Today’s “Daily Telegraph” carries a wonderful article under the heading “Phrases that really bug us”, the text being a sweetener for their new book “She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook”. Whilst the usual offenders are all highlighted, it does serve as a reminder of the “management” language and culture which has taken root in society, with most of it finding it’s origins in Labour’s tenure (Who can forget Blair and Birt’s “blue sky thinking” and John Reid’s description of himself “not fit for purpose”)
Classic phase’s outlined are;
Brainstorming
Downsize
Thinking outside the box
To die for
Pushing the envelope
Window in my diary
Being a shopkeeper, my own personal hates centre around phrases which imply a degree of familiarity not earned, such as “bro, brother, boss” or any of the other unintelligible mutterings associated with New York and rap music. I also find myself getting a little hot under the collar with the degree to which comedy phrases are creeping into daily conversations; “Am I bovvered”, “I’m a lady” and the awful “yeah but no but”. I also despair when people make the “open quotation mark, close quotation mark” with their hands whilst speaking. Ahhhhhhh!
Whilst I cringe, my kids laugh out loud. Sign of getting old? Definitely, but at least I outlasted Top of the Pops!
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