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The Garden Party

Annoying phrases

12 years ago

Do you hear frequently used cliches that get annoying? One I hear a lot that when used alone and not as a part of a larger thought grates on my nerves.

"It is what it is."

A quote of Billy Frolick in this article about this phrase...

"2) What is your reaction when you see the phrase

used by athletes and others? Pride? Horror? Somewhere in between?

MY REACTION IS OFTEN THAT THE INTERVIEWEE CAN'T

THINK OF ANYTHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY. MAYBE THEY ARE

A) OUT OF BREATH, B) NOT GETTING ENOUGH OXYGEN TO

THEIR BRAIN, OR C) THERE ISN'T MUCH BRAIN THERE TO GET

OXYGEN TO.

IN SOME RESPECTS, IT'S A RATHER LAZY AND

DISRESPECTFUL RESPONSE, ONE WHICH BASICALLY SAYS,

"FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF, DUMBASS." AS A RESULT, I

FIND MYSELF RARELY USING IT, EXCEPT WHEN I'M TALKING TO AGENTS AND PRODUCERS, OF COURSE."

It has history that goes way back but usually as part of a larger thought concept. Some examples....

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Comments (9)

User
Original Author
12 years ago
links got messed up

article

quotes
mawheel
12 years ago
Gee, Don, I guess it can be annoying, but have often used it, myself. When a situation or problem can't be changed or solved, it says it all. It may be my way of dissolving myself of responsibility for something. (It's too early in the morning for you to have made me think.) LOL--perhaps another annoying cliche?
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I'll start on that right now (when something is late). That's next on my list. Hang on, let me finish this call (aka I'll be with you in a moment) Or in my case, all I have to do to annoy my boss is show up for work! (kidding)
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I think it was the Norman conquest in general that brought so many French words into English but I'm not sure. I cited a curious example of a few related words but the uncountable number of food related words and the many other words of all kinds are much more numerous than most people realize. I don't know and didn't look for the answer but I wonder if words of French origin outnumber words from any other single source. In return, many English words are used as shortcuts in French. Not so much incorporated into the language as with other words but rather for colloquial, informal use. A typical comment among co-workers on Friday afternoon is to say "Bon weekend", the meaning of which is obvious to an English speaker. You wear "un smoking" (tux) to formal affairs, leave your can in "le parking", work up "le business plan", and on and on.
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rob333 (zone 7b)
12 years ago
My boss was the first to say this to me. It was his way of absolving me of stupidity, be it mine or the situation's stupidity. I don't think I've heard others say it, but I'm glad to hear him say it when he does.
mawheel
12 years ago
Rob, I used "dissolving", when I should have chosen "absolving myself . . . ". I said it was too early in the morning for me to think, though, didn't I? :>)
rob333 (zone 7b)
12 years ago
Honestly, I read it as absolving! HA! It must've been early indeed.
west_gardener
12 years ago
mwheel, your whole post made sense to me, I could go with both words.
I use that phrase a lot, perhaps too much. Usually I say "It is what it is" when I know I can't change something. But when I know I can change something, I may add "for now".
calliope
12 years ago
I have to chuckle, because I heard that phrase for the first time only a couple months ago, so it's not old and hackneyed to me. I want to use it a few times until I get tired of it......puleeze! I like it because it's brief and succinct and implies you may as well not palaver about how or why something is, but just get over it and deal with it.

"Get over it". Now, that one I'm tired of. "He owns it". I'm tired of that one as well. And for I'm really tired of an emcee saying "put your hands together for...." Not a biggie, any of them. Oh gosh, where would we be without cliches? I suppose they fill a need because they are instantly understood.
frogged
12 years ago
A phrase that grates on me is when I am walking my dog, I get who's walking who, or somthing to this effect. Somtimes I would hear this more then once on a walk. I know folks are just being friendly and making small talk. But whats wrong with nice day, or just a smile and nod.
west_gardener
12 years ago
frogged, I agree with you about "just a smile and nod".

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