Author Jeremy Butterfield has written a book, Damp Squid, which should have broad appeal. It is about misused and overused words. You may have a part of your brain where you store some personal least favorites.
I hate to admit it, but I did not understand the title. It is named after the mistake of confusing a squid with a squib, a type of firework.
My lack of understanding probably stems from the fact that the researchers who created the list monitor the use of phrases in a database called the Oxford University Corpus. This a collection of books, papers, magazines, broadcasts, and Internet stuff that I just don’t get to as much as I should.
Here in Letterman-like manner is Butterfield’s top ten:
The top ten most irritating phrases:
1 - At the end of the day
I have tried to drum up enthusiasm for my “at the middle of the day” with almost no success
2 - Fairly unique
More unique and most unique seem as offensive
3 - I personally
That is tautological for those fond of long words. Butterfield describes is as "the linguistic equivalent of having chips with rice."
4 - At this moment in time
Have not heard this one that much, but it is reminds of Nixon’s “at this point in time,” a clever substitution of five words for the one word “now.”
5 - With all due respect
often means with little or no respect
6 - Absolutely
In the world of sports, this one is often paired with it’s cousin “most definitely.”
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
grammatically incorrect, it has gained ground on the correct "shouldn't have"
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science
Annoying words come and go. Some seem to refuse to go. I dislike hopefully. Consider this passage:“Dave Krieg will take the snaps and, hopefully, hand off to RB Garrison Hearst.” ( USA Today; Sept. 1, 1995.) (Is Krieg hoping for the best when Hearst runs? Or is the writer hoping that Krieg won't pass the football or hand off to another running back?)
Irregardless with its illogical negative prefix is still with us. There is never a need to use this word.
Citizens who read blogs and quite a large amount of text written by those with agile thumbs come in contact everyday with the worst abomination of them all, alot. There is a word, Alot. It is a town in India. There is no word alot. Never use it. Keep your children away from it as you would crack.
You and your friends can amuse yourselves turning this short list into a long one.
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Comments: 87
But, the rest I did not.
I liked this piece alot..
He, he!
Just teasing..
It's I like it, a lot.
very tired of it now
1. using hugh for huge (@@ c'mon...Hugh is a NAME, and you don't even pronounce the gh like the g in huge!)
2. dept for debt (this was used over and over again by someone in the business industry)
And it gets to me sometimes when someone says, "I could care less", instead of "I couldn't care less".
Where does the 9 yard thing come from? I used to know, but don't now.
Irregardless. It's not a word. Regardless does just fine by itself. ;-)
nuclear and Realtor (speaking of Sarah)
I like that one. Felt like it was stolen from me.
Great article, Elmo. I will purge my vocabulary and computer of these words and phrases, irregardless of the fact that I like them alot! LOL
How about (but yet). That one gets to me.
Driving me nuts.
Other sources claim this phrase refers to tailoring a man's suit, a bridal veil, shipbuilding and concrete mixing. Take your pick, Elmo, or make up your own!
Hmmmm...let me pause for a moment and see if something comes to mind...
Oh, here's one:
Most everyone says, "I feel badly about such and such..." We should say, "I feel BAD about such and such." We don't say "I feel sadly," do we??? ;-D
Oh yes, and some of the X & Y Generations are saying, "Me and so-and-so went to the store." That makes me want to SCREAM!!! No amount of correcting fixes it, either. Plain stubborn pride. My stepdaughter thinks it sounds STUPID to say, "So-and-So and I went to the store." STUPID, she says! If she only knew how she sounded when she said that!
Of course, instant messaging and cell phone texting is not helping the situation, since all grammatical correctness is thrown out the window while performing this task for the sake of minimalizing...
Then there's "Let's you and I come to some kind of understanding." It should be "Let's come to some kind of understanding." The first sentence, literally translated, means, "Let us and I come to some kind of understanding." Duh!
"Between you and I" should be "Between you and ME".
There are so many more that bug me that I can't remember right now!
Here is a website I found for daily grammar lessons for all skill levels, should you be interested!
Motherload vs. Mother Lode: Although you may dig a load of ore out of a mother lode, the spelling “motherload” is a mistake which is probably influenced by people thinking it means something like “the mother of all loads.” A “lode” was originally a stream of water, but by analogy it became a vein of metal ore. Miners of precious metals dream of finding a really rich vein, which they refer to as a “mother lode,” most often spelled as two words, though you also commonly see it spelled as one.
"Visa Versa". It is NOT "Visa Versa". It is "Vice Versa". No "a" at the end of the first word.
There. I'm all done for now. ;-D
People! It's not "more then!" It's "more than!"
I catch myself repeating words. In writing I can go back and fix it, but people talking to me probably have some words to add to their lists.
Can You Be Your Own Boss
I appreciate it.
I would like that book!!
Thanks for letting us know about it.
"Free, for a whole 2 'MUNCE'....hmmmmm, 2 'MUNCE'" and the announcer comes right behind him saying "Yes, 2 "MUNCE'".
Hold me back......................LOL