Stop Saying That
I don’t know what it is about people and phrases. I include myself in this rant by the way. We hear a word or phrase used once, think it sounds clever or cute and then use the same word or phrase to death! Can we all just stop saying these things?!
Here are the ones that stand out and annoy me the most at this time:
- That said
- Lol
- Seriously? Seriously.
- You know what I’m sayin’?
- Just so ya know
- No problem
- Awesome
- How good was ___?”
- Amazing
That said An awkward abbreviation of “That being said” or “Having said that”. Fine, but everyone is suddenly using this all the time. Whenever I hear this phrase, in my mind I hear that annoying beep beep beep sound that trucks make when they are backing up because I know that the person using the phrase is going to back up and take a different approach. They are changing lanes away from the first point they were making and going in a completely different direction. Ugh.
LOL Well I tried to persuade as many of you as I could to relax on using this waaaay over used acronym when I wrote the post Did You Really Laugh Out Loud? Instead many of you thought it even funnier to ramp up the use of it when texting or emailing me. I’ll be honest; I’m not laughing out loud – just cringing.
Seriously? This used to be a handy word when you truly weren’t sure if someone was serious or not, but these days it is so over used that people (read: me) even say it to themselves when they look in the mirror and realize their hair looks awful. Once upon a time if someone wasn’t sure if you were joking they would ask “are you serious?” and that often was shortened to “seriously?” but now you hear it thrown at everything from a comment somebody disagrees with to observing a fashion faux pas. When are we going to stop over using this word? Seriously!
You know what I’m sayin’ Yes, I know what you are saying. You are not saying anything really complicated, trust me, and if I didn’t know what you were saying I would stop you and ask you to explain yourself better. So you don’t need to ask me after every sentence that you utter. Seriously! (Oops)
Just so you know Usually said in a sarcastic way after telling someone something that they probably already know, or as Urban Dictionary explains it:
A phrase tacked on to the end of a statement to imply that the information being given is simply a courtesy, when in reality there are specific expectations of you now that you have this information.
What Danielle says to guy she’s been seeing: Oh, hey I deactivated my profile on the dating website, just so you know.
What Danielle REALLY means: You better take your dang profile off the dating website too….NOW!!!!
No Problem This one is very sad to me. Somehow people have dropped using the very polite “you’re welcome” and instead toss out a casual “no problem” after being thanked for something. It may be appropriate in some cases where you want to relay the fact that it really wasn’t a problem to, let’s say, switch appointments or something similar, but when the teenage cashier lazily pushes your change towards you and almost inaudibly says “no problem” or worse, “no prob” after you’ve said thank you, don’t you want to challenge them on it. “Are you sure it wasn’t a problem for you to give me back the change I was owed? Because it seemed to me like it took an incredible amount of effort on your part.” Good thing I don’t expect them to actually count out my change and place it in my open palm anymore.
Awesome It means inspiring awe. You cannot tell me that everything you see inspires awe. So unless you are Neil Pasricha and wrote The Book of Awesome, please stop saying everything you do, say, or see is awesome. I will admit that I love to use it sarcastically. For example, if I’m in a hurry and get trapped in bumper to bumper traffic, I’ve been known to utter “awesome”.
How good was ____? Here’s a better question: Are people afraid to make statements these days? Why not just say, “That banana split was delicious”, or “I really enjoyed the movie”. Has everyone lost the ability to make a declaration? It’s as if no one is confident enough to just say they like something without asking someone else “how” good it was first.
Amazing This one topped the Lake Superior State University 2012 List of Banished Words list and here are some comments from those that nominated it:
“Every talk show uses this word at least two times every five minutes. Hair is not ‘amazing.’ Shoes are not ‘amazing.’ There are any number of adjectives that are far more descriptive. I saw Martha Stewart use the word ‘amazing’ six times in the first five minutes of her television show. Help!” Martha Waszak, Lansing, Mich.
“Banish it for blatant overuse and incorrect use…to stop my head from exploding.” Paul Crutchfield, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
“The word which once aptly described the process of birth is now used to describe such trivial things as toast, or the color of a shirt.” JP, Comox, British Columbia, Canada
“Anderson Cooper used it three times recently in the opening 45 seconds of his program. My teeth grate, my hackles rise and even my dog is getting annoyed at this senseless overuse. I don’t even like ‘Amazing Grace’ anymore. Sarah Howley, Kalamazoo, Michigan
When people from Comox, BC to Kalamazoo, Michigan have had enough then maybe it’s time to retire the word “amazing” for awhile. Just sayin’ (Ooo that’s another one that should be on this list – next time.)
That said, I hope you LOL while reading this. Seriously. You know what I’m saying? Just so you know, it was no problem writing this awesome list. I mean, how good is this list?
Human Touch ~
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6 Comments
Jane
Bonnie when used at the right time.
Sounds like they all could be used when with a partner for the first time.
Lol (When you first see him naked)
Seriously? Seriously.( What he expects)
You know what I’m sayin’?( when trying to help him get ready)
Just so ya know(There are limits)
No problem ( when he can’t preform)
Awesome ( over the top)
How good was (That)___?”
Amazing ( how you found his performance)
Now maybe you will lmao when hearing these the next time.
Bonnie Johnson
I will Jane…especially imagining you saying them. 🙂
Tracy Westerholm
The more I get to know you the more I see where I came from…tee hee hee, and I thought it was Dad I took after more! You are the BEST MOM EVER! xoxooxo
Jules
I’m tired of people saying “I take things very serious.” instead of “I take things very seriousLY.” O.o
Dandy Sandy
Here are some more:
1) “reach out to”. Said mostly at work by people who attend lots of meetings. “Could you ‘reach out’ to the stakeholders to take their pulse on this ?. That would be a big help”.
2) ___ much ? As in “jealous much” ? “Angry much” ?
3) “not so much”. This crept in as a result of that Borat movie. for example “I like George Clooney. Brad Pitt ? Not so much.
4) “love, love, love” – This is used mostly in emails. “I love, love, love the latest “”. Sometimes the case is adjusted as a build up:
“I love, Love, LOVE …..”
5) “Namaste”. Once heard only in Yoga studios, now heard at work, in the aisles of grocery stores, and at lunch. Its okay to be an average person in a western culture. By the way saying Namaste doesn’t excuse later bad behavior.
Bonnie Johnson
Ha! All good ones to have banned! Along the same lines as over using “Namaste”…what’s with everyone bowing at each other like Monks. If you’re a Monk, fine, but if you’re not then STOP IT!