There's a bunch of phrases in the English language that drive me insane.

Surely I cannot be the only one.

Today's Phrase Up for Exile: Reverts Back


Reasoning: The phrase "reverts back" is redundant because "revert" already implies returning to a previous state. The word "back" is unnecessary since "revert" alone conveys the idea of going back to an earlier condition.

Any sentence using the word "literally", because it's almost never literal.

I’ve literally heard that word used incorrectly.

I.

Could.

Care.

Less.

*rule Britannia plays. Turned up to one hundred and eleventy twelve*

Our language. Our rules.

In fact, I’m going to take this opportunity to be incredibly foul mouthed whilst baffling everyone who can’t speak Mr Goddington’s own language proper, innit. Bruv.

Winnits.

Tagnuts.

Half a tea cake

Stamped Bat

Child born out of wedlock

FORNICATION!

"Tell me <blank> without telling me <blank>" is such an overused, unoriginal, wannabe-edgy phrase that I grind my teeth whenever I hear it.

 Valkyrie wrote:
"Tell me <blank> without telling me <blank>" is such an overused, unoriginal, wannabe-edgy phrase that I grind my teeth whenever I hear it.

Yet, when used appropriately?

And as someone whose profession involves hearing the unsaid and reading the unwritten? There is truth to that thing.

It is massively overused though.

I'm just saying.....


Which typically translates too "I'm going to insult you/boss you around/be rude" but the person is trying to make it sound like they are "just saying"

 Overread wrote:
I'm just saying.....


Which typically translates too "I'm going to insult you/boss you around/be rude" but the person is trying to make it sound like they are "just saying"

No disrespect, but... <is disrespectful>

People can still he honest and “tell it like it is” with tact and diplomacy. You can be open, honest, and straightforward and not be a jerk.

Some people have zero empathy and social skills, but wrap it in phrases like these.

“Swear down” - I’m about to tell a whopper of a porky pie.

 ScarletRose wrote:
Any sentence using the word "literally", because it's almost never literal.

When someone tells me they're "literally on fire", they'd either better be literally on fire, or else I'll make them correct.

I hate that young people decided to use the word 'literally' figuratively, when those two things mean VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! ::yells at cloud::

“For some strange reason”. Another near guarantee the person is about to lie to my face.

 BorderCountess wrote:

 ScarletRose wrote:
Any sentence using the word "literally", because it's almost never literal.

When someone tells me they're "literally on fire", they'd either better be literally on fire, or else I'll make them correct.

I hate that young people decided to use the word 'literally' figuratively, when those two things mean VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! ::yells at cloud::

Why so much yelling at Cloud? Were you not a Final Fantasy fan?
[

"Close proximity". Just say "close to", otherwise you're saying something is "close close", which makes no sense.

I had a manager once who demanded 110% from all his staff, all the time. He seemed to think it was inspirational or something, whereas I thought it just made him sound like a moron.

Let me be pacific.

Slipspace wrote:
I had a manager once who demanded 110% from all his staff, all the time. He seemed to think it was inspirational or something, whereas I thought it just made him sound like a moron.

Are they going to pay you 110% if you did?


"I don't know if you saw/know/heard/etc...." instead of assuming they didn't and carry on.

"Adulting"

"I did a thing..."

"Do you see what I'm saying?"

Three phrases that make me want to scream incoherently and flee the conversation like Kermit the Frog (Arms in the air too).

I’m going to defend Adulting.

It is a very modern term, but is a useful catch all for all the things that don’t make being an Adult as much fun as it looks to kids.

For instance? Taxes. Having to keep your own house clean, including laundry, DIY. Myirad, often smaller things, which erode your time and fun. Things which children and teenagers don’t typically have any real concept of.

Slipspace wrote:
"Close proximity". Just say "close to", otherwise you're saying something is "close close", which makes no sense.

Both Cambridge and Merriam Webster include "close proximity" as an appropriate form. I can appreciate your position though

I am also quite fond of "adulting" as a term, but that may be driven by the Adulting song from one of the Phineas and Ferb films.

Very important not to mix up adulting and auditing though.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I’m going to defend Adulting.

It is a very modern term, but is a useful catch all for all the things that don’t make being an Adult as much fun as it looks to kids.

For instance? Taxes. Having to keep your own house clean, including laundry, DIY. Myirad, often smaller things, which erode your time and fun. Things which children and teenagers don’t typically have any real concept of.

Agree. I actually use it a fair bit. The boring and mildly irritating tasks that compose the maintenance of life, and need to be done.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Let me be pacific.

And now I have Bloodhound Gang stuck in my head.

Bless you, kind sir.

Chuffed to bits

Only because I want to see what folk who say chuffed to bits will fall back on

My work refers to lessons as 'learnings', and calls training a 'capability uplift'

 Flinty wrote:

Slipspace wrote:
"Close proximity". Just say "close to", otherwise you're saying something is "close close", which makes no sense.

Both Cambridge and Merriam Webster include "close proximity" as an appropriate form. I can appreciate your position though

Yeah, it's one of those phrases that sounds redundant, but actually has a practical use.

Similarly, people adding 'of' after 'myriad' used to drive me into a rage, and then I discovered that it was actually correct usage under certain conditions.

Oh, a super nerdy pet-peeve that I gained working at a comic shop one summer.

D.C. Comics is short for Detective Comics Comics.

 Nevelon wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I’m going to defend Adulting.

It is a very modern term, but is a useful catch all for all the things that don’t make being an Adult as much fun as it looks to kids.

For instance? Taxes. Having to keep your own house clean, including laundry, DIY. Myirad, often smaller things, which erode your time and fun. Things which children and teenagers don’t typically have any real concept of.

Agree. I actually use it a fair bit. The boring and mildly irritating tasks that compose the maintenance of life, and need to be done.

Also, it allows for the “sod it, no more Adulting today”, for when out of boredom, frustration, mental or physical exhaustion occurs, and we sack it all off for another day, and instead have a wee indulgence. Could be watching tv. Could be going to see a movie. Could be having a tub of ice cream for dinner. Or indeed breakfast.

For those of us choosy about socialising, it’s also a nice, catch all “no, sod off” response. Sorry, I can’t go to X’s party, I’ve got too much Adulting to do before work on Monday, for instance.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Two Times Effective.

Unless it’s repeating say, the cleaning process twice? Twice as effective is the term you want. And if you don’t get it right, I’m going to assume it’s incorrect on purpose, as a way around advertising standards, and your cleaning product (to continue the theme) is, in the words of A Shouty Man, up to a bit percent better at getting stubborn stains out my undercrackers than pond water.

ATM Machine. The "m" in ATM already stands for machine.

Eh, I chalk up ATM Machine and DC Comics to stuff like River Ouse, Mount Fuji etc, which respectively mean River River, and Mount Mount.

 cuda1179 wrote:
ATM Machine. The "m" in ATM already stands for machine.

Aren't Tautologies great...?

Naan bread, and so many others.

“As a Christian”, when used before something awful and/or completely and blatantly untrue comes out their mouth, as if their faith somehow means they’re actually, secretly, right.

This is from my experience skirting the conspirasphere. It is not a criticism of common or garden variety people of the Christian faith, nor when preceding an explanation/demonstration of their personal values, which is best addressed on a case by case basis

"Do you're own research" when said online.

Oh I’ll definitely back that one!

And remember, they’re solely defining research as “look on YouTube for some pedagogue that agrees with me, and claim they’re some kind of genius”.

It can be a valid statement though. For instance, let’s say I wanted to invest £10,000. I seek out qualified advice, take said advice, and end up with £15,000. There, I’d set out the steps I took, but qualify with “do your own research though, and seek qualified advice”.

But generally, mostly, yeah. It’s the mating cry of the ignoramous.

There's quite a few modern fandom terms used heavily in terminally online pop circles (western or otherwise) that are dreadful.
It's Giving and Era are two of the worst.

"It's the chef's kiss" makes me want to yak.

"Like" as a filler word, i.e. "it's giving, like, boomer."

"To be frank..."
"As opposed to the rest of the things I say, which are evasive..."

"Honestly..."
"Typically I'm lying, but in this case I'm being honest."


(I'm guilty of the last one)

Here is a GREAT one that I hear frequently at my business: The Customer is Always Right


People don't know that the full statement is "The Customer is always right, in matters of taste".

It does not, and has never meant that the customer should always get what they want. It means the customer knows what they like to wear/drive/eat/ etc.

 cuda1179 wrote:
Here is a GREAT one that I hear frequently at my business: The Customer is Always Right


People don't know that the full statement is "The Customer is always right, in matters of taste".

It does not, and has never meant that the customer should always get what they want. It means the customer knows what they like to wear/drive/eat/ etc.

You know there's a whole website devoted to that: https://notalwaysright.com

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
"To be frank..."
"As opposed to the rest of the things I say, which are evasive..."

You misunderstand. The phrase is "To be Frank". They want to emulate Frank Castle.

 Ahtman wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
"To be frank..."
"As opposed to the rest of the things I say, which are evasive..."

You misunderstand. The phrase is "To be Frank". They want to emulate Frank Castle.

Considering how old the phrase is, its probably more like Frank Spencer

Oooh, Betty!

trexmeyer wrote:
"Like" as a filler word, i.e. "it's giving, like, boomer."

"Actually" as the same.
"If you look that way, you'll actually see the thing they actually built" I had to stop watching a game tutorial because of that. Every second sentence included the word 'actually'. Once I hear it, I cannot hear anything else they're saying.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Eh, I chalk up ATM Machine and DC Comics to stuff like River Ouse, Mount Fuji etc, which respectively mean River River, and Mount Mount.

Guessing you mean Fujiyama here instead of Fuji. Yama means Mount, Fuji is a name ^^

To conttribute: Reign in.

It's REIN IN, FFS!

It's amusing how many people have forgotten that 'just a few bad apples' is immediately followed by 'spoils the barrel.'

Also 'just facts' has never been used in a factual way as far as I can tell.

 Ahtman wrote:
"Do you're own research" when said online.

I'll never get over this pseudoscience guy who defended his pseudoscience videos with 'I do extensive research. At least an hour for a one minutes video.'

Call me when you've been down the rabbit hole for six months and have nothing.

Would that be Filip Zeba?

Are you a Googledebunker?

'Erm, he's OBVIOUSLY compensating for something! Hee-hee!'

When someone says this about someone owning a larger automobile, they aren't being 'funny' or 'edgy' they're just self-reporting the fact they think of the size of stranger's 'lascannon' when they see a car. It's just unnecessarily insulting too, where did this idea/phrase come from? It's so weird, I swear.

Probably in US suburbs, where a lot of aggressive drivers have those oversized trucks with the child-killing grills for absolutely no reason other than ego.

Those became a fashion thing in the UK too when the big "4x4" wave went through the country and everyone who could bought a 4x4 and many came with bullbars even though they'd never go off road let alone near a cow or bull.

In the end they became illegal to be fitted to new vehicles and whilst they aren't illegal to have they are basically in that zone of only really those who need them will get them.

Of course that also started to die when the 4x4 craze started to end as cars got more expensive to run etc...

*Cracks Fingers*

- Irregardless
- A whole 'nother
- All of a sudden
- "literally" (though this has been mentioned many times)
- general misquotes (far too many to list) BUT ESPECIALLY when they are misquoted to defeat the purpose of the original, as another poster reminded me with "A few bad apples"
- This one might be local becasue I've never heard it online but "whever" instead of what ever
- Giving 110% or any of it's derivatives.
- Once I learned that Chai literally means tea, Chai Tea now bugs me. I learned this just before Spiderverse two, so that scene was freaking hilarious to me.
- People who say "It's true!" There was a good chance I didn't think you were lying until you said that.

I'm sure there are more that will come to me in time.

Also, I am on board with Adulting. I think it's a useful addition to the English language as it captures a complex feeling and emotion that would take a long time to explain, but everyone understands.

 bullisariuscowl wrote:
'Erm, he's OBVIOUSLY compensating for something! Hee-hee!'

When someone says this about someone owning a larger automobile, they aren't being 'funny' or 'edgy' they're just self-reporting the fact they think of the size of stranger's 'lascannon' when they see a car. It's just unnecessarily insulting too, where did this idea/phrase come from? It's so weird, I swear.

I'm American, so I wouldn't comment on German culture that I know nothing about.

My particular gear grinding occurs when (American) folk seem to need to add "-gate" as the suffix to any sort of scandal or controversy, real or imagined.
Gamergate. Slapgate. Climategate. Bananagate. Bibigate (1 and 2!!) Elbowgate. Buttergate. Pizzagate. The list is huge.

And along those lines the need for fandom to weld the suffix "-punk" onto things.
Cyberpunk was okay. Steampunk and Dieselpunk were both passable. And then came Dreampunk, Raypunk, Atompunk, Solarpunk, Seapunk, Aetherpunk, Biopunk, Mythpunk, Crustpunk, Rocketpunk, Dungeonpunk, Rockpunk, Forestpunk, Frostpunk, Clockpunk, Formicapunk, and on and on. I have heard people say they want to define the next 'punk' that catches on so that they can be famous for inventing a fandom community.

As someone who was a punk (musically) and cyberpunk (literary) it's kind of gone to complete crap.
Punk HAD a meaning...

I’m calling dibs on Muppetpunk.

thevintagegm wrote:
My particular gear grinding occurs when (American) folk seem to need to add "-gate" as the suffix to any sort of scandal or controversy, real or imagined.
Gamergate. Slapgate. Climategate. Bananagate. Bibigate (1 and 2!!) Elbowgate. Buttergate. Pizzagate. The list is huge.

And along those lines the need for fandom to weld the suffix "-punk" onto things.
Cyberpunk was okay. Steampunk and Dieselpunk were both passable. And then came Dreampunk, Raypunk, Atompunk, Solarpunk, Seapunk, Aetherpunk, Biopunk, Mythpunk, Crustpunk, Rocketpunk, Dungeonpunk, Rockpunk, Forestpunk, Frostpunk, Clockpunk, Formicapunk, and on and on. I have heard people say they want to define the next 'punk' that catches on so that they can be famous for inventing a fandom community.

As someone who was a punk (musically) and cyberpunk (literary) it's kind of gone to complete crap.
Punk HAD a meaning...

Sounds like Punkgate to me.

It's an interesting list. Raypunk would be like The Jetsons and Fallout crosses into, but is also Atompunk (and possibly the best example?) while The Jetsons is clearly not Atompunk at all. Formicapunk is probably better known as Cassette Futurism...and Star Trek TOS actually fits in there (along with Raypunk). The terminology sucks, but a lot of it feels like it's trying to define science fiction through the ages.

Is the new Fantastic Four atompunk?

Same with Goth.

Mind you, I’ve long been baffled and division and subdivision and subdivision of often subculture/counter culture stuff.

 bullisariuscowl wrote:
'Erm, he's OBVIOUSLY compensating for something! Hee-hee!'

When someone says this about someone owning a larger automobile, they aren't being 'funny' or 'edgy' they're just self-reporting the fact they think of the size of stranger's 'lascannon' when they see a car. It's just unnecessarily insulting too, where did this idea/phrase come from? It's so weird, I swear.

It's a common phrase in the UK, too. It'll be a follow-on from big or expensive cars being seen as P-extensions.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Is the new Fantastic Four atompunk?

I'd say so.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Same with Goth.

Mind you, I’ve long been baffled and division and subdivision and subdivision of often subculture/counter culture stuff.

Yeah, Goth be that way. I've seen guides to the "twenty four types of Goth" and it's all based on how you style your black clothing.

It's also like music - how MANY subgenres can we slice it into?

A more general one. Fandom/Gossip Column nicknames for celebrities.

It’s just creepy to me. I mean, I get any fandom is going to have a parasocial relationship, that’s what fandom is as its core.

But giving nicknames suggests a familiarity and even intimacy that just isn’t there.

 bullisariuscowl wrote:
'Erm, he's OBVIOUSLY compensating for something! Hee-hee!'

When someone says this about someone owning a larger automobile, they aren't being 'funny' or 'edgy' they're just self-reporting the fact they think of the size of stranger's 'lascannon' when they see a car. It's just unnecessarily insulting too, where did this idea/phrase come from? It's so weird, I swear.

Look, nobody owns a Cybertruck because of the truck itself... Same thing with the original Hummers.

Obviously.

Stop saying obviously when you’re explaining something to me. Especially when you’re detailing the events you’re wanting me to consider as part of my investigation.

If it was obvious, I wouldn’t be asking now, would I? And entirely new information (such as what your complaint points are) are not obvious to me at this stage.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Would that be Filip Zeba?

Are you a Googledebunker?

Indeed

Blew my mind he unironically admitted to doing no real research for any of his videos and seemed completely oblivious to how much that said about him. I was mildly annoyed Milo didn't call him out on that flatly, and go on an elaboration of how incredibly time consuming real dedicated research is and bragging about 'a whole hour' isn't even rookie numbers. An hour is 'basically no research at all' numbers.

*top secret Miniminuteman Gang hand signal and raising of non-specified trouser leg to non-specified secret height*

trexmeyer wrote:

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Is the new Fantastic Four atompunk?

I'd say so.

I've heard it called retrofuture but that could be the same as atompunk for all I know. You dang kids and your genre slang.

Is atompunk supposed to be 50s futurist aesthetics (like Fallout?).

Pretty sure it’s “lazy boring media slag slang” for anything they can’t be arse to properly describe.

Even worse, when it’s used to praise something they’re told they’re meant to praise, whilst not knowing a jot about *why* it’s praiseworthy.

I apologize in advance to my vegan friends, but...

"It tastes just like [insert food product I like here]."

No. No it doesn't. It doesn't taste like a regular egg. It doesn't taste like regular milk. And for 's sake it it doesn't taste like like a hot fudge sundae.

 LordofHats wrote:
Is atompunk supposed to be 50s futurist aesthetics (like Fallout?).

Yep, that's the prime example.

I like the term Cyberpunk, but the rest are a bit bunk. Calling them Cyberpunk derivatives seems odd when a defining characteristic of Cyberpunk is 'high tech, low life."

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
I apologize in advance to my vegan friends, but...

"It tastes just like [insert food product I like here]."

No. No it doesn't. It doesn't taste like a regular egg. It doesn't taste like regular milk. And for 's sake it it doesn't taste like like a hot fudge sundae.

Go easy on them. They just forgot what the real thing tastes like!

 warboss wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
I apologize in advance to my vegan friends, but...

"It tastes just like [insert food product I like here]."

No. No it doesn't. It doesn't taste like a regular egg. It doesn't taste like regular milk. And for 's sake it it doesn't taste like like a hot fudge sundae.

Go easy on them. They just forgot what the real thing tastes like!

Look, there's no such thing as a vegan hot dog, or vegan turkey, or what have you. If you want something that looks and tastes like a hot dog, eat a fething hot dog.

It’s like a Vegetarian Haggis.

A Haggis is defined by its offal. I’m sure the veggie version has every chance of being a tasty meal, but please don’t call it a Haggis. Because it’s not. At all.

Heck, I’m actually quite partial to meat alternatives. Quorn used to do absolutely delicious lemon pepper escalopes, and I’ve have those regularly. And I appreciate for those looking to vary their diet and/or reduce their meat consumption it’s a handy guide to what’s roughly analogous. But it can do too far.

One the one hand I get the annoyance, on the other there are well documented individual and environmental benefits to eating less meat, and change is hard. Especially going against thousands of years of genetically and societally programmed norms.

Let those that choose to change use a little crutch of terminology in their journey. Also if they didn't use those terms, then they would have to come up with a totally new set of terminology that would act as a barrier to understanding. Much easier to say "veggie haggis" and have everyone understand what you are talking about, rather than "plant-based boilable membrane-contained meal core" or whatever.

trexmeyer wrote:

 bullisariuscowl wrote:
'Erm, he's OBVIOUSLY compensating for something! Hee-hee!'

When someone says this about someone owning a larger automobile, they aren't being 'funny' or 'edgy' they're just self-reporting the fact they think of the size of stranger's 'lascannon' when they see a car. It's just unnecessarily insulting too, where did this idea/phrase come from? It's so weird, I swear.

I'm American, so I wouldn't comment on German culture that I know nothing about.

That’s fair, but quite close-minded. I wasn’t even commenting on us culture, just an odd joke I noticed. No need to be miserable, my friend.

I had no idea how much traction whateverpunk gained. Now I'm afraid to look up the etymology of punk to see if it even makes sense to stick it to other words like that.

 Albertorius wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Eh, I chalk up ATM Machine and DC Comics to stuff like River Ouse, Mount Fuji etc, which respectively mean River River, and Mount Mount.

Guessing you mean Fujiyama here instead of Fuji. Yama means Mount, Fuji is a name ^^

To the best of my knowledge it's fujisan. The kanji yama (mountain) is pronounced san (or zan depending on the previous syllable) in compound words. For English, Mount Fuji is correct.

Only pronouncing half a word- inspo, for example. Always sends a shudder down my tolerance levels.

trexmeyer wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:
Is atompunk supposed to be 50s futurist aesthetics (like Fallout?).

Yep, that's the prime example.

I like the term Cyberpunk, but the rest are a bit bunk. Calling them Cyberpunk derivatives seems odd when a defining characteristic of Cyberpunk is 'high tech, low life."

That was my understanding of all 'punk.' Steampunk. Dungeonpunk. Etc. 'High tech' but stories focused on more mundane day-to-day living rather than the fate of the world and big damn heroes. I suppose a 50s retrotech thing could work for that too, but I'd never heard of the term before.

Thanks to endless joys of my alliance with the Abominable Intelligence known as ChatGPT, we have coined the cool subversive group who we (that includes you) belong to:

Forumpunk

You're welcome.

any of those British sayings like innit or other crap, and calling fries chips, it's confusing, I don't know where chips came out fries, and bloody sounds soft ngl, but I will say prawn isn't half bad of a word. But barbie is weird when talking about barbeque. Also the plurals of word, they should be called meese and a shoop

Ah yes. Good old fashioned American “excellence” on display there.

 JNAProductions wrote:
Ah yes. Good old fashioned American “excellence” on display there.

Yeah, I feel like I need to apologize to the world for that one... ::pokes the 'Ignore' button::

There is a pantheon of swears. And many words inhabit different levels of said pantheon.

It all depends upon the context, pronunciation and vocal tone.

Bloody is a handy word, as it’s typically inoffensive.

At least we don’t go around substituting “damn”. Now that’s a silly swear to begin with, making its substitution and censorship really bloody silly.

 BagMan wrote:
any of those British sayings like innit or other crap, and calling fries chips, it's confusing, chips where made in MERICA (cant take my freedom of religion away) and bloody is a pussy version of fething, y'all say, "You bloody brit," while we say, "You fething brit." See what I mean?

Young man, until the world starts calling it American and not English, I'm afraid we call the shots.

 BagMan wrote:
any of those British sayings like innit or other crap, and calling fries chips, it's confusing, chips where made in MERICA (cant take my freedom of religion away)

See us calling only French Fries fries means that we can separate them from chunkier thicker chips.
We also call crisps crisps not chips

Also we get to have cookies AND biscuits and have them be separate things entirely.

Three more phrases to toss out the proverbial airlock.

1. Totes If I can go the rest of my existence without hearing this, I'll be happy.

2. I know what I'm doing. Usually said by someone who is about to show you that they have no idea what they're doing.

3. Irregardless I'm not even sure this is a real word.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
3. Irregardless I'm not even sure this is a real word.

It sees use and its meaning is commonly understood. That's as real as a word can get, irregardless of your feelings about it.

 Geifer wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
3. Irregardless I'm not even sure this is a real word.

It sees use and its meaning is commonly understood. That's as real as a word can get, irregardless of your feelings about it.

But that totes describes most of the words/phrases here. It’s not they don’t work to convey meaning, it’s just the way they do it pisses off us old foks.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
3. Irregardless I'm not even sure this is a real word.

Narrator Voice: It is not.

 BorderCountess wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
3. Irregardless I'm not even sure this is a real word.

Narrator Voice: It is not.

Sadly, it is, and has been since the late 1700s.

It's stupid, but widespread usage is ultimately what defines a word, and it fits.

Chalk it up to the vagaries of a language that is ultimately just three different other languages in a trenchcoat, further complicated by regional peculiarities. Like 'nonplussed' having two completely different meanings depending on where you are from, or 'sanguine' having two completely different meanings regardless of where you are from.

On second thought, let's not speak English. 'Tis a silly tongue.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
There is a pantheon of swears. And many words inhabit different levels of said pantheon.

It all depends upon the context, pronunciation and vocal tone.

Bloody is a handy word, as it’s typically inoffensive.

At least we don’t go around substituting “damn”. Now that’s a silly swear to begin with, making its substitution and censorship really bloody silly.

And then there are the parts of Scotland where the rather more offensive word beginning with C is used widely as a term of endearment, and in some cases punctuation

 Flinty wrote:


And then there are the parts of Scotland where the rather more offensive word beginning with C is used widely as a term of endearment, and in some cases punctuation

Some parts of Oz as well. Particularly country areas in North Queensland.

Unfortunately. as long as there are "ma goats" there will always be "totes".

 insaniak wrote:
Some parts of Oz as well. Particularly country areas in North Queensland.

I initially thought this was in reference to The Land of Oz from the book series.

I mean, the munchkins were famously terrible, off -camera...

How could I forget the word "normies"?

 Ahtman wrote:
How could I forget the word "normies"?

Like, oh my gosh, I can’t even! Seriously, that idea is, like, totally bogus. I mean, who even thought that was a good plan? It’s, like, as if someone just took a big ol’ slice of cheese and slapped it on a pizza that’s already, like, way too cheesy.

I’m not trying to be a total downer, but that’s, like, so not happening. It’s, like, way more lame than a pair of acid-wash jeans at a fashion show. I’d rather watch paint dry, you know?

And, like, no offense, but that’s about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I mean, for real! Let’s just, like, hit the pause button on that one and, like, go grab a smoothie or something instead.

So, like, let’s not and say we did, okay? Catch you on the flip side! ✌️

Same category as people who use 'sheeple' unironically. I don't think I've ever seen the word 'sheeple' invoked by someone with an iota of an original thought.

 Ahtman wrote:
How could I forget the word "normies"?

I think normies is a strange one, because there's definitely grounds for a word that has the rough meaning of "people who aren't part of 'X' group, and probably therefore have different outlooks and experiences". I'm very guilty of using "civvies" when talking with mates, and I've noticed it's quite prevalent among emergency services, medical staff, defence servicemen, ect.

It's not like it's always used without a bias, or edge, either, it can definitely be derogative.

But yeah, normies also bothers me, it comes across as juvenile and edgy ? but then I've got to compare that to my using civvies and wondering if it's really that different.

 JNAProductions wrote:
Ah yes. Good old fashioned American “excellence” on display there.

My bad left my half finished comment open for my friend to mess with, but who came up with chips from fries anyways?

Not a spoken one, but one thing that drives me crazy is when people use the word "loose" instead of "lose". You don't loose a game when you don't win, you lose it. Honestly seeing people get that wrong makes me want to lose it! And it happens here on Dakka ALL THE GODDAMN TIME!

Seriously, definition time:
loose: to set free, to release from bondage/servitude
lose: to misplace, to not win

GET IT RIGHT YOU MEATHEADS! THAT IS ALL!

See us calling only French Fries fries means that we can separate them from chunkier thicker chips.
We also call crisps crisps not chips

Also we get to have cookies AND biscuits and have them be separate things entirely.

Under British parlance, fries are a subset of chips. Therefore it’s entirely logical that anyone having fries with their fish is also having fish and chips. Fish and fries (and the reverse) sounds weird to my ear with its semi alliteration, so I’m not surprised by its lack of use.

While plain rich teas can be a bit bland, we also have caramel chocolate digestives, if you want a whole days worth of sugar in a single biscuit

And a Bourbon. And the Custard Cream. Dark Chocolate McVities Digestives are divine.

Also?

Sunday Roast. Not just an amazing meal, but a highly sociable one. Soon as I get my own home with a kitchen that’s not all wee and pokey? I’m having my friends over for a big ol’ Sunday roast.

Game, set and match.

 Ahtman wrote:
How could I forget the word "normies"?

Would you prefer 'muggles'?

I would.

As someone that’s been a lifelong geeky weirdo (the good weirdo. Not the follow people around whilst breathing heavily weirdo), Muggle is a handy pop culture reference for people who watch tripe like Love Island.

At least…a useful non-swear word I can use.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I would.

As someone that’s been a lifelong geeky weirdo (the good weirdo. Not the follow people around whilst breathing heavily weirdo), Muggle is a handy pop culture reference for people who watch tripe like Love Island.

At least…a useful non-swear word I can use.

I'd be reluctant to use a word coined by JK Rowling due to her atrocious views.

 JNAProductions wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I would.

As someone that’s been a lifelong geeky weirdo (the good weirdo. Not the follow people around whilst breathing heavily weirdo), Muggle is a handy pop culture reference for people who watch tripe like Love Island.

At least…a useful non-swear word I can use.

I'd be reluctant to use a word coined by JK Rowling due to her atrocious views.

I'm actually with you on this - it just happened to be something I was fairly sure most people would know.

Eh, it’s a useful way to show my disdain for her horrific views.

She may have invented the word (or pinched it from somewhere), but she doesn’t own it.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Eh, it’s a useful way to show my disdain for her horrific views.

She may have invented the word (or pinched it from somewhere), but she doesn’t own it.

Fair. I don't view it quite the same way, but your viewpoint is entirely reasonable.

 Farseer Anath'lan wrote:

 Ahtman wrote:
How could I forget the word "normies"?

I think normies is a strange one, because there's definitely grounds for a word that has the rough meaning of "people who aren't part of 'X' group, and probably therefore have different outlooks and experiences". I'm very guilty of using "civvies" when talking with mates, and I've noticed it's quite prevalent among emergency services, medical staff, defence servicemen, ect.

It's not like it's always used without a bias, or edge, either, it can definitely be derogative.

But yeah, normies also bothers me, it comes across as juvenile and edgy ? but then I've got to compare that to my using civvies and wondering if it's really that different.

Civvies I’d say is contextual enough to generally be benign.

For instance, my friend has been a Paramedic for at least 20 years. Might be 25. She’s seen and done things as a result I can’t imagine. So there, as with military, police, fire etc, can simply mean “people who we wouldn’t expect to understand, as they’ve never had the relevant experience”.

I could use that too, as when it comes to certain areas of banking, I’ve an unusual level of knowledge from my job. But I use “spods” as a shorthand for the same thing. Not in official correspondence, obvs.