Your most annoying euphemisms?

[Tristan Thinks]

Okay, another thread brought this on, but it's one of my pet peeves.

 

Euphemisms that annoy you.

 

"Slept with" instead of made love, had sex, f**ked, etc.

 

<rant>

Don't pollute the innocence of the word "sleep" by inbuing it with a meaning that makes people snigger or raise an unbelieving eyebrow, or makes people feel they have to give an innocent explanation!

</rant>

[Demetz]

I'm afraid "slept with" may already be irrevocably tainted...

[AFriendlyFace]

Okay, another thread brought this on, but it's one of my pet peeves.

 

Euphemisms that annoy you.

 

"Slept with" instead of made love, had sex, f**ked, etc.

 

<rant>

Don't pollute the innocence of the word "sleep" by inbuing it with a meaning that makes people snigger or raise an unbelieving eyebrow, or makes people feel they have to give an innocent explanation!

</rant>

LOL, I agree for the most part, but look at all the delightful jokes, movies, television shows, books, and songs which exploit this euphemism! The entertainment industry would take a major hit without it!

 

Ironically, and perhaps a bit sadly, I don't think I've ever slept with anyone I was sleeping with. Of course part of that is that I don't particularly like share my bed with sleep with doze with anyone.

 

LOL, how about if my contribution is:

"Share my bed"

[Tristan Thinks]

I think "slept with" gets to me since me and my friends frequently sleep together and it annoys me the assumptions others instantly jump to if it comes out in conversation.

 

There are others:

 

"I'll just be a moment." - Still tapping my foot 10 minutes later!

"You can't miss it." - Bound to get horrendously lost even with sat-nav.

"He has a nice personality." - He's ugly but you're desperate!

"Can I buy you a drink?" - "I want to shag you as cheaply as possible."

[Tiger]

I have to agree about "sleeping with". It's not what I prefer to say. I always say make love or f**k, depending upon the context.

 

Well, I think the worst one is "taking the tuna to Tuna Town". I don't like it at all.

[GaryK]

I have to agree about "sleeping with". It's not what I prefer to say. I always say make love or f**k, depending upon the context.

 

Well, I think the worst one is "taking the tuna to Tuna Town". I don't like it at all.

Making love is actually one that bothers me, unless you really do love the person. Since I'm dealing mainly with f**k buddies these days I tend to say, I had sex with so-and-so last night. Or I f**ked so-and-so this morning. Everything else sounds weird to me. Unless the sex was so bad you really did sleep with the person.

[Tiger]

Making love is actually one that bothers me, unless you really do love the person. Since I'm dealing mainly with f**k buddies these days I tend to say, I had sex with so-and-so last night. Or I f**ked so-and-so this morning. Everything else sounds weird to me. Unless the sex was so bad you really did sleep with the person.

I believe I mentioned context. I happen to agree that you do not make love to a f**k buddy. You can only make love to a significant other.

[rich_e]

I actually prefer "slept with" to f*ck or make love. F*ck sounds too vulgar for my tastes, and "making love" makes me want to gag. I suppose "had sex with" would work, though it's sort of blunt. Actually sleeping with someone would come out as "I slept next to so-and-so last night" for me.

Edited March 13, 2008 by rich_e

[GaryK]

I believe I mentioned context. I happen to agree that you do not make love to a f**k buddy. You can only make love to a significant other.

Oh, how typical of me. I missed that part. Got distracted by what came before that comma. Maybe you're right about my tag.

[Tiger]

Oh, how typical of me. I missed that part. Got distracted by what came before that comma. Maybe you're right about my tag.

Of course, I'm right. Anyway, some euphemisms are actually nice. I like how Aussies say, "root."

[GaryK]

Speaking of euphemisms, I've always loved this bit by George Carlin about annoying euphemisms:

 

I don't like words that hide the truth. I don't like words that conceal reality. I don't like euphemisms, or euphemistic language. And American English is loaded with euphemisms. Cause Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with reality. Americans have trouble facing the truth, so they invent the kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it, and it gets worse with every generation. For some reason, it just keeps getting worse. I'll give you an example of that. There's a condition in combat. Most people know about it. It's when a fighting person's nervous system has been stressed to it's absolute peak and maximum. Can't take anymore input. The nervous system has either (click) snapped or is about to snap. In the first world war, that condition was called shell shock. Simple, honest, direct language. Two syllables, shell shock. Almost sounds like the guns themselves. That was seventy years ago. Then a whole generation went by and the second world war came along and very same combat condition was called battle fatigue. Four syllables now. Takes a little longer to say. Doesn't seem to hurt as much. Fatigue is a nicer word than shock. Shell shock! Battle fatigue. Then we had the war in Korea, 1950. Madison avenue was riding high by that time, and the very same combat condition was called operational exhaustion. Hey, were up to eight syllables now! And the humanity has been squeezed completely out of the phrase. It's totally sterile now. Operational exhaustion. Sounds like something that might happen to your car. Then of course, came the war in Viet Nam, which has only been over for about sixteen or seventeen years, and thanks to the lies and deceits surrounding that war, I guess it's no surprise that the very same condition was called post-traumatic stress disorder. Still eight syllables, but we've added a hyphen! And the pain is completely buried under jargon. Post-traumatic stress disorder.

[Tristan Thinks]

I like George Carlin's attitude

 

That made me think of the euphemisms around disability, both mental and physical, so I went in search of some examples and found this delightful expos

[S.L. Lewis]

Okay, so euphemisms that annoy me to all heck? Let's see.

Me and my friend got into this one time. But then again, it was two in the morning, we were watching Labryinth with David Bowie, were a bit on a coffee high and weren't going to bed anytime soon.

We started to talk about the euphemisms that people used.

Here's a list:

 

Brests: Orbs of wonderment, creamy moutains of flesh

Erm, not to insult any one, penis: Rod of manhood, shaft of pleasure, burgering arousal, ect.

sex: has already been well covered.

 

I had more, but I can't remember them now. They annoy me while making me cackle insanely.

[GaryK]

Here's two that are related to death that annoy me to no end. I sometimes even make an inappropriate comment:

 

1. I lost my boyfriend. Did you bother to go looking for him?

2. My sister is gone. Well, when will she be back?

 

Why can't people just say someone is dead?

[Tristan Thinks]

Here's two that are related to death that annoy me to no end. I sometimes even make an inappropriate comment:

 

1. I lost my boyfriend. Did you bother to go looking for him?

2. My sister is gone. Well, when will she be back?

 

Why can't people just say someone is dead?

 

/me high-fives Gary!

 

My usual response to "I lost my boyfriend" is "That was bloody careless!"

 

I forgot those but yes, they annoy me no end. Closely followed by the expectation that I should somehow feel sad that someone I never knew has popped their clogs

 

Thinking of death reminded me of some old relations at my Gran's 95th death party (she was 95 when she died ). At various family weddings and so on they'd nudge me and say something along the lines of, "You'll be next", and wink at me. Having seen someone comment on this and the great retaliation they'd come up with, I tried it. At the funeral I went up to a couple of the aunts, nudged them with my elbow, winked and said "You'll be next!". The reaction was *so* worth it - shock, outrage, thoughfulness and finally laughter in the space of about 5 seconds

[Tiger]

Here's two that are related to death that annoy me to no end. I sometimes even make an inappropriate comment:

 

1. I lost my boyfriend. Did you bother to go looking for him?

2. My sister is gone. Well, when will she be back?

 

Why can't people just say someone is dead?

If I use a euphemism for death, it's usually a humorous one, though I have been known to use those two.

[Tristan Thinks]

inhale instead of eat. This is becoming much more common recently and sounds just plain silly. If someone is ravenous or is devouring their food, say so!

[Ieshwar]

I actually prefer "slept with" to f*ck or make love. F*ck sounds too vulgar for my tastes, and "making love" makes me want to gag. I suppose "had sex with" would work, though it's sort of blunt. Actually sleeping with someone would come out as "I slept next to so-and-so last night" for me.

 

Exactly!!! Thank God you osted this or else, i would have thought there was something wrong with me.

 

And what's the thing with Tuna going to Tuna Town? Never heard it.

 

Ieshwar

[BeaStKid]

does 'going out' annoy anyone?

 

Like...

 

I'm going out with this boy.

 

or

 

Would you like to go out with me?

 

or

 

Do you know that he is going around with that guy??

[AFriendlyFace]

/me high-fives Gary!

 

My usual response to "I lost my boyfriend" is "That was bloody careless!"

 

I forgot those but yes, they annoy me no end. Closely followed by the expectation that I should somehow feel sad that someone I never knew has popped their clogs

No offense to Gary and Tris - and I admit most of the euphemisms for death are a bit silly - but if someone is conveying the news that their loved one has died, I don't think it's appropriate to make fun of the way in which they do it.

 

Sex and other activities are acceptable targets, but I think something as sad as a death ought to be treated with more compassion.

 

does 'going out' annoy anyone?

 

Like...

 

I'm going out with this boy.

 

or

 

Would you like to go out with me?

 

or

 

Do you know that he is going around with that guy??

Actually, to me those are pretty much true in the standard, literal sense. To me "going out" implies that the person is leaving their home - literally going out - and usually also indicates that they'll be doing some sort of activity such as a movie, dinner, a club, shopping perhaps, anything like that. So really if you're "going out with someone" you probably are literally going out with them. I mean you're going out and doing activities together.

 

I even always say I'm going to "go out" with my friends. We do. When I say that we don't sit around at home we go out and do something together. Conversely, on movie or game nights in which we do stay in, I wouldn't say I'd "gone out with them".

 

I'd even say it to refer to something I was doing by myself that didn't take place at home. Let's say tomorrow I wake up and decide I want to go the park, or just go for a walk or something. If someone later asks me, "did you stay in?" I'd say, "no, I went out".

 

Anyway, to mean it's not a euphemism at all but something that's literally true.

Edited March 13, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[BeaStKid]

No offense to Gary and Tris - and I admit most of the euphemisms for death are a bit silly - but if someone is conveying the news that their loved one has died, I don't think it's appropriate to make fun of the way in which they do it.

 

Sex and other activities are acceptable targets, but I think something as sad as a death ought to be treated with more compassion.

 

 

Actually, to me those are pretty much true in the standard, literal sense. To me "going out" implies that the person is leaving their home - literally going out - and usually also indicates that they'll be doing some sort of activity such as a movie, dinner, a club, shopping perhaps, anything like that. So really if you're "going out with someone" you probably are literally going out with them. I mean you're going out and doing activities together.

 

I even always say I'm going to "go out" with my friends. We do. When I say that we don't sit around at home we go out and do something together. Conversely, on movie or game nights in which we do stay in, I wouldn't say I'd "gone out with them".

 

Anyway, to mean it's not a euphemism at all but something that's literally true.

'going out' is a euphemism for dating (at least here in India it is... )

[AFriendlyFace]

'going out' is an euphemism for dating (at least here in India it is... )

Yes, I know, but that's what I mean. When you're dating someone you probably are going out with them.

 

Most people who date "go out" and do activities together, and a major aspect of dating is the companionship for shared activities.

 

If you're in a relationship with someone, I think one of the best and usually central aspects is the "going out" and doing things together.

 

If someone says of a couple, "yeah, they're going out". They probably are.

 

Perhaps some older married couples don't go out anymore and do things together very often (though I bet they still do mundane things together from time to time), but they're not usually the people someone would use the phrase to describe anyway. If it's an old married couple they'll probably be described as such.

 

The only time it would be really incorrect to say you're "going out" with someone you're in a relationship with, would be if it were something like a long-distance relationship and you never had the chance to go out together. In that case it would be incorrect in the literal sense, but in general I think the phrase is a very accurate and natural description of what's going on.

Edited March 13, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[BeaStKid]

well, I agree... but when someone wants to say---> "He/She is dating him/her" they usually use the word 'go out' even if they are not 'going out' in the literal sense....

[AFriendlyFace]

well, I agree... but when someone wants to say---> "He/She is dating him/her" they usually use the word 'go out' even if they are not 'going out' in the literal sense....

*shrug* well no point in arguing about it anymore, lol.

 

Anyway, getting back to the death euphemisms, I have to say I think they are the most ridiculous ones on average.

 

In fact the original "annoying euphemism" that I was going to list is when people say "he passed". That just irks me like crazy! Conversely "he passed away", is actually my preferred way of saying that someone died. I think it's all well and good to be blunt most of the time, but actually with something like death I rather like this euphemistic way of saying it. I also imagine the person's soul "passing away" from their body. (even if you don't believe in souls or anything, that's just the image I get) "Passed" by itself just drives me crazy though! I do want to say, "Well what did he pass?" Perhaps this is good news, "John passed" "his kidney stone?" "his test?", or maybe it's only moderately bad news, "well, have him circle the block and come back then."

 

It even irritates me more than the truly ridiculous ones like, "he bought the form", "he kicked the bucket", "he bit the bullet" (actually this one almost makes sense. If he died of a gunshot it seems accurate enough to say "the bullet bit him"). Yep, "he passed" irritates me.

 

Nevertheless, as I said, no matter what ridiculous euphemism the person chose to use to inform me of someone's death, I wouldn't actually make light of the situation as it was happening.

Edited March 13, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[Tristan Thinks]

Choking the Chicken

Spanking the Monkey

 

:wacko: