tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745625607350497891.post8453138965252846601..comments2024-03-26T21:08:51.077-04:00Comments on All Life Is Local: Still Life with Robin: No Way with WordsPeggy Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09062998960273261177noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745625607350497891.post-76035033051912585302011-06-12T23:55:43.846-04:002011-06-12T23:55:43.846-04:00Similar to what "Anonymous 9:38 AM" says...Similar to what "Anonymous 9:38 AM" says above, I can't stand it when someone says something like, "...and attending the function were Joe, Sue and MYSELF." Why not just "ME?"<br /><br />Other linguistic pet peeves of mine is constant use of the phrase, "you know?" or constantly using some other of "filler" words/phrases while speaking. It's probably most annoying to me when the "fillers" end up being 4-letter words, but other "filler" words/phrases also can really grate on my ears (and nerves). <br /><br />One case in point was that of a former Chair/President of the DCPS School Board. This lady was notorious for making extremely frequent use of "filler" words/phrases such as, "um" and "ah, ah, ah." <br /><br />I just never quite understood how a public official, who happened to be the Chair/President of the school board, barely could get through a single sentence without using one or both of those "filler" words/phrases. (I guess it also didn't help that she was kind of a "monotone," but that's a story for another day.)<br /><br />For anyone who ever attended a DCPS school board meeting in parson, or who watched one on TV, I think it would've been hard to overlook that fact that it was a common occurrence for this person to use "filler" material several times in less than a one-minute period. <br /><br />So, at one very boring school board meeting, I decided to give up on trying to distract myself every time she used a "filler" word or phrase, and instead to count them, just to see how many times they were used. <br /><br />I ended up counting as many sixteen occurrences in a one-minute period, and after I had counted (and tallied) the "filler" usage over several one-minute periods, I no longer was bored. Rather, I had become quite amused to the point that it all became quite humorous to me. Suddenly, I had all I could to do contain myself from chortling loudly. <br /><br />Although I briefly had to leave the hearing room to regain my composure, I do have to say that it ended up being one of the most entertaining DCPS school board meetings I'd ever attended!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745625607350497891.post-6073483570360282832011-06-11T09:38:56.950-04:002011-06-11T09:38:56.950-04:00My least favorite phrase is when someone starts a ...My least favorite phrase is when someone starts a sentence with "Me and..." I used to think this expression involved someone named Meehan. I've never met Meehan, but apparently a lot of people have. Kids say "Meehan my friend went to the movies". I'm a real meanie and until I meet this Meehan, I don't let my kids talk about him/her. It started off as a kid expression, but now I hear adults say "Me and" - didn't their parents teach them to mention the other person first? ~ noraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com