Euphemistic words/phrases you wish people would stop using

MakeEmLaugh · 03-06-2015 05:17PM #1

What are some words/phrases you wish people would stop using when they actually mean something else? Euphemisms and the like.

A friend told me he wishes people would stop saying “LGBT” in lieu of “gay and lesbian”.

His argument was that, when the term “LGBT” is used, it almost never relates to an issue affecting transgender people. It's usually something specifically to do with gay and lesbian people. Therefore, he argued, people should say “lesbian and gay issues” instead of “LGBT issues”. He also said that almost no one ever publicly identifies as bisexual, so having a letter abbreviating their name is mere tokenism.

A personal pet peeve of mine is the term “Islamophobia”. As an atheist, I am quite anti-Islam, but also anti-Christianity, anti-Hinduism, anti-Scientology, etc.

“Islam” is just a collection of ideas, and should be subject to the same criticism as any other, whether it's Christianity, Marxism or Vegetarianism.

“Islamophobia” is being trotted out by pseudo-intellectuals to refer to anti-Muslim prejudice, for which I have no time. Take the case of the Muslim woman on the flight who was denied an unopened can of coke, because, apparently, it could be used as a weapon. This was considered “Islamophobia”, but really, the flight attendant probably didn't know the first thing about Islam.

She just knew the passenger was a Muslim, and didn't want to give her an unopened can, which – if she didn't treat other passengers identically – probably was anti-Muslim prejudice. Don't call it this silly neologism “Islamophobia”.

Could you imagine the howls of laughter if someone criticised the validity of the resurrection of Jesus and was called “Christianophobic”?

What are some other euphemistic phrases you wish people would stop using, and what would you like them to use instead?

lizzyman · 03-06-2015 05:24PM

Overuse of the word "actual" really grates on my nerves - "What the actual fúck" etc.

"Unreal"

"Savage"

The constant misusing of "literally" where "figuratively" should be used. "I literally died"

The endless Father Ted references. "Careful now" and "Down with this sort of thing"

To the inevitable post with the boundless wit to quote this post with one of the above Father Ted phrases, it's not the late 90s anymore and it's just not funny.

HandsomeDan · 03-06-2015 05:25PM

Random

muppet

Like

nom nom nom

Etc..

Stuff you hear regularly on breakfast radio or on fm104 throughout the day. Trying to sound young barf sh*te in other words...

major bill · 03-06-2015 05:25PM

''like''

''man''

**** off!!!

Speak Now · 03-06-2015 05:26PM

Basically

Hyperbole

Retard/retarded.

ScumLord · 03-06-2015 05:27PM

I should be allowed to slap someone's face if they say "like" more than once in a sentence.

RayM · 03-06-2015 05:33PM

lizzyman wrote: »

To the inevitable post with the boundless wit to quote this post with one of the above Father Ted phrases, it's not the late 90s anymore and it's just not funny.

I could have you killed.

lizzyman · 03-06-2015 05:34PM

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Random

muppet

Like

nom nom nom

Etc..

Stuff you hear regularly on breakfast radio or on fm104 throughout the day. Trying to sound young barf sh*te in other words...

Those people should get a collective roundhouse kick to the prick. Are those two fúcking idiots still on 2fm in the morning, Cahill and Jim Jim or something? Used to have to listen to it at work and always felt like my IQ was about 10 points lower by the end of the show.

Chris_Bradley · 03-06-2015 05:34PM

Crips

worded · 03-06-2015 05:37PM

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

Crips

A Package of crips ?

Hazys · 03-06-2015 05:41PM

"That is offensive"

That sentence is ruining modern society. The amount a faux outrage over trivial things is mind boggling. I don't think i have ever been offended by anything enough to even utter those words.

But then again "I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me -- no matter how dumb my suggestions are"

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 03-06-2015 05:42PM

"Liberal" when used as some kind of insult.

Samaris · 03-06-2015 05:43PM

I'm really guilty of "random", I gotta admit.

"Gay" as an insult. What the fcuk does "that's so gay" even mean?

Literally/figuratively's been doing the rounds and annoying people for a while, I'm with you there.

SJW - It's become such a generic insult that it can mean anything from "you have mildly liberal views" to "Jesus Christ, I'm sorry, put down the hatchet!"

"Check your privilege" Check your own damn privilege and don't be so lazy in arguing.

Unironic 90s Valley girl speech - put a sock in it.

Ironic 90s Valley Girl speech - Unless it's very well timed, it sounds like your sense of humour was frozen in 2001.

So, like, etc, used more than once a paragraph.

aaronjumper · 03-06-2015 05:44PM

Well jell, totes, yolo. Any of the acronyms or slang terms that have emerged in the last few years really.

Agree with the over use of literally. People adding .com to real life sentences.
Heard someone say "mortified.com" to a friend, in a shop the other day. There are so many more that I think I might have repressed them.

Oh a good old whinge feels so good.

Magico Gonzalez · 03-06-2015 05:47PM

Any phrase where grown adults are trying to reclaim their youth or not appear out of touch.

At some stage people have decided to stop making an effort in expressing themselves and parrot the same vacuous expressions they've heard someone they perceive as "cool" or, more likely, "youthful and cool" utter.

It's totes unbearable.

Uncle Ben · 03-06-2015 05:50PM

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Any phrase where grown adults are trying to reclaim their youth or not appear out of touch.

At some stage people have decided to stop making an effort in expressing themselves and parrot the same vacuous expressions they've heard someone they perceive as "cool" or, more likely, "youthful and cool" utter.

It's totes unbearable.

From today's liveline, ''.Basically '.

Samaris · 03-06-2015 05:50PM

aaronjumper wrote: »

Heard someone say "mortified.com" to a friend, in a shop the other day. There are so many more that I think I might have repressed them.

Argh, people do that? I have heard the "hashtag X" and have had a mild urge to thump them, but I might not be able to resist said urge at all if someone said "mortified.com" in my hearing.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

"Liberal" when used as some kind of insult.

Especially in places that are not the US, where it's clear that people are using "liberal", "conservative" and all the rest of it to mean "Democrat views" and "Republican views". Grinds my gears on the internet something rotten.

One eyed Jack · 03-06-2015 05:55PM

All the euphemistic words used for the word 'penis'.

aaronjumper · 03-06-2015 05:56PM

Samaris wrote: »

Argh, people do that? I have heard the "hashtag X" and have had a mild urge to thump them, but I might not be able to resist said urge at all if someone said "mortified.com" in my hearing.

Indeed they do. That was just one example. Any variation of "hungry, hungover, tired, wrecked, excited" etc.
You just take whatever positive or negative emotion or other you're feeling and add it to the end.
Seems to be dying down but it will probably just get replaced by something else just as annoying, in the unending scramble to feel relevant.

SEPT 23 1989 · 03-06-2015 05:57PM

"seriously"

Die

Magico Gonzalez · 03-06-2015 05:58PM

I'm not overly fond of "Die", but at least it's blunt enough to stop the torrent of reciprocal drivel that usually follows.

Firblog · 03-06-2015 06:03PM

Absolutely - on its own, in answer to a question? Absolutely agree or Absolutely disagree - one or the other NOT just Absolutely

Conversation - as in 'join the conversation' - shove your conversation

So - first word when answering a question - how did you do that? So first I.... So you're an idiot.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 03-06-2015 06:05PM

Anyone over the age of 12 using the word 'Epic' to describe something needs a smack in the face with a chair.

My biggest gripe is the use of the word 'stake-holders' to describe the other equally clueless idiots at a meeting.

RayM · 03-06-2015 06:11PM

Because 'noun'.

Emsloe · 03-06-2015 06:11PM

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

Crips

Bloods and Crips fool. Thug life 4 eva.

Samaris · 03-06-2015 06:12PM

Slightly off-topic, but there was an ad I was inflicted with on the radio in a shop yesterday that nearly made my brain melt out of my ears. It was for O'Mahony Boylan Golden insurance twerps, and whoever came up with the ad requires a lobotomy, although I have to assume they had one before they started. If I say it started with an over-excited Dublin Valley Girl saying "OH-EM-BEE-GEE! etc etc" and then explaining that her exclamation meant "O'Mahony, Boylan, Golden!" and just how delighted she was with her insurance (or whatever it was she was wittering on about), you can probably get just how much an average person would want to shove her into a blender.

One eyed Jack · 03-06-2015 06:18PM

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Anyone over the age of 12 using the word 'Epic' to describe something needs a smack in the face with a chair.

Heh, I'm just reminded of the weekend just gone, and there aren't too many other words would aptly describe the experience!

My biggest gripe is the use of the word 'stake-holders' to describe the other equally clueless idiots at a meeting.

Standard term in Project Management, but worse is the use of words like 'clients' and 'service users' used in Social Care to describe people. It's utterly dehumanising IMO, gives me a twitchy eyeball every time I hear it.

MakeEmLaugh · 03-06-2015 06:21PM

RayM wrote: »

Because 'noun'.

This isn't the reason I started this thread, but I do despise when people do this.

Uncle Ben · 03-06-2015 06:23PM

Entrepreneur. Every one is an entrepreneur these days.

Magico Gonzalez · 03-06-2015 06:30PM

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Anyone over the age of 12 using the word 'Epic' to describe something needs a smack in the face with a chair.

My biggest gripe is the use of the word 'stake-holders' to describe the other equally clueless idiots at a meeting.

Epic doesn't mean what those twerps think it does:

Epic:
a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.

Or something pertaining to an epic. (see above)

Does not mean "went out and got drunk again".

PARlance · 03-06-2015 06:33PM

Samaris wrote: »

Slightly off-topic, but there was an ad I was inflicted with on the radio in a shop yesterday that nearly made my brain melt out of my ears. It was for O'Mahony Boylan Golden insurance twerps, and whoever came up with the ad requires a lobotomy, although I have to assume they had one before they started. If I say it started with an over-excited Dublin Valley Girl saying "OH-EM-BEE-GEE! etc etc" and then explaining that her exclamation meant "O'Mahony, Boylan, Golden!" and just how delighted she was with her insurance (or whatever it was she was wittering on about), you can probably get just how much an average person would want to shove her into a blender.

Absolutely.

But Twerps? Seriously like.

Euphemistic words/phrases you wish people would stop using

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