On the way to work this morning, the daily discussion topic on the radio concerned sayings or expressions that people love or hate. I can't say I can think of any that I love to use, but I can think of some that really irritate me.

One is "build a bridge and get over it". It's getting old fast.

Another is the use of the word "issues". People use it all the time and often inappropriately. The announcer who does the traffic report on the radio who constantly says things like "there's been an accident on the highway that's causing traffic issues". No, it's not causing issues, it's causing delays.

In another thread, I'm sure I've mentioned my work colleague who responds to everything with the expression "cool bananas". What IS that supposed to mean?

"You can't have your cake and eat it."

Can anyone tell what is the point of having a cake and not eating it?

"I hear what you say."

Yes I know, you're not deaf.

"I'll take that on board."

No you won't, you'll forget as soon as I'm out of sight.

Worst phrase when I was younger was "We'll see" (usually by Mum!). Usually meand "No, but I let you hope for a little while!"

(And it's Still annoying as a grown up! )

Almost daily I hear people butcher the phrase 'I couldn't care less!' by saying 'I could care less'. Either way, it's obnoxious.

'Have a good one' is another barbarism I wish would disappear someplace, along with 'diva' and 'agenda'.

It isn't sayings so much as people who say"haitch" instead of "aitch" . Even newsreaders and other broadcasters do it.It drives me insane.

It's not exactly a 'saying' but it makes me insane (perhaps homicidal ) the way the verb "ask" is pronounced and readily conjugated in a lot of "street/ethnic slang". Good heavens...are we talking about a friendly question or chopping firewood? "I hate to 'ax', but...". Blech!

I don`t know if other countries use the term "Blind Freddy" but I really hate it myself. This page explains the term.

Trendy sayings annoy the crap out of me.

In the 80s, salesmen latched onto the saying "Not a problem!". Aarrgghh!
And the current one that really gets up my nose, and has for years, is "Too easy", used as a cover-all response to anything that has happened, is happening, or will happen. I think it's replaced "Y'know" to a large extent for people whose brain can't keep pace with their mouth.
One last one, "Cheers" is, to me, just meaningless pap along the same lines as "too easy".

One that I'm very guilty of using with my children is "I don't think so", usually in reference to something outrageous that they've told met they were going to do.
I've used that one in the classroom a few times too.

The one that drove me nuts when I was teaching was the number of young teens who said 'Oh my God', loudly and with much scorn and disdain, whenever they were called on something or told tp do something they didn't want to do.

"Get a life"

I thought I was living one now.

I too, am guilty of uttering the phrase 'I don't think so....' [complete with a little hiss on the end of it] when one of my children has answered me in a disrespectful tone or whined about this or that for the fourth time. I'm a pretty easy parent when I'm treated well, but surliness will turn me into Jack Palance right away.

My boss is very fond of saying "I love it when a plan comes together." It may not seem annoying on the surface, but I work here. Plans are not something we have and when we do by some miracle manage to hatch one, it doesn't come together. We're basically blindly and boldly going in to each work day in the hopes that the lights stay on. No plan there. He also loves his "easy button" from Staples, we get to hear "That was easy" many, many times daily. Nothing here is easy. Going to the restroom requires taking ones life into ones own hands.

The shop guys are very fond of "git 'r dun", oh does that annoy me. I hate that phrase to begin with, but hearing it several times a day makes me want to go all bell tower.

'Git -er -done!'

Hmm. THAT'S the other pathetic bit of pop culture I was trying to remember. Living in an agricultural region as we do, I am subjected to this idiotic saying at least three or four times a week. A sure chuckle -getter for guys who have long ago run out of real things to say, encouraged by other guys who also have nothing real to say.

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but surliness will turn me into Jack Palance right away

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I love it - it's too pefect a phrasing!

This is interesting indeed. I didn't know people actually said Git-er done.

In France, I hated the one really posturing corporate guy who supposedly had done an MBA in America and had come back all trendy from the States. He'd come in and salute everyone (he had no idea of who anyone was of course) with, 'alors, la forme?' La forme meaning being in shape, in a good mood or what have you. But what got me is when the young upstarts from pseudo good schools who had no idea of how to run the photocopy machine much less their tasks, who would ape this silly greeting...instead of something that indicated they knew you or cared about whether you lived or breathed. I'm not grouchy in the morning, but this made me feel that way.

I have issues with issues because of the overuse of it. I think it's because it's the euphemism for problem because we cannot admit there's a problem. I don't mind it being used for issues that need debating, or to take issue, but, when you see a toddler throwing a tantrum and hear, 'he has issues with the word no' you want to throw up your hands and ask what are we coming to.

Whatever is overused, and when teens do it, it's just the passive aggressive way of ceding to your parents' demands but indicating you think they're stupid for requesting it.

In Northern California apparently, according to my students, the word hella and hecka are modifiers for a lot of, a lotta, a bunch of...etc.

Ok, well, since we're at it, I have a few other ones...basically I really dislike these corporate dictates they give to employees in franchises of stores in the US. THey do it in France too of course and elsewhere, but America is number one at training people to say idiotic things. I'm sorry, but it's true. I personally don't think we're all that bad with customer service, but I might be wrong, as most of the helplines are in Bangalore now.
So when you're at the grocery checkout and someone must say, 'did you find everything you needed?' you feel like snapping at them...then you calm down and realize they've been trained to say this. If my kid hadn't worked in three or four of these places, I would not have believed some of it. They must propose you buy a protection plan to extend your warranty or they're sanctioned. But honestly, hearing about a warranty that costs more than the item you're buying is silly.

The new trend at phone in customer service is to ask 'Is there anything else I might help you with?' or some stock phrase which sounds quite nice, but, when you've gone over some silly problem for an hour...the poor employee must be praying you don't actually take him or her up on that offer!
I mean, I had a big modem/DSL problem that required seven phone calls, turned out to be the whole phone line outside the house...after the rain, but, it took a lot of checking. Every time I got through, the person would have to ask me this although the problem was the same.


I know that Starbucks is really known for training, but, honestly they indoctrinate the people in one way to only spend a certain time on each person no matter how much they purchase. I was wondering at the inanity of the statement, 'shall I get something started for you?' when a person is ordering for forty people at his or her office!

Safeway supermarkets requires the employees to say, 'Here Mrs XYZ, you saved 15.00 with your card today'
However, if you have a last name that makes people choke up, it's not easy and you alienate more people than you charm. It also is indiscreet to give out people's names this way because of identity theft.

"The new trend at phone in customer service is to ask 'Is there anything else I might help you with?'"

I hated having to say that at first, but it is amazing how many people start off saying no, then say well actually there is.

Some genius changed it a while ago, we were supposed to say "are you completely satisfied with the service you received today". I work in a bank, not a massage parlour! That one lasted about 3 hours until a customer complained - most of the staff dug their heels in and refused to say it.

I'm guilty of using "Cheers", but only in email and PMs; I don't think I've ever said the word out loud.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I cannot stand the use of the word "basically" because most of the time it's being used wrong. And those that use it, use it all the time. "So basically what you're saying is..." No, not basically. That IS what I'm saying. I broke my sister of using this word. She didn't realize how often she said it.

Another one is "per se". It's a lot like the word "basically". Those that say it, say it too often

Oh, and the word is "height" with a "T" not "TH".

Whatever!

"Actually" is very overused in the US as of late, especially among the young. I've heard kids preface practically every declarative sentence with the term.

My top five:

I could care less. (Oh really? Then you DO care about whatever it is right now).

I'm all over it (i.e. I'm all over the situation, getting it done, etc.).

My heart goes out to her/him. (What does this even mean? Why can't we just say that we feel bad for her/him?).

I empathize. (Way trendy and has become trite-sounding).

Chick magnet/babe magent.anything magnet (so overused).

This must be a regional thing, StuHG. Actually, it would be a welcome change to hear some teenager use that instead of what I so tire of hearing locally - words like random, sweet or gay.[ This last word, I was surprised to learn last year, means ridiculous or generally uncool.] Is that something one hears from teens in other places besides the southwest?

'Git -er -done!' --- what's that one supposed to be? Get it done?

There's a regional one around here that annoys me. Instead of saying "where is that" people will say "where is that to?"

I say quite a few that have already been mentioned so I shouldn't really have a go at anyone else.

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My boss is very fond of saying "I love it when a plan comes together." It may not seem annoying on the surface, but I work here. Plans are not something we have and when we do by some miracle manage to hatch one, it doesn't come together. We're basically blindly and boldly going in to each work day in the hopes that the lights stay on. No plan there.

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HAHA!!!

If the truth be known I think we all use at least some of these words and phrases at times, copago.

Sweet is one that I was coming back to add, but I see you've beat me to it.
This is terribly overworked, and is now on several radio commercials in these parts.

Random and sweet are here too. I realized it when my teenager said the former with disdain about something.