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What Irks You?

PaigeElizabethTurnerPaigeElizabethTurner
edited November 2016 in Writing
While watching yet another reality show last night, I thought of this great discussion topic.

How many customary cliched sayings have no basis in fact? Case in example, a young girl says: 'I felt as if my heart had been ripped out.'

Of course we all know that she means that she was totally devastated, distraught, etc. But the REAL conundrum is, if one has NEVER had their heart 'ripped out', how the heck would they know how it feels?

Similarly with: 'I could have died.' Would that person really seek out Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum or the 7.28 Oxford to Paddington to fulfil their prophesy?
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Comments

  • LizyLizy
    Reality shows, per se, irk me!

    'Have a nice day' in Tesco's gets me every time.
  • heatherheather
    edited November 2016
    How long have you got????

    My biggest is people who say 'Can I get' instead of 'May I have'.
    No you can't get anything - only staff are allowed behind the counter!
  • LizLiz
    I felt as if my heart had been ripped out is a great saying, used in the right place. It's used as a metaphor as many sayings are - we use because actually if you were told your child had died that's what you'd feel like for sure. Whether or not it had literally happened. It would only irk me if they put that 'literally' in front of the saying.
  • Mrs BearMrs Bear
    On house-buying shows: the kitchen/bedroom/view 'is to die for'. Really? You would give up your life in order to own this? That would defeat the object, apart from being completely stupid.
  • LizyLizy
    The word most over-used this year is ICONIC.
    An icon is something worshipped.
  • heatherheather
    Like Webbo?
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    Ha! Opened the "What irks you?" thread and it jumps straight to "Like Webbo?"

    :P
  • heatherheather
    Hahaha

    That was not my intention. HONEST!!!!
  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    edited November 2016
    'To die for' annoys me too. As in, 'That cake was to die for, although not as good as the one I had last week'.

    I wouldn't be quite so annoyed if the person really meant it was the best they'd ever come across and they doubted they'd ever find better, but often what they really mean is that it was quite nice.
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    We could probably cover a lot of these with - hyperbole irks me :P
  • ClaudiaClaudia
    Expressions are simply that: expressions. They obviously aren't factual - and, like Liz, I only get cross when people add 'literally'.
    I can't bear the over-use of the word 'awesome' and I hate 'cool' too, it always sounds phoney to me.

    *goes off happily burnishing her 'grumpy woman' badge*
  • BillBill
    I get a flicker of rage when someone 'purchases' something. I suspect they use condiments at home instead of salt and pepper. And they have a 'lounge'.
    Airports have lounges, people have sitting rooms.
  • C2C2
    There's a small article on this in the WM this month page 103 'The Right Description' the last paragraph made me smile.
  • LizLiz
    Bill! That depends entirely where you come from. Lounge is supposed to be lower class, sitting room or drawing room upper class - but lounge, too is used in the south - we call ours the lounge.
  • doradora
    I am from the south
    Lounge or living room it is or, being of the lowclass that I am, the second reception room
  • LizLiz
    I've also heard different views on what calling a sofa, settee or couch means according to your social status... I really don't think it matters a jot, just as long as people know what you are taking about.
  • doradora
    Who cares what it is called?

    It's what goes on ON it which is important
  • LizLiz
    Quite. Reading. Laughing. Talking. Playing games.
  • DeneBebboDeneBebbo
    I've also heard different views on what calling a sofa, settee or couch means according to your social status... I really don't think it matters a jot, just as long as people know what you are taking about.
    Only "settee" is the right word :-)
  • CarolCarol
    edited November 2016
    As another southerner by upbringing, it was living room with a settee. :)
  • DeneBebboDeneBebbo
    As another southerner by upbringing, it was living room with a settee. :)
    I'm a northener, and it was always called a settee. I thought "couch" was mainly used by Americans?
  • datco2014datco2014
    Donald Trump irks me
  • datco2014datco2014
    Hillary Clinton also irks me
  • datco2014datco2014
    Everyone in the USA must be voting for who they dislike the least how did a country of 350 million end up with those 2?
  • LizyLizy
    They have a flawed system.
  • C2C2
    edited November 2016
    Money gets you through any door you choose, and he certainly got the dosh.

  • PaigeElizabethTurnerPaigeElizabethTurner
    'Dosh' irks me!!
  • ana sana s

    I can't bear the over-use of the word 'awesome' *
    Agree, it's a shame when we lose shades of meaning due to heavy inaccurate usage.

  • Tiny NellTiny Nell
    Twenty-four-seven
  • heatherheather
    110%
  • Tiny NellTiny Nell
    At the end of the day...

    Obviously...
  • JediyaJediya
    Legit.

    *shudder*
  • ClaudiaClaudia
    The American electorate. :-SS
  • LizyLizy
    This morning's news.
  • Mrs BearMrs Bear
    OED: settee: a long upholstered seat for more than one person, typically with a back and arms. Origin: 18thC, perhaps a fanciful version of settle
    sofa: a long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people. Origin: early 17thC, from French, based on Arabic suffa
    On that basis, settee would probably be the common person's usage, they being more inclined to have a settle; the posher people would have French/Arabic influence on their interior furnishings.
    I'm a northerner: we had a settee.
    couch: a long upholstered piece of furniture for several people to sit on. Origin: Middle English, denoting something to sleep on, from old French couche.
    So a couch is more for full-length lounging, perhaps, like the chaise-longue (French for long chair, surprisingly enough)
  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    That there are so many people who think racism, sexism, bullying and hatred are just fine as long as it isn't directed at them.
  • ana sana s
    110%
    Which reminds me, all x-factor-speak. Million % yes, on the money, and another one that Simon always uses and I can't remember what it is.

  • SeaviewSeaview
    'absolutely'

    :)
  • PaigeElizabethTurnerPaigeElizabethTurner
    'IRK' QUIZ:

    I don't have a lounge or a sofa or a settee. I have a Chesterfield.

    Where in the social strata do I fit?
    :-?
  • BillBill
    'Probe' when they mean investigate or inquiry.
  • LizLiz
    'IRK' QUIZ:

    I don't have a lounge or a sofa or a settee. I have a Chesterfield.

    Where in the social strata do I fit?
    :-?
    OMG. Upper, darling.

  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    You is well posh, PET.
  • C2C2
    'Dosh' irks me!!
    Double dosh

  • doradora
    None of these terms ruffleme at all
  • snailmalesnailmale
    I know you like being ruffled, dorakins
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    I am irked that I'm always irked...
  • Tiny NellTiny Nell
    I like the word 'irk'.

    I must make an effort to use it more.
  • LizyLizy
    It rhymes with 'berk' 'jerk' and 'work' - not the happiest words.
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    Perk, smirk, quirk - they're happy enough :)
  • LizLiz
    Lurk. Murk. Hmmm.
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