Words we would like to see retired

[BlackShanglan]

There are some perfectly beautiful words out there that have been retired to the bench for far too long. We've had threads celebrating their euphony and declaring our love for them, and with any luck we'll see more of them in the future. However, there are also words long over-worked that deserve some time to recuperate in peace and recover their meanings. This thread is dedicated to those poor creatures that need a good season in the far pasture.

Extreme. I would be heartily grateful to never hear another sport, food, object, or pastime described as "extreme" again so long as I live, with a possible exception for the extreme ironing afficianados. Once the word started to be used to describe children's gelatine desserts, it had lost the last shreds of useful meaning.

 

[rgraham666]

I'll cast my vote for 'human resources'.

I know. It's a phrase. But it still needs to be shot in the head.

Resources aren't human.

 

[MarshAlien]

"heinous"

It used to be a wonderful word, used for the very incarnation of evil. Now it gets used as an adjective for clothing. I say let's chuck the whole thing.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

well 2 words or a phrase really

'110%' I mean really its 100% or nothing. Its like nails on a chalk board for me.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I'll cast my vote for 'human resources'.

I know. It's a phrase. But it still needs to be shot in the head.

Resources aren't human.

You're absolutely right. Phrase away. I'm not shrewish about adherence to the letter of the thread title, and that's a good one.

"Dysfunctional" would be a nice one to bid farewell to, too. I hardly ever seem to hear it used with a meaning other than "Something I don't like and don't want to deal with."

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

"whatever"

"horrific" as a synonym for "horrible"

Rumple Foreskin

 

[MarshAlien]

"proactive"

 

[Liar]

I'll cast my vote for 'human resources'.

I know. It's a phrase. But it still needs to be shot in the head.

Resources aren't human.

At one of my previous jobs, I was a "resource".
And at another one, I was an "cost".
In the light of that, I know what I'll choose.





That's right, self employment.

 

[Guest]

Very

If something is "very hot" because you're trying to convey it might hurt you, say "dangerously hot" or "burning hot"

How is very beautiful better than beautiful? If describing a woman, we guys would go for her no matter which she was.

So in conclusion, very is a very unnecessary word. And yes, I use it, but I feel a small part of my soul die each time I let one slip out.

 

[impressive]

impressive

 

[Guest]

I'll cast my vote for 'human resources'.

<snark>But since our schools no longer strive to turn out good citizens, or well read individuals, or critical thinkers how else can we describe the end product they are trying to produce?</snark>

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

impressive

Watch out now, Sister Imp. That's one of those sacred words.

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin http://bestsmileys.com/religous/1.gif

 

[hmmnmm]

Some specific words elude me for the moment, but there's a style of speech - usually appearing in interviews - where the speaker asks him or herself a question and then answers their own question. This has been going on for over a decade and it is no longer effective.
"Do I such and such? No."
"If they did such and such, would it cause me to feel such and such? such and such answer

Did I take liberties with this thread topic? Certainly.
Do I feel this thread topic is timely and deserving serious discourse and examination? That answer should be obvious.
Thank you and good day.

 

[MarshAlien]

"comfortable"

I realize that it's a perfectly good word, but every time I read it, I have to spend time wondering how "comf-ter-bul" got to be an acceptable pronunciation.

This isn't one of those things where we're going to have to use all the words in a sentence at the end, is it?

 

[matriarch]

"comfortable"

I realize that it's a perfectly good word, but every time I read it, I have to spend time wondering how "comf-ter-bul" got to be an acceptable pronunciation.

This isn't one of those things where we're going to have to use all the words in a sentence at the end, is it?

Oh well..........if we're getting into the realms of pronunciation-horribilus.......

Febuary..........people, there's an 'r' in the middle. Pronounce it!
Secketary.......again, there's an 'r' in the middle. The word is se-cre-tary.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I am very 'per(s)nickity about pronounciation. Drives me crazy. (the 's' is in brackets, because the wife and I have constant disagreements about the word. In UK we don't use the 's'. *blink*

 

[jomar]

paradigm

utilize

 

[BlackShanglan]

This isn't one of those things where we're going to have to use all the words in a sentence at the end, is it?

That's going to be one hell of a sentence.

 

[MarshAlien]

That's going to be one hell of a sentence.

Aren't there usually some authors hanging out around here? Maybe we could draft one of them.

 

[Guest]

.............

 

[R. Richard]

I'll cast my vote for 'human resources'.

I know. It's a phrase. But it still needs to be shot in the head.

Resources aren't human.

Inhuman resources?

 

[carsonshepherd]

awesome - unless something really does inspire awe, and what can really do that?

amazing - "That was amazing, he's amazing." How unimaginative.

"out there, back there, in there" in the following context: "You were really amazing in there." *shudder* You hear that one all the time in movies and it makes me want to smash the screen.

 

[Belegon]

awesome - unless something really does inspire awe, and what can really do that?

amazing - "That was amazing, he's amazing." How unimaginative.

"out there, back there, in there" in the following context: "You were really amazing in there." *shudder* You hear that one all the time in movies and it makes me want to smash the screen.

Dude, I totally think that awesome is just fine.... but it's, like, a cultural thing, ya know?

Righteous.

Carry on, dude.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Dude, I totally think that awesome is just fine.... but it's, like, a cultural thing, ya know?

You could get away with it. But my mom - she needs to just stop using that word. *eyeroll*

 

[buxxxom]

Literally, especially when it's pronounced lit-rally. It has 4 syllables. Let's use them all. The second one is feeling left out.

Until the 20th century it meant in the strictest sense or in the literal sense. Now it's used as a modifier or intensifier, meaning without exaggeration or as the truth.

"I am flat broke, literally," Shelley quipped, before reaching into her pockets to pull out a handful of wadded up bills. Arrrrgh.

 

[Belegon]

You could get away with it. But my mom - she needs to just stop using that word. *eyeroll*

twisted, eh?

yeah, I can see that....