Thursday Thirteen #16
Thirteen Phrases that I totally cannot stand.
Last week I did phrases that I think are interesting, this week I am doing phrases that people use in every day conversations that really peeve me.
1. "I will touch base with you later" - You hear this one at work often. You are going to touch what? Don't touch me - please. If you want to talk to me, say you will call me later.
2. "Getting briefed (or debriefed)" - This is a fancy way of talking about a meeting. Say presentation or discussion, but briefing, I just don't get that one. Is there a briefcase involved? A large file with documents in them? Must be a military thing.
3. "Hang in there" - This is a blow off phrase. You are having a bad day, hang in there. Or better yet, deal with your own problems and leave me alone.
4. "Running with that" - Another way to pass the buck. I am not working on that project, Joe is running with that so don't bother me!
5. "Chuckle-Head" - what exactly is that? I hear that one often.
6. "Turn-key solution" - It never is. There is always something else you need to do/buy to make said equipment work.
7. "At the end of the day" - What is going to happen at this theoretical end of the day? At the end of the day, we will all get along better. Does the end of the day really ever come?
8. "SME (or Schmee)" - Subject Matter Expert. Ugh, this is so annoying. Usually these people know just as much as the rest of us.
9. "Been there, Done that" - OK, cocky. I don't care to hear your bragging.
10. "Low Hanging Fruit" - This one does not paint a mental picture of actual fruit on a tree, but someone grabbing one's self (or someone grabbing someone else - you choose). Of course its supposed to imply something easy to grab and take a hold of - again I don't see fruit.
11. "Boondoggle" - Meaning screwing off. Where did this one come from?
12. "The long and the short of it is" - Just say, conclusion or therefore. That is a really long phrase that really means, if you were listening to me, I don't need to recap but since you weren't here's the answer.
13. "Action Items" - C'mon, this is a fancy way to say to-do list. Who wants the action item to pick the low hanging fruit??
2. "Getting briefed (or debriefed)" - This is a fancy way of talking about a meeting. Say presentation or discussion, but briefing, I just don't get that one. Is there a briefcase involved? A large file with documents in them? Must be a military thing.
3. "Hang in there" - This is a blow off phrase. You are having a bad day, hang in there. Or better yet, deal with your own problems and leave me alone.
4. "Running with that" - Another way to pass the buck. I am not working on that project, Joe is running with that so don't bother me!
5. "Chuckle-Head" - what exactly is that? I hear that one often.
6. "Turn-key solution" - It never is. There is always something else you need to do/buy to make said equipment work.
7. "At the end of the day" - What is going to happen at this theoretical end of the day? At the end of the day, we will all get along better. Does the end of the day really ever come?
8. "SME (or Schmee)" - Subject Matter Expert. Ugh, this is so annoying. Usually these people know just as much as the rest of us.
9. "Been there, Done that" - OK, cocky. I don't care to hear your bragging.
10. "Low Hanging Fruit" - This one does not paint a mental picture of actual fruit on a tree, but someone grabbing one's self (or someone grabbing someone else - you choose). Of course its supposed to imply something easy to grab and take a hold of - again I don't see fruit.
11. "Boondoggle" - Meaning screwing off. Where did this one come from?
12. "The long and the short of it is" - Just say, conclusion or therefore. That is a really long phrase that really means, if you were listening to me, I don't need to recap but since you weren't here's the answer.
13. "Action Items" - C'mon, this is a fancy way to say to-do list. Who wants the action item to pick the low hanging fruit??
15 comments:
Ugh, I really hate "touch base" too. Brings to mind things like "Three dates and I can't even get to second base!" There's just something creepy and perverted about it.
LOL! What sort of chuckle-heads use these phrases, anyway? Hang in there, and I'll touch base with you later.
*ducking*
Sorry--couldn't resist!
Aww, HG, I'm sorry. I tell people to hang in there all the time -- it's what I resort to when I wish to help but can't. I have this mental picture of someone with a trapeze tucked under their armpit, teeth gritted, hating every minute but knowing that at any second, the solution will be found and things will ease.
"At the end of the day" is killing me. Loved this list. I am also weary of "catch the vision."
I haven't even heard of 5, 8, 10 or 11. I must be living in a cave?? Or the boonies.
Totally agree with you on most of those! Thanks for visiting my blog and Happy TT!
The one that really peeves me lately is "I'm going to go ahead and..." Just do it! No need to go ahead anywhere.
LOL. Touch base with you later gives me the same thought process. "Please don't touch me" lol. :)
BTW-- I love the pictures of the first snow above, very beautiful! :)
I LOVED this. SME made me laugh out loud. Oh I can sadly relate.
I use hang in there all the time too. Sometimes, especially if you're far from the person in question, it really is the best you can do.
I had to laugh at a bunch of the others though. As a former corporate hack / current markcom writer and editor I hear an awful lot of them...
Don't you just love corporate America? Where else can you have your base touched and your low hanging fruit grabbed? I just received a document of 14 "Pain Points". Translation; "Here's 14 things we want to complain about."
Thanks for visiting my Thursday Thirteen #59 13 Photos Left in My Digital Camera.
We can really get into ruts with our language. Happy Tt to you...
At The End Of The Day really infuriates me!
I haven't heard several of these; apparently we don't say them in SouthEastern Ohio, perhaps I should start?! Or not.
Great list. I did the 13 Christmas Gifts That Got Away this week.
Interesting list! As a non-native English writer I like to get to know these phrases. We don't learn them at school. :-)
Thanks for visiting my animated movies TT!
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