words that make you grit your teeth

[salsabike]

My father had a rough early childhood (pushed through foster system) and struggled in school. When he is talking he says:

secetary
"I says" instead of "I said"

And his spelling is terrible probably the worst I have seen. When I first got to college AOL IM was very popular and I would talk to my dad on it often, my roommate and I would laugh at some of his spelling. At the same time it hurt me because he loves educational programs but because of where he started he can sound ignorant.

Just goes to show that how people sound isn't necessarily how they ARE. I know plenty of learning disabled people who can't spell but who are smart as hell, and not just smart, but wise as well.

PS I sure wish someone could tell me what "utilize" adds that "use" does not include.

[crazycanuck]

I know this is part of Aust language but it drives me crazy.. Every word seems to be shortened. It's especially true in Perth..

People will say: Go to the servo or Need to check your rego..

AGHG..

[Kano]

feb-you-airy
cran (cray-on)

OF -- used in place of "have" or the contraction " 've," as in "I should of" rather than "I should have." Even worse, "I was embarrassed OF my stretch marks." Good grief, one might be embarrased by or about something, but...

Karen in Boise

[kfergos]

PS I sure wish someone could tell me what "utilize" adds that "use" does not include.

I'm a technical writer out here in the real world, so I'll try not to get started into the detail grammar/usage issues that get my goat. However: According to the American Medical Writers Association grammar guide, utilize means "to turn something to a practical use, as in finding a new or unusual use for something." Use, on the other hand, "means to put into service, or put to use." Therefore, use is almost always correct.

"Irregardless" ISN'T EVEN A REAL WORD. Hearing people use it really kills me.
"Prior to" - goodness me, what's wrong with "before"?
"Post" as in "she was post menopause" - "after," people, please!
"Infer" instead of imply - This just plain ain't right.
"All set" - I hear this at work a zillion times a day. "Are you all set?" "I'm all set with that," I don't know - maybe it's just overuse, but I can't take it anymore!

Edited to add: A coworker just said "He's shy and inverted." GAH!

[Jen-Jen]

Mine is not so much of a word, but a group of them.

KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I work with a co-worker who will ask that several times in a hour for 8 hours!

Oohh..boy!

[cyclingmama]

I have a co-worker who finishes every other sentence with "and those kinds of things."

AAACCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!! It's enough to make me want to pull me hair out every time I hear it.

[AuntieK]

I'm generally pretty easy going and tend to let people talk the way they want to talk, but there is one word misplacement that drives my crazy:

He borrowed me his lawnmower.

My DH and in-laws use "borrowed" in place of "loaned" all the time, and I really have to resist correcting them!

[Grog]

Mine is not so much of a word, but a group of them.

KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I work with a co-worker who will ask that several times in a hour for 8 hours!

Oohh..boy!

I am currently in the midst of transcribing interviews for my research project. Hours at a time, days in a row. There are a lot more people than you'd imagine who say "you know" compulsively. (Note: I interview faculty members and people with or doing a Master's or PhD degree.)

[Paradox]

Okay, so people from the Northeast that use "wicked" (like in Boston and such): that doesn't bother me so much. It's the surfer-dude use of it I hear among my 20-something co-workers in Colorado that grates. They also seem to use the word "aggressive" to describe just about anything slightly over the top. I had never heard that word used in the context they use it in until recently. For instance, "adding all those raisins to your oatmeal is really aggressive, dude!"

My significant other mixes up "itch" and "scratch". It's kind of funny. Usually substituting itch for scratch, "I have to itch my leg." I've never heard anyone do that other than him!

[FlyingScot]

When people say "6 am in the morning"...not to be confused with 6 am in the evening!

[Zen]

ATM machine

What not

[7rider]

"a couple or three"

[OakLeaf]

"Post" as in "she was post menopause" - "after," people, please!

actually, postmenopausal IS a word. As are premenopausal and perimenopausal. Not that that prefix doesn't get put in some pretty odd places, usually before the name of a particular event.

[GLC1968]

I admit to using TTOM to describe: "Menstrual periods or Menstruation" But that's because I generally can't spell and I'd rather not take the chance of messing it up!

And I'll always have a space for "wicked" in my heart.

I hate 'Prolly' too. I don't mind it so much in spoken language, but I actually cringe when I see it written. Either in posts, in emails, etc...it drives me absolutely batty. I think it's because in my mind, if you make the effort to spell/type it out, you probably think it's a real word.

Oh, and I despise the non-word "sammich". Ugh...I really, really can't stand it when people say it. What is 'sandwich' too hard to say?

[TripleGem]

Panties.

Reminds me of those frilly, lacy things I wore under my dresses when I was 5. I am a grown woman now and I don't wear panties anymore, little girls do! It just feels juvenile...