Superlative abuse- unique, genius, legendary etc etc.

tech77

Anyone else sick of superlative abuse- words like "genius", "legendary" etc to describe good or great things (even mediocrity).

There's an ad on tv describing Harrington, Clarke and Montgomery as living legends.

Would you ever fcuk off.
Tiger Woods is a living legend-
Those three golfers are "among the greatest european golfers of the past 10-15 years" but living legends?

Just an example but this obviously applies generally- art, music etc.. everything.

It degrades the meaning of the terms and makes it harder to remember stuff that is truly unparalleled, sublime, genius etc.
What do you think?

And what things, people etc would you describe as genius etc.

Oh yeah, I'll get the first reply out of the way:
"best thread ever!"

El Weirdo

tech77 wrote: »

Anyone else sick of superlative abuse- words like "genius", "legendary" etc to describe good or great things (even mediocrity).

There's an ad on tv describing Harrington, Clarke and Montgomery as living legends.

Would you ever fcuk off.
Tiger Woods is a living legend-
Those three golfers are "among the greatest european golfers of the past 10-15 years" but living legends?

Just an example but this obviously applies generally- art, music etc.. everything.

It degrades the meaning of the terms and makes it harder to remember stuff that is truly unparalleled, sublime, genius etc.
What do you think?

And what things, people etc would you describe as genius etc.

Oh yeah, I'll get the first reply out of the way:
"best thread ever!"

Epic Fail

Captain-America

Worst thread ever.

Shacklebolt

el_weirdo wrote: »

Epic Fail

I thought he was an all-round hero for posting it.

cashback

Yes it's annoying, very.

We'll just have to invent a new word for stuff that's actually legendary.
Supermegatronic or something.

Epic Fail is also an annoying one. Maybe just cos I'm getting old.

Schism

cashback wrote: »

Epic Fail is also an annoying one. Maybe just cos I'm getting old.

No I agree, I think epic fail has run it's course.

Abi

tech77 wrote: »

Anyone else sick of superlative abuse- words like "genius", "legendary" etc to describe good or great things (even mediocrity).

There's an ad on tv describing Harrington, Clarke and Montgomery as living legends.

Would you ever fcuk off.
Tiger Woods is a living legend-
Those three golfers are "among the greatest european golfers of the past 10-15 years" but living legends?

Just an example but this obviously applies generally- art, music etc.. everything.

It degrades the meaning of the terms and makes it harder to remember stuff that is truly unparalleled, sublime, genius etc.
What do you think?

And what things, people etc would you describe as genius etc.

Oh yeah, I'll get the first reply out of the way:
"best thread ever!"

You are posting this in AH. If you are serious, ask for a transfer.

AlmightyCushion

el_weirdo wrote: »

Epic Fail

That's rich coming from someone with binary in their sig.

K4t

OP: What else do you f**king expect from advertisers/marketers????

El Weirdo

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

That's rich coming from someone with binary in their sig.

I thought it was funny...

Diabhal Beag

Binary code = EPIC FAIL

xOxSinéadxOx

are they even superlatives?

The_Minister

Thank you OP, this pisses me off so much.

Dermot Looney (Labour candidate) about a year ago, had a letter in the IT describing all teachers as "heroes".
Everyone is a bloody hero nowadays, and it means that there is no word adequate to describe a man who runs into a burning building to rescue two people and a cat.

Overuse of words such as hero and atrocity and racist and homophobe render them meaningless.
Bigot is another one.

4zn76tysfajdxp

The_Minister wrote: »

Everyone is a bloody hero nowadays, and it means that there is no word adequate to describe a man who runs into a burning building to rescue two people and a cat.

Yes there is, it's "fireman."

tech77

K4t wrote: »

OP: What else do you f**king expect from advertisers/marketers????

Yeah fair enough- I mean generally though, not specifically in the area of marketing (the ad just reminded me of this general trend).

Basically overuse of powerful terms so that
1) the terms themselves are stripped of meaning
and
2) when the concept IS actually justified, the concept becomes difficult to express because the term that should express this concept has been devalued.

These are good general examples:

The_Minister wrote: »

Dermot Looney (Labour candidate) about a year ago, had a letter in the IT describing all teachers as "heroes".
Everyone is a bloody hero nowadays, and it means that there is no word adequate to describe a man who runs into a burning building to rescue two people and a cat.

Overuse of words such as hero and atrocity and racist and homophobe render them meaningless.
Bigot is another one.

tech77

Noelle Proud Couch wrote: »

Yes there is, it's "fireman."

Fireperson.

5318008!

Isn't that generally what happens?

A word gets used so much it's meaning changes substantially. New words will come along. I'm sure what you're describing is almost as old as language itself.

(I'm sure there was a time when the word "awesome" literally meant you were filled with awe ).

445279.ie

yeah, langer was an insult in olden days, now it's just a term of endearment

Coriolanus

I thought the thread would be for discussing superlative abuse, as in, really really good insults.

That's a topic more suited to AH methinks.

Sea Sharp

ya big legend.

eh no, that's overkill stfu.

DundalkDuffman

My brain for some reason processed the thread title as superlaxative abuse. Which is strange. Still opened it though!
The one that gets me is devastation, it gets bandied about all the time for things that in the scheme of things isn't devastation at all.

xOxSinéadxOx

no seriously though nobody answered me, are they superlatives? I thought superlatives were just stuff like, the best, the worst etc how is legend a superlative???

Armin_Tamzarian

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

no seriously though nobody answered me, are they superlatives? I thought superlatives were just stuff like, the best, the worst etc how is legend a superlative???

This post is the BEST Jerry, the Best...

P.S. I thanked your previous post for it's accuracy...

xOxSinéadxOx

^ oh I see!

In that case, this thread really sucks, so bad. I think I'm going to have to say, FAIL!

FruitLover

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

how is legend a superlative???

It's not really, it's just a regular lative.

Zillah

5318008! wrote: »

Isn't that generally what happens?

A word gets used so much it's meaning changes substantially. New words will come along. I'm sure what you're describing is almost as old as language itself.

(I'm sure there was a time when the word "awesome" literally meant you were filled with awe ).

I think that's a perfect example of why this trend sucks. I would like if I were watching a stormfront move in over the sea while the sun sets and I could say "awesome" without sounding like an American tool.

Latchy

We live in the age of mediocrity.

tech77

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

^ oh I see!

In that case, this thread really sucks, so bad. I think I'm going to have to say, FAIL!

See the fourth entry here for the informal use of the term (as used here).

Edit: WTF is with the crazy determination to fail me though?
Jaysus

xOxSinéadxOx

nah you still fail. sorry you had to find out like this.

tech77

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

^ oh I see!

In that case, this thread really sucks, so bad. I think I'm going to have to say, FAIL!

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

nah you still fail. sorry you had to find out like this.

No problem.
Ah well, at least the inconsistency of your reasoning (as highlighted in bold) has reassured me.
Cheers.

Capt'n Midnight

I liked the compliant that a fairly decent salary is considered "mega bucks"
in the past two adults and family could live on a single salary

instant classic when used about films is so overused

marketing droids should banned be used superlatives, subjectively humans can't tell differences unless there is a descrepancy of at least an eighth so ads should say "it's better than before, not that you'd notice though!"

phasers

I'll exaggerate as much as I bloody want, because I'm brilliant

D-Generate

Worst, most overused word is "random". The context in which it is used is almost never correct.

The_Minister

"Icon" when used to describe Lady GaGa.

The_Minister

Noelle Proud Couch wrote: »

Yes there is, it's "fireman."

And if he isn't paid to do the job?

I do however, acknowledge the burn.


I'll leave now.

tech77

cashback wrote: »

Yes it's annoying, very.

We'll just have to invent a new word for stuff that's actually legendary.
Supermegatronic or something.

Epic Fail is also an annoying one. Maybe just cos I'm getting old.

I'm using "supermegatronic" from now on.

Brilliant...
Ahem, i mean "very good".

Mr.Lizard

I think any discriptive for a golfer that goes beyond "he's just some guy walking around a park hitting balls with a stick" is probably hyperbole.

Mark Twain observed correctly "golf is a good walk spoiled". What a living legend that guy was!

milod

F**kin' awsome thread OP...

SoWatchaWant

The_Minister wrote: »

Everyone is a bloody hero nowadays, and it means that there is no word adequate to describe a man who runs into a burning building to rescue two people and a cat.

Noelle Proud Couch wrote: »

Yes there is, it's "fireman."

tech77 wrote: »

Fireperson.

See above

GreeBo

This thread fills a much needed gap in the market.