English words we hate to say.

[rajeev1204]

hi.

I dont like the word gubernatorial .Dont ask me why cos i dont know.


There are a few other words but i dont seem to remember.

[MikeTheC]

I love English words, as a rule. I have little patience for those unwilling to traffic in the lifeblood of their common or native tongue. All that being said, it would be well to remember the "melting pot" which English is and has always been, and realize perhaps many of the words one dislikes which you might take for being English are, in fact, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, or even straight-up Latin.

[gettinoriginal]

I hate antidisestablishmentarianism ](*,)

[jocheem67]

Apartheid

[rajeev1204]

I love English words, as a rule. I have little patience for those unwilling to traffic in the lifeblood of their common or native tongue. All that being said, it would be well to remember the "melting pot" which English is and has always been, and realize perhaps many of the words one dislikes which you might take for being English are, in fact, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, or even straight-up Latin.


Hmm you got me wrong here.Its not about one language.I know a lot more languages but this is an english forum so i posted for english.This thread is in a lighter vain.

Like serendipity is one word i cant seem to pronounce. :)



regards

rajeev

[gettinoriginal]

Oh, you mean like aluminumum ??

[SupaSonic]

Regularly
Particularly

I just seem lost towards the end of these words and they sound like pathetic mumbling coming from me.

[Giant Speck]

Rural.

[rajeev1204]

instantiation.

[Kingsley]

My own name (Kingsley).

My transitioning from an '-ing' to 's' sound is weird. I don't know if it's the size of my tongue or what, but my name sounds awkward in some way to some people (and myself) when I introduce myself. Other people are able to say it perfectly well. I have no speech impediment BTW.

[halovivek]

ruler.
i could not pronounce it since it will come out as lullar.

[CrazyArcher]

I hate saying 'tooth', however not having any problem with 'teeth' or 'truth'.

[Joeb454]

I'd have to say Squirrel because it's rare for me to pronounce it properly, it normally comes out as "squiwwew" :p

Also Haemorrhage...just because it's spelt in the most peculiar way possible :)

[gletob]

I've have few pronuciation issues except for the word bank when I say bank it ends up as Baink

[mips]

Apartheid

Thats not an english word. Separateness would be the English word.

[rick08]

One word I hate to say is toilet because when I say it it always comes out as tollit. This is partly because of my hillbilly grandparents always pronouncing it that way. Another phrase I hate to say is Oh really because that comes out as O rilly. Ugghhh.:confused:

[glotz]

Please and sorry! :D

[gn2]

Thats not an english word. Separateness would be the English word.

It is a word in the English language in the same way that biltong is.

[Icehuck]

I hate the word "Onomatopoeia".

[forrestcupp]

Rural.Lol. Several years ago where I live, people who live out in the country had a 'rural route' address, so we had to say that word a lot. Most people here pronounce it 'rule'.


One word I hate to say is toilet because when I say it it always comes out as tollit. This is partly because of my hillbilly grandparents always pronouncing it that way. Another phrase I hate to say is Oh really because that comes out as O rilly. Ugghhh.:confused:
I thought hillbillies pronounce it 'torlet'. That's how the rednecks around here pronounce it.

[Grant A.]

I love English words, as a rule. I have little patience for those unwilling to traffic in the lifeblood of their common or native tongue. All that being said, it would be well to remember the "melting pot" which English is and has always been, and realize perhaps many of the words one dislikes which you might take for being English are, in fact, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, or even straight-up Latin.

Well, our main pro is the English language's totally neutral tone; no feminine or masculine words, except for a special few. I wouldn't exactly call unwilling to say certain words as they are normally "bad", this promotes the overall evolution of a language. I mean look at "whom" for instance, it is a word, but is nearly obsolete, it will likely fade away in American English in the next few decades. "Whose" is also starting to lose popularity in American English and is commonly mistaken for "who's". I can completely see American/Canadian English and British English splitting within the next few hundred years. Especially on account of the recent outbreak of slang on the Internet, and Webster removing the hyphen from over 10,000 words as a result.

Chances are that the two languages will be intelligible for a while. Look at Scots, the language split over 400 years ago and is still intelligible to a great extent. I doubt American English and British English will ever fully go to the extent of German in being unintelligible, especially since Canada and the U.S. trade heavily with the U.K. American English will also probably get a good amount of loan words from Mexican Spanish, due to Mexico's relation to us as a very close trading partner. "Nada" has snuck its way into American English, let's see what else finds its way here.

----------

On topic:

I hate hearing people say "yous guyses", as in Texas proper grammar for "you all" is "y'all". I love how we weaseled "ain't" into the language. :lol:

[Paqman]

It is a word in the English language in the same way that biltong is.

Depends on your definition I suppose. When does a word from another language that's widely understood by English speakers become part of the language? When it's in the dictionary? When it's spelling or pronunciation changes?

[Grant A.]

Depends on your definition I suppose. When does a word from another language that's widely understood by English speakers become part of the language? When it's in the dictionary? When it's spelling or pronunciation changes?

Nada wasn't an English word until recently, it is a Spanish loanword. Fianceé, entreé, matineé, etc are all French loanwords and are now English words. And to answer your question, a word becomes part of the language when it is widely used, and understood by most. However, it is considered slang until it hits more than one dictionary.

IMHO, shouldn't é be a letter in the English language? It is used in a TON of words.

[gn2]

When a word is included in The Oxford English Dictionary (http://www.oed.com/) is when I consider it to be a word in the English language.

In my opinion Scots is a dialect not a language.

[Grant A.]

When a word is included in The Oxford English Dictionary (http://www.oed.com/) is when I consider it to be a word in the English language.

In my opinion Scots is a dialect not a language.

If you look at it in depth, it is on the verge of becoming its own language, or already is one. (http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

[red_Marvin]

queue --- I can't seem to learn or remember how to pronounce it...

[Grant A.]

queue --- I can't seem to learn or remember how to pronounce it...

It's simply pronounced "Q".

[davemolloy64]

I like, think that, like, the word like, should be limited to like one like per, like, sentence.

Also, I wholeheartedly agree with the attribution of sole responsibility for defence of the English language to the Oxford English Dictionary. The last bastion, if you will.

[Boelcke]

Irregardless.

People say it, even though they mean regardless. It wasn't a word, until so many folks used it, and it snuck into the dictionary.

Sigh.

[MikeTheC]

I like, think that, like, the word like, should be limited to like one like per, like, sentence.

Also, I wholeheartedly agree with the attribution of sole responsibility for defence of the English language to the Oxford English Dictionary. The last bastion, if you will.

+1 for the OED, of which I actually have a single-book copy.

Of course, it's our darned fault for not, unlike the French, setting up an official standard-bearer for "Official English". We failed to do it, and now it's kicking us in the a## in America.

[davemolloy64]

Well, as an Irish man, I've no particular affinity for the language of England so much as the English language! But the easily modified Frankenstein that is US English is not a pleasant sight. It's almost as if over the past 200 years they've been developing "Language 2.0"- a vague concept of user-generated content with no real quality control or standards. Ahead of its time? Yes. Is that a good thing? No.

[KiwiNZ]

Only one A

[cariboo]

I always have problems with Quay, sometimes it comes out as it is spelled and other times I pronounce it key.

Jim

[Grant A.]

Well, as an Irish man, I've no particular affinity for the language of England so much as the English language! But the easily modified Frankenstein that is US English is not a pleasant sight. It's almost as if over the past 200 years they've been developing "Language 2.0"- a vague concept of user-generated content with no real quality control or standards. Ahead of its time? Yes. Is that a good thing? No.

You shall learn to speak American! :twisted:

[jken146]

You shall learn to speak American! :twisted:

No thanks.

[craigeo]

I have a few words/phrases that irritate me...

"Utilize" - People use this word to make themselves sound smart. You can always use use instead of utilize.
"It is what it is" - wtf does that mean!
"per say" - another wtf!
"what not" - yet another wtf!
When people in the U.S. spell words with the U.K. spelling to make themselves seem more refined. Such as... a building called the River Centre... wtf! I'm fine with that spelling in the U.K. but this is America we should speak American!

I'm sure I'll think of more... :-)

"I could care less" - So you do care if you could care less!
"Hot water heater" - So you're going to take hot water and heat it?

[MikeTheC]

I have a few words/phrases that irritate me...
Yes, but you got some bits wrong, I fear.

"It is what it is." - Well, that means it is what it is. What's so hard to understand about that? It's quite literal.

"Per say" - No, it's per se.

"what not" - No, that's one word, not two.

British spelling usage by Americans in America -- Yeah, I know what you mean. It's out of place. If we were still a colony, it would be appropriate.

(Of course, if we were still a colony *at this point*, then the U.K. would be an ungodly powerful little island empire, wouldn't it? :) )

"I could care less" - Yes, that really irritates me as well. To me, that's like saying, "Well, I'm not really completely uninterested in the topic at hand, owing to the fact that I could, in fact, care less."

"Hot water heater" -- You know, I really hadn't thought about that one before, but now that you mention it, "hot" is rather redundant utilization. ;)

[MikeTheC]

Ok, since this thread has now become hijacked into being English *phrases* we hate instead, let me add some.

"My name is Jane if you need anything." -- Wow. That's really fascinating. So you have a context-sensitive name, huh? Well, what's your name if I don't need anything? What about if I *might* need something next Tuesday after school at about 4:15 in the afternoon?

"Me and so-and-so..." -- No, that is just so improper. I can't help that you're either not intelligent enough, or simply lack the self-respect to speak properly and not like an ignorant person.

[mobilediesel]

Irregardless.

People say it, even though they mean regardless. It wasn't a word, until so many folks used it, and it snuck into the dictionary.

Sigh.

That's really in a dictionary now? The person responsible for THAT should be brutally murdered.

[jken146]

[rul="http://octopodial-chrome.com/~ruhl/orwell-politics-english-language.html"]Here[/url]'s a very insightful article on the good use of English. It isn't strictly on topic but may be of interest to some here.

[lykwydchykyn]

I hate saying bifurcated. It just sounds dirty.

And I hate saying "prostrate" because I always forget (when talking, not when writing --one of those left/right brain things) whether or not I need the second "r".

[jken146]

I hate saying bifurcated. It just sounds dirty.

Just say 'forked' then.

[sharon.gmc]

I hate the word supercalifragelisticexpialidocious. It's too long but it doesn't mean anything. . .

[Trail]

I hate the word "Onomatopoeia".

Then again, that's a greek word.

[dannybuntu]

hi.

I dont like the word gubernatorial .Dont ask me why cos i dont know.


There are a few other words but i dont seem to remember.

Maybe because it sounds like "goober"

[Z_Cee]

English words we hate to say.

For me their are several: one being Vetting. I also avoid Ebonics as often as possible...

I stay away from the curse words too. I can't even let the children watch much television because every time I turn to a channel, someone is using foul language. The television censors are getting slacker every year.

[n2dabloo]

Try saying "Irish Wristwatch" without sounding like Sean Connery, lol

[gn2]

If you look at it in depth, it is on the verge of becoming its own language, or already is one. (http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

Sorry, there's just no way that Scots is a language.

At best it's a dialect, at worst merely slang.

And I say that as a born and bred Scot.

[gn2]

"per say" - another wtf!

It's "per se" and is Latin. Definition here (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/per+se).

[Swagman]

Word/s I dislike

Intercooler.. So the cooler is cooling the Inter ? What's an Inter ?

Answer... You mean CHARGE Cooler.. guess what the cooler is doing.

or

After burner

You mean Re-heat

[jken146]

After burner

You mean Re-heat

Not quite. An afterburner on a jet engine is where the exhaust is ignited to provide extra thrust.

[gloscherrybomb]

Also its "I couldn't care less"

Unless Americans have got confused.

[Swagman]

Not quite. An afterburner on a jet engine is where the exhaust is ignited to provide extra thrust.

Precisely.. Anther British invention and called it Re-heat

[sydbat]

I always have problems with Quay, sometimes it comes out as it is spelled and other times I pronounce it key.

JimIt is pronounced "key".

Interesting the minor flaming going on about American and British/Canadian English. The reason for 'American English' was to distance the US from it's colonial roots...something about a 'revolution' or whatever...and it's pronounced 'zed' not 'zee'. ):P

What we need to change the focus of this thread to is grammar. The misuse (or lack thereof) of punctuation and context. I find it really hard to follow some posts here, and in other forums, when there is no punctuation, or the punctuation is placed in completely wrong spots.

Hijacked thread FTW!!! :P

[lykwydchykyn]

I thought this thread was "English words we hate to say", not "English words or phrases we hate to hear or read because they offend our high-horse grammatical sensitivities."

[sydbat]

I thought this thread was "English words we hate to say", not "English words or phrases we hate to hear or read because they offend our high-horse grammatical sensitivities."Stop trying to hijack this back to the original topic! :popcorn:

[pinged]

I hate antidisestablishmentarianism ](*,)

Me too, though I seem to be well able to pronounce it.

[jimi_hendrix]

electrophoresis

[-grubby]

A phrase: "But the thing is"

[gn2]

The one word that drives me flipping mental is one that I cannot bring myself to say and is so bad I will not even type it here.
It is the suffix "ish" appended to the word more.

[arsenic23]

Awesome.

Or more specifically the letter 'e' in the word 'awesome'.
I just hate that 'e' so much.

[Martje_001]

Apartheid
No way, is that English?

[gn2]

No way, is that English?

Yes, apartheid is very definitely a word in the English language.

[Grant A.]

The one word that drives me flipping mental is one that I cannot bring myself to say and is so bad I will not even type it here.
It is the suffix "ish" appended to the word more.

Weish needish moreish ofish thatish suffixish!

Wow, English looks very alien with all those suffixes applied.

[ELD]

"Spending" I hate spending money haha i want to keep it all :(

[betterhands]

hi.

I dont like the word gubernatorial .Dont ask me why cos i dont know.


There are a few other words but i dont seem to remember.

i know why we both don't like it--what the heck is the 'B' doing there? there's no B in governor and that's why i don't like gubernatorial :D

[jts0803odon]

"problematize," "deconstruct," and any movie title that takes the form "[verb]ing [Noun or Pronoun]" are words I hate hearing, so I never say them. But "cumberbund" is a word I have trouble saying for no particular reason.

[razerbug]

Penge

It's actually a place in London but it sounds like a disease, some nasty rotting disease

"Sorry boss, can't come into work today - got a touch of Penge"

:P

[linux6994]

A new word that my soon to be ex-wife introduced me to - divorce

[albinootje]

Yes, apartheid is very definitely a word in the English language.

The word apartheid comes from South Africa, which has a dutch, but also english history.

[rajeev1204]

i know why we both don't like it--what the heck is the 'B' doing there? there's no B in governor and that's why i don't like gubernatorial :D


I think you are correct. Feel like puking whenever i try to say it.Gooberna.....Twists my tongue.

[Achetar]

philanthropic
psychological

[gn2]

The word apartheid comes from South Africa, which has a dutch, but also english history.

Indeed it does, but English is like a sponge and absorbs words from all over the place.

[gn2]

But "cumberbund" is a word I have trouble saying for no particular reason.

Try cummerbund (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummerbund) instead.

[Joshuwa]

I'm drawing a blank for a particular word on its own that I dislike to say, but I do know that I find it obnoxious when others purposely begin sentences with "Um," as if it brings some sense of authority to what they're about to say.

[Islington]

Um..I think you may be right. :P


Also cinnamon.

[sydbat]

Um..I think you may be right. :P


Also cinnamon.Mmmmm...cimmanon...um...cimnamon...ah crap...

[amitabhishek]

I have a few words/phrases that irritate me...

"Utilize" - People use this word to make themselves sound smart. You can always use use instead of utilize.
"It is what it is" - wtf does that mean!
"per say" - another wtf!
"what not" - yet another wtf!
When people in the U.S. spell words with the U.K. spelling to make themselves seem more refined. Such as... a building called the River Centre... wtf! I'm fine with that spelling in the U.K. but this is America we should speak American!

I'm sure I'll think of more... :-)

"I could care less" - So you do care if you could care less!
"Hot water heater" - So you're going to take hot water and heat it?

How can you forget "at the end of the day"

[craigeo]

How can you forget "at the end of the day"

I forgot all about that one!
I was in a meeting last week and the vendor kept saying "at the end of the day" our crap is better than everyone else's crap...etc.
I was ready to scream :-)
I've also noticed another new one that a lot of people like to say now too... "I'll ping you later"... How bout just contact me somehow or I'll ping you harder!

[NJC]

Words that bother:

- refreshment
- plenty
- beverage
- trousers
- slacks
- any corporate blather

A few I like:

- onomatopoeia
- serendipitous
- meretricious
- ubiquitous

[Giant Speck]

i know why we both don't like it--what the heck is the 'B' doing there? there's no B in governor and that's why i don't like gubernatorial :D

The words gubernatorial and governor share the same Latin origin, gubernare, which means "to steer; to govern."

The word gubernatorial is actually an Americanism that was borrowed directly from the Latin word gubernator, which means "steersman; governor." Gubernator is basically the noun derived from the Latin verb gubernare. The word first appeared in the 18th century.

The word governor goes back to the 13th century and was borrowed from the Old French word governeor. Again, it comes from the Latin word gubernare; however, the Latin b mutated to the Old French v, and the u mutated to o.

The Latin word gubernare itself is derived from the Greek word kybernan, which to means "to steer." We also get the English prefix "cyber-" from this Greek word.

[ajcham]

Words that bother:
…
- any corporate blather


Now that's what I call joined-up thinking. You and I are really singing from the same hymn book! I'd love to dialogue further with you on this matter, but I'm afraid I have some brainstorming to do. How about we touch base tomorrow?

[lykwydchykyn]

Hate saying "poignant". It makes my nose itch.

[NJC]

I'd love to dialogue further with you on this matter, but I'm afraid I have some brainstorming to do. How about we touch base tomorrow?
Here ye be, some help with brainstorming:
http://www.tommybutler.me/bs-generator.html

:cool:

[mc4100]

Hmmm, I think I'll add, "Cantankerousness" ... which I hate;
and, "Clarity" ... which I like.

[FAMUgolfer]

comfortable.......always comes out comvertable.

[Circus-Killer]

hate the word syphilis
love the words habadashary and gazebo

[Giant Speck]

hate the word syphilis
love the words habadashary and gazebo (although i think the latter may be a term only used in south africa. you guys use the word gazebo?) *shrug*

Yes, we do.

You're talking about one of these, right?

http://www.shawneestructures.com/images/gazebo-10x14b.jpg

[amitabhishek]

a) Investment
b) Disclaimer

[RJARRRPCGP]

Hate saying "poignant". It makes my nose itch.

That sounds like what someone that has synaesthesia would say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaesthesia

[Therion]

Kiosk

I'm not sure why, but, I just detest that word.

[rajeev1204]

Kiosk

I'm not sure why, but, I just detest that word.


Try the plural for that word.I used to design 'kiosks' and could never ever say it right.

It was weird telling people i used to design kiosks ... uuuuugh .

[Mason Whitaker]

The word Boobie when referring to the bird xD;

[linuxisevolution]

Maybe it's because people don't take on the word "Ubuntu" seriously, but I simply hate saying it in public. Although, I do like it's meaning :D

I mean, you might as well say,
Do you want to Ubuntu?

I also don't like impregent. Bad thing to do :lolflag:

[Lightstar]

There's no word I hate to say... but there's alot of words I hate to read!

i.e. cuz wuz wot wat wut u yer ur

[jts0803odon]

Try cummerbund (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummerbund) instead.

That's even worse. Yep.

[-grubby]

"supper"

[odiseo77]

I don't think I hate any particular English word (at least not that I remember), but I do find it disturbing when people use abbreviations for every line they write; sometimes it's hard to read (and guess what they're talking about) :)

[garba]

anything ending in "sts"

[MikeTheC]

Well, ok, I really didn't want to talk about this, but...

I hate words which don't end in either a vowel or consonant.

[rajeev1204]

Kmenu from kde.;)

[rajeev1204]

corroborate? Not sure i got the spelling right.

[xpod]

Happy birthday to that awful word serendipity.
Not that it`s a word i really ever use.Plus,the last time i actually remember hearing it was around the time i discovered Ubuntu.

[monkeychick]

Incorrigible.
Genitals.

I also really don't like the way some people say "aks" instead of ask.

I love the words small children use when they begin speaking. My little girl says thoughted instead of thought. I do correct her but I still find it cute.

[Magnes]

I don't like saying "world". English is not my native language and for me "world" sounds pretty funny. ;)

[rajeev1204]

Happy birthday to that awful word serendipity.
Not that it`s a word i really ever use.Plus,the last time i actually remember hearing it was around the time i discovered Ubuntu.


I love the movie though.

[rajeev1204]

Iam beginning to hate saying jaunty.

[JohnFH]

The word 'sorry' is probably top of the list.