Darling. A term of endearment. A term used between loved ones. Mother and child. Husband and wife. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Friends.
Not a term I except to be flung at me by a taxi driver whom I’ve never met, spoken to or thought about before.
The trip to Brussels was uneventful. A media training course. Hard work. Little play.* The last thing I needed on returning was for me to be stuck and the god-forsaken Terminal 5 with no taxi and no bed.**
I am sorry darlink but the reservation was made for Saturday
What good is that to me? I’m here now. It’s a Thursday evening. I don’t really want to have to wait until Saturday to get home. His tone annoyed me. His casual use of the English language annoyed me. Dropped “h”s abounded. “k”s where there should have been “g”s.
There are so many things that annoy me about people who have flagrant disregard for grammar, vocabulary and diction. The following is a list of words you should never, never use around me.
Babe
I am not a little pig. I do not want to be likened to one. Especially not in public.
Princess
Sadly, not of royal birth***. The deferential tone is a good start but sadly misguided.
Sweeth’art
I am not your sweetheart. Even if I were, I’d expect you to pronounce it correctly.
Gusset
There is no excuse for using this word in general conversation.
Moist
It’s all a bit sordid, isn’t it?
Moist gusset
No no no no no no no.
Fit
If someone is “fit” it means they are athletically able. It does not mean they’re good looking.
Innit
“Isn’t it?”. And there is no need for affirmation after every sentence. Is there?
Future plans; free gift; PIN number etc
Tautology. Grrrr.
Any words that really get your goat?
* although there was the added bonus of being served by a man who looked suspiciously like Lurch. Hunched back, sour face, generally odd. I giggled about it all through the meal. Although whether it was his demeanour or the wine that got me started I’ll never know.
** obviously I don’t expect a taxi to have a bed in it but my thought process here was slightly unrational and so therefore taxi…home…bed seemed like a good chain of events.
*** I’m sure that’s a mistake.
There’s not really any words as such that annoy me, it’s more bad spelling and pronounciation (I don’t even know that’s how to spell that, ironically) that does my head in. Especially around here, where you get people pronouncing “standing” like “staunin’” and “hands” like “hons” – which is just ludicrous!
In Australia there is a habit of endiing every sentence with a rising inflection, making everything sound as though they are asking continual questions..for which there is obviously no answer, but, the real gems is the ‘ya know’, ‘annat’, ( and that) sunthink, ( something), also the calling of woman, mayte, and darrl.
I wish it didn’t, but my mind goes into auto shutdown, but then again these are usually, sadly, the folk who will also tell you that you are ‘stuckup annat’. ! What is to be done…!
I agree whole heartedly.
My mother always told me off for over use of the word ‘nice’. She was taught at school that only food should be called nice, there is a many more interesting ways to comment on other things.
Quite.
Another pet grammar hate is the use of apostrophes with acromyns, e.g. KPI’s and MBO’s. Just WRONG!
Ooh so many things I could mention.
I hate, more than anything else in the world at the moment, the use of the word ‘Regards’ or Best Regards’ ad nauseum that seem to be cropping up more and more in emails.
HATE!
Dear world: Please stop using “per,” as in “per your request.” “Per” sounds like the first half of a word whose second half is left unsaid.
Welcome back. Happy to see you.
Quite right!
Oh crap, I’m totally guilty of the PIN number one. Thanks for pointing out the tautology of my ways- consider me reprimanded.
When people finish their sentence with ‘Ayy’
Australians tend to do it, but recently my sister and a couple of other people have done it too.
“Nice day outside ayyy”
Which I more often than not counter with ‘Beeee’
I’m so mature.
I have an addendum to my previous comment. Here in the U.S.A. those who are a generation or two younger than I tend to start their sentences with the word “like.” “Like, I was late to work this morning.” And their voices trail up at the end of a sentence as though they were asking a question, even though they’re not. “Like, I was late to work this morning?”
Sorry but you struck a nerve.
I am 100% behind The Unbearable Banishment – like hello? Grrr.
I dislike it when people call me “petal” – it sounds like they are forcing themselves to use a pet name for me. Sweetheart from my sweetheart is perfectly acceptable. Petal from anyone in the world including said sweetheard would render the relationship null and void.
I didn’t know I felt that strongly about it until you asked! Ha.
oh dear, im all “allrite babe! he’s lookin fit innit!”
smack on the wrist for me
)
I can’t even begin to express how uncivilized people here in the U.S. are, so I’m not even going to try. But darling is a forgiveable one compared to other things you hear.
I must respectfully disagree. If “darling” puts you off, you have obviously not been called worse too often by too many people. Cause I have, and I love to be called babe, darling, hon, honey, sweety, sweetheart. It’s a lot better than the words that start with b, c, w, etc.
Admittedly, I am also a big user of casual terms of endearments. Then again, I’m friendly to the point that people think I’m in love with them. No kidding.
‘You know what I mean?’
‘…like, um…’
Drives me mad when I hear people being interviewed – they sound thick, without probabaly being thick!
Paula – where do you live which means they talk like that?! Hons?
YCMW – hello
we just have to make it our mission to educate everyone. To hell with being stuck up. It’s for their own good, innit?
Mud – I was always taught that even food had to be something other than “nice”. Talk about damning with faint praise – mmm this lamb is nice. URG. I’m with you on superflous apostrophes as well – 80′s, the dog caught it’s ball etc
LizSara – have to admit, I use “kind regards” at the end of emails. Have done for… well, ever. Why does it annoy you so much?
UB – and, to be fair, it just makes you sound like a wanker
LCT – glad you agree!
Red – heh. It’s not like I’d run over to you and beat you over the head with a carrot if I ever heard you utter “PIN number”. I would quietly seeth to myself though.
Jo – Mature and correct. *nods head* Ayyyy indeed? What does that even mean? It’s that self-affirmation thing again isn’t it?
UB – Like, what’s wrong with that. (do you not notice that when they’re actually asking a question, the tone of their voice remains monotonous.)
MJ – as long as your sweetheart knows the rules
Emmie – smack on the wrist and a one-way ticket to “Nuttycow’s school of grammar and deportment”. I take cheques.
Modern Gal – tell me more. I like finding out about mad American people and their funny speaking ways.
Verybadcat – You can disagree disrespectfully if you like
I think you’re right though. I’m not used to being called bad names (by anyone but my friends and then, only when I really deserve it!) and I think the worst I’ve been called is a “bitch”. There are a lot of people who use the words “babe”, “darling”, “honey” etc in everyday parlance but I have to admit it does grate on me, especially if I don’t *know* the person. I think that’s the key thing for me. If I know someone and I know how they are, I can just about deal with it (although I’d prefer to just be called by my name!) but if it’s a stranger, it just annoys me! Being friendly to the point of stranger love is ok… as long as it doesn’t get you into trouble.
Hannah – Like, um… I’m not sure what you’re getting at yeah? Y’know what I mean, it’s like, I just don’t get it. Innit.
Ok, I’m done
Journey.
That is all.
I did the moist gusset thing. Not personally, obviously, but in my “seven things”. you can have it though. FOUL.
Mr Farty – Journey? Really?
Milla – horrible word. Glad we agree.