Poll: Annoying Verbal Tics -- which is the WORST?

[smalll]

I'm not speaking here about the political-related buzzwords and catch phrases we see a lot here on DU, such as under-the-bus, ponies, pom-poms, purity-brigade and poutrage. I'm talking instead about more general verbal tics one can see here on DU as well as around the internet. Here are some of the most annoying. Which is the worst?

"methinks" -- Please, saveth thy methinkses for the Renaissance Faeyre!

"jeez/sheesh" -- Usually used when a poster has said something stupid and gets called on it, then defensively replies with something like, "Sheesh, why all the hate just because I have a pitbull with piercings? People are so narrow!" Or, "Jeez, what's the big deal about the fact that those 12-year-olds were having sex out in the open in front of their friends? Kids will be kids!" Also, how many people actually say jeez/sheesh in real life? Not as many as use it on the internet, that's for sure!

"strawman" -- Usually used when a poster's point has been effectively ridiculed by someone else who wittily exposes the original poster's logical gaps by boiling the point down to the stark nonsense it is. Or just generally used by a poster who's losing both an argument and their cool. "Strawman!" Look, if you think your opponent's response is unfair, tell us exactly how it's unfair. Or try to be witty back. Do you think most of us sit around on the internet with a philosophical glossary at hand?

the pseudo-lawyerly "said" -- As in, "I was re-watching the episode of LOST in which the smoke monster first appeared, and I noticed in said episode..." What's wrong with just, I noticed in THAT episode? Or just, I noticed? You're not a lawyer! Don't play one on the interwebs! It does NOT make you sound intelligent!

a "kick-ass" (something innocuous) This one makes the opposite stylistic error: trying to sound all tough over highly un-tough things. Such as, "I just discovered a real kick-ass new microbrew" or "a kick-ass breakfast place." You're not a member of Hells Angels. You're a middle to upper-middle-class American in sensible shoes. Give up the tough-guy talk.

"I loves me some..." Just a tad racist there. Why the ebonics? Whenever I see that kind of thing, I'se regusted!

So which one of these is the WORST?

[Zavulon]

1. Love / loves me some.

It sounds so fucking stupid, and yet so many people use it. Why? They can't possibly think they sound cool, sophisticated, amusing, charming or anything positive.

[bbinacan]

2. strawman plus

canard and meme.

[Fumesucker]

3. Sheesh, methinks I love me some of said kick-ass strawman..

[smalll]

6. LOL - nicely done!

:rofl:

[Duer 157099]

4. Jeez

Methinks this poll is one kick-ass of a strawman. That said (oh! wrong use!), I loves me some jeez AND sheesh, and I use them both in actual life.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. jeez/sheesh is fine

Both are euphemisms for "jesus" and are useful for expression of certain emotional states -- like exasperation.

And since lots of people see the internet, not spelling out "jesus" is considerate if the same thing can be expressed otherwise. Why not?

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Oxford compiled a list of annoying expressions.

Not all University of Oxford researchers are uptight and humorless, "irregardless" of what you might think. In fact, a bunch of them compiled a list of the Top 10 Most Irritating Expressions in the English language — just because we needed one.

Though maybe "you could care less," the scholars in question keep track of linguistic mangling and overused buzzwords in a database called the Oxford University Corpus. The voluminous record keeps track of books, magazines, broadcast, online media and other sources, watching for new overused, tiresome phrases and retiring those that fade from use (or misuse).

The great hierarchy of verbal fatigue includes:

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


Read More http://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/11/oxford-research/#ixzz10ZwXabZW

[wtmusic]

12. Love it. Identifying cliches requires "research". nt

[Rob H.]

21. I'm surprised "moving forward" isn't on the list

"Proactive" and "It is what it is" should there, too.

[lumberjack_jeff]

26. "I could care less" = good one. n/t

[Wounded Bear]

8. Methinks....

he doth protest too much. :)

Posts like this remind me of the grammar police. Whatever. If he gets the message across, what matters the stylistic idioms used?

[smalll]

39. But I find these forced stylistic idioms to make it almost impossible to get a message across --

as soon as I see "methinks" for example, I lose all confidence in the point being made.

[bluestateguy]

9. The strawman retort is just a retort used by someone who is stumped in an argument

nt

[Obamanaut]

40. As is "Whatever!" nt

[wtmusic]

10. Knowing what a straw man is requires a "philosophical glossary"?

That's funny. :D

[Obamanaut]

11. Making a statement of some sort, and appending 'just saying' without

offering reasons why the thing said is thought to be true.

just saying.

[Roon]

13. You've really gotten fat..

What?You think I have gotten fat?

No! I am just saying...(you've gotten fat)

[wtmusic]

14. "Just saying" implies a plea of impartiality. nt

[smalll]

15. Well you got me on that one.

I prefer to write just,

Sayin'! :shrug:

(The shrug smilie is the perfect icing for the sayin' cake.)

[Cirque du So-What]

16. Don't go there

Fail. Epic fail. Do. Not. Want. Meh. W00t! Just sayin'.

[stray cat]

24. Fail or epic fail

[Odin2005]

37. FAIL!

[enlightenment]

17. Confusing verbal with written.

You are discussing how people write, not how they speak.

just sayin' ;)

[Deep13]

18. "Strawman" is an explanation.

And the term is usually used when someone tries to change the subject and not when someone is "effectively ridiculed by someone else who wittily exposes the original poster's logical gaps by boiling the point down to the stark nonsense it is." Resorting to ridicule is an effort to change the subject. We say "strawman" so we don't have to give a dissertaition on logical fallacies every time someone makes one.

The ones I hate are "I assure you...." Well, no kidding. "Believe me...," "Trust me...," or "Honestly...." I take that as an admission that the person is about to say something that sounds pretty implausible.

[Fire1]

19. Don't like it, don't read it. Just sayin. n/t

[TexasObserver]

20. sheesh, methinks I love me some kick ass strawman

Hard to pick one I hate worse than the others, but "methinks" wins, because who says that EVER?!

[Common Sense Party]

22. Other: Every other word is the f-bomb.

If you cannot speak (or write) without at least three f-words per sentence, there's something seriously wrong with you.

[Fire1]

25. I think most of us can. Just choose not to. n/t

[stray cat]

23. Spanked!

[Warren DeMontague]

27. When people piss and moan about arugula, lattes, yuppies, Star Trek or LOST

that's the worst.


Hey, how about "piss and moan"?

Anyway, although I sure loves me some kick-ass strawman, methinks that said OP is incorrect in that postings on the internet wouldn't really be "verbal tics", now, would they?

Sheesh.

[smalll]

28. LOL - you got me too!

At the same time, "verbal" does NOT by any means have to mean "oral." --

Here's the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition:

"Definition of VERBAL
1a : of, relating to, or consisting of words <verbal instructions> b : of, relating to, or involving words rather than meaning or substance <a consistency that is merely verbal and scholastic — B. N. Cardozo> c : consisting of or using words only and not involving action <verbal abuse>
2: of, relating to, or formed from a verb <a verbal adjective>
3: spoken rather than written <a verbal contract>
4: verbatim, word-for-word <a verbal translation>
5: of or relating to facility in the use and comprehension of words <verbal aptitude>"

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verbal

Only the THIRD definition refers to spoken rather than written. Also, think about sections of standardized tests (such as the GMAT) -- it's divided into Math and Verbal sections -- the Verbal section has nothing to do with the spoken word; it's all about written language (grammar, logic and reading comprehension.)

[Warren DeMontague]

38. Point taken. (is that another one?)

Still, I'm not sure if I've previously heard the phrase "verbal tic" used in reference to anything other than spoken conversation.

[smalll]

29. One kick before bed.

I can't believe this had already fallen to the dreaded Page 2.

Sheesh!

[Quantess]

30. "has balls"

Not only sexist, but also tacky and over the top. Anyone who uses "have balls" is probably a douchebag. ;)

[Odin2005]

34. Hey, ovaries are balls, too!

:)

[Odin2005]

35. OOPS! wrong place

[WinkyDink]

31. When people can't see the pretentiousness for the polls.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

32. I was like, he was like, I was like......

:banghead: :grr:


You know, you know, uh, huh, you know, you know.....(repeat ad infinitum)


:banghead: :grr:

[demwing]

33. 1. Talk Me Down....

2. No offense, but...
3. Any grammar nazi-ness
4. People who get bent about ANY use of the word "Nazi"

[Odin2005]

36. GODWIN!

:banghead:

[AnArmyVeteran]

41. Palin's use of 'also' used to drive me crazy, also too...