Whatever ... It Is What It Is

The most overused, annoying phrases in the English language

Flying to New York last week, I picked up a copy of a recent Marist Poll, dated October 7, 2009. I know, weird thing to read while jetting to the east, but my reading habits are a topic for a whole other blog. What did I discover that caught my attention? Words that, like, basically drive people freakin’ crazy.

Oops. I just used three of them. "Like," one of the most overused words regardless of age, education or region. "Basically," which has become the new “um,” and "freakin’," which is now a favorite of every teenager who thinks it’s cool to use instead of f@#k%!g.

By far the most annoying word according to this very professional poll by the Marist Poll people is "whatever." This surly teenage dismissal drives 47 percent of Americans right up the wall. We hear it so frequently that by now I’d think people would just, you know, just think it is what it is.

Oops. There are two other linguistic equivalents of ragweed: "you know" and "it is what it is." In fact, Marist found that 25 percent of Americans find the former to be nerve grating, while 11 percent found the latter to be what sends shivers up their spine.

"Anyway," oops. Another word that 7 percent of Americans find annoying. But, "at the end of the day," darn, that’s another one that 2 percent of our fellow Americans find insane. Is there anything left?

President Obama uses “look” more than most people care to, well, look. I’d suggest he bring “closure” to that verbal tic of his. But “closure,” it seems, is another word that Katie Couric and her media friends enjoy overusing. Dick Cheney advised us for years not “to go there” — go where?

Perhaps one that you frequently hear is, “no problem.” George Carlin pointed this one out, “Thanks for helping me bring dead babies up from the cellar.” “No problem.”

"Having said that," oh no, not another one! Well, "that being said," oops. I can’t get away from these crazy-making phrases. So, as a writer, "welcome to my world." Oh no, there’s another one!

Caroline Kennedy used “you know” so often, it probably was one of the reasons she dropped out of the, you know, the race for the freakin’ senate.

So I thought I’d try to listen to my own.

“Not so much” has recently become one of my favorites when describing something I’m not especially fond of. “You know what I mean?” is something I say so frequently in therapy sessions, I’m wondering if I even do anymore. “Amazing,” “Kewl,” “Really” and “Fine,” the latter when I definitely do not mean it, stand on my list of overused, annoying Michaelisms.

There are some interesting regional differences. For example, Midwesterners overwhelmingly dislike “whatever” to the tune of 55 percent surveyed. Thirty-five percent of Northeasterners, on the other hand, are frazzled by “whatever.” The popular, “you know” irritates 19 percent of Midwestern residents and 32 percent of Northeasterners. Whatever. It is what it is.

Finally, the source of all sources, the University of Oxford research group, an uptight and rather humorless group of folks I suspect, developed and published a list of the Top 10 Most Irritating Expressions in the English Language. I include them here for those of you who prefer quoting Oxford to Marist:
1. At the end of the day
2. Fairly unique
3. I personally
4. At this moment in time
5. With all due respect
6. Absolutely
7. It’s a nightmare
8. Shouldn’t of
9. 24/7
10. It’s not rocket science

Want to know more about the inane, downright annoying phrases and short cuts that you and others use? Check out phrases.org.uk/meanings for a collection of 1,500 fully researched phrase and saying origins.

At the end of the day, what’re ya gonna do? It is what it is, right? Well, maybe not so much. When all is said and done, it’s just, like, you know, freakin’ words.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Mantell has successfully been bringing upbeat, friendly and helpful psychological insights to individuals, families and businesses in San Diego as a clinical and corporate psychologist in private practice. He's been a regular on Good Morning America, KFMB-TV News 8, has appeared on Oprah, Larry King Live, the Today show, authored two best-selling books and speaks regularly for audiences throughout the country. He can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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