These words add nothing to a sentence, in university you would lose marks for using them.
In most walks of public life, what's considered unacceptable is leaving a pause for thought - you're expected to fill that gap with words, and since you haven't actually thought of anything yet, you say things like "basically, you know, really, at the end of the day" (Aha! I know what to say now!) "it's just something to do to fill in time until the next thought turns up."
The universities have my vote, but since when has the general public taken a blind bit of notice of what well-educated people think?
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Nothing is more annoying that the use of the word 'literally' in literally every sentence where someone wants to add emphasis. It literally makes my blood boil.
Oooh yeah my brother says literally literally all the time, makes me want to slap him.
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Nothing is more annoying that the use of the word 'literally' in literally every sentence where someone wants to add emphasis. It literally makes my blood boil.
I feel your pain Chopsie.
Also I HATE the words actually, basically, obviously when used in a customer service-like manner. (I think I started a thread on them a few months ago)
Another painful one: I fancy a packet of criss. WTF????
There are many many many many more, but I choose life
Nothing is more annoying that the use of the word 'literally' in literally every sentence where someone wants to add emphasis. It literally makes my blood boil.
Yes! Literally now seems to have had its definition changed to Metaphorically, the exact opposite of what it is supposed to mean.
I use Like FAR too much, but not as a word, I inadvertantly find myself using it to replace 'erm', when I get stuck mid-sentence.
Anything like this is really annoying, I think that people refuse to acknowledge that they say this too often then don't see the problem when its is pointed out. What can we do about it?
Anything like this is really annoying, I think that people refuse to acknowledge that they say this too often then don't see the problem when its is pointed out. What can we do about it?
We could go back to NOT assuming people are stupid just because they pause to think about what they're going to say; but I seriously doubt that's ever going to happen.
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Give a man a fish, he'll pester you tomorrow for another one.
Teach him to fish, and he'll be out of your hair for life.
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People are not stupid, everyone has their own talents and individual qualities despite their level of education, however, people who have been to university and have all the qualifications in the world are just as guilty of these words as anyone else. If Stephen Hawkins said But Basically obviously, he wouldn't be considered stupid.
It can be, and often is, used in the sense you mentioned above. It can also be used when someone (believes that he) points out something you have missed, in which position he doesn't necessarily believe you to be wrong.
My dad was taught on one of his many management courses that whenever someone uses the word but in a sentence, you should assume that everything he says before it is a lie. Examples of such; "I have the greatest respect for your opinion, but -" .... "I don't want to cause trouble, but -" ... and so on.
It's not always a valid observation; but it is often.
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Give a man a fish, he'll pester you tomorrow for another one.
Teach him to fish, and he'll be out of your hair for life.
Answers to Google-search questions work the same way.
People are not stupid, everyone has their own talents and individual qualities despite their level of education, however, people who have been to university and have all the qualifications in the world are just as guilty of these words as anyone else. If Stephen Hawkins said But Basically obviously, he wouldn't be considered stupid.
Well, I agree with you. Unfortunately the mass media, and those large parts of the general public who believe whatever the mass media tells them, tend not to; it's an unforgivable sin nowadays to be taking part in an interview and say "errr..." or pause for a few seconds while you think up an appropriate response.
Look at Boris Johnson. He thinks very carefully before giving an appropriate answer to a question. Result? He keeps getting labelled an idiot, which he palpably is not - he's probably the smartest man in Westminster right now.
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Give a man a fish, he'll pester you tomorrow for another one.
Teach him to fish, and he'll be out of your hair for life.
Answers to Google-search questions work the same way.
"No offence but" is a very odd one. I know a lot of people who use it to prefix everything, even things which are completely inoffensive and irrelevant.
"No offence but I really like this music", "No offence but I need the toilet", etc.
Nothing is more annoying that the use of the word 'literally' in literally every sentence where someone wants to add emphasis. It literally makes my blood boil.
Absolutely; every time I hear someone doing it I quite literally explode.
No offence, like.
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this phrase, I'm going to use this endlessly until the 'buts' start to clean up.
