Jump to content

Recommended Posts

What infuriates me are the ridiculous compound verbs that are in vogue just now;


to self-harm

to project-manage

to better-communicate


and the like. We're not german you know!


Also those completely made-up plurals like foods, behaviours, and weathers.


A chap has to get annoyed about something, you know...


UC

The Missus (management consultant) couldn't understand why Word was flagging 'costings' as a spelling error. I was unable to persuade her that it's not a word, that the old fashioned 'cost' will work perfectly well thank you even if it is shorter. She doesn't even charge by the word nor nuffink!


Sadly she's not alone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4707608.stm


I've no issue with language evolving, I just wish we could ban management and financial types from doing it so badly.

Two euphemisms I really like but don't get nearly enough opportunity to use are


"paul and marshall" = boring, ie I went to see the Blue aeroplanes last week but they've all gone a bit Paul and Marshall.


"foot on the monitor" = with great verve or enthusiasm.

lol Tillie, I've done that as well! (and haven't seen Ratatouille, but agree about Nemo. Monsters Inc still my fave tho)


"playing with the handbrake" off has entered the football manager's lexicon and I'm not in love with it. As with may euphemisms the first time it seems quite sweet and then it becomes annoying very quickly

"The men may not like me, but they respect me" = the men couldn't give a toss they just think you're an arsehole!

"I am hard but fair"= I am an ignorant, insensitive, bullying, brainless dope.

"My wife was a cow and is now a statistic" = I am relieved to be out of joyless marriage even though she stole the house!

"50 50"= She gets 75%

"I am not bitter I have now put it all behind me"= Clinging to my sanity by scribbling this drivel at 11pm

Where I work, we try to use (not utilise) the simplest word with the fewest syllables. That usually means an Anglo-Saxon word over its Latinate equivalent (same?). I hate meet with, greet with etc. What next - shag with? I also cannot abide 'gotten'. It's slipped in over the past couple of years. I even hear government ministers use it.Yes, I know it is British English from a few centuries ago, but it isn't now. Nero

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • I would leave London, or at a push move back to north London. In SE London if you want to get away in a car you are trapped, always an hour to go the first 10 miles, chugging up to the M4 or round the south circular, which is really just a line someone drew connecting a load of roads. and I know there are trains but first you have to get to those mainline stations, unless you only want to leave London to go to Kent. which I don't. 
    • It was you who  made it personal in the first place,  Jazzer. You said you didn't feel safe in the streets,  and you said you didn't go to Central London because you didn't feel safe there. So are you now saying that wasn't "personal"? "Fire from the hip." Another interesting choice of words 🙄 I'm not "demanding" anything! I asked you some perfectly reasonable questions in  response to your own statements. None of which you have answered. Never mind. It seems to be pointless having a discussion with you. It's long past my bedtime. I'm going to turn on my sleep app  and go to sleep 😴💤
    • Hi Forumites, This afternoon someone in a dark blue/black saloon car collided with my parked car on Thompson Road, SE22 9JR. I have a neighbour’s doorbell cam footage of the collision at 14:30 19/09/2025 but am unable to identify the registration plate. If anyone has footage of a car travelling down Thompson Road towards Crystal Palace Road at that time please PM me. Of course if the Perp would like to confess they can also PM me. Thankyou.
    • Fireworks again tonight, Melbourne Grove North LTN area.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...