improper/overused/misused words

[quasimodo1]

We all have a linguistic hang-up or some piece of vernacular or slang that annoys us, yes? My particular and probably somewhat neurotic problem is the misuse/overuse of the word "whatever". Is it not a lazy-minded device to avoid supplying particular information in a conversation? Is it a way to avoid extrapolation or explanation? Can you imagine Sidney Greenstreet or Patrick Henry or JFK or a senator or congressperson or judge using the expression in any context? It is ok once in a while but when communication is required...it is not helpful. If it is to blow someone off...then let us me more creative. My next complaint about language will be "the rant". RJS

[Schokokeks]

My particular and probably somewhat neurotic problem is the misuse/overuse of the word "whatever".
I like have a professor who like kind of tends to kind of like use the words like and kind of in like kind of like every kind of sentence, which kind of is something I kind of like find kind of annoying :rolleyes: :D.

[Shalot]

I like have a professor who like kind of tends to kind of like use the words like and kind of in like kind of like every kind of sentence, which kind of is something I kind of like find kind of annoying :rolleyes: :D.


I do this alot when I speak, mainly out of nervousness. And when I type here on litnet I mispunctuate a lot, mostly out of laziness.

[Idril]

And when I type here on litnet I mispunctuate a lot, mostly out of laziness.


Punctuation is very real problem for me, I tend to use commas when I should use periods. :rolleyes: :blush:

[papayahed]

Punctuation is very real problem for me, I tend to use commas when I should use periods. :rolleyes: :blush:


Me too!!! I have absolutely no idea how to punctuate properly. I also try not to end sentences with a preposition, sometime it's proves to difficult and do it anyways.




It bugs me when people say "fur" instead of "for".

[Schokokeks]

I don't find inexact punctuation that much of an issue. After all, you speak more than you write ;).

Coming back to words, I've often caught myself overusing the word already. Though one of my teachers told me that this is a German phenomenon :D.

[Whifflingpin]

I detest the prevailing use of "they" as a singular pronoun. It signifies a pathetic capitulation to political correctness.

[Schokokeks]

I detest the prevailing use of "they" as a singular pronoun.
Hm, I'm not sure I understand. Could you give an example ?

[Shalot]

Hm, I'm not sure I understand. Could you give an example ?

When one burps at the dinner table, he/she should say excuse me.

or

When one burps at the dinner table, they should say excuse me.

Another example:

When a doctor finishes an examination he should wash his hands with warm water and soap for 15 minutes and use a hand sanitizer if his hands become visibly soiled.

In the above sentence, someone reading it could get offended and think that the writer is implying that of course the doctor is male because females can't possibly be doctors. To write a sentence like that is to imply that females work as secretaries and teachers and nurses but never doctors, and that men are superior to women...

So to remedy this, some say it is okay to say they instead of he especially if the sentence or paragraph requires many he/she or his/her constructions.

Me personally, I think it's a judgement call, and my examples are kind of bad. Maybe someone else could help me out.

[Schokokeks]

All right, I think I got it, thanks :).

There's a similar hype in German where there are 2 forms for each noun, one female and one male (Studenten: male students, Studentinnen: female students). In order to avoid having to write both forms in official letter to keep up political correctness, my university has now taken to replace these plural nouns with Studierende, "those studying" (male and female in one word, and impersonal :rolleyes:).

[Whifflingpin]

"If anyone does not understand, would they please ask?"

I wish you had not made me write that :sick:

"Anyone" is singular ("any one" in fact.)
The verb "does" is singular, to go with "anyone."

But then, in the example, comes "they."

"They" used to be the plural pronoun.

Before political correctness spread its vile corruption, people used "he" as the singular pronoun wherever masculine and feminine were implied. For example "If anyone does not understand, would he please ask?" In that sentence, females as well as males are invited to ask, if they do not understand.

Now, however, most people tend to use the plural "they," "their" etc., to avoid causing some mythical offence of addressing females as "he."

Now, I do not mind that language usage changes over time, but I do think that political correctness is a mental corruption and a subversion of rational thought, and I detest this particular language shift because it is emblematic of the general decline in blah blah mutter mutter - senile old fuddyfoolpotlobble

[Schokokeks]

"If anyone does not understand, would they please ask?"
That really sounds dreadful. But seeing that I spontaneously would have said "If anyone does not understand, would you please ask?", I glad to see I'm not corrupted yet :D.

[kathycf]

At the risk of sounding like a cranky ogress, I really loathe internet slang taking the place of "proper" language. I understand many of these abbreviations and slang terms may be more at home with an instant messaging program, but do they really have a place on a forum? I really get cranky when I see an overabundance of abbreviations and slang.



OMGWTFBBQ!

I totally hxored n pwned you all so omg lol rofl bbq n00bs cause im l33t...

:sick: :sick: :lol:

[Adudaewen]

At the risk of sounding like a cranky ogress, I really loathe internet slang taking the place of "proper" language. I understand many of these abbreviations and slang terms may be more at home with an instant messaging program, but do they really have a place on a forum? I really get cranky when I see an overabundance of abbreviations and slang.

I agree totally Kathy. It takes far too much brain power for me to try figuring out what the heck they mean.

My biggest pet peeve is people who either use an abundance of swear words, or misuse them. The English language is ripe with a variety of wonderful exclamations and adjectives to describe whatever someone wishes. There are instances when swear words are tolerable. For instance, if you are facing a possible headon collision, its understandable that "Holy cow" or "Oh, golly" probably won't acurately describe your feelings at that time. However if you're going to swear, do it properly, for Webster's sake! For the sake of honesty, I'll admit I struggle with swearing from time to time. I do strive, however, to use them correctly. :)

[Kaltrina]

That really sounds dreadful. But seeing that I spontaneously would have said "If anyone does not understand, would you please ask?"

Yeah I agree with, I would use that too. And usually when I am writing a text then I use he/she when uncertain, and I really do hate when "they" is used in singular... as Whifflingpin already said They used to be a plural pronoun.


At the risk of sounding like a cranky ogress, I really loathe internet slang taking the place of "proper" language. I understand many of these abbreviations and slang terms may be more at home with an instant messaging program, but do they really have a place on a forum? I really get cranky when I see an overabundance of abbreviations and slang.

and I really hate when people use abbreviations... you can use abbreviations when talking with friends you know really well, but not with people you talk on a forum, that's really annoying...

[starbuck]

my professor does this annoying: "Do you follow me" and a long drawn out "ok" and i hate people who talk super fast and cant uderstand what they just said. :flare:

[Shalot]

I had a literature prof who kept saying "And what does that mean?" with particular emphasis on the word mean. It didn't really get on my nerves so much as did amuse me because he had a hand gesture that went with it, kind of like he was holding up a pinch of salt for all of us to see. But he was a nice man, so I let it pass. He was truly interested in the material and enthusiastic and that counts for a lot...

[Kaltrina]

I had a professor of literature who used to leave his words half said, like in primary school when a teacher starts a word and is waiting for his children to finish it.... he used to do that a lot, but the problem is that he wasn't waiting for anyone to finish the word, he was just doing that...... it was so annoying... no one could follow what he was saying, we were all almost sleeping... :rolleyes:

what I also do hate a lot is when people talk and whenever they feel like they have said something interesting they stop and wait for a reaction, but that "stop" lasts too long which makes me feel very uncomfortable...

[Adudaewen]

what I also do hate a lot is when people talk and whenever they feel like they have said something interesting they stop and wait for a reaction, but that "stop" lasts too long which makes me feel very uncomfortable...

Oh, I hate that too. I really hate it when people say "Guess what?" and actually wait for you to say "What?" before they go on. Drives me nuts. Can't you see the universal sign for what? is a raised eyebrow! Does that not demonstrate my interest adequately enough?! Don't make me say "What?" !

[Kaltrina]

Oh, I hate that too. I really hate it when people say "Guess what?" and actually wait for you to say "What?" before they go on. Drives me nuts. Can't you see the universal sign for what? is a raised eyebrow! Does that not demonstrate my interest adequately enough?! Don't make me say "What?" !

lol totally agree....... :lol:

[papayahed]

As someone mentioned above I really dislike the use of those email abbreviations or when something is spelled out phonetically. A grown man should never use "Kewl" in an email.

[jab]

Two phrases bother me when I'm feeling peevish already: "over exaggerated" seems redundant, and the phrase "I could care less" probably should be "I couldn't care less" if one is expressing disinterest!

As to the "they" problem, I'm OK with using "he" as a gender-neutral pronoun.
However, if some parties are unchangeably and deeply offended with use of this word, I would be open to a novel approach: invent a nominative, singular neuter pronoun. How about "id", the Latin version?

Perhaps you've noticed in the previous sentence that I'm part of the swelling revolution to rewrite the rules governing the placement of juxtaposed punctuation and quotation marks. There are many, many times when logically the punctuation should come after a quote, is there not?!

[Shalot]

As to the "they" problem, I'm OK with using "he" as a gender-neutral pronoun.
However, if some parties are unchangeably and deeply offended with use of this word, I would be open to a novel approach: invent a nominative, singular neuter pronoun. How about "id", the Latin version?

Perhaps you've noticed in the previous sentence that I'm part of the swelling revolution to rewrite the rules governing the placement of juxtaposed punctuation and quotation marks. There are many, many times when logically the punctuation should come after a quote, is there not?!


Isn't that one of the differences between American and British punctuation? Correct me if I'm wrong (heck, I probably am)! I agree with you there because a lot times I want to put the period on the outside of what's in quotes because logically, it should go there in some instances. I need to get consult my style manual...be back later!

[jab]

Just thinking it may be true that British folk may use punctuation more logically that we Americans do makes be feel lovingly about my linguistic progenitors across the pond.

Do report back on your findings.

[Pensive]

As someone mentioned above I really dislike the use of those email abbreviations or when something is spelled out phonetically. A grown man should never use "Kewl" in an email.

Yes, it is troublesome to read "fi9" instead of "fine". Other than these email abbreviations, I don't have problem with anything special when it comes to "improper, overused, misused words". Well, slang language gives me a hard time, too. So does the use of idioms at the places where they ought not to be used.

[kathycf]

Yes, it is troublesome to read "fi9" instead of "fine". Other than these email abbreviations, I don't have problem with anything special when it comes to "improper, overused, misused words". Well, slang language gives me a hard time, too. So does the use of idioms at the places where they ought not to be used.
This is the reason that I think slang and instant message type abbreviations should be avoided in a forum, especially one devoted to reading, and one with members from all across the world-- non native English speakers and native English speakers alike.

I tend to assume people that like to read enjoy and respect language and when I see constant abbreviations (which are to be fair, pretty benign....but annoy the heck out of me anyway) it makes me wonder if it is so very difficult to simply spell a word out in it's entirety.

I may be off the wall here, but given that one can type one's post and edit the post at leisure there is no reason to rush in with abbreviations. Such abbreviations certainly have their place in instant messaging and or chatrooms when time is more of a factor but a forum? I don't think they are needed here. Take this as a gentle plea to stop using those darn abbreviations! :lol:

[robert Innes]

Yes, whatever. lol

[Shalot]

Just thinking it may be true that British folk may use punctuation more logically that we Americans do makes be feel lovingly about my linguistic progenitors across the pond.

Do report back on your findings.

It is the difference between British and American English. See here:

http://www.betterwritingskills.com/articles/quotation-marks.txt

:)

(after reading that, my head hurts!)

[byquist]

"Nowadays" is much in vogue nowadays.