyn65 Thu 24-Mar-16 16:49:42

Basically!

Grannyknot Thu 24-Mar-16 17:05:36

"In the fullness of time" for some reason it always makes me want to giggle.

mollie Thu 24-Mar-16 17:44:45

Aaaaah, I get it now...yes, getting it wrong would annoy me.

My dear departed dad had a habit of saying 'virtually speaking' in a clever-dick sort of way. It doesn't mean anything but I didn't have the heart to point that out. Lol!

Daddima Thu 24-Mar-16 17:45:14

" On a daily basis"

Anniebach Thu 24-Mar-16 17:50:53

At the end of the day , it ticks all the boxes and basically

numberplease Thu 24-Mar-16 18:17:33

At this moment in time.
Drives me nuts! What`s wrong with now?

Coolgran65 Thu 24-Mar-16 18:29:33

At the end of the day ==== it's midnight !!

Tizliz Thu 24-Mar-16 18:39:28

Push the envelope - hate it and it is wrongly used, it is a maths term.

Jalima Thu 24-Mar-16 20:07:08

Back in the day

Anniebach Thu 24-Mar-16 20:36:32

It's in lockdown , when reporting a shooting etc, what happened to the - area has been sealed off

Ana Thu 24-Mar-16 20:50:56

Not heard of that one (in lockdown).

Not a phrase or saying, but it does annoy me when presenters/announcers pronounce 'athletes' as 'atherletes'. It's becoming more prevelant...

Anniebach Thu 24-Mar-16 20:55:45

Ana, it is used regularly by newsreaders and I do dislike it

Ana Thu 24-Mar-16 21:07:14

I don't doubt you, Annebach, I just said I hadn't come across it.

Ana Thu 24-Mar-16 21:08:03

Or it hadn't registered.

Katek Thu 24-Mar-16 21:30:39

'Moving forward' and 'mission statement' are two phrases that really annoy me!!

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 24-Mar-16 21:35:12

These phrases are only cliches because they are so useful!

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 24-Mar-16 21:35:58

I like them.

NanKate Thu 24-Mar-16 21:39:16

I do agree Jalima why 'back in the day' is so popular now I don't know.

At the top of the hour - why they can't say two o'clock or whatever hour it is.

Interviewer - please answer yes or no.
Politician - well, as I have said blah blah blah.

MaizieD Fri 25-Mar-16 10:30:37

I've never heard anyone say 'the proof is in the pudding' but, yes, it would annoy me very much if I did.

And probably 'yes, yes!' to all the other things posters have mentioned.

Can't think of any other examples myself but maybe it's because it is a beautiful sunny day, I had a decent night's sleep and I'm feeling unusually benign!

Synonymous Fri 25-Mar-16 15:47:06

It is shorthand and often very useful since most of us know exactly what is meant due to common usage.
At the end of the day you pays your money and takes your choice so moving on I just need to do what a woman has to do at the end of the day which is basically to put on the kettle .... grin

KatyK Sun 27-Mar-16 15:13:20

Yes that proof is in the pudding one annoys me too. I have heard it many times lately. I also get annoyed at 'listen up' and newsreaders/presenters who can't say 'sixth'.