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Minor things that bother you

Started by planxtymcgillicuddy, November 27, 2019, 12:15:11 AM

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Max Rockatansky

Quote from: GaryV on December 12, 2019, 09:17:55 PM
If I'm a guest, why do I have to pay?

Guests in the home steal from the medicine cabinets all the time, so why not Target?


kurumi

Paste a URL into a note-taking app, email client, etc., and it'll probably linkify and underline it for you, like https://kurumi.com...

and then underline everything else you type after that. I can't think of one time where I wanted this to happen.

Generally auto-formatting and pasting styled text sucks, and you end up having to undo what the app did to "help you".
My first SF/horror short story collection is available: "Young Man, Open Your Winter Eye"

SSOWorld

DOTs putting "operations" after everything...

Paving operations will be complete tomorrow.
Flagging operations active today.

This comment operation is finished.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

1995hoo

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 12, 2019, 03:11:22 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on December 12, 2019, 01:01:17 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 11, 2019, 04:10:36 PM
"Reach out"  is still overuse business slang from I observe in my interactions with people.  I get asked "reach out"  to a person and/or people at least three times weekly.

Other overused office language:

"Touch base"
"Livin' the dream"
"Open a can of worms"
"Shoot you" a text/email/contact.  Don't shoot me.  I don't want to be shot.

Other incorrect office language:
"in regards to".  If you can't figure out how to say this phrase correctly, just say "about."  It accomplishes the same thing.  If you can't take the heat of complex prepositional phrases, stay out of the kitchen.
Overuse of generic nouns like "item," "element," or "component," without explaining the context.  These words might as well be pronouns.

One that seems pretty common in my workplace is "utilize" in place of "use".

"The cashier will utilize the barcode scanner to input the ticket number..."

That's because "utilize" just means "use", but using three times as many syllables, so people say it when they want to sound smart or formal. These people don't realize that "utilize" carries a different connotation of "making the full use of", and should only be used (not utilized) in that context. So "The casino will utilize the cage department to sell bingo tickets" would be fine, for example, because utilize conveys the implication that the department has extra resources that could be applied toward selling bingo tickets.

But "utilizing" a barcode scanner? It scans barcodes, what untapped potential could the damn thing possibly have?

In a similar vein to this, there are a lot of redundancies people use because they think it sounds more accurate or makes them sound more educated. The one I hear most often is the Metrorail operators saying "last and final" –for example, "This is Huntington, the last and final stop."  (The train is usually not going out of service when they say this, either; if it is, they'll announce that separately.) What, do they think there's a last and not-final stop, or a final and next-to-last stop?

This sort of thing is way too common in the legal profession–people think they have to say things like "each and every"  or "any and all"  because they fear they're omitting something if they don't use both words, as though asking for "all"  of something somehow means that if someone doesn't have "all"  of what is requested he won't have to produce what he has unless you also ask him to produce "any"  material. It's stupid and it makes for horrible writing. (Then there was the guy who included a definition: "The word "˜all' means "˜any and all.'"   :rolleyes: )

There are some people who use the wrong word thinking it's right. I worked with a guy who apparently thought "penultimate"  is something bigger than "ultimate."  It was clear from how he used it that he didn't know it meant "next-to-last"  (literally: it's derived from two Latin words that together mean "almost last" ).
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: 1995hoo on December 13, 2019, 07:04:19 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 12, 2019, 03:11:22 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on December 12, 2019, 01:01:17 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 11, 2019, 04:10:36 PM
“Reach out” is still overuse business slang from I observe in my interactions with people.  I get asked “reach out” to a person and/or people at least three times weekly.

Other overused office language:

"Touch base"
"Livin' the dream"
"Open a can of worms"
"Shoot you" a text/email/contact.  Don't shoot me.  I don't want to be shot.

Other incorrect office language:
"in regards to".  If you can't figure out how to say this phrase correctly, just say "about."  It accomplishes the same thing.  If you can't take the heat of complex prepositional phrases, stay out of the kitchen.
Overuse of generic nouns like "item," "element," or "component," without explaining the context.  These words might as well be pronouns.

One that seems pretty common in my workplace is "utilize" in place of "use".

"The cashier will utilize the barcode scanner to input the ticket number..."

That's because "utilize" just means "use", but using three times as many syllables, so people say it when they want to sound smart or formal. These people don't realize that "utilize" carries a different connotation of "making the full use of", and should only be used (not utilized) in that context. So "The casino will utilize the cage department to sell bingo tickets" would be fine, for example, because utilize conveys the implication that the department has extra resources that could be applied toward selling bingo tickets.

But "utilizing" a barcode scanner? It scans barcodes, what untapped potential could the damn thing possibly have?

In a similar vein to this, there are a lot of redundancies people use because they think it sounds more accurate or makes them sound more educated. The one I hear most often is the Metrorail operators saying “last and final”—for example, “This is Huntington, the last and final stop.” (The train is usually not going out of service when they say this, either; if it is, they’ll announce that separately.) What, do they think there’s a last and not-final stop, or a final and next-to-last stop?

This sort of thing is way too common in the legal profession—people think they have to say things like “each and every” or “any and all” because they fear they’re omitting something if they don’t use both words, as though asking for “all” of something somehow means that if someone doesn’t have “all” of what is requested he won’t have to produce what he has unless you also ask him to produce “any” material. It’s stupid and it makes for horrible writing. (Then there was the guy who included a definition: “The word ‘all’ means ‘any and all.’”  :rolleyes: )

There are some people who use the wrong word thinking it’s right. I worked with a guy who apparently thought “penultimate” is something bigger than “ultimate.” It was clear from how he used it that he didn’t know it meant “next-to-last” (literally: it’s derived from two Latin words that together mean “almost last”).

When it comes down to legal stuff, guaranteed there's some lawsuit that leads to the current language used.  Refer back to the forum discussion about the oxford comma for an example.

texaskdog

If you nag me about something it's not a "friendly reminder".

Of course I'll throw in "Happy Holidays" because we can't say Merry Christmas for fear of offending anyone.

"real quick" or "to make a long story short" which means it's not likely to be short.  People telling me to be "real quick" means I'm likely to slow down.

hbelkins

If we're talking about phrases that bother us, "centered around" gets me, because it's factually incorrect. "Centered on" is the correct term.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

J N Winkler

Quote from: kurumi on December 12, 2019, 11:49:44 PMPaste a URL into a note-taking app, email client, etc., and it'll probably linkify and underline it for you, like https://kurumi.com...

and then underline everything else you type after that. I can't think of one time where I wanted this to happen.

I have personally never had this problem.  I've always assumed that linkifying logic looks for whitespace to determine the end of the link, so if I don't isolate a link on a line of its own, I typically place it at the ends of a sentence (not in parentheses) and omit sentence-final punctuation.

Quote from: kurumi on December 12, 2019, 11:49:44 PMGenerally auto-formatting and pasting styled text sucks, and you end up having to undo what the app did to "help you".

It irritates me when keyboard apps marketed as having context-based learning (such as Gboard) consistently mispredict frequently used text.  For example, I order online from a restaurant and enter "No utensils needed" in a special-request box, and despite dozens of opportunities to learn, Gboard still doesn't offer me that as an option when I navigate to that box.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

1995hoo

Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 13, 2019, 08:54:27 AM
When it comes down to legal stuff, guaranteed there's some lawsuit that leads to the current language used.  Refer back to the forum discussion about the oxford comma for an example.

I think some of it is inertia and superstition. Someone used a certain form and won a case, so his colleagues copied him and others did the same. This is a pet peeve of mine and I could rant about it for a long time, but I'll spare you.




Quote from: J N Winkler on December 13, 2019, 12:07:48 PM
It irritates me when keyboard apps marketed as having context-based learning (such as Gboard) consistently mispredict frequently used text.  For example, I order online from a restaurant and enter "No utensils needed" in a special-request box, and despite dozens of opportunities to learn, Gboard still doesn't offer me that as an option when I navigate to that box.

Yesterday when I started to type the word "insurance," my phone wanted to put "insurgents."  :rolleyes:
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: 1995hoo on December 13, 2019, 12:10:44 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 13, 2019, 08:54:27 AM
When it comes down to legal stuff, guaranteed there's some lawsuit that leads to the current language used.  Refer back to the forum discussion about the oxford comma for an example.

I think some of it is inertia and superstition. Someone used a certain form and won a case, so his colleagues copied him and others did the same. This is a pet peeve of mine and I could rant about it for a long time, but I'll spare you.

As in a precedence?

Which, by the way, is a minor thing that bother's me.   Whenever something happens, people try to use that as a precedence for the future, or if something already happened, they claim that there was already precedence.  However, I can usually find another, opposite example, which basically wipes out that precedence.

Sometimes, people don't even realize they're talking about it.  Let's use a road issue for an example:  Someone rolls thru a stop sign without stopping.  Cop was nearby, and maybe even sees them commit the minor infraction, but doesn't go after them.  Numerous rolls thru that stop sign later, and the violator is finally stopped by the cops.  The violator tries to claim that because he's done it before, that basically he can continue to do it and the cops shouldn't bother with him.  Someone that plays this hand will almost always get a summons. 

DTComposer

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 12, 2019, 01:12:44 PM
One that really gets to me is calling an employee a "associate"  or "team member."    Associates own stock in a company, it seems that term came from places like Walmart.  I don't play sports with my co-workers or employees so therefore they cannot be teammates.  My co-workers and employees aren't "my family"  either. 

I agree "team member" is a bit jargony, but the use of team is not restricted to sports -

Merriam-Webster, first entry: a number of persons associated together in work or activity

Dictionary.com, second entry: a number of persons associated in some joint action

Along these lines, though, Disney calling all of their employees "cast members" is a little much (speaking as someone who was a "cast member" for almost 10 years) - I get it as a reminder for those in public-facing jobs but not working directly in entertainment that they were still part of the "show" as far as guest interactions, but applying that terminology to, say, a payroll specialist in Burbank seems a little incredulous.

Scott5114

Quote from: texaskdog on December 13, 2019, 09:36:54 AM
Of course I'll throw in "Happy Holidays" because we can't say Merry Christmas for fear of offending anyone.

"Happy Holidays" is nice because it's a lot shorter than "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year".

At this point more people bitch about "Happy Holidays" than anyone ever did about "Merry Christmas", so I just don't acknowledge it being December at all.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

texaskdog

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 13, 2019, 01:07:11 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on December 13, 2019, 09:36:54 AM
Of course I'll throw in "Happy Holidays" because we can't say Merry Christmas for fear of offending anyone.

"Happy Holidays" is nice because it's a lot shorter than "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year".

At this point more people bitch about "Happy Holidays" than anyone ever did about "Merry Christmas", so I just don't acknowledge it being December at all.

Festivus for the rest of us!

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: DTComposer on December 13, 2019, 12:31:08 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 12, 2019, 01:12:44 PM
One that really gets to me is calling an employee a "associate"  or "team member."    Associates own stock in a company, it seems that term came from places like Walmart.  I don't play sports with my co-workers or employees so therefore they cannot be teammates.  My co-workers and employees aren't "my family"  either. 

I agree "team member" is a bit jargony, but the use of team is not restricted to sports -

Merriam-Webster, first entry: a number of persons associated together in work or activity

Dictionary.com, second entry: a number of persons associated in some joint action

Along these lines, though, Disney calling all of their employees "cast members" is a little much (speaking as someone who was a "cast member" for almost 10 years) - I get it as a reminder for those in public-facing jobs but not working directly in entertainment that they were still part of the "show" as far as guest interactions, but applying that terminology to, say, a payroll specialist in Burbank seems a little incredulous.

Isn't Subway calling their employees "Sandwich Artists?"   I couldn't fathom someone being dense enough to put that out their resume or job application. 

roadman

Automatically describing something as 'historic" just because it hadn't happened before.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 13, 2019, 01:07:11 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on December 13, 2019, 09:36:54 AM
Of course I'll throw in "Happy Holidays" because we can't say Merry Christmas for fear of offending anyone.

"Happy Holidays" is nice because it's a lot shorter than "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year".

At this point more people bitch about "Happy Holidays" than anyone ever did about "Merry Christmas", so I just don't acknowledge it being December at all.

Happy Holidays makes sense because I don't know what you celebrate. Unless you're wearing a stupid Christmas sweater or a Star of David or something.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

SectorZ

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on December 12, 2019, 01:12:44 PM
One that really gets to me is calling an employee a "associate"  or "team member."    Associates own stock in a company, it seems that term came from places like Walmart.  I don't play sports with my co-workers or employees so therefore they cannot be teammates.  My co-workers and employees aren't "my family"  either.

Walmart had a few sports related terms when I worked there thru the late 90's, mostly with cleaning up the store. "Zone defense", mostly done approaching closing, was the general clean-up of your own department, whereas a "blitz" was a bunch of people leaving their dept. to clean up a messier one.

1995hoo

Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 13, 2019, 12:27:09 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 13, 2019, 12:10:44 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 13, 2019, 08:54:27 AM
When it comes down to legal stuff, guaranteed there's some lawsuit that leads to the current language used.  Refer back to the forum discussion about the oxford comma for an example.

I think some of it is inertia and superstition. Someone used a certain form and won a case, so his colleagues copied him and others did the same. This is a pet peeve of mine and I could rant about it for a long time, but I'll spare you.

As in a precedence?

....

Precedent, actually. I wouldn't really view what I described as a precedent because in the legal world that term usually (not always, but usually) refers to a court decision that then gets followed by later courts.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Brandon

Quote from: texaskdog on December 13, 2019, 09:36:54 AM
Of course I'll throw in "Happy Holidays" because we can't say Merry Christmas for fear of offending anyone.

I prefer "Happy Holidays" for the season (Thanksgiving through New Years) as a whole, saving the exact holiday for the day or couple days prior to the holiday since there are so many during this season.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

kphoger

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 13, 2019, 01:07:11 PM
At this point more people bitch about "Happy Holidays" than anyone ever did about "Merry Christmas", so I just don't acknowledge it being December at all.

I like that approach!  Maybe switch to saying "Decent December" instead, though.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on December 13, 2019, 02:09:48 PM
Happy Holidays makes sense because I don't know what you celebrate. Unless you're wearing a stupid Christmas sweater or a Star of David or something.

"Holidays" as a way of being inclusive doesn't bother me so much if it's actually legitimate.  But it's usually not.

1.  If your company party has a Christmas tree, pictures with Santa Claus, wrapping paper with elves and reindeer and Joy to the World printed on it...  then it's a Christmas party.  Nobody went to any trouble to try and fit in a different religion's holiday, so don't somehow pretend they did by calling it a "holiday party" instead of a "Christmas party".

2.  Do you know when Hanukkah is?  Here's a tip:  if Hanukkah has already ended, then there's no longer any reason not to say "Merry Christmas".  Chances are though, you don't know when Hanukkah is but are still trying to pretend you're sensitive to people's religious faith.  OK, you get half a point for trying.

3.  On December 26, do you ask someone if they had a "good holiday"?  Really?  What holiday are you referring to?  Don't tell me you might be referring to Hanukkah unless you're prepared to answer YES to #2 above.  This year, for example, December 26 is only halfway through Hanukkah.  Last year, it had already been over for two weeks.  Just ask if they had a good Christmas, and then be prepared for them to tell you they don't celebrate Christmas because _________.

4.  Kwanzaa isn't a real holiday.




On the other hand, "holidays" is perfectly good for referring to the whole time between Thanksgiving and the New Year.  It's the time of year when people have family gatherings, participate in cultural and religious traditions, take time off from work, etc.  "Happy holidays" has been used as such for a hundred years, but it somehow got slurped up into political correctness.  I think we'd feel less icky and flaky in using the phrase "Happy holidays" if we weren't so darned afraid to use "Merry Christmas" when that's what we actually mean.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kphoger

Quote from: Brandon on December 13, 2019, 02:48:06 PM
I prefer "Happy Holidays" for the season (Thanksgiving through New Years) as a whole, saving the exact holiday for the day or couple days prior to the holiday since there are so many during this season.

Well, there you go, being reasonable and all!
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

DaBigE

Quote from: kphoger on December 13, 2019, 03:06:08 PM
Quote from: Brandon on December 13, 2019, 02:48:06 PM
I prefer "Happy Holidays" for the season (Thanksgiving through New Years) as a whole, saving the exact holiday for the day or couple days prior to the holiday since there are so many during this season.
Well, there you go, being reasonable and all!

Or just ignore the brewhaha altogether and stick with "Have a nice day/morning/afternoon/evening/night". Works all year round.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

GaryV

Quote from: DaBigE on December 13, 2019, 04:04:55 PM

Or just ignore the brouhaha altogether and stick with "Have a nice day/morning/afternoon/evening/night". Works all year round.

Or, "Have a good one."  Which is somewhat annoying to me.

SSOWorld

Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

allniter89

Quote from: qguy on December 11, 2019, 07:18:53 AM
1. With a double-door entrance/exit doorway, keeping one of the doors locked, effectively making it a wall with a door handle. The double door is there for a reason: safety. It's meant to provide a wide through-space for dumping the building in an emergency. They're often specified by building codes for buildings over a certain occupancy. Plus, it's just so annoying to pull on a door that doesn't budge. It's like the door says, "Psych!"

2. Stores (like my local Walmart) that have an employee check everyone's receipts as they leave. There has got to be a better loss prevention strategy than treating all of your customers like they're already shoplifters.
I've never been checked at WM but Sams does. We're getting a BJ's here soon, is it a Sams clone?
BUY AMERICAN MADE.
SPEED SAFELY.



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