I remember when NASA had a probe going to that planet and all of the news outlets decided to pronounce Uranus differently.i lost interest in horoscopes when someone once told me that saturn was passing by uranus
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .
- Thread starter usagora
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
That makes me think of that gag on Futurama when Fry makes a joke about the planet "Uranus", but is met with blank stares. As the professor explains, hundreds of years ago, scientists changed the name of "Uranus" to put an end to the childish jokes once and for all. Fry asks for the new name, and the professor reveals the planet is now called "Urrectum" 😆
My wife and her sister are non-identical twins, born within half an hour of each other. They could not be more different in pretty much every way – appearance, personality, demeanour, interests. I wonder what they’re supposed to make of horoscopes. But who knows, maybe they’ll both stub their toes in the same month, one day…
This is (or, can be) pronounced in two different ways.
Once, years ago, a friend - who had been in my class at university but who later worked, for a few years, as a continuity announcer with the state broadcaster on radio, (before becoming a lawyer) - phoned me in a panic, not long before he was due to go on air: He was about to do the introduction (and links) for a live concert - featuring Gustav Holst's "The Planets", and wanted advice - he knew nothing whatsoever about classical music but knew me to be reasonably well informed on the subject - on matters to do with the pronunciation of certain, quite specific, proper nouns.
Of course, one could get a Chinese horoscope, an Indian horoscope and a Western European horoscope and see how they all mesh up...
we have a neighbour who changed her name to Planet (from Janet) and pronounces it Plan-Ay.
go figure …
Back to the topic of this thread...
I dislike when people address anyone or anything with "guy".
As an example, since I watch many fountain pen reviews on Youtube:
"What's up guys? In this video, I want to review this guy" (holds up a fountain pen)
Or even worse:
"What's up guys? In this video, I want to review this bad boy"
I dislike when people address anyone or anything with "guy".
As an example, since I watch many fountain pen reviews on Youtube:
"What's up guys? In this video, I want to review this guy" (holds up a fountain pen)
Or even worse:
"What's up guys? In this video, I want to review this bad boy"
I don't mind "What's up guys" - nor do I mind "I want to review this guy." What I truly hate is your third example, "I want to review this bad boy!" Ewww!
The online format encourages the appearance of informality.
While, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, fellow customers, and I thank you kindly for extending this invitation to address you" will probably not win many awards in an online presentation - especially one that encourages, applauds and promotes the appearance of affable informality, to my mind, it (or something similar) still has its place.
In that context, - and modern written (and spoken) English and the online format haven't really fully come to terms with how to address and greet people online - addressing your online audience as "guy" is merely an attempt to appear casual, a casual greeting denoting that the tone and content of the presentation (review) will be informal.
Nevertheless, in general, I don't mind "guy" (save for my perennial complaint and concern that it is supposed to include everyone by definition, even though some of us were not born "guys", and I will wager that any male who uses "guy" - however much he may argue that it is supposed to include all of humanity, doesn't really think - subconsciously - that it includes women).
My own personal amendment - when such a context arises - is to start by thanking the chair, and the audience, - sometimes adding something along the lines of inserting "...guys and gals, and I would like to thank all of you in the audience for attending, here, this evening"...
Thus, while I am not all that keen on "guy" (or "dude", - and I write as someone who has used "chaps and chapesses" - which always gets a grin or a laugh from a British audience), the use of "bad boy" - and here, @rm5 is absolutely right - really sets my teeth on edge.
This is a fatuous attempt to add an unnecessary, apparently edgy, yet admiring air to a product that doesn't - not remotely - need it.
How can a fountain pen, or a computer, or a car be described as a "bad boy"?
What does "bad boy" actually mean in this context?
In fact, if a video starts with this, I will now know that I can safely forego watching the rest of it.
Agree completely: In fact, I couldn't agree more with you.
A heartfelt and fervent amen to what you have written.
Last edited:
According to a Connecticut travel blog, the word "staycation" was originally coined by Canadian comedian Brent Butt in the television show Corner Gas in 2005. It shouldn't be a word just because a funny man made it up and used it.
Along with "Staycation" I heartily dislike "vacay" -- Both are atrocities in my opinion.
Last edited:
And "jelly" for jealous. Can't stand that.
These strike me as being excellent examples of a curious tendency - or process - whereby the language appears to run the risk of becoming increasingly infantilised.
I have no quarrel with small children - who are learning language, and mastering it, and working out just exactly what it means and how it works - using such expressions.
Adults are a different matter entirely.
Last edited:
my mother (and the odd girlfriend or 2) used to, on occasion, call me ‘bad boy’.
now it’s a phrase i use for my dog …
People say something like "That's so bougie." and of course, I think French candle, not a cut-down french word that doesn't mean what it originally did.
I have never heard that phrase, what the heck is that supposed to mean? Of course I know the French word for candle.
"bougie" (sometimes spelled "boujee") is derived from "bourgeois", and in this context means pretentious, behaving like a higher social class than you are, extravagant, etc.
Ahh ok, in French they use "bourge" (pronounced bourje) as a short form with the same connotation.