Monday 3 July 2017

More Annoying Language Trends, or just trends....




Bundle

Have you noticed this one?  It's the latest word for any group of related products, e- or otherwise, available for sale, usually at discount.  A 'bundle' of games can be sent to your internet each month.  Looking up our options for paying for WiFi on a long train journey recently, we saw that we could purchase a 'minute bundle'.  Outside Asda, I saw a Virgin van offering their services as a 'customer discount bundle'.  It's not only the internet, though; outside a local butcher, on the blackboard, was advertised the specially priced 'meat bundle'.  Sounds disgusting.

 
Reach Out

No longer do you make enquiries, or ask people about stuff; you reach out to them.  You don't apply for a mortgage, you reach out to your mortgage advisor.  GRRRR!


So

So, I forgot to put this one in at first...  Thanks to Julia and Judith for mentioning it in the comments.  It's the way people randomly start sentences with this word.  As illustrated so well by Julia:
"What do you do for a living, Tom?"
"So, I'm a dentist, and..."


Pulled Pork

It's pork and it looks sort of shredded instead of in slices.  And so it costs more and it's trendy.  I'd noticed it only in my subconscious until Sharon brought it to my attention.  Now, I see shelves full of the wretched stuff every time I go into a supermarket.  Oh, and when you've bought some, you can put it in your...
 

Hand-Stretched Ciabatta.  

Give me strength.


No Problem

Can you remember, back in the olden days, when you'd ask someone in a shop, or behind a bar, or a counter, or on the phone, to do/get something for you, how they'd say "Certainly, madam", or "I'll be just a few moments," or "Yes, that'll be fine," or even just "Yes"?

They don't say any of these things anymore.  Since about 2000, the affirmative answer has changed from that nice, short, convenient little word ('Yes') to the ghastly No Problem.

"Please can I have a taxi from outside Morrisons to *my address*?"
"No Problem"
"I'd like to book an appointment with Doctor Black on Wednesday."
"No Problem"

A while back I was in a restaurant with my father and we'd been waiting for our main course for about an hour.  Every suggestion and request we made to the waiter(s) was greeted with the answer 'no problem'.  In the end, my father said, 'well, there clearly is one, because we don't have our main course yet'.  The waiter's slightly red-faced reply?  'No problem, sir, I understand.'

 
And don't get me started about 'content writer'......

 

24 comments:

  1. Oh yes - and when did it become ok to write 'you are' as your?

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    1. When people became confused over the apostrophe and decided it was too much trouble to educate themselves, Jo

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    2. As with much, Judith. Another pet hate these days is indie authors randomly sticking semicolons in their work, without understanding when they should be used. And 'proofreaders' who let them go!!!

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  2. I hadn't noticed, Terry, but sure I will now! (it'll be like an ear-worm - thanks very much Haha!)It's the 'So' at the beginning of any sentence on the radio or TV interview that's driving me mad... So, so much so I'm a bundle of nerves!!

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  3. Did it, Jo? Tell me where they live, I'll go round and kill them! My pet hate at the moment is people randomly starting a sentence with the word 'so'. 'What line of business are you in, Tom?' 'So, I'm a dentist.' WHY??!!

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    1. Um, Julia, see the comment above, from Judith!!!

      When I pointed out the Bundle thing on FB, another of my friends pointed out the 'So' thing, too.... think I might have to add it!

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    2. I know, it's clear that we were writing at the same time - Judith's comment was not visible when I write mine. Glad to see that she and I are of one mind.

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  4. Yes, bundle so irritating. Also, when they go on about 'box sets' of films. Equally when they talk of 'bucket' of McDonald food, makes it sound like pig swill. Absolutely irritating

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    1. Yes, the 'box set' thing gets on my nerves, too!

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    2. I didn't mind box set when they were actual boxes of DVDs that you could buy. I have some on my shelves. But now they're just virtual stuff, it's stupid.

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    3. Ditto! Similarly, I have no objection to someone passing me a bundle of clothes, for instance. Unless they want me to iron them.

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  5. LOL. This reminds me of what my great aunt once said about a trip she took to Italy. She said, "When they tell you 'no problem', you know there's a problem!" That's how I interpret "no problem" now when anybody says it to me also.

    Tam

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  6. Good ones, TT. This made me chuckle! I'm guilty of the 'no problem' thing though as it's a standard response in Dutch when someone thanks you for something, and lots of Dutch people use it in English too instead of 'you're welcome'.

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  7. Actually, 'you're welcome' is American. An English person (OK, granted, quite an old English person!) would say 'not at all'.

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    1. Cheers for that! And somehow even 'no problem' doesn't sound quite so bad in a not-English accent.

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  8. Hi Terry - yes and 'a raft' of e.g. ideas ... dreadful ... well done on these ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Haven't heard that one, Hilary - I expect I will keep doing so now!

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  9. This made me smile :-) I get so many emails starting with...I’m reaching out... and I think we can blame will.i.am for every sentence beginning with So! Or at least he was the first person I heard it say it. And pulled pork...lol.. a trend that will pass...hopefully.

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    1. Glad to year you're so up on who started these things, Cathy - I bow to your superior 'down with the kids' knowledge!!!!

      I think if I got an email from someone 'reaching out' to me, I'd be extremely rude back. But then you know what I'm like....

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  10. I wish more people would read this, particularly those who work in offices. Instant messaging is prevalent in mine and I frequently see conversations ended with 'np'. Gah!
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Guide-English-Paperback-Reference/dp/0199669171/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499609877&sr=1-1

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    1. I don't think I could stand that, Saul! I'd make myself really unpopular moaning about it all the time. I am so glad I don't work in an office anymore, especially not with all these trendy young things and their jargon. Argh!

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  11. Perhaps the word 'content' in 'content writer' has the emphasis on the 2nd syllable, thereby making it rather nice, really!

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  12. So, so many things and far too many to recall at a moment's notice but 'bundle' is a collection of twigs and it's all I can think of when I hear the word!


    'Reach out' makes me think of the Four Tops.

    'Pulled pork' brings out the childish side of me...say no more!

    'No problem' I am actually guilty of using, but only when there genuinely isn't a problem.

    An absolute cringer appeared on my timeline this morning. I give you...

    "I bought these Chester drawers from Argos and as you can see I built them and where fine until this past few weeks.

    Is there any way I can fix it? Or do I have to buy a new set of Chester drawers?"

    I cried...




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