words that make you grit your teeth

[OakLeaf]

"Clicks" when refering to kilometers.

I hate that word too, but not as much as I hate using four syllables every time I'm trying to say how far away something is (outside the USA). I've started just saying "K," but I'm pretty sure that's non-standard and no one but DH would understand it automatically without having to think about it.

[SouthernBelle]

Y'all should never be addressed to a single person. It's plural.

[emily_in_nc]

Y'all should never be addressed to a single person. It's plural.

Exactly...

[SadieKate]

And here’s my soapbox rant about mispronunciations. Is it obvious ignorance on the person’s part (nuclear vs nuculer) or just subtle mispronunciation (espresso vs expresso). You ever think about speech problems?

My MS may not be apparent to you, but my intermittent swollen cotton tongue is VERY noticeable to me. So, rant on . . . .

I’m painfully aware of my phonic challenges.

[Grog]

It should be mentioned that in some countries "expresso" is a fully accepted pronounciation.

In France for example one who orders a small coffee ("un petit café") is very likely to hear the server call out loud "un express!" to the bar tender. "Espresso" is really the Italian spelling of the word, some countries where this preparation mode is equally popular have "translated" the word.

So it always makes me smirk a little when someone corrects another person who said "expresso..."

[kelownagirl]

Exactly...

I thought "y'all" was singular and "all y'all" was plural?

[emily_in_nc]

I thought "y'all" was singular and "all y'all" was plural?

Nope. Y'all is a conjunction of "you" and "all". No way it can be singular. It's like "You guys" is up north.

"Y'all all" is just plain wrong.

Emily, born and bred in the south...

[michelem]

"Y'all is a conjunction of "you" and "all". No way it can be singular."

So, Emily, I was right in looking around to see who else my roomate was talking to when she said, "Are y'all fixin' to go to bed now?" I was the only other person in the room, so this just did not make sense to me . . . nor did "fixin'" . . . how does one "fix" to go to bed???

[michelem]

"Circle back." I REALLY grit my teeth when I'm told, "I'll circle back with you on that." Ugh!!!

Also, "like." It drives me nuts, and in my opinion makes the person sound LIKE a ditz! Especially when the person is in a high-powered position.

[Zen]

this just did not make sense to me . . . nor did "fixin'" . . . how does one "fix" to go to bed???

You know darned good and well what 'fixin' means.
In the case that I might be mistaken and you truly are ignorant as to the use of the word, it's a southern colloquialism meaning 'prepare to do something; to perform ablutions'.

Now I'm fixin' to have me some supper.

[AlwayzOnDaMove]

I hate the word "ain't" and not fond of the word "reckon."

I hear some people say "I ain't got none."

Oh, this isn't a word but, I hate when people put "ed" at the end of a word when they don't need to or add an extra "ed" to a word that already has it.

[OakLeaf]

I thought "y'all" was singular and "all y'all" was plural?

I thought the same thing.

[kelownagirl]

I thought the same thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%27all

Both are correct. I guess it depends on where in the South you live. I had a Texan friend explain all the "y'all" to me once.

And this one that backs up the singluar idea. http://anotherhistoryblog.blogspot.c...bout-yall.html

And through most of the South, it is plural. Unless someone is intentionally misusing it for effect, "y'all" seldom refers to just one person. The problem is, lots of folks have intentionally misused it, from the makers of movies and television shows with exaggerated southern characters (often for purposes of ridicule) to the writers of those ubiquitous little books with titles like "Advice for Yankees Moving South": "Remember, 'y'all' is singular. 'All y'all' is plural. 'All y'all's' is plural possessive."