Over used unnessary phrases

After tragedy and/or disgrace - "Lessons to be learned" - especially when I suspect they probably won't be.

Apparently the top annoying phrase in 2012 was
"to be honest"
This statement is generally followed by a big fib or a veiled insult or other barbed comment.

I love this when passing on a piece of juicy gossip - "I promised not to repeat this so I will tell you only once...." (not as if I would ever)

I go freakin mental when someone says "I'm (76) years OF AGE. What the heck does that mean? How could it mean anything other than age? Is it that they can't say OLD? And on that subject, when someone says "I'm (76) years YOUNG .... ooh !!!!!

Is there any use for "the majority of" (six syllables) when "most" (one syllable) would do?

"D'you mind if I say something?" always seems to be a request for permission to say something that you do mind!

My late MIL (of my first husband) had 2 phrases that always raised the alarm, "Not being funny but " was one and the other was "I know it's not a very nice thing to talk about but ". The second was usually followed by a graphic description of either a rather gross medical condition or the output from some orifice or other.

'To be honest' it means someone's about to be rude (or maybe that's just in my family).

What's wrong with that one? It's true - or was in the days when people actually used to mend things....

A stitch in time saves nine

Forgot to add my hatred of all things "faux"

I've never been able to figure out how anyone "falls pregnant" but as no-one else seems to object does that make me a pedant? I would be soooooooooo devastated.

Working in a coffee shop I was swamped with people saying "Can I get a coffee?" unfortunately I wasn't allowed to say "Only if you say may I have?" of "Yes you can get them all over the place, would you like to buy one here?"(Pedantic? Moi?)
Also, if I hear the word Legacy once more I may well run mad in the street (To quote my mother)

JessM beat me to it. . LIKE I can't bear GOING FORWARD

Message deleted by Gransnet.

You mean the Happy ones? (at this time of year, anyway!)

and I think we had a whole long thread on the h word earlier this year. you know the one. everyone is on these days.

Taking the American theme further - why do we now have cupcakes instead of fairy cakes?

Yes, Nonu?

ana ????/

I think it's another Americanism, Grandissimo. I'd be tempted to reply "No, that's my job."

Have you noticed how many customers in cafes etc say "Can I get a ham sandwich?" or "Can I get a coffee?" or, at the station"Can I get a ticket to Bath?" Is it a regional expression?

annodomini Yes. Snubs is another word you only see in tabloid speak. David Cameron snubs French ambassador/Angela Merkel/President of…

No, they wouldn't say 'set to question'; they would say 'set to quiz...' thus setting my remaining teeth doubly on edge.

feetlebaum If you're talking tabloid headlines, surely it would be "Cops set to question…"? I think this constitues the only time when the word "cops" is used in this country.