Researchers at Oxford University have compiled a list of the ten most annoying phrases in the English language. The phrases were monitored via a database called the Oxford University Corpus which keeps track of words being misused within books, magazines, the internet and the media.
The top ten are:
1 – At the end of the day
2 – Fairly unique
3 – I personally
4 – At this moment in time
5 – With all due respect
6 – Absolutely
7 – It’s a nightmare
8 – Shouldn’t of
9 – 24/7
10 – It’s not rocket science
My least favourite is ‘fairly unique’ which often causes me to shout at my television in outrage. Jeremy Butterfield, the author of a book about misused language Damp Squid, says that
“We grow tired of anything that is repeated too often – an anecdote, a joke, a mannerism – and the same seems to happen with some language.”
I have to agree. I once new someone who was unable to mutter a sentence without the use of at least one meaningless phrase such as ‘I’m not being funny but…’.
At the end of the day people literally, at this moment in time shouldn’t use these words 24/7. With all due respect It’s not rocket science.
Next time you are in a massive meeting or conference, set up a bingo chart. 1 thru 10 going up/down and speakers left/right. It’ll give you something to do while you listen to buzz-killing speakers that use these lame buzz-words.
“The reason is because…”
That one makes me crazy.
“Of late.”
What the heck is “of late”? Whatever happened to “Lately…”???
What’s going on with adverbs, anyway? The misuse and lack of adverbs is terrible.
Dislike the phrase ‘don’t mean to be rude, but’ then the person proceeds to be rude and thinks prefacing it makes rudeness OK.
‘Impact’ – used by those who cannot work out if it should be ‘effect’ or ‘affect’.