Annoying words, and Words You Hate

[Monika]

Uh huh, but i wouldn't call it an entry. I saw that but since the definition was a link to 'Object', it didn't seem as helpful as the other source I found (should have linked to it, sorry). I was already going on the assumption that it meant "to object" anyways so I'm not sure what your point in posting was.

The point is that "I guess "take exception" isn't an entry in an official dictionary" is wrong. It totally is an entry in an official dictionary.

[The Scyphozoa]

Adam H: I prefer language to be bland unless it's so generic it would cause confusion. For example, why would someone say, "They're re-paving the boulevard," when they could just say "street" or "road"?

Also, do you approve of an "issue" of a newspaoer, or do you prefer "edition"?

[Eebster the Great]

It seems like you are just screwing around with me.

I can't imagine where you got that idea.

[Adam H]

The point is that "I guess "take exception" isn't an entry in an official dictionary" is wrong. It totally is an entry in an official dictionary.

I disagree that your link was to an "entry". Anyways, it certainly doesn't matter. If it makes you happy, you win and my GUESS was wrong.

Adam H: I prefer language to be bland unless it's so generic it would cause confusion. For example, why would someone say, "They're re-paving the boulevard," when they could just say "street" or "road"?

Your example only works because no one uses boulevard in everyday conversation. A better example would be, "They're re-doing the road" rather than "they're re-paving the road", which irks the crap out of me.

Also, do you approve of an "issue" of a newspaoer, or do you prefer "edition"?

I have no problem with magazine/newspaper issue rather than edition. It has a precise meaning.

I can't imagine where you got that idea.

You ARE screwing around with me! Wait, are you speaking in a dry voice? Or indignant voice? I can't tell...

[Monika]

How could it possibly not be an entry?

[Anonymously Famous]

It looked like an entry to me, of the verb "take" and the phrase "take exception" under the umbrella of that entry.

[Eebster the Great]

You ARE screwing around with me! Wait, are you speaking in a dry voice? Or indignant voice? I can't tell...

I don't normally read my posts aloud, actually.

[gmalivuk]

Hating bland language is surely not weird, is it?

No, and if you've read much of the thread, you'll no doubt notice that few people take issue with a poster simply stating that they don't like a word because of its sound or its blandness or whatever. The issue people had with your complaint in particular was combining it with the claim that there's always better phrasing available, and then providing examples where you know better than the person speaking what they certainly mean. If you just stated your personal preference or aesthetic impressions of the word, it would have been a non-issue.

Also, I'm kind of disappointed that I wasn't able to work your other example into that paragraph, but that's a separate issue.

[Adam H]

How could it possibly not be an entry?

It looked like an entry to me, of the verb "take" and the phrase "take exception" under the umbrella of that entry.

I interpreted it as the entry was of the verb "take", and everything underneath it was examples of how to correctly use the word take. But anyways, your quibble is really annoying because I said "I GUESS (as in, I'm not claiming to know) 'take exception' isn't an entry in an official dictionary."

No, and if you've read much of the thread, you'll no doubt notice that few people take issue with a poster simply stating that they don't like a word because of its sound or its blandness or whatever. The issue people had with your complaint in particular was combining it with the claim that there's always better phrasing available, and then providing examples where you know better than the person speaking what they certainly mean. If you just stated your personal preference or aesthetic impressions of the word, it would have been a non-issue.

Also, I'm kind of disappointed that I wasn't able to work your other example into that paragraph, but that's a separate issue.

First, LOL.

Second, I DID notice that no one cared about any other word-hatred. That's why I was so taken aback by all the responses!

Third, my claim was that there is "almost always" a better phrasing. Please don't lie about what I said to make me look foolish.

Fourth, I should have made it clearer that my examples were not meant to be a pretentious "I know what you mean better than you do". I was giving examples of exactly which usages of "issue" I dislike - when I KNOW what the other person means, via context or simply me asking "I'm sorry, what do you mean when you say that?" By giving those examples, I hoped to avoid questions like, "what about when people say 'magazine issue', does that bug you?"

So surely this has been one big misunderstanding and now it's case closed and we can go back to discussing words like inflammable and eyeball.

[gmalivuk]

Second, I DID notice that no one cared about any other word-hatred. That's why I was so taken aback by all the responses!

If you read more of the thread, you'll see that in fact people do care about a number of other complaints like they have about yours. It's just that it's pretty much only and always those where someone claims to have some kind of objective or "logical" reason for their arbitrary aesthetic preference.

[Iulus Cofield]

This thread is only for irrational word hatred. As soon as you start the normal human process of rationalization, you are likely to be metaphorically tarred and feathered.

[Anonymously Famous]

I interpreted it as the entry was of the verb "take", and everything underneath it was examples of how to correctly use the word take. But anyways, your quibble is really annoying because I said "I GUESS (as in, I'm not claiming to know) 'take exception' isn't an entry in an official dictionary."

I realize that you were only guessing, but I find it funny how vehemently you argued that it wasn't an entry.

I dislike the words "anyways" and "quibble." "Anyways" because it's not correct standard usage and "quibble" because it sounds funny.

[Iulus Cofield]

I dislike the words "anyways" and "quibble." "Anyways" because it's not correct standard usage and "quibble" because it sounds funny.

Now you've done it.

[Anonymously Famous]

Would it help if I apologized in advance? It's just that sometimes it's hard for me to think of specific words that I find annoying until I see them used somewhere.

[gmalivuk]

I dislike the words "anyways" and "quibble." "Anyways" because it's not correct standard usage and "quibble" because it sounds funny.

Now you've done it.

No, because it's true that it's not standard usage, and sounding funny is a subjective aesthetic judgment. Nothing wrong with either of those.

We only tar and feather people if their rationalizations are not actually rational despite pretending to be.

[Adam H]

I dislike... "quibble" because it sounds funny.

What a grump!

I realize that you were only guessing, but I find it funny how vehemently you argued that it wasn't an entry.

Vehemently? Monika asked me how it was not an entry, so I answered quite calmly.

Uh huh, but i wouldn't call it an entry. I saw that but since the definition was a link to 'Object', it didn't seem as helpful as the other source I found (should have linked to it, sorry). I was already going on the assumption that it meant "to object" anyways so I'm not sure what your point in posting was.

I disagree that your link was to an "entry". Anyways, it certainly doesn't matter. If it makes you happy, you win and my GUESS was wrong.

Damn you all to hell. Issue is the suckiest word of all for the most rational reasons of all.

[Anonymously Famous]

Fine. It wasn't vehemently. "Vehemently" is a fun word to use, though (albeit an inaccurate word in this case).

[Iulus Cofield]

I dislike the phrase "Listen: Fuck you."

[Anonymously Famous]

I dislike curse words as a general rule, because their purpose is either to insult, demean or express extreme frustration or anger.

Can't we all just get along and be happy?

[TheGrammarBolshevik]

Curse words have other uses, as in phrases like "Holy shit!"

[Eebster the Great]

I dislike curse words as a general rule, because their purpose is either to insult, demean or express extreme frustration or anger.

Not in general. If I call a particular security "fucking fungible" or a new wine "piquant as shit," I certainly don't mean any of those things.

[Anonymously Famous]

Your points are well taken.

I still dislike them.

[Monika]

I dislike curse words as a general rule, because their purpose is either to insult, demean or express extreme frustration or anger.

And what is wrong with expressing extreme frustration or anger?

Can't we all just get along and be happy?

No, most certainly not.

[gmalivuk]

Can't we all just get along and be happy?

Listen: Fuck you.

[Anonymously Famous]

Well, that was a little unnecessary.

[Eebster the Great]

To be totally honest, "go fuck yourself" and "get fucked" are much kinder than most insults out there.

[gmalivuk]

Well, that was a little unnecessary.

Look, if people keep complaining about specific words or phrases that are then perfectly applicable to the very next post in the thread, I'm going to keep using said words or phrases in response to said posts.

[Gigano]

swaffelen

It's a Dutch verb, meaning "to waggle your (semi-erect) penis against someone else or against an object".

It got a lot of attention in the Dutch media, when a student from Rotterdam 'swaffled' his penis against the Taj Mahal and posted a video of it online. Of course, the student was suspended. But the worse part is that the word was elected "Word of the Year 2008". That is an annual award to highlight neologisms or expressions that have become quite popular in the recent year. And I hate it.

[Iulus Cofield]

That word is too hilarious to be real, and yet it is, much like choad, a word which annoys me to no end. I don't even believe choads are a thing in reality.

[Eebster the Great]

That word is too hilarious to be real, and yet it is, much like choad, a word which annoys me to no end. I don't even believe choads are a thing in reality.

As far as I can tell, the word was originally used (and is still sometimes used) as a more general synonym for "penis" before it obtained its more specific modern sense. And yes, they do really exist.

[emceng]

swaffelen

It's a Dutch verb, meaning "to waggle your (semi-erect) penis against someone else or against an object".

Holy crap, now that song makes sense! The guy isn't saying "Every day I'm shuffling". He's saying "Every day I'm swaffelen!"

[modularblues]

The definitive guide to English swear words...

[The Mockingbird]

Has anyone mentioned "Hubby" and "Mancave" yet?

[Eebster the Great]

Has anyone mentioned "Hubby" and "Mancave" yet?

Now that you have, I wish you hadn't.

[The Mockingbird]

The 22 year old producers* at cnn.com were using those words every couple of days for a while -- usually in the same story. I swear my blood pressure rose slightly everytime I saw them.

*educated guess by a former TV journalist

[ShootTheChicken]

I'm okay with Mancave. It's pretty descriptive - gets the job done well.

[Magnanimous]

Has anyone mentioned "Hubby" and "Mancave" yet?

Now that you have, I wish you hadn't.

Ditto.

[Lazar]

Has anyone mentioned "Hubby" and "Mancave" yet?

Now that you have, I wish you hadn't.

Ditto.

And equally so, "the wife".

[nasalhernia]

I hate the word facetious. I am not being facetious when I say this.

[Lazar]

I love that word. And I'm not being facetious either.