Words That Annoy

[poliphilo]

I'm not going to rant about it but it makes my skin crawl when a book is called a "read" or a film a "watch" or a piece of music a "listen". This is quite irrational of me but there you go....

And while we're on the subject of words that annoy I really hate it how easily "offended" everyone is these days. I'm not saying you shouldn't get angry or even (as the Pope advises) hit back at insults, but "taking offence" just sounds so whiny, so precious. It makes me think of the stuffy, small-minded adults in Richmal Crompton's William books or- a reference only Brits of a certain age will get - of Mrs Mary Whitehouse. 

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I find to my horror that "a good read" is cropping up in my students' essays. But of course it's already the name of a Radio 4 programme, so, fall Caesar.

I wonder whether Fine Art students ever refer to a painting as "a good look"?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I bet they do.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I'm offended by your lack of compassion for whiners. Other than that, your post was a good read.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Cheers :)

[matrixmann]

In honesty, using the word ("offend") as well its pendant in my first language in context with the freedom of speech debate these days somehow admittedly doesn't seem right to me. It's not what you mean, it somehow is too soft. The content goes more like "throwing around with dirt against people", dirt of the sick kind.
But in the end, it seems like language doesn't have a word for that, so one keeps using it for using any word at all.

[faunhaert.livejournal.com]

here people
take it upon themselves to be offended for others.
it doesn't matter that person doesn't really care
about the perceived slight by the offered people.

make me avoid people even more.
less drama is a good thing.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That happens here as well. Heigh-ho.