Phrases to excise from the English language

[HYHYBT]

...specifically, metaphors used in arguments which weren't that clever (or even sensible) to begin with, yet turn up with grating regularity almost without regard to subject.

*Thrown under the bus

*Drink the Kool-Aid

Probably others, but it's 5AM.

[guywithashovel]

I don't know if it's what you're talking about or not, but I think we could do away with "I could care less." It just doesn't make sense with respect to the context in which people use it. When people say it, they're usually saying they don't care at all about something, so it would make more sense to say "I couldn't care less."

[blas87]

I must respectfully disagree with you on the "thrown under the bus" quip.

I think it's a perfectly appropriate term, at least for work. Reading stories in COC at CS, it does seem like some people are out to just throw you under a big, double decker bus. Of course, it could always be changed and called "thrown under the bridge" "thrown over a cliff", but it really is appropriate when referring to someone who is out to ruin your day. I think it's better than using a word like "sabotage", because that's a little more intense and would signify that that person was out to ruin your job completely, when most stories involving the bus methaphor usually just involve a coworker being a bitch or a prick just out to ruin your day or temporarily bring you down to bring themselves up or climb the ladder.

JMO, of course, but I feel like I've been thrown under a bus a lot when I leave work.

[Rageaholic]

"More than one way to skin a cat"

Why would I even want to skin a cat? That's... fucking barbaric.

[DrFaroohk]

I always hated "buckle down". "your grades are slippin' boy...time to buckle down and get that taken care of! Buckle down! Buckle down on that shit!"

[blas87]

Oh, don't even get me started on the rampant cat haters who use lovely phrases. I have two coworkers who absolutely hate cats, and hey, they are allowed to hate cats, but they joke about "Your cat should be shot" and "the only good cat is a dead cat", and it's disgusting.

I say the same thing about clowns, and they look at me like I'm the sick one.

[Rageaholic]

I don't understand cat haters either. It just boggles my mind why some people hate cats without even having known cats (yes, I've known people like that).

Another one that I hate (and I've heard it said on here a few times). "Put on your big girl/big boy panties". I dislike any phrase that uses baby words to talk down to someone and I think "panties" qualify as that (that word alone annoys me for some reason). And when it comes down to it, it's just one of the many phrases people use to invalidate people's frustrations.

[aurelemsrealm]

Come to think of it, I don't really use any of the ones mentioned. They don't bother me, but I don't recall ever using those phrases to express myself.

Instead of saying, "I could care less," I'm more fond of saying, "Don't know, don't care." In other words, I either don't have any interest in discussing a given topic, or I don't find that particular topic to be relevant to the situation in which I'm involved at the time. Quite possibly, both conditions hold true.

[Andara Bledin]

In the right situation, some of those are ok, but the people most likely to use them are also most likely to use them wrong which is what's really annoying.

Why would I even want to skin a cat? That's... fucking barbaric.

Why would skinning a cat be any more barbaric than skinning a cow or a deer or a pig... People get so irrational about certain types of mammals.

^-.-^

[Lace Neil Singer]

"Keep your hair on!"

Just bugs me for some reason.

[BlaqueKatt]

"die in a fire"

wow let's not only wish death on someone, but one of the most horrible ways of it(a person I grew up with, practically a brother) DID die in a fire...he was a fireman...everytime I hear or read that phrase I get all kinds of stabby.....

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

Another one that I hate (and I've heard it said on here a few times). "Put on your big girl/big boy panties". I dislike any phrase that uses baby words to talk down to someone and I think "panties" qualify as that (that word alone annoys me for some reason). And when it comes down to it, it's just one of the many phrases people use to invalidate people's frustrations.

I hate this one too. That's right up there with "suck it up", another one I hate.

I believe "drink the Kool-Aid" comes from the Jonestown massacre, and it makes sense when used in the context of falling for propaganda.

"Thrown under the bus", well honestly, I can't think of a better way to express it when someone screws you over to save their own butts.

[Eisa]

Speaking of drinking the kool aid...

I also despise "put your big girl panties on." I'm so tempted when people say that to tell them, "Actually, I went commando today." Just to see what happens.

[KellyHabersham]

A few I'd like to see done away with would be "feed your face" (in reference to eating) and "bite my head off" (in reference to getting annoyed at someone).

[Greenday]

"Keep your hair on!"

Just bugs me for some reason.

Never heard that one before. I HAVE heard of keep your shirt on or some such.