Pet Peeves!

[li10up]

Ok, even though my user name is li10up (a reminder to myself not to be so serious) I have a couple of pet peeves...how about you?

1. When talking about different sports a lot of people say how they use different muscles, i.e. cycling vs. running. What they really should say is that the two sports use the muscles differently. Hamstrings, quads, glutes, etc. - same muscles used differently.

2. The use of the word literally. For example, "He literally blew up climbing that hill." They should say, "He figuratively blew up climbing that hill." I know, I know...it's like the word ain't...it's so common that it is now widely accepted to mean virtually. Still makes me cringe when I hear it.

What's your pet peeve?

[Kano]

He literally blew up on the hill -- hee hee, picture that!

for what it's worth, I feel your pain!

Karen in Boise

[mimitabby]

literally: Since I am in the forever process of learning a second language, I also spend some time on a language forum. It was really fun trying to explain to Italians why we say "he literally blew up" when in fact, he didn't blow up at all.

Pet peeves? if we're on the subject of language, it's irregardless.THIS IS NOT A WORD.
a very wise senior engineer here says that often... and he likes to sound smart and important but whenever he says THAT, I just GULP and don't say a word. LITERALLY!

[Haudlady]

I've got lots of pet peeves... probably too many!

Here are three that really get me:
1) When people say "irregardless" - there is no such word! It's "regardless."
2) When people say "It's hotter than Haiti" - the saying really is "It's hotter than Hades" (as in the Underworld from Greek mythology).
3) When I find a typo or misspelling in a book... it happens more often that I would have thought!

[Haudlady]

Ha! I'm with you, Mimi! You were too quick.

[7rider]

literally: Since I am in the forever process of learning a second language, I also spend some time on a language forum. It was really fun trying to explain to Italians why we say "he literally blew up" when in fact, he didn't blow up at all.

I had a high school teacher (many years ago!) who often complained of the saying "walk the dog" as in "I get up early in the morning to walk the dog." What? Your dog can't walk by itself?? Poor thing. How about "I get up early in the morning to take the dog for a walk"?

Regardless.... I also agree with these - but am frequently guilty of overuse of cliches.

[salsabike]

How about "disirregardless"?

And why do people say "utilize" when they could just say "use"?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I had a high school teacher (many years ago!) who often complained of the saying "walk the dog" as in "I get up early in the morning to walk the dog." What? Your dog can't walk by itself?? Poor thing. How about "I get up early in the morning to take the dog for a walk"?

She'd have a fit at our house... every morning we "pellet the kitties" when they are hungry!

[Cassandra_Cain]

Hmmmm, the question isn't what are my pet peeves, but rather, how to condense them all into one mere post?!

So a few favorites (ie..., thorns in my side!)

1) using the word 'loose' to mean misplacing something. Hello! lose not loose, we aren't talking about baggy pants here!

2) People who pass, typically men, without ever saying 'on your left', or whatever, it is soooo annoying, especially when they are on their spindly aerobars and a mere inch move on your part would send you both tumbling!

3) People who, when you pass them and say hi good morning, grumble, grunt, and generally bark out something nonsensical. Again, predominantly men as most women will say thank you and hello.

4) Red wine being served at room temperature. Hello!!! That so-called rule was invented in the british isles within drafty castles. Nobody I know keeps their house at 62 degrees! Chill the bloody wine for pete's sake

5) When folks insist that the tv/news media in America is vastly left-wing while they toss softball questions to the people running the country. I mean seriously, who believes that?

6) Talking to someone and when they find out you bike ride, they say 'well i would but it is way toooo dangerous/far/tiring, etc'. Then they stroll off, super-sized burger meal in hand, and jump into their suv.

[latelatebloomer]

I have 2 pet peeves that come to mind.

1)The wave of amnesia that is sweeping society regarding the use of the apostrophe for possesives, NOT plurals. (ie: The club will meet on Sunday's from now on.) I even see it in newspapers and magazines now.

2)This is not a language peeve per se, but I HATE when people spend time on my voice mail guessing where I might be. "Maybe you're working in the garden, maybe you're writing, maybe you're out doing errands or working late at the rehab" Ay yi yi, just leave the message!

[Popoki_Nui]

I was behind a gasoline tanker truck yesterday...on the back was a huge red sign saying "Danger Inflammable"

Inflammable..?

I thought gasoline was highly flammable.....

(ok, it probably comes from the root "inflame", but it seems so...bass ackwards somehow...)

S.

[Bluetree]

Irregardless of the way people utilize there grammar, maybe your all just too uptight and need to loose you're hangups. I don't know if you will get this message, since your all out literally walking your dogs. Me? I am going to get 11 items and stand in the 10-Items-Or-LESS line.

[bcipam]

My "peeves" are more general in nature... remember I'm an old lady and am easily irritated so forgive me my irritants.

1) I am out somewhere nice, its beautiful and peaceful out and all of a sudden some whiny little kids came screeming in and there's not a parent in sight. Just my take, nowadays, some little kids are allowed entirely too much freedom. They have no manners or consideration for others.

2) People who talk on cell phones everywhere. No I am not interested in your conversation!

3) People who do not know how to fix their drink at a fast food place. Get in line, get your ice, fill your cup and move away for the next person. I've literately had to stand behind some idiot who fills their cup and sips, and fills and sips while there is a line behind them. Also, parents who let their little kids mess around with the drinks... OK when no where else is around, but when it's busy - fill their cups for them. PLEASE!

4) Sortof of the same thing... people who believe the world rotates around them. They drive 3 miles an hour looking for an address and block traffic. They stop their grocery cart right in the middle of the aisle so people can't get around, they chat on a cell phone in a retail line so the clerk and people behind them have to wait... people who talk in theaters... that sort of thing.

5) People who smoke and think its OK to dump their nasty butt on the ground. People who litter in general. Do they also do this in their own home? I entirely don't get the cigarette dumping thing.

Sorry - I realize I sound like a cranky old woman... but then again, I am!

[Bad JuJu]

I was behind a gasoline tanker truck yesterday...on the back was a huge red sign saying "Danger Inflammable"

Inflammable..?

I thought gasoline was highly flammable.....

(ok, it probably comes from the root "inflame", but it seems so...bass ackwards somehow...)

Yeah, that's one of those English oddities--"flammable" and "inflammable" mean the same thing--no wonder English is so hard to learn.

Well, I'm an English teacher, so when we're talking about pet peeves in the area of language, I've got piles of them. But here are a choice few:
* Using "if" when you mean "whether," as in "She asked me if I preferred the green bike or the red one." HELLO! It's "She asked me WHETHER I preferred the green bike or the red one." "If" is supposed to be used to imply conditions, whereas "whether" simply refers to choices. Jeez!
* I, too, get steamed by that "literal"/"virtual" confusion. Thanks to computer technology, we're all familiar with the concept that "virtual" means "not in reality." Is it really so hard to make the leap to apply that reasoning to other things that are not true in reality? Double jeez!

On the other hand, I still walk my dog--that's standard, though idiomatic, English.

[mimitabby]

I was behind a gasoline tanker truck yesterday...on the back was a huge red sign saying "Danger Inflammable"

Inflammable..?

I thought gasoline was highly flammable.....

(ok, it probably comes from the root "inflame", but it seems so...bass ackwards somehow...)

S.

inflammable was a word before flammable was. So many people got it mixed up that flammable is now considered a proper word.