Language changes:

Verbal Ticks: Is there a word or a phrase you use (or over use) all the time and are seemingly unable to get rid of it? If not, what’s the one that drives you crazy when others use it? Ben Huberman

The second half of this question interests me, but I can’t be content with only the singular. Language is a changing thing, as we all know. It is the fashionable over use of some words/terms that particularly irritate.

Beginning with ‘Fantastic!’ or ‘Absolutely fantastic!’, or just ‘Absolutely!’. My beloved thinks this is waning, and he’s a media buff, so he usually has his finger on the pulse. Instead, people are replying to questions with ‘Look’.

There are the ‘going forward’, and ‘at this time’ phrases that are fill ins, allowing people time to think, perhaps? The one that really irritates is, ‘I. myself. personally’ with its many variations.

In Australia each State has its own language variations. For instance: in Queensland when I lived there in the 80s ‘but’ was common at the end of a sentence.

In Tasmania where I grew up, we would say: ‘at the weekend’.                                                     In Victoria and other States it is ‘on the weekend’.                                                            ‘Cantaloupe’ (the fruit) in Tasmania is called ‘Rock melon’ in NSW.                                                The list could go on. I wonder if in other countries you have different words, for the same thing, in different areas?

Do any of the ‘in’ words irritate any of you, as they do me? I’m sure you all have your own pet hates!

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