Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[french frank]

The Boat Race as it stands if rather like the Premiership being an annual game between Manchester United and Chelsea. No other competitors allowed.

Or only Celtic vs. Rangers.

Actually, both of these these examples are beginning to sound a little out of date.

So even more grating on the nerves is presumably that old favourite 'The Varsity Match'

[ahinton]

Good plan.
Would you mind emailing them please, AH.

Thanks for the invitation, but I would mind, yes; you do it. After all, you are a "team" and "saint"ly with it, so your influence would surely be far more powerful than mine, especially as I did not study at either august institution and don't even know how to hold and wield an oar properly!

[ahinton]

An extract from Humphrey Lyttelton's memoirs, concerning a similar sporting event -

One weekend in 1936, I went up to Lord’s Cricket Ground to see the Eton and Harrow match. At Eton, we used to call the event just ‘Lord’s’, with the implication that anything else which went on at the ground during the summer was relatively unimportant. (We were the drybobs, of course – the wetbobs had ‘Henley’.)

Oh, dear, much as I appreciate the quote, the context into which you have introduced it inclines me to feel that I can almost hear the strains of the Eton Boating Song - a Harrowing experience, perhaps, even as played in days of yore by The Pump Room Trio, Bath...

[JFLL]

I wonder when the everyday use of such language began. It wasn't around when I was a youth. We had other word and phrases for annoying our elders - and I like to think that we used them in a considered way with the intention of creating our own identities and if it aggravated the older folk, so much the better. But these are just filler words used mindlessly - not even with an intention to annoy. But it damn well does. And everyone is at it. Even those who should know better - and women more than men it seems.

It's the concept of verbal inflation they either don't understand or think doesn't apply to them. As Gilbert said, 'when everyone is somebody, then no-one's anybody'. Same with words.

[JFLL]

The Boat race.

What they mean is A boat race.

They mean ‘a boat race which is commonly called The Boat Race’. It’s called The Boat Race for historical reasons. And The Calcutta Cup is not a cup-match between teams from Calcutta, The Proms are not a collection of American parties for adolescents, The Champions’ League is not a league of champions … It’s a matter of usage.

[Flosshilde]

It's rather like 'The World Series', a USA competition for baseball. No other countries, just the USA.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Miss Universe.
All contestants from planet Earth.

[mangerton]

On Today this morning I had the misfortune to hear Mr Iain Duncan Smith use this verb, which is certainly new to me, and which certainly set my teeth on edge.

"To pathfinder".

He used it first in the past tense, "we pathfindered", and then repeated it in the present tense.

I think he's lost the plot, and his way, and needs to have a word with Mr Gove.

[Thropplenoggin]

"Very much so". Verily, 'tis the conversational filler of choice for the thinking man's idiot who has tired of, nay, quite forsaken "absolutely".

[Ferretfancy]

"Like never before" instead of "As never before" And for the thousandth time, there's no such thing as a kilOMMeter!

[amateur51]

On Today this morning I had the misfortune to hear Mr Iain Duncan Smith use this verb, which is certainly new to me, and which certainly set my teeth on edge.

"To pathfinder".

He used it first in the past tense, "we pathfindered", and then repeated it in the present tense.

I think he's lost the plot, and his way, and needs to have a word with Mr Gove.

I treated myself to missing this much-trailed interview this morning as I just knew that it would get my week off to a bad start.

Thanks for the highlight, mangerton - truly irritating I agree

[jean]

I'm not going to like this one if it becomes common - but it's the first time I've seen it:

...As a party that inveigles against all the mainstream parties but stands to gain most from the Tories, Ukip has chosen its ground carefully...

Just a rogue spellcheck, perhaps?

[eighthobstruction]

On Today this morning I had the misfortune to hear Mr Iain Duncan Smith use this verb, which is certainly new to me, and which certainly set my teeth on edge.

"To pathfinder".

He used it first in the past tense, "we pathfindered", and then repeated it in the present tense.

I think he's lost the plot, and his way, and needs to have a word with Mr Gove.

....This IDS 'voice of reason' is juggernauting onwards, pathfindering up pathways which should only be for pedestrians....

[Serial_Apologist]

....This IDS 'voice of reason' is juggernauting onwards, pathfindering up pathways which should only be for pedestrians....

Shouldn't that be "sidewalkering"...... for the... "marginalised"???

[vinteuil]

... the precariatised need to do their own pathfinderisation, but that's what's to be expected with a movingforwardsing kinda guy like Irritable Duncan-Syndrome...