h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Awesome - 13 months ago I was walking the footbridge between the USA and Canada across the river at the foot of Niagara Falls and I felt I couldn't use the word because it was no longer powerful enough, to everyday, it's become as disposable as a biro, a single use camera or razorblade.

It's a while since posting, so I'm going to nominate "what", in the sense of "what one?" which I always feel should be "which one". Also "amount" used where "number" should be, and similarly "less" where "fewer" should be.

re: Freddy's complaint about over use of vagueness.

A sad side effect of aging I have found. I can't remember everyday words and frequently resort to "thingy" or "what the f*** is his/her name" for words I really don't remember" Aging sucks.

My current overuse complaints:
"at the end of the day" every day several times a day it seems.
and "poster child" although its use has declined.

costumerservice while it is more costumertorture!

Posh and Becks

daSilva... You are correct... that was the perfect moment to use the word 'Awesome' but unfortunately no one can say it now without thinking of Keanu Reeves... May I suggest 'Awe inspiring' in its stead?

"Fury" and "furious". Politicians (usually) are reportedly "furious" that someone has disagreed with them or stepped out of line. I don't believe them. I think they're probably just a bit annoyed.



RF

"Slammed" on a similar note.

Somebody probably said something mildly controversial in passing, but the papers make it look like a condemnation and a statement.

did you know that (Ms) Loos (BecksGate) means in Dutch brave?

"Surreal " makes me see red. Strange how words go in fashions - some stick, and some fade into oblivion.

Lots more irritate me and you have set me thinking. Must jot them down when I hear them.

"at this moment in time" I can only think of these gems as spoken at conferences, business meetings and by the Government of the day. Use them in any order to sound clever, and to speak interminably on any subject without actually saying anything that makes sense.

integrated, management , options,. heuristic ,organizational , flexibility, systematized , monitored, capability, parallel ,reciprocal , mobility, functional, digital , programming, responsive, logistical, scenarios, optional, transitional, time-phase, synchronized, incremental , projection, compatible, third-generation, hardware, futuristic, policy, contingency.

Any more??

Websailor

You forgot "Paradigm Shift" and "Proactive"...

I get the shivering shakes just speaking those foul words.

Can I also add tragedy and hero.

And he/she EARNED astronomical amounts of money this year (you know - The Rich List!) . Journalists and reporters should know the difference between "earning" and being paid. The two are not synonymous.

Websailor

You got that one right. Plastic ain't the boon we thought it was. It's back to glass for me, honey

Bling

and bling bling.

My 65 year old father used that phrase.... That definitely means it's time for it to go away.

I only just heard it for the first time a couple months ago. I don't know how I missed it. But I really didn't miss it. It sounds stupid to me anyway. Hope it goes away soon.

Not so much a word as a phrase:

I'm lovin it

***Can you feel the hate??***

Yes, deeply.

I wish people would stop using the words 'philosophy' and 'logic' when it's not philosophy or logic they're talking about. For instance when they use 'philosophy' to describe some organisational policy, or 'logical' to describe a person's reaction or choice of action in some particular circumstance.

Oh, and I wish people would learn the difference between 'not necessarily' and 'necessarily not'.

"Suicide Bombers"
Referring to them thus, instead of the mere terrorists that they are, confers an unwarranted sense of heroism to their final act.