I'd like to add "Proactive" and "Metrics".

I have found that "metrics" is used by people, especially MBA holders, to try to make themselves sound more intelligent, when the words "data" or "measure" could do the job.

while we're at it then, could we please dispense with 'in the aggregate'? i had a contract job with a major financial institution, and i swear i heard that term more in the 10+ months i was with them than the entire rest of my life. "aggregate," "in the aggregate," "aggregated..." all of them need to go. i don't care if they were being used correctly; it's just a horrible, horrible word/phrase.

I used to hate "proactive" because I thought it was a redundant, business-speak nonsense word. I looked it up though and discovered that it has a specific usage in science and also that there is no true synonyms for the exact meaning so I now I approve of it if it is used only when a better word cannot be found (a good rule for any word I suppose).

In many cases "active" or "anticipatory" is more precise.

Seektruth - "Awesome" made both 1984 and 2007's lists.

Shot a Man - "proactive" made both 1991 and 1993's lists. (I highly agree with "metric")

I have switched to: "I'm full of downright, cotton pickin' awe!"

ooops... you mean cotton pickin' is on the list? well hoop-de-doo and dern and dang bust...

I think i will ignore the list... if I don't I will be termed Illiterate.

And don't tell me that is over-used! OK.. then I will try to graduate to Illicit. That does have a certain ring to it.

I agree with you,....like, totally!

Just to let you know, "Awesome" was indeed on the 2007 list... so it has the dubious honor of being one the chosen...

MEN came up with it...it's our refuge from estrogen...and yes, I have one....and I LOVE it!

GOD! I lover your response.

I think that before the term "Man Cave" was coined (back in the old days), it was called a "Garage".

I'm a husband with three daughters and among other things, I used it for a refuge as well.

"At the end of the day", is so cliche'.

ok booboo.. and you will replace it with...????

o I have it...

"When day is done..."

or

"There goes the sun..."

Sheesh.. so this is what college kids do with their time in this day and age... ooops.. I just said another triplet... o well..

How about "The dumbing down of America." That works for me.

I can take or leave "man cave"...but the one that raises my hackles is "honey-do list". I can't think of a phrase regarding the male of the species that irks me more than that one...

Sheesh.. so this is what college kids do with their time in this day and age... ooops.. I just said another triplet... o well..

Except they have been doing this list since the 1970's.... so... I'm pretty sure they have always been doing these sorts of things. That and getting educated; something of which a lot of viners are in desperate need.

Not a fan of 'man cave' either, I call mine the "study" because it sounds old-timey and lets me "retire to my study". I do have a couple book shelves too, right next to the videogames lol

Mine is a 'studio'...it's where I practice and write, and often where I go to relax.

But I'm a man and I love that estrogen exposure.

Eh, you guys already know why it was called a cave. Because most male escape rooms were generally dark, either in lighting or in color, so it felt like a cave! Frankly, I think it's a perfectly appropriate term. The only reason it's overused is because it spawned its own TV show!

I think these university peeps need to get a life. "Baby bump"? Good grief, what is wrong with that? I've got a baby bump, and proud of it! What would they rather I say, "bloated uterus?" Sheesh.

Yeah, "baby bump" is a good word to describe it, better than stretched out uterus.

I think that "honey-do list" hits it on the head. A woman marries a man and then thinks she can do nothing besides hang out with all her man-hating disrespectful friends and then when her husband comes home "it's the old 'you never do anything for me!'"

I guess the ring on her finger is irrelevant.

When God judged Adam and Eve for sinning in the garden He made Eve's love for Adam and his lordship over her payment for getting out from under his dominion. I can't say that I feel right at having to deal with her disobedience and his sin, but I'm not sinless so I deserve what I get.

Back in the late 70s, the term "REALLY" was the rage. I thought we were over that.... but no such luck! I agree!!

Pretty sure "Just sayin" was in a previous year's list.

My most hated phrase is "take it to the next level". Ban it already.

Just saying is annoying, just sayin. Because it has no point, just sayin. It is sort of like apologizing for the preceeding phrase so as to not take ownership of it, just sayin.

I've found the most disarming thing to "just sayin'." When you hear it, you alway say "Everybody is just sayin'!" It makes people aware of it.

I dislike that phrase as well because it is smug and simultaneously posits the writer's position as reasonable while accusing any critical response, however deserved, as an overreaction as the author has already asserted that they are simply stating their opinion and therefore are supposedly above reproach. The phrase is very passive-aggressive.

I admit I have used it in the past but when I realized what I was really doing, I tried to purge it from my vernacular. That being said, since many people use it without realizing what they are doing, I try to just ignore it and not let the use annoy me too much nor let myself be emotionally manipulated by it.

Chuckwagon - "Really" made 1974's list, but I think it's due for a return to the next list... And "I'm just saying" was on 2011 list, as OhJoy said.

and OhJoy, "Take it to the next level" was on 1998's list.. HAH!

"At the end of the day" anyone?

You just made my day...that phrase drives me insane...I know someone that uses it EVERY day...until the end of the day!

Personally... I use ROFL... no one else does yet... but... they know what I mean ROFL

I use ROFLMFAO...does that count?

I think people should switch to something new and use "LSHISMP" = "Laughed So Hard I Shat My Pants" instead... at the end of the day, that would be awesome.. just saying... LOL....

yes.. maintaining that level of sarcasm can be quite draining...

By the way, Seektruth, "LOL" was on 2004's list... and the way it was listed kind of covers them all "LOL and other abbreviated 'e-mail speak,' including the symbol '@' when used in advertising and elsewhere"

Takenaka, "At the end of the day" achieved the dishonor of making 1999's list.

"ban handguns"

You forgot "leftist" "capitalist" "nazi" "neonazi" "rightwing" "leftwing" and the beat goes on.

The folks who use those terms usually don't have a clue what they really mean, either.

Agreed, using those terms when in the debate usually is just a way for someone to marginalize their opponent when they don't really have much substance in their argument to begin with.

I also don't get why anyone would want to marginalize themselves by boasting about being a conservative or a liberal... I never like to label myself because I like being unquantifiable...

LOL, Beast, I personally would like to ban the term "normal people". Who the heck decides what is normal?

How about "real American" or "true Patriot"....ugh, so tired of those being used to illustrate how one's ideas are better

OR.. How about "God Bless America"... man, has that one been over-used and played out, not to mention it's usually used as a pandering gesture by politicians on the campaign trail.

Evening klondiko..Sorry I just posted below about the word "gotten". I have never really seen it/heard it before. I just sent my comments when I saw yours. Burst out laughing and it is has made my day. So the word "gotten" is used widely in the States? Don't you normally just say "got"? Anyway have a good evening over there.

Shona - Forgive my ignorance, but is 'gotten' not the correct past participle of 'get'?

Evening Eric..the plot thickens....I just had a squiz on the internet..explains why we don't hear or see it over here and sounds odd...gotten appears to be a word that was dropped from the English language but still frequently used in the US. I would assume it was dropped here as well. You are correct when you say it is the past participle of get....Never knew that and still sounds strange to see and hear. But we learn something every day.. Thanks for the info...Have a Great New Year where ever you are.

I get the idea now, I got the idea yesterday, I have not gotten the ideas right, I will get them tomorrow (when I find the words that tell me what they are).

It is still a part of speech.

In England gotten disappeared in the late 1600s. It has remained a part of American English clear on through to the present day.

And please take your broom to "business solutions." Thank you.

It's even more irritating when it's applied to people who are simply rich. Buying another diamond tiara for your trophy wife does not make you a "job creator."

Self checkout lanes...

Killing retail jobs by the millions!

I nominate "Job Creators". I am so sick of this term. There are entrepeneurs or employers or businesses.

Nope. They're middle class consumers whose demand for goods and services allows entrepreneurs to be successful and provide jobs.

Self checkout lanes...

Killing retail jobs by the millions!

I hate those things, mainly because they are NOT faster half the time because some technology-illiterate moron is in front of you trying to use it.

My gf loves the self-checkout and will go into that lane even when it would be faster to go into the normal lane... drives me nuts.

I think we should replace "job creators" with "money pocketing fat cat conivers".

“””Job Creators is a fictional term unless we are talking about Bill Gates and Steve Jobs”””

Yeah in F-ing China!!! Foxconn China loves your way of thinking Arrive-1........

Steve Jobs was a D!CK!!!

Arrive-1,

Job Creators is an over used term for sure; and pointless.

Shuklack,

I'm ninja fast in the self check out lanes. Love 'em!

bedbug007,

Lets not talk ill towards the deceased.

I completely agree! It would be "Amazing" if "Job Creators " could be removed from our language! ;-)

I also nominate "Gate" Stop putting it at the end of a perceived scandal of some sort. Nanny-Gate, Travel-Gate....Watergate was 40 years ago. Let's retire the word.

I stand corrected Blake; sorry he was WRONG for moving jobs overseas!!! Dead or not.......................

Gotten is obsolete in British usage, but it's a perfectly respectable - and useful - word in American English.

Irregardless...now that brings me back to my Army days. That, and the gross misuse of the reflexive tense i.e. "If you have any questions get with or email myself or Sgt. so and so". I can also do without "Not so much" and "Really?". These parrot-people learning to talk through commercials make me ill.

Yes, we need to banish "irregardless." Everyone knows the correct word is "disregardless."

Irregardless was likely already on that list - but seriously there needs to be a monthly televised reminder that it's not a word until it goes away for good.

I've seen senior professionals use this non-word in briefings - and it just boggles me how intelligent and successful people somehow managed to miss the memo that 'irregardless' isn't even a word.

REGARDLESS works just fine.

Ha. I could compile a list a mile long of obvious blunders like this. Makes me think the people using them are blind and deaf.

"Imput" for "input"

"One in the same" for "one and the same"

"All the sudden" for "all of a sudden"

"Death" for "deaf"

"Jewlery" for "jewelry"

"Masonary" for "masonry"

"Ecscape" for "escape"

"Nucular"

etc., etc.

"pacific" for "specific" always gets under my skin like a chigger... I remember an assistant I used to have that used "pacific" that way. It nearly drove me crazy... We had this conversation once:

Deb (my assistant): "They said the need pacific examples of the call trends."

Me: "Specific.."

Deb: "Huh?"

Me: "They want specific examples.."

Deb: "That's what I said, pacific examples."

Me: "Deb.. do me a favor.. say 'Speh'"

Deb: "Spuh"

Me: "Now say 'siffick'"

Deb: "siffick"

Me: Now put them together.. 'Speh.. Siffick'"

Deb: "pacific."

Me: "AARRRGGGHHH!!!"

Also.. "Irregardless" was on both 1979 and 1988's lists...

I'd reply "Yes. I am" and leave it at that. Make the bastards be more direct.

Thanks, chuck wagon. I am so* going to use that!

*Another word which should have so made the list.

Sometimes I will just repeat what I just asked, as in,

"I have an appointment with Mr. Fonebone."

"And you are?"

"I'm the guy who has an appointment with Mr. Fonebone."

Someone: "And you are?"

Me: "Quietly passing gas as we speak.."

and Echo, "So" is SO 1999... in fact, it SO made the 1999 list.

I'll cast my vote with you for awesome as well. I think it's far more inappropriately used (and overused) than amazing.

Awesome is such and awesome choice that it made lists for both 1984 AND 2007!

George Bush had a best speech?...I'm so totally awesomly confused....

Rubin-395528 -- You wrote "...THAT'S WHY YOUR TELLING ME" ... You should say "you're," meaning "you are." "Your" refers to something that belongs to you.

I never heard the phrase "like this or that" -- who says that? I mean, could you please give examples?

My 88 year old mother always uses the phrase "you know what I mean?" at the end of every sentence. It drives me nuts because she jumps from one subject to another, thus I usually have NO idea of what she's talking about. And I don't dare say "no, I don't know what you mean" because then I'm told I'm either not listening or I'm not paying attention.

A girl who works for me does the same thing, except she always says, "Do you know..." She never drops the "do" at the beginning. It's like she's going out of her way to use the full cliche. She also says "land up" or "landed up" instead of "ended up". I'm always tempted to ask if whoever she's talking about was a sailor or something.

"yuh know" made 1978's list then went on to make it on 1979's list as well... it was quite popular back then, yuh know...

And what about the phrase 'real time'? My grounding in philosophy avails me nothing in trying to interpret this latterday conjunction of two of its most elusive concepts. Anyone??

I usually hear "real time" used as a clarifier; a process or operation may be occurring, or progress reported, either at intervals or after the fact, or in real time, i.e., as it transpires.

I can see how it could get under a person's skin, but it doesn't bother me; I find it useful.

I had a college professor who would always ask if there were any questions "at this particular point in time". I'd forgotten about that. I suppose it was just a habit among professors, who had to develop "fluff" to pad their PhD dissertations.

"At this point in time" made 1976's list.

I recently heard a presentation from an intelligent, accomplished woman in her late 30s who ended each sentence she wanted to emphasize with a rising tone, as you describe, and the effect was jarring. The value of what she had to offer was severely diminished by this verbal tic, and I believe the dismissive and frankly sexist remarks I overheard later were in large part a result of her unfortunate delivery.

When I hear that up-tick, it makes me feel that the person is unsure of what they are saying.. like they are asking for acceptance of the statement... It's rather annoying.

I think your theory is spot-on, WarBeast - people who use that inflection sound terribly unsure of themselves and solicitous of the listener(s) approval or agreement. I remember unconsciously adopting that bothersome inflection as a self-conscious pre-teen, and my mother (an English major) would relentlessly reply to my every up-ticked comment with, "Are you asking me a question?" till she apparently drove me nuts enough to break that habit. :-)

I think "seen" is a Southern (US) thing, and I think it's so pervasive there, it gets passed from teacher to student.

Oh, here's another: "It gets past from teacher to student". Or the converse, "That's all in the passed. It's ancient history".

As far as "That said" and its many different similar incarnations, apparently the people in 2003 agreed with you, because it made that year's list.

To quote Onslow, "What faults?"

you misspelled Ginormous...you stinkin' caveman...go back to the cretacious period.

Um, "cretaceous."

I'm not really sure, but I am sure that:

I am what I am .... and

You are what you are .... or is that

You are what you eat ? I get those two mixed up

:-) {smiley face - love 'em}

Hey, let's leave Popeye out of this.....'I yam what I yam"....ek,ek,ek,ek,ek,ek,ek....

Actually, I LIKE "it is what it is". It's good for taking the wind out of the sails of someone who wants a debate rather than an answer. If your boss is busting your balls for being late, and you have a good reason, like a wreck on the highway creating a traffic jam, you can disarm him by saying, "It is what it is. I can't make my car fly."

I agree Angry Guy. It's a useful term. I also like "different strokes". It's not that I shy away from an argument but sometimes there is nothing to argue and both of those phrases make that point.

Even though I agree with Angry Guy about it, there were enough people that agreed with Emily that is made the 2008 list.

It's descendent whatev should be included.

Whatever can be found on 1997's list.