We asked you to vote for the words and phrases you hated most and you did not hold back. Like, seriously, you guys totally engaged and going forward we hope to totally run polls like this again.
Nearly 4,200 of you voted in our poll and almost 100 comments came in on the subject. We LOLled and ROFL-ed and some people here in Tara Street even PMSL-ed. Hashtag, just sayin.
A whopping 34.8 per cent of you said "hashtag" was the word you hated most. God be with the days when a hashtag was the key you could never find on your keyboard and used only by a small # of people instead of the word number. Now, dear Irish Times reader, you have consigned it to the junkpile.
You hated “pulled pork” (15.59%), at least you hated the words and presumably the inability of any restaurant or deli to just stop pulling the damned pork apart and leave it alone.
You hated "first world problems" (13.38%) and you hated "austerity" (11.85%). Who doesn't? You didn't like "random" very much, but you were ok with JFGI (whatever that means, Anthea. Google will surely know), Troika, cringe, or the word mortgage.
However, you suggested some hated words of your own and some of you came up with excellent lists of words and phrases that you hated with a passion. Hereare some of our favourites...
Chillax: one small word combining "chill out" and "relax" into one little annoying, passive aggressive word that will make you want to punch the person saying it. We do not condone violence except when somebody asks you to chillax.
Steampunk: we found one person in the office who knows what this is. (Note: We actually don't hate the word at all).
So: So, why does everybody put this word in front of every sentence?
Lookit here: or as they say in Dublin, "looker".... Also placed aggressively before every sentence by some people.
BILLKEEVINS and @johnnylightfoot hate "back in the day". Bill's response is: "back in which day"? Cue.... look of confusion. Ha, we like your style Bill.
MylesBanyon hates actually and literally, particularly when folks don't know what they mean. We are quite literally with you on that Myles. We actually are.
Guys - you guys. Urgh.
Dom-Ovlasnyk says he hates the letter after Q pronounced “or” instead or “ar”. Ok Gay Byrne we know that’s really you.
Goop. No, we don’t know what this means either.
Dub12 came up with a great list: Some of the most annoying words and expressions are those that turned up again in 2014 when politicians speak and business people opine:
we are where we are;
- the least worst option;
- the reality is;
- touch base;
- trickle down;
- the bottom line;
- cut to the chase;
- leverage;
- shopping cart;
- appointment to view;
- deliverable;
JPSheils detests people saying or using the phrases job ready or christmas ready. Worst at the moment, he says, is the AIB being brave ad where the voice refers to "fixing godders" and "main streets bosshole". Sorry, ye wha?
Oonagh Keogh has come up with the following list:
- Selfie;
- the word ‘über’ in front of anything if you’re not German;
- The words baby in tow, baby joy in magazine articles and baby on board on cars or on maternity tops;
- Yummy mummy;
- Hot to trot;
- Panini (used for only ONE panino);
- Gone Viral (unless it’s for an illness);
- Amazeballs;
- Shamazing;
Give it up for.
AlOohachbar hates the use of the word Linkedin. Are you linked in? No I have a f****n life! Harsh, but we applaud your pedantry.
