One Word or Phrase Too Many in English Language

[Mistermoonlight]

All of you writers and writer wannabe's know there is one magazine that stands at the pinnacle of success here in the States, and that is the venerable New Yorker.

They have decided that there is one word too many in the English language, and we need to eliminate it forever.

I'm willing to expand that a little further. Let's say one word, or one phrase that needs to be permanently deep-sixed.

My phrase is 'at the end of the day.'

"At the end of the day, it's pretty clear that thermonuclear war is the only option."

Do you really need 'at the end of the day' to buttress up your conclusion? I think not. Be a man (or woman). State it.

My other pick is from rap/urban music, and it's the diminutive name given to females, 'shorty.' Women come in all sizes and heights. And most of them could probably kick your butt, buddy, in more ways than you'll ever know. Start calling yourself 'shorty' and see how that plays out.

Others?

[Aeryn]

There is no apostrophe in the plural form of "wannabe."

[Mistermoonlight]

You're right! There's no attachment, there's no contraction, so the apostrophe must die!

Thanks, Aeryn. That would probably be enough to insure I never got into The New Yorker.

Please mentally substitute 'wannabes' for wannabe's. I know what my hesitation was. Without the apostrophe it kinda looks like 'wanna-bess.

[Aeryn]

[Mistermoonlight]

Ok, here's one of my pet peeves. I've written numerous movie and play reviews, and, back when I was working at a university, I couldn't believe how many students got their reviews published in the school newspaper using the phrase 'it could have been better.'

Now, mind you, that phrase wasn't issued to launch into any of myriad ways the production was lacking. It was just a shortcut, giving no depth at all. It was offered as a way of not having to go into any detail, or do any critical thinking.

On those reviews I wanted to write 'couldn't have been worse.'

[SoCal]

My writing teacher (freshman year of college) really hated it when students wrote, "in my opinion" in their papers. He said...."Well, since you're writing it, I suppose IT IS your opinion. Whose else would it be?"

He also hated the way the word "system" had been incorporated into so many phrases: An unique bathroom fragrance system, for instance. Everything became part of a system! He hated that.

The current one I hate, loathe and despise is : "It is what it is." [glow=red,2,300]WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN???[/glow]

[Mistermoonlight]

Apr 30, 2012 20:09:39 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

There is no apostrophe in the plural form of "wannabe."

You are so right. All it takes is a second look to see that neither 'wannabe's' or 'wannabes' look right, and now that I search I find there is no agreement on the issue.

[SoCal]

"I am not a happy camper."

Jaysus!

[AntiArbitrator]

Jun 23, 2012 19:05:04 GMT -5 SoCal said:

"I am not a happy camper."

Jaysus!

If laughter is the best medicine, it is no wonder I feel so healthy. >Jaysus!<

[Mistermoonlight]

Jun 23, 2012 18:51:23 GMT -5 SoCal said:

My writing teacher (freshman year of college) really hated it when students wrote, "in my opinion" in their papers. He said...."Well, since you're writing it, I suppose IT IS your opinion. Whose else would it be?"

He also hated the way the word "system" had been incoporated into so many phrases: An unique bathroom fragrance system, for instance. Everything became part of a system! He hated that.

The current one I hate, loathe and despise is : "It is what it is." [glow=red,2,300]WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN???[/glow]

Your teacher was right. Get those foul superfluous words out of your writing system!

"It is what it is" says nothing, and the folks who think God is aptly described as "I am that I am" should look at Popeye the Sailor Man who used another more expansive phrase that said nothing at all, "I am what I am and I ain't what I ain't." I much prefer the urban 70s greeting, "What it is, brother?" At least they're asking a question there.

But in terms of characterizing a not-too-bright character who's trying to sound profound, "it is what it is" might be just the thing, like, ya know?

[SoCal]

Jun 23, 2012 19:08:53 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Jun 23, 2012 19:05:04 GMT -5 SoCal said:

"I am not a happy camper."

Jaysus!

If laughter is the best medicine, it is no wonder I feel so healthy. >Jaysus!<

That's from my Irish grandmother...."If I say it with that inflection, it's not blasphemous." At least that's what my father says she said, since I was only 4 when she passed.

How about "there's an 'app' for that'?"

[Mistermoonlight]

Question: does one ever want to 'spearhead' a project?

I think not.

[SoCal]

Better to be a "spearhead" than a "spearcatcher."

Wardrobe malfunction.....those two words just do not belong together.

[Mistermoonlight]

The weird thing about that one is that it either makes you sound like a robot, or like your clothes are a function of higher mathematics, which could get interesting once you broach the subject of imaginary numbers.

[SoCal]

Any word with "licious" added to it: booty-; jersey-, etc.

[Mistermoonlight]

Jun 23, 2012 19:36:49 GMT -5 SoCal said:

Any word with "liscious" added to it: booty-; jersey-, etc.

Amen to that. And can we say that unless you're an actual pirate, or KC, of the Sunshine Band, that 'booty' is verboten as well?

[SoCal]

Agreed, although I must point out that at least THEIR booty was covered up.

Can we also restrict the use of the word "seriously?" As is, "Seriously. Seriously? Seriously!"

[Aeryn]

What does "incoporated" mean, SoCal?

[SoCal]

Oops. I misspelled. Fixed.

[SoCal]

"That's what she said."

[Bats]

"like"

Except:

I like you.
I like candy.

[spoonieluv247]

the most abused phrase lately is "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!" used to show excitement....

horrible pronoun abuse. 99% of the time, it is the first time the dope is even mentioning the item in question.

worst offender: DARRELL SHEETS on 'Storage Wars' at least once an episode. big sweaty man who doesn't belong on a tank-top....

images.wikia.com/storagewars/images/2/20/Darrell_Sheets.jpg [/img]

[Mistermoonlight]

Along with the above, anyone who uses the phrase 'Git-R-Done!' or has it printed on a t-shirt or vehicle should be prevented from reproducing.

[hammies revenge]

Jun 23, 2012 18:51:23 GMT -5 SoCal said:

The current one I hate, loathe and despise is : "It is what it is." [glow=red,2,300]WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN???[/glow]

It's repetitive. And redundant. It's repetitive. And redundant.

Alternatively,

"He's an important man, and you're acting like you're about to sell his spleen to UCLA."
"The procedures are the procedures --"
"Oh, REALLY? I thought the procedures were a hat! Hit me with some more lame tautology, Socrates."

[Mistermoonlight]

The Department of Redundancy Department thanks you for improving public awareness and knowledge of redundancy.

[davidhayes1956]

Kit and caboodle. No ... that's not it. There is a phrase "______ and ______" where the definition for one is the other and vice versa. Can't think of it now. Senior moments are getting longer and longer until they are no longer moments.

[ashley]

George Carlin did a monologue on this ill see if I can find it

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLKTFxA8ENU&feature=related

[KyleEl]

Jun 23, 2012 19:14:00 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

"It is what it is" says nothing, and the folks who think God is aptly described as "I am that I am" should look at Popeye the Sailor Man who used another more expansive phrase that said nothing at all, "I am what I am and I ain't what I ain't."

The correct quote is "I yam what I yam and 'at's all 'at I yam."

I still read the Popeye comic strip daily. Currently, Olive Oyl has inherited billions and driven Popeye away.

[KyleEl]

Jun 23, 2012 19:16:35 GMT -5 SoCal said:

How about "there's an 'app' for that'?"

Where I was last week, there were discussions and votes. each speaker for or against a topic was limited to three minutes. The bishop, who was in charge and in his 60s (I believe), said when explaining the limit that "there's an 'app' for that" because he was now using his phone to time speeches.

[spoonieluv247]

One phrase I love is "You too!!" when kids would be talking when they should be working, I would sneak up behind them. pretend I knew what they were saying, then proclaim, "YOU TOO!!!"


I think I invented a new swear word in Korea!