Mangled and abused words and phrases

[Humpback]

I just read and contributed to a thread on YouTube rubbish and it started me thinking about words and phrases which by being mangled and/or abused in everyday language or speech. (NOTE: This thread is not about incorrect spelling although personally this does irritate me too). I set out two examples below.

Tactical - appears on ever increasing numbers of outdoor kit to be used by non-soldiers
Organic - seen this used instead of vegetable


Any other gems?

Alan

[Mesquite]

Any other gems?

Any post that Drew puts up usually has a few

[southey]

Bushcraft, to be applied to any activity , and to kit that is not Surplus(though this can be sold under the same banner) and Tactical,

[Kepis]

Awesome - for anything that is remotely interesting
Legend - For someone who is quite good at what they do

[southey]

Like, like when I said I like it

[Mikey P]

"Bomb-proof" - applied to any kit slightly stronger than a paper bag. Bomb-proof means you should be able to abuse it for some time before it falls apart and it is fit-for-purpose.

"Traditional" - something hairy, uncomfortable and lacking the benefits that technology has brought to human existence.

PS - Humpback - I share your pain at the lack of good grammar/spelling. If the non-native speakers can make the effort...

[richtheclimber]

All previous suggestions irritate the poo right out of me, but my 12 year old has just picked up a new one that annoys me even more: "epic"

"Oh Dad, Nicole just told me a joke that was absolutely EPIC!!"

No darling, she really didn't. It wasn't ten hours long and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, now was it? And it certainly wasn't a near-death experience in the mountains, so in no sense was it epic. Grrrrrr!

Thank you for starting this thread, I've been needing to get that off my chest for some time!!

Rich

[Chiseller]

"Traditional" - something hairy, uncomfortable and lacking the benefits that technology has brought to human existence.

I'll be your huckleberry

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[Mikey P]

"Cool" - surely lacking in temperature?

[Kepis]

Awesomeness - it's not even a proper word

[Hoodoo]

Booyah.

[dwardo]

"Sick!" "So i turned around and said" try facing the right way in the first place.

[Mesquite]

All previous suggestions irritate the poo right out of me, but my 12 year old has just picked up a new one that annoys me even more: "epic"

Oh... if we're going to involve kids then my personal hate is 'Whatever'

[John Fenna]

The misplaced " ' " as in the sign out side the grocers "Cucumber's" ... cucumber's what?
The description of leg coverings as amphibian predators ... "gaitors" instead of "gaiters"
Arrant misuse of words that sound similar "two", "too" and "to" as an example, "toe" and "tow" as another...
Deliberate mis-spellings in names - "Krazy Kats" instead of "Crazy cats"...
"Literally" mis-used as in "I literally died!" - so you are risen from the dead? Did it take 3 days? Should I fall down and worship you?
OOOOOOOOOOOOooooooh the list is literarlly endless....

[susi]

For Christ's sake, get over yourselves. Languages evolve and always have done, both in pronunciation and meaning. The English you're speaking today would likely make Shakespeare turn in his grave. And many of the Finnish words I use today, would be unintelligible to a Finn 50 years ago.

PS But I have to agree that the constant use of "tactical" turns my toes red.

[British Red]

A sheaf for a knife. Is it made of wheat?

A sheath for an axe - its a mask.

Tech' to mean electonic gizmo

oh...and incomplete sentences ending in inaccurate punctuation......

[santaman2000]

...Deliberate mis-spellings in names - "Krazy Kats" instead of "Crazy cats"...

How about replacing the s with a z? "Krazy Katz"

Dawgs?

As others have posted "tactical" when it obviously has no bearing to police tactics or gear.

[santaman2000]

...A sheath for an axe - its a mask...

Only if it just "masks" the bit. On the other hand if it actually also attaches to your belt or pack it is truly a sheath. Isn't it?

[bushwacker bob]

Anything written in txt wds is sic innit m8.
and as such I refuse to reply even if she is Cheryl Cole begging for a date.

[Bushwhacker]

Folk saying, "sumbarine" and "chimley" do it for me.

[Bushwhacker]

Folk saying, "sumbarine" and "chimley" do it for me.

Oh, and "sumpfink" and "nuffink". Would you like me to poke you in the eye with my finker?

[Hoodoo]

For Christ's sake, get over yourselves. Languages evolve and always have done, both in pronunciation and meaning. The English you're speaking today would likely make Shakespeare turn in his grave. And many of the Finnish words I use today, would be unintelligible to a Finn 50 years ago.

PS But I have to agree that the constant use of "tactical" turns my toes red.

Very good point. Like, totally awzum point!

[MrHare]

"in terms of" for example "expert in terms of badgers" rather than "a badger expert". What it really means is "I didn't think about this sentence before I started it"

[Hoodoo]

A sheath for an axe - its a mask.

When I first saw the word mask being used here on BCUK for an axe sheath, I had no idea what you were talking about. Let's face it, you guys talk weird.

[mountainm]

the best one I ever heard was Michael Burke and his programme 999 - on which he stated.
"Saved from certain death"

Well sorry - but if it was certain death then, no, they wouldn't have been saved from it.

Awesome huh? (Kepis?)

[IanM]

Recommend me.

Ugh. As well as all the above examples.

[Kepis]

Almost as good as the one on the news the other days Mike " a very fatal accident", i thought fatal was well, fatal, didn't realise there was more than one version?.

Michael Burke is a legend

[Hoodoo]

Michael Burke is a legend

What does that mean? Talk about an overused phrase...

[bushwacker bob]

Grammar is the difference between
Your muck
and
You're muck

[Hoodoo]

Anything written in txt wds is sic innit m8.
and as such I refuse to reply even if she is Cheryl Cole begging for a date.

Yup. Drives me nuts. I don't text speak.