Word misuse

8 Dec 2004

People who punctuate their sentences with the word 'like'. As in, "I was down the pub, like. And this bloke says to me, like....". God I think I even once started talking like that myself once, like. When I had a mate who spoke like that all the time, like. And I started speaking like him, like. It can get to be a habit, like. Do you know what I mean, like.
LC wink

8 Dec 2004

I totally hate it when people use the word "like" in their sentences all the time, it is sooooooo irritating but Im into the habbit of it now because of all the people I speak to that do it.

8 Dec 2004

how about the use of yeah,yeah instead of a fullstop yeah as used yeah by all teenagers yeah
especially yeah when theyre pissed off yeah and life isnt fair yeah and you dont understand yeah cos you were never young yeah
rant mode off
( warwick has recently had his beloved niece to stay rolleyes

pass the bottle someone)

8 Dec 2004

when people tell you to 'itch' an itch!!!! mad

:x You bloody well scratch it!!!!!!

8 Dec 2004

It irritates me when people use the term "Two in a row" or "Twice in a row"
To have a row, three items or occurrences are needed.......
And which idiot started using the word "Sickth" because they couldn't say sixth properly? Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!! mad

:x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x
All it takes is use of the tongue! biggrin

Rick.

8 Dec 2004

I've just remembered I hate the expression "For Free", the "For" is completely meaningless, it's either "Free" or it ain't.
Even "Waitrose", (may God smile on them forever), use this on their checkout dividers promoting their bag for life thing.
(Surely they can't mean my wife, even if it feels that way).

8 Dec 2004

Quote by warwick
how about the use of yeah,yeah instead of a fullstop yeah as used yeah by all teenagers yeah
especially yeah when theyre pissed off yeah and life isnt fair yeah and you dont understand yeah cos you were never young yeah
rant mode off
( warwick has recently had his beloved niece to stay pass the bottle someone)

...and "like" too, as used yeah by all teenagers, like yeah

8 Dec 2004

2 of mine are 'was' instead of 'were', as in 'was you there? and double negatives 'I ain't done nothing' - if you haven't done nothing, you must have done something, so what was it?
Phil.

8 Dec 2004

The use of the word "literally" to describe something in a manner that is most definitely not literal. In such cases the speaker may be speaking "figurativly" , "metaphorically" or "hyperbolically".
Far too often people say things like, "It was literally raining cats and dogs. "
lol

:bounce:

:silly: :wave2: :happy: :giggle: :bounce: :silly:

8 Dec 2004

My daughter has taken to saying "haitch" when referring to the letter "aitch".
She will soon get bored of my correcting her. I hope.

8 Dec 2004

Quote by Vix
My daughter has taken to saying "haitch" when referring to the letter "aitch".
She will soon get bored of my correcting her. I hope.

"Haitch" is acceptable pronunciation in parts of the world, particularly in Ireland where we don't drop our haitches (except in the phoneme that is generally formed when the H is preceded by a T smile

)
:high-smile: rolleyes

:giggle: :bounce:

8 Dec 2004

Quote by Riff Raff
My daughter has taken to saying "haitch" when referring to the letter "aitch".
She will soon get bored of my correcting her. I hope.

"Haitch" is acceptable pronunciation in parts of the world, particularly in Ireland where we don't drop our haitches (except in the phoneme that is generally formed when the H is preceded by a T smile

)
:high-smile: rolleyes

:giggle: :bounce:
Not in Somerset though!

8 Dec 2004

Superfluous words annoy me: Totally, actually, obviously, and right spring to mind. People just throw them into a sentence for no apparent reason.
I could happily murder people who say of instead of have, as in "I would of..."
The American habit of using convince in place of persuade is becoming depressingly common in the UK.
The ultimate cringemaker for me is the use of I instead of me, as in "Tom went to the party with Fred and I". mad

8 Dec 2004

"Haitch" is one of my favorite hates. To the point when, if on the 'phone to someone and having to repeat back to them i emphasise the "aitch". lol

:lol:
"Zee" instead of "zed" is another mad

:x

8 Dec 2004

saying done instead of did
I done it, he done it, she done it, we done it
I'll do you more likely!

8 Dec 2004

Quote by SurreyBloke
"Haitch" is one of my favorite hates. To the point when, if on the 'phone to someone and having to repeat back to them i emphasise the "aitch". :lol:
"Zee" instead of "zed" is another :x

As the name of a band, Zed Zed Topjust doesn't have the same ring to it cool

:rotflmao: :rotflmao:
We like our haitches in Ireland.
Just like we like to live in a house on the hill and not "an 'ouse on the 'ill".
Besides, the Irish (or "Gaelic" as uninformed Brits call it) alphabet is different to the English one. We pronounce most of our letters differently in our native tongue.
Most other languages that share many of the same letters also have variations in pronunciation.
British broadcasters make me cringe when they show total disrespect for the pronunciation of words in the languages of even the nearest of neighbours.
They see a word in a foreign language and pronounce that word as if the other language followed the same rules of pronunciation as English.
Now that's really abuse of words.
A classic example is "Bealtaine",the mid-summer festival which gives it's name to the month of May in Irish.
The closest equivalent I can write for the pronounciation of that word is
"Bee-owl-tinn-eh".
Alas, even pagans in this country pronounce it as "Bell-Tane" :lol: :giggle: :smile2: blink

:bounce: :rotflmao: :silly: biggrin

8-)

9 Dec 2004

Quote by Riff Raff
We like our haitches in Ireland.
Just like we like to live in a house on the hill and not "an 'ouse on the 'ill".

Nevertheless, the name of the letter is aitch, not haitch, as any dictionary will confirm. I say aitch but I don't say 'ouse on the 'ill. In most languages H has no sound, and it is often silent in English, e.g. honour, hour, and there's no rule that says the name of a letter must give a clue to its pronunciation. It's true that most of the names of the letters are somewhat onomatopoeic, but there are some exceptions, including H. Other exceptions are W and Y, which by your reasoning should be called "Wubbleyoo" and "Yee".
Anyway, If the name of the 8th letter were really Haitch, the H could be silent. rotflmao

9 Dec 2004

"go figure"
Am I the only person that gets irritated when that is used by British people?

9 Dec 2004

Quote by Riff Raff
British broadcasters make me cringe when they show total disrespect for the pronunciation of words in the languages of even the nearest of neighbours.
They see a word in a foreign language and pronounce that word as if the other language followed the same rules of pronunciation as English.

I agree with that, especially the BBC, they should take the trouble to know better. Why nobody can say Mig-el instead of Mig-well I do not know, it's not hard. There's a new ad on the box for something called "Dramboo-ey", I guess the makers know their main market is across the pond, but I don't care to hear it at home.
Names of better known places are a problem though, I once suggested that we should all call European Capitals and Cities as the locals do, but was given a very good reason, that I've now forgotten, why it could not be so.
For the private citizen it's a lot harder, it took me years to realise that "Dun Leery" was actually that place that I still can't spell without a map, and unless I had been there on business I would never have known that "Bayreuth" should be pronounced "By-royt". We can all happily look like prats sometimes, but as said before, the BBC and Radio Stations generally have a duty to get it right, but then half the broadcasters can't speak English anyway, so what chance?

9 Dec 2004

I often find myself misusing the phrase "Yes certainly, that's not a problem" when what I actually mean is. "No no no why don't you just fuck right off and leave me alone - you unreasonable git"

9 Dec 2004

Quote by Happy Cats
"go figure"
Am I the only person that gets irritated when that is used by British people?

Well yes it's irritating, but like so many Americanisms it hits the spot, what should we Brits use instead? "Work it out" just sounds rude.

9 Dec 2004

Quote by Happy Cats
"go figure"
Am I the only person that gets irritated when that is used by British people?

No, you're not the only one, and to my eternal shame I have caught myself doing it redface

Such is the evil influence of American television. evil

9 Dec 2004

Quote by celticq
I often find myself misusing the phrase "Yes certainly, that's not a problem" when what I actually mean is. "No no no why don't you just fuck right off and leave me alone - you unreasonable git"

Oh me too, me too! I hear the request and think "no way" and my mouth just opens on it's own and says "of course - no problem".

9 Dec 2004

What about the misuse of adverbsand tenses?
As in "I want it cleaned please", "I'd like it fixed by tomorrow please"...
I was taught it was "I want it cleaning please" or "I'd like it fixing by tomorrow please"
Oh yes, just remembered - Steve Rider on Grandstand has invented a new game _ Goalf instead of Golf. Utter bollox. mad

Rick Roper.

9 Dec 2004

Quote by RickRoper
What about the misuse of adverbsand tenses?
As in "I want it cleaned please", "I'd like it fixed by tomorrow please"...
I was taught it was "I want it cleaning please" or "I'd like it fixing by tomorrow please"

Cleaned is the condition I want it to be in, hence I want it cleaned. To say I want it cleaning implies that I want whatever it is I'm talking about to do some cleaning. I want managers managing, I want football players playing football etc etc. I don't want my car cleaning because it's not very good at it. I do, however, want it cleaned.

9 Dec 2004

Silky""' say'''s,I don''''t .Use enough! Punct, uation in my? Writing!."-'

9 Dec 2004

Quote by Silk and Big G
Silky""' say'''s,I don''''t .Use enough! Punct, uation in my? Writing!."-'

It's not the quantity that counts.
And your quality sucks. :lol2:
Actually I have no idea whether your sucks are quality or not, I just thought it would be fun to throw in an ambiguous sentence. :P
(Superfluous word alert! Gratuitous use of "Actually" - Armed Response Unit required!!!)

9 Dec 2004

Nice one, Ice Pie!
Rick! :grin:

9 Dec 2004

Can't stand the phrase "chill out" and even worse just "chill". Exactly what does it mean?

9 Dec 2004

Sits quietly in the corner and refuses to open her mouth in case her dialect lands her in it ....
Whilst I do agree with most of the "offences" raised here, I do think local dialect has a lot to account for. Morbius is a Londoner and I'm a Midlander, each others pronunciation of some words drives us both to despair. "You say tomarto I say tomayto"
Education has a lot to answer for too ...... not all of us went to highly rated schools and my "English" lessons never focussed on the "quality" of what was written, more that we read a certain amount of books during our time.