Comments on: Top 8 Taboo Words

By: Gennaro

Gennaro — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:29:48 +0000

Words are powerful. There aren’t too many that drive me up a wall, but I prefer not to hear “like” added to a sentence as in it was “like” so this or that. In writing more than speaking referring to something as “thing or things” too often will lose my attention.
__________
Ian’s reply:

I’m quite conscious of those habitual throw aways. I know for many years I used ‘actually’ in almost every sentence.

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:39:10 +0000

Funnily enough I find the word ‘blog’ very jarring. It would have been so much nicer if they’d been called wlogs.
__________
Ian’s reply:

Hi Ian – another English Ian Abroad! There’s lots of words in the virtual world that jar with me too. Twitter is awash with them! How would you pronounce ‘wlogs’?

By: Fluffy2002

Fluffy2002 — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:14:21 +0000

My pet peeve is the phrase: “It can’t be done.”

Those who say it are placed into one of two categories: the unimaginatively stupid or the irretrievably lazy.

Anyone who has even a smidgen of intelligence knows that anything can be done and that phrase challenges them to find the way to do it.
__________
Ian’s reply:

I agree 95% of the time it’s used this way. At the risk of being seen as stupid or lazy (sometimes I am!) I’d reserve 5% for those times when something really is impossible.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:39:19 +0000

LOL!

Okay, Ian. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again. I promise.
__________
Ian’s reply:

OK then! That’s much better.

By: LifeMadeGreat | Juliet

LifeMadeGreat | Juliet — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:04:21 +0000

Hi Ian

I have a bit of a problem using the word “wish”. It depends on the context, but I find it rather unempowering. For me, “wish” can imply that it is simply not possible.

(Although, sometimes it can be nice to use in a fantastical manner.)

Juliet
__________
Ian’s reply:

Hi Juliet! How are you? Back to full health I hope?

It’s become clear to me that when I have a problem with some of these words it’s because they’re being used out of context. ‘Wish’ and ‘try’ are great examples! And I agree that fantastical wishing can be really enjoyable!

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:28:51 +0000

Ian, you MUST admit – although you SHOULD NEVER use these words causally, sometimes you just CANNOT help it. Oops, did I really just do that? SORRY! Man, I HATE it when that happens. BUT you know what? I HATE CUCUMBERS even more.

Anyway, this is a great post and a great blog! I think I’ll stick around.
__________
Ian’s reply:

Michael … NEVER again! You CANNOT and SHOULD not come back if you’re going to use the word CUCUMBER! You know how much I HATE it! You MUST promise next time you visit to prostrate yourself and say SORRY, BUT only if you really mean it!

I’m starting to enjoy these words more and more.

By: Sarah Lulu

Sarah Lulu — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:28:50 +0000

A fascinating list.

I feel exactly the same as you do about cucumber, except my word is rockmelon *shudder*…
__________
Ian’s reply:

I was starting to think I was all alone! And thankfully you pop by!

By: Julian

Julian — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:07:12 +0000

I especially try to avoid using the word ‘hate’ as I agree it is a pretty negative word, but I think I’ve let it slip lately so this is a good reminder. I don’t have strong feelings either way about the use of the word ‘cucumber’ though.
__________
Ian’s reply:

We cucumber-haters are a rare sub-species! Mostly I get the reaction, “but it doesn’t taste of anything!”. Well, to me, it most definitely has a taste!