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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Heart-sinking words
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Mudfrog
Shipmate
# 8116
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Posted
Sorry, I gave up after the first page - but I'd like to contribute this (in the hope it wasn't on the other pages):
Gifted. As in I have been gifted with many blessings; She has been gifted with a marvellous ministry.
What's wrong with 'I've been given'??
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"The point of having an open mind, like having an open mouth, is to close it on something solid."
G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 8237 | From: North Yorkshire, UK | Registered: Jul 2004
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
Also, using 'gifting' as a fancy word for 'gift'.
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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson
Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
Mudfrog, you so speak to my condition about the loss of give, gave and given. I cringe whenever gifted is used as a verb.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Penny S:
Mudfrog, you so speak to my condition about the loss of give, gave and given. I cringe whenever gifted is used as a verb.
It makes me want to gift them one in the cobblers.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
One I heard today:
"We need to give 100%". Yeah, because I normally just give 10% at the start of a project, and build up to around 60%. Now you ask, thought, I will boost up and give it all.
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Jemima the 9th
Shipmate
# 15106
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Enoch:
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
That reminds me of people who say they will "give 110%" to a task.
Literally.
That's like saying all schools/hospitals/etc must be better than average, or in the highest percentile (another horrible word by the way). It is particularly bad when this is demanded of organisations one of whose reasons for existence is to teach children basic maths.
Rather magnificently, the now ex Sec of state for education, seemed to think something similar.
quote:
Q98 Chair: One is: if "good" requires pupil performance to exceed the national average, and if all schools must be good, how is this mathematically possible?
Michael Gove: By getting better all the time.
Q99 Chair: So it is possible, is it?
Michael Gove: It is possible to get better all the time.
Q100 Chair: Were you better at literacy than numeracy, Secretary of State?
Michael Gove: I cannot remember.
Posts: 801 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2009
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Jemima the 9th
Shipmate
# 15106
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Posted
MrJt9 took Children A&B to London last week. The tube station they disembarked at only has lifts to floor level. There had been some problems with the lifts, and as the doors closed on MrJt9 and the kids, the station announcer said "We should be alright.....".
Posts: 801 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2009
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Pearl B4 Swine
Ship's Oyster-Shucker
# 11451
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Posted
Jemima, it sounds like Lake Woebegone, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.
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Oinkster
"I do a good job and I know how to do this stuff" D. Trump (speaking of the POTUS job)
Posts: 3622 | From: The Keystone State | Registered: May 2006
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Trudy Scrumptious
BBE Shieldmaiden
# 5647
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Posted
We have a gentleman of lofty position in our church administration here who uses the word "wisdom" as an adjective, when he ought to use "wise." As in, "I think it would be wisdom to bring this back to committee for further discussion," or "It wouldn't be wisdom for us to vote on this right now." As you can probably tell from my examples, my husband sits on a couple of committees with this man. We have taken to tallying up misuses of "wisdom" when we get emails from him.
I think it started with him saying something jargony but not technically incorrect, like, "There would be wisdom in doing it that way," but has now spiralled out of control to the point where I just want to scream at him that THERE IS ALREADY AN ADJECTIVE FORM OF THAT WORD CAN'T YOU JUST SAY 'WISE'?
Also, of course, even if used properly from a grammatical point of view, "wisdom" makes your opinion sound so much more important and holy that just "my opinion," or "a good idea."
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Books and things.
I lied. There are no things. Just books.
Posts: 7428 | From: Closer to Paris than I am to Vancouver | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Trudy Scrumptious:
Also, of course, even if used properly from a grammatical point of view, "wisdom" makes your opinion sound so much more important and holy that just "my opinion," or "a good idea."
/tangent
I haven't been able to take that word seriously since I heard of an EU Parliamentarian for a part of Northern France espouse the excellence of "La Sagace Normande". Proceedings are subject to simultaneous translation and for once all the British MEPs were united in falling over laughing at the mention of "Norman Wisdom".
tangent/
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
I hope the Three Wisdom Men will be heading for Bethlehem soon.
![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
I hope the Three Wisdom Men will be heading for Bethlehem soon.
If only to promote their nice new seasonal range of dental hygiene products, carefully designed for the discerning traveller.
We recommend The Balthazar, a gold-plated toothbrush with genuine camel-hair bristles. To go with that, Caspar's Pearl Drops, an original blend of Eastern myrrh and Western mint, designed to whiten, brighten and indeed frighten with its sheer power and flavour. And finally, to complete the trio, Melchior's Mouthwash, a frankincense gargle, made from an ancient Timgadian recipe, the like and effect of which have never previously been known.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Trudy Scrumptious:
..... "wisdom" makes your opinion sound so much more important and holy that just "my opinion," or "a good idea."
"spirit-led" has similar qualities. Someone sitting near me on a bus yesterday was complaining into his mobile phone that people at his church were not "spirit-led" in meetings. Apparently people were suggesting hymns for inclusion in a service because they liked a particular hymn.
Posts: 2319 | From: thither and yon | Registered: Nov 2006
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Perhaps the CofE is very wise in not including The Book of Wisdom in most of the Bibles it authorises for use.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by justlooking:
... people at his church were not "spirit-led" in meetings ...
Perhaps he ought to provide some GIN. ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
My late mother called a friend's d-in-l and, on getting the reply "I'm in a baby shower right now" replied "Well, I hope you've all got brollies and aren't too wet." : Confusion on the other end of the 'phone.
The word is PARTY and you're AT a party (as in celebration), IN applies to things like membership.
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Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae velis et quae sentias dicere licet
Posts: 4950 | From: somewhere in England... | Registered: Sep 2012
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
Was it "raining cats and dogs" at the time? And did your comment put her "in a stew"?
"Literally", of course! ]
[ 06. November 2014, 17:01: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
"We apologise for the inconvenience".
Doubled if they would like to apologise.
eta: the non-specific use of 'they' gets my goat too. If you mean the government, council, immigrants, EU or bus company, say so, otherwise you're having a non-specific, lazy and pointless whinge.
[ 07. November 2014, 09:04: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Lord Jestocost
Shipmate
# 12909
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
"We apologise for the inconvenience".
Doubled if they would like to apologise.
Tripled if the announcement was pre-recorded by someone who clearly couldn't care less.
Posts: 761 | From: The Instrumentality of Man | Registered: Aug 2007
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Stejjie
Shipmate
# 13941
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Posted
Received an email this week from the local council about a "Consultation on the future of library services" (or somesuch wording)... why does that sound like weasel words for "We're going to make cuts"?
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A not particularly-alt-worshippy, fairly mainstream, mildly evangelical, vaguely post-modern-ish Baptist
Posts: 1117 | From: Urmston, Manchester, UK | Registered: Jul 2008
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Stejjie:
Received an email this week from the local council about a "Consultation on the future of library services" (or somesuch wording)... why does that sound like weasel words for "We're going to make cuts"?
Because that's always the context when it is used.
"Your call is really important to us"? No it isn't. If it was, they'd employ enough people to answer the telephone.
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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson
Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
On a similar line, buses which display "Sorry, not in service".
If they were truly sorry, they'd stop and pick us up.
Also, signs around roadworks which apologise for "these essential works" - as if that makes them any less annoying!
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
The road sign I hate is 'New traffic patterns ahead'.
Translation; the road is torn up and you have to weave your way around barrels on an unpaved or semi-paved surface.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Another roadworks special is the sign "RAMP".
This does not indicate a ramp. I know what a ramp is, most children of ten could tell you, but the sign at roadworks indicates an abrupt change in level of anything up to three inches.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Road signs warning of pot-holes: the "normal" state of the road surfaces here is so bad* that if they're actually warning you about them, there's a chance that if you drive over one you'll get lost ...
* The definition of a good winter here is only having to replace one tyre.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Bene Gesserit
Shipmate
# 14718
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Posted
I have just had an email from a Major Online Retailer (named after a river) to "Soundtrack your winter..."
![[Projectile]](graemlins/puke2.gif)
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Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Posts: 405 | From: Flatlands of the East | Registered: Apr 2009
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
Forth Books? Tyne Foods? Nile Cosmetics?
Ah, I've got it: Severn Stuff!
[ 07. November 2014, 15:43: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
The law firm where I work signs partners up for a rather pricy private medical service. They are entitled to an annual check-up. I called to make an appointment for someone and was told I was going to speak to “Health Screening Fulfilment”.
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
Posts: 3696 | Registered: Nov 2005
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daronmedway
Shipmate
# 3012
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
This post in Hell reminded me that there are some words or phrases that just seem to bleach all hope of fun from the world.
What are your (least) favourites?
- Deanery anything
- Ad Clerum
- Worshipping Community
- Fresh Expression
Posts: 6976 | From: Southampton | Registered: Jul 2002
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daronmedway
Shipmate
# 3012
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
"We apologise for the inconvenience".
Doubled if they would like to apologise.
I've been tempted to pop in and collect my apology which, at my insistence, would include the word "sorry". Describing an action isn't same as doing it.
Posts: 6976 | From: Southampton | Registered: Jul 2002
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by daronmedway:
quote:
I've been tempted to pop in and collect my apology which, at my insistence, would include the word "sorry". Describing an action isn't same as doing it.
Even "sorry" can turn into a non-apology as in "We're sorry that you feel we have failed to meet our usually high standards"
[ 07. November 2014, 19:55: Message edited by: justlooking ]
Posts: 2319 | From: thither and yon | Registered: Nov 2006
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The5thMary
Shipmate
# 12953
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by daronmedway:
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
This post in Hell reminded me that there are some words or phrases that just seem to bleach all hope of fun from the world.
What are your (least) favourites?
- Deanery anything
- Ad Clerum
- Worshipping Community
- Fresh Expression
Closure. I hate that word with a passion. It's overused and meaningless to anyone who isn't a psychiatrist or psychotherapist and it makes ME psycho to have to hear it bandied about all the time. "Godly Play" is another cringe-inducing expression. A church where I used to volunteer has a program for toddlers and the teacher proudly told me that she's the teacher for all "Godly Play" events. I guess that means teaching little Johnny not to bash little Suzie over the head with a toy tractor but the name just sets my teeth on edge.
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God gave me my face but She let me pick my nose.
Posts: 3451 | From: Tacoma, WA USA | Registered: Aug 2007
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
If we're going to have Godly Play I want the Sword of Justice.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
"Advanced Warning". What happened to the old-fashioned simple sort of warning, such as, "Look out!"
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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doubtingthomas
Shipmate
# 14498
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
"Advanced Warning". What happened to the old-fashioned simple sort of warning, such as, "Look out!"
Quite - and besides, it should probably be "advance warning", unless the warning is really far advanced (however that would work)
...
..
Posts: 266 | From: A Small Island | Registered: Jan 2009
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leo
Shipmate
# 1458
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Posted
In a government document for benefit claimants, which I have been explaining to someone: 'If you feel like you are worried...'
Posts: 23198 | From: Bristol | Registered: Oct 2001
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
'If you feel like you are worried...'
No, I feel like I want to smack you round the head with the complete works of Shakespeare, Bunyan, Swift and Austen. The vapid, mithering language of 'concern' - bah!
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Snags
Utterly socially unrealistic
# 15351
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Posted
Bearing in mind I do a technical job helping the profoundly non-technical:
"Oh, can you just do something for me? It's not complicated and won't take long."
a) you don't know enough to be able to judge whether or not it's complicated
b) you therefore have no idea how long it will take
c) but you've already decided it's quick and easy, which shows exactly what you think of me compared to you, even though you're too stupid to do it yourself
d) if it really is quick and easy, JUST FUCKING DO IT ALREADY!
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Vain witterings :-: Vain pretentions :-: The Dog's Blog(locks)
Posts: 1399 | From: just north of That London | Registered: Dec 2009
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justlooking
Shipmate
# 12079
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
In a government document for benefit claimants, which I have been explaining to someone: 'If you feel like you are worried...'
YES! "If you feel like you are worried" rather than "if you are worried" is a patronising refusal to accept that someone may be genuinely worried.
Posts: 2319 | From: thither and yon | Registered: Nov 2006
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Higgs Bosun
Shipmate
# 16582
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
On a similar line, buses which display "Sorry, not in service".
I once saw that kind of bus which has illuminated signs on the front with "Sorry" in large letters, and "not in service" in smaller letters. However, the latter was not working, so the bus just had a general "Sorry!" on the front. I thought it very British to be apologetic about everything.
Posts: 313 | From: Near the Tidal Thames | Registered: Aug 2011
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Pearl B4 Swine
Ship's Oyster-Shucker
# 11451
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Posted
algorithm (yes I looked it up, that's how 'they' spell it). This is a very popular word these days; all kinds of people use it, and it seems able to mean a variety of things. However it means nothing to me. I try to get some meaning from the context, but no go. I did google it, and do understand the similarity to a recipe- a task that requires certain steps to be taken, in order.
But I believe that many people who stick this word into their writing or speaking know zilch what it means, just like me!
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Oinkster
"I do a good job and I know how to do this stuff" D. Trump (speaking of the POTUS job)
Posts: 3622 | From: The Keystone State | Registered: May 2006
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pearl B4 Swine:
algorithm ...
I think it means 'this includes a calculation which a machine does for us, and we don't understand either'.
Another horror, 'I am unable' as in 'I regret to say that I am unable to comply with your request'. Just occasionally it means what it should mean, which is 'it is impossible' as in 'I have no wings and therefore I am unable to fly'. More usually, it means 'I have considered your request and do not want to/ can't be bothered to give you what you're asking for, but would prefer a euphemism that lets me off saying that'.
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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson
Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008
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Amanda B. Reckondwythe
Dressed for Church
# 5521
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Posted
"No one does that anymore."
Well, maybe not to qualify for membership in your woefully limited circle, but where I hang out plenty of folk still do it.
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"I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility." -- The Revd Martin Luther King Jr.
Posts: 10542 | From: The Great Southwest | Registered: Feb 2004
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doubtingthomas
Shipmate
# 14498
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
"No one does that anymore."
Well, maybe not to qualify for membership in your woefully limited circle, but where I hang out plenty of folk still do it.
...or even just "nobody does"!
So I am not anybody? How do they know?
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'We are star-stuff. We are the Universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out'
Delenn (Babylon 5)
Posts: 266 | From: A Small Island | Registered: Jan 2009
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
I have just come across an early use of "gifting". Mary Shelley, a dream gifting her with the image of the man beign constructed by Dr Frankenstein.
Can't complain about that, can I?
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
Yes you can. I've accused The Bard of unnecessary wordsmithery. The professionals really should know better.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Mili
Shipmate
# 3254
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Posted
Last week I taught the 'Hokey Pokey' to a group of 5 and 6 year olds and one boy said they were too old for a baby dance. A 10 year old later in the day said, "I don't mean to be offensive, but aren't we too old for musical chairs?" So heart sinking when kids want to grow up and be cool so soon.
I told the six year old that I was pretty sure the 'Hokey Pokey' was originally written for adults, so no, it is not a baby dance. Kind of glad I just looked up the origin now to check though as it would be really tricky to explain to little kids. Who knew the Hokey Pokey was so controversial?
Posts: 1015 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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