"CAN WE TALK..." ABOUT "ANNOYING EXPRESSIONS..." & WORDS ?

Being somewhat of a writer and lover of words, I was very interested 

on a recent night when a noted news commentator at the end of his 

show---in a semi-benevolently way, with some humor---but slightly

chapped---said: "There is one expression I hope I never hear again,

ever, in my life---it is 'at the end of the day.' "

I well-remember the first time I heard it...maybe twenty-five years 

ago and it was from a military Britisher, discussing an old 

campaign. I thought it was really a "cool" expression...at the time.

This news person set me to thinking of annoying expressions that

we today hear over and over, ad nauseum---ones that need to be

dumped. I made a quick list of my own frustrations in my Daily Lett's

of London Journal, which rests beside my Lazy Boy---for later 

reference...

But before I give you MY list, on a hunch I googled and found other

lists. It will be instructive to peruse them first.

OXFORD LIST OF TOP TEN ANNOYING EXPRESSIONS...

--------------------

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

ANOTHER "ANNOYING" LIST FROM GOOGLE

--------------

1. It's counterproductive

2. On task

3. Can't even

4.Thanks for the heads up

5. Like, you know

6. My bad

7. Absolutely

8. Just sayin'

9. Awesome

One source disliked "With all due respect," just before you "lay

somebody out" with your reply.

He also disliked "proactive," "Not unlike," "We service our 

customers" rather than "We serve our customers." Another

expression he did not particularly care for was sort of setting

an interviewee up with the reply: Are you SUGGESTING?"

Most of you readers will have a list of your own to share with

us. Here's mine:

MIL'S TIRING LIST:

********************

1. "At that point in time..." from WATERGATE times, so incredibly

     thru with this one...when else would anything occur...but 

     "in time..." ?

2. "What goes around, comes around."

3. "Everything happens for a reason." It is personal but I intensely

    disagree with this popular one. 

4. "9/11" How did we get this? Why not 12/7 for Pearl Harbor?

5. "Frankly..." And "Very frankly..."  Unnecessary words, which
     show lack of skill.  The new press secretary used "very frankly"
     three times in one interview, but maybe he has been tipped off
     by now...

6. 24/7 is much overused.

7.  "Tell us in your own words..." To end with a touch of humor--

     In a SEINFELD episode, in a courtroom Newman was the 

     interrogating lawyer questioning Kramer (in the witness chair
     and positing, he says: "Tell us in your own words..."

     ...and Kramer says: "Whose  words would I use but my own?"

-------------------

MIL

10 MAR 2017