Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

Over used unnessary phrases

(118 Posts)
vampirequeen Wed 28-Nov-12 17:00:19

Basically, at this moment in time, in my opinion I think some phrases are totally overused in conversation. To be frank and not to put too finer point on it, it seems to me that as we reduce our use of vowels to text we are increasing the number of words we use when speaking.

I'm not being funny but are there any overused phrases that drive you insane?

grin

crimson Thu 29-Nov-12 16:02:32

The S.O. is always saying 'I'm not exaggerating' before he tells me something [well, just about everything...I'm not exaggerating eithersad. I just want to scream 'why the hell do you think I think you're exaggerating?' It's usually about the length of the queue at the supermarket..y'know, that sort of thing.

Varya Thu 29-Nov-12 15:50:29

At the end of the day. Its the same old story. Phrases like this annoy me!

annodomini Thu 29-Nov-12 14:10:32

Apologies for the syntax in my last post. shock

kittylester Thu 29-Nov-12 14:08:30

Obviously when it is anything but!

trendygran Thu 29-Nov-12 14:02:31

The phrases which get my goat are "It's not rocket science" and,like, "At the end of the day".
A good friend says "does that make sense?" after almost every statement, which is the pits at times. Bless her!

JessM Thu 29-Nov-12 13:39:13

Oh can'''''t help myself with the multiple punctuation marks on GN!!!!!
So much quicker than doing shockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshockshock

gracesmum Thu 29-Nov-12 13:34:54

I wondered who would be the first to succumb ! ! !

Ana Thu 29-Nov-12 13:33:29

I know I'm guilty of that! I'm trying to wean myself off them...honest. See, that last sentence just looked unfinished without one. As did that. Help!

gracesmum Thu 29-Nov-12 13:31:12

And although I am ashamed to admit to this moi meme - the over-use of exclamation marks. It makes users look as if they are shouting (or indeed exclaiming) every utterance. As perhaps they are.

Anne58 Thu 29-Nov-12 13:26:18

If I could nominate just one word, rather than a phrase, it would have to be community

The gay community
The Asian community
The Black community
The disabled community
The Anglican community

etc
etc
etc

absentgrana Thu 29-Nov-12 13:21:43

gracemum I used to have a tabby cat that sat on my head was I was in the bath. His tail hung down the back creating a sort of David Crockett effect.

gracesmum Thu 29-Nov-12 13:18:02

My point Faye confused
I have also heard "If the cat fits....."

Greatnan Thu 29-Nov-12 12:58:37

I found an e-mail that a colleague had sent to a tax payer. He used 'basically' eight times in 15 lines - none of them remotely adding anything to the sense of the message.

annodomini Thu 29-Nov-12 12:49:57

'I hear what you say'. Do they really?

When we were planning a central heating system for our first house, the salesman who came to see us, and, while explaining the intricacies, at the end of every sentence, he asked, 'Are you with me?' By the end of the pitch we wished we weren't.

Faye Thu 29-Nov-12 12:39:48

I don't think the pigeons will mind a cap Gracesmum now if you put the cat among the pigeons it might be a different kettle of fish. grin

Barrow Thu 29-Nov-12 12:39:36

I don't mind all the odd phrases I hear, what really "gets my goat" is lazy speech. People who say "like" for every other word or "you know" If I knew I wouldn't need to ask the question!

I was listening to a local sportsman being interviewed on the radio and counted the number of times he said "you know", in a very short interview he said it 8 times!

Lilygran Thu 29-Nov-12 12:24:33

Going forward, reaching out, to be fair, at the end of the day, at this moment in time ships floundering dead in the water undergoing a sea change into something wrong and strange....

crimson Thu 29-Nov-12 11:46:52

I've always thought it was damp squid blush. I just googled it because I couldn't see the problem with a squid being damp blush blush. And, of course I have my obsession with cephalopods to contend with....confused

Grannylin Thu 29-Nov-12 11:24:43

Damp squid is one of mine blush

gracesmum Thu 29-Nov-12 11:05:11

Now if I may set the cap among the pigeons. rocket surgery makes me think of all the other idioms (some) people get slightly wrong.
One foul swoop is one I heard recently .

absentgrana Thu 29-Nov-12 10:51:59

Sorry – I meant Granny23 blush

Grannybags Thu 29-Nov-12 10:29:36

Just realised BAnanas already has!

Grannybags Thu 29-Nov-12 10:27:17

I think it's time we all thought outside the box

absentgrana Thu 29-Nov-12 08:22:23

Lilygran I go for rocket surgery and brain science too. smile

absentgrana Thu 29-Nov-12 08:21:14

Oh journalists Greatnan. Years ago a Sun reporter was grabbing members of the public walking along the South Bank to ask their opinions of the Queen Mother. I think her seventieth birthday was approaching. I really didn't have a [repeatable] opinion but managed some comment her being stylish. Later in the paper I was reported as saying "She deserves a medal for what she does". As if, as if? angry even now.