Forum Topic

Cliches that make you cringe !

What are the most cringemaking cliches you've come across lately?Here are mine:"At this moment in time...""It's not rocket science y'know""With all due respect...""Singing from the same hymn sheet""I hear what you're saying, but...""Have a nice day!""To be perfectly honest with you...""Well I'm glad you've asked me that...":-(

Gerry Tan ● 7289d79 Comments

We have all been guilty of cliches, although sometimes there is a bit of truth in some of them, but'at the end of the day', that's one that football managers seem fond of.

Colin Vaughan ● 7289d

I could never bring myself to buy anything that had been advertised as costing "3-9-9" for instance.  399 what? and what is 3-9-9, it isn't even a number. What on earth is wrong with £399? (Except then it's annoying it isn't sold at £400 because who's fooled anyway).It is VERY VERY annoying and makes me feel very Victor Meldrew-ish.(I always had a lot of sympathy with Victor).

Jane Salisbury ● 7289d

"the NHS is safe in our hands" - any Tory Minister in the 80's/90's. Cliche and dishonest....

Verification required ● 7289d

The same applies to any Labour minister in 2006

Jean Gilmore ● 7289d

how do you work that one out?

Verification required ● 7289d

One word that makes me cringe is "Basically"

Mavis Walker ● 7289d

To be perfectly honest with you I'm glad you asked me that.It's not rocket science to see that, basically, at this moment in time, we're all singing from the same hymn sheet.Have a nice day ;-)

Jane Salisbury ● 7288d

1- Regular - as in fries, prices and so on. Regular is an adjective describing frequency, as in "once a day", "3 times an hour", and should not be used in place of normal or standard. 2- "Ten (or five) items or less" signed checkouts. I have inquired at several supermarkets where the less can be found, but none of the staff seem to know, or have even heard of it. Try it, you get some funny responses.LESS is for unquantifiable amounts, eg less money, less water. When something is quantifiable then it's FEWER, eg fewer pints, fewer trains. However, items in a shopping basket are quantifiable. I suppose the signage also brings up the problem when one has 1-4 or 1-9 items...

Alan Brainsby ● 7288d

The government (or whoever) is set to... why not say is about to, or we predict that..particularly lazy journo-speak that I always used to ban my teams from using. off the top of my head - especially in an interview

Sara Nathan ● 7288d

The old joke goes something like this: A guy walks out of the theater after seeing Hamlet for the first time.  “I don’t know why everybody thinks Hamlet is such a well-written play,” he says.  “It is full of clichés.”              http://www.lomonico.com/bookch4.html

Peter Wright ● 7288d

Cliches that make you cringe? I've had more cliches than you've had hot dinners ...

Mark Williams ● 7288d

1) "Its the De Facto of ..."2) "Top of the range..."2) "Give it up for ...."

Jim Wong ● 7288d

'at the end of the day' aaaarrrrgghhhh!!!!!

David Archer ● 7287d

Football Managers are fond of that one David.

Colin Vaughan ● 7287d

Please bear with me. Basically, in terms of this subject, at the end of the day, when all's said and done, I believe we need to think outside the box here; maybe try a bit of blue sky thinking; move the goalposts and add value to this situation. The fact of the matter is that cliches aren't rocket science. However, in terms of singing from the same hymnsheet, the fact of the matter is that I'm between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps you guys could provide me with a ballpark figure or troubleshoot this issue?Maybe touch base with you guys later. Adios Amigos!

Mark Williams ● 7287d

You should be a Football Manager Mark.

Colin Vaughan ● 7287d

Yes Colin, Mark is playing a game of two halves as an out and out striker, who's sick as a parrot at all this gobbledegook!  :-(

Gerry Tan ● 7287d

Like I said before, you see its like this Gary, we''ll go down the pan, but my Chairman says I have ever confidence in your abilities---------------SEND FOR 'BIG RON'.

Colin Vaughan ● 7287d

But the thread's not over till the fat lady sings...

Sara Nathan ● 7287d

Francis House ● 7287d

Your 'fat lady' cliche reminds me of a social faux pas I made at a Christmas drinks party last year, when doing the small talk routine with a neighbour, who is a large retired opera singer, I inadvertently used the 'fat lady' phrase. My wife was furious with me as she raspingly whispered out of the corner of her mouth to me..."Shut up, you're so embarrassing!"  Our rotund lady neighbour has treated me coldly ever since.  :-(

Gerry Tan ● 7287d

That reminds me of the standing joke Morecambe & Wise had at the end of their show for a while.

Francis House ● 7287d

I hate the business clichés that are creeping into our everyday lexicon. One that particularly makes me cringe is "direction of travel".For example:'Speaking at the launch of the report former cabinet minister and chairman of the Tax Reform Commission, Lord Forsyth said that the proposals set a “direction of travel” and that implementation of them would be a matter for political judgment, and be “influenced by economic and fiscal conditions”'

James de Vivenot ● 7286d

A fuller report will follow later......

Graham Weeks ● 7285d

                        'n  as in Top 'n Tail;  K  used in Koffee Shop; "You know..." repeated a dozen times in a short sentence;  and my biggest sickener THE SPLIT INFINITIVE!  to boldly go;  to sweetly sing;  to loudly shout...                        Aaaarrgh!and I don't consider myself a pedant.  I love the English language.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7284d

Its all water under the bridge now

Colin Vaughan ● 7284d

Linked to that "road map" as in to peaceanything being "iterative" especially when it isn't

Sara Nathan ● 7284d

Addition to my earlier list:                    '24/7'  makes me want to scream...

Ann S. Allridge ● 7283d

Vibrant.

Susan Lawrence ● 7283d

Community ....when there isn't one as in International community = perhaps United Nations, or as in gay community.

Graham Weeks ● 7283d

'Fragrant'although some ladies including Mary Archer didn't seem to mind!!

Colin Vaughan ● 7283d

When I worked in advertising 'sexy' as a word to describe packaging, an advertising campaign, a slogan etc

Jane Salisbury ● 7283d

Practically everything in Advertising!

Francis House ● 7282d

If your talking about TV advertising Francis, then the Halifax Bank commercials make my 'cringeometer' go nearly off the scale, followed closely by any wrinkle cream advert 'because your worth it' aaaaagggrhhh!!!!!!Also 'quote me happy' Norwich Union adverts. The poor soul in the car appears to be the last person that I would insure!

Colin Vaughan ● 7282d

Message:I'm sorry to say this Colin, but adding -ometer at the end of a word. Nothing personal.Yes TV advertising, but also advertising in general. Where would the industry be without the cliche (it would be nice to be able to add the é where appropriate).

Francis House ● 7282d

The fat lady didn't sing.

Francis House ● 7282d

I would say this that sometimes cliches are funny, maybe the World would be a duller place without them, and if we felt inhibited from saying anything for fear of appearing unsophisticated by using the cliche occasionally, even unitentionally I think that would be a little sad.

Colin Vaughan ● 7282d

Francis, how do I add an accute accent to my "Es"?  I don't seem to have one on my cheap keyboard!  :-(

Gerry Tan ● 7282d

Alt 130 = é

James de Vivenot ● 7282d

It's not an item on a keyboard. At least none that I've come across.

Francis House ● 7282d

Azerty (French) keyboards have accent keys. If like me you have a Qwerty (English) keyboard, you can use the Alt functions (i.e. press the Alt key followed by the number of the accent you want e.g. Alt 130 for é).

James de Vivenot ● 7282d

Holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys and then the pressing the e also gives  é.    Don't know about the other accents though!

Charlotte Cosson ● 7282d

Ctrl Alt + e works when I type on this forum, but strangely when I do it in MS Word it gives me a Euro sign. How bizarre!

James de Vivenot ● 7282d

Agree totally with Colin about the current Halifax ad (and the previous 4,000 variations on a theme). Makes me nauseous just thinking about it. I switch the TV over or onto mute whenever it comes on (that bloke singing - I believe his name is Howard - is just dreadful).Neither my wife nor I will never open an account, apply for a mortgage, etc. with Halifax because of these ads - not an unreasonable or disproportionate response I'm sure you'll agree. Why don't they get it? These ads are terrible on so many levels and ought to be banned!

Mark Williams ● 7282d

Your not alone James my keyboard does the same thing!

Colin Vaughan ● 7282d

Gerry,There are loads of websites on accents such as the é à È ç Ä â - just type into Google 'Accents' and Bob's your uncle.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7282d

Mark,And the awful thing about all these ghastly adverts is that they each cost thousands of pounds!Mind you, there are some good ones:The Walker Crisps and Gary Linneker, for one, and who will ever forget the delectable Martini ads. and the Hamlet cigars, even the Milk tray 'Bond' guy who went to a great deal of trouble to deliver a cheap box of chocs, but the ad. was good.  The old Oxo ad. was another good one.My pet hate is that McDowell actress with the dreadful voice (4 Weddings & a Funeral) and the anti- wrinkle cream...yuk!  I always ask if the preparation is so bl..dy marvellous why isn't the model someone of my age, and not a sprog who won't see a wrinkle for another ten years...mind you, that rules out McDowell, they obviously use the 'camera veil' on her ads.Now I'm just being nasty so ta-ta.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7282d

In time loanwords into English which have accents tend to lose them as they become common usage and everyone becomes aware of their pronunciation. If God had intended English to use accents then surely He would have provided them.  Of course we could use (platidinous/trite) remark, instead.Of trite remarks - "Kills germs dead", immortal, isn't it?

Alan Brainsby ● 7282d

Yes Ann Hamlet Cigars. I think the best one of those was the one when he is in an outside toilet, loosed the toilet roll under the door. Andrex dog then rolls it away, whilst a dispairing hand searches in vain!Actually the 'Lucky'dog insurance adverts were'nt bad either.

Colin Vaughan ● 7282d

It also works ok when you create mail in Outlook Express James, but not in Microsoft Word

Colin Vaughan ● 7282d

Anything from the nanny state especially anti-smoking ads and ones about tax returns. Ads from the moron tax, i.e. the Lottery.

Graham Weeks ● 7281d

So as I have a very modest flutter on the Lottery every week Graham that makes me a moron does it? Well I dislike supercilious. holier than thou comments as well. Just as a matter of record whilst I agree that much of Lottery funding has gone to doubtful causes, much as gone to good ones, including the building of the 'Chicken Shed Theatre' at Cockfosters, that gives handicapped children a marvelous outlet to express themselves. Plus many Young People's Sports projects one or two of which I have been involved with.

Colin Vaughan ● 7281d

I LOVE the cars that turn into Transformers.  Though it makes me want to buy one and then complain to Citroen that is doesn't work.By the way 15-20 years ago (my husband tells me as he was in the business then) a 30 second ad would cost about £250,000 to make, though a big budget one could cost as much as £1,000,000.  A months worth of average 30 sec slots (ie mostly not peak time) would cost about the same again.Obviously we have no idea whether costs have risen or fallen since then.

Jane Salisbury ● 7281d

If someone wants to support charites, why not give to them and do it via gift aid so they can reclaim the tax? Buying lottery tickets is not about giving to charity, it is about the hope of untold wealth. I give you a quote that Steve Pound gave me when I was a Conservative councillor who opposed the introduction of the Lottery. He agreed with me that it is a tax that falls disproportionately upon the poor.After the French Revolution, the state lottery was abolished. 'It is all the more dangerous.'a leading opponent argued, 'since it devours the substance of the poor. It was born of despotism, and used with perfidity to drown out the cry of misery, deluding the poor with false hope. The lottery, an odious financial trick, invades the product of the poor man's toil and brings despair upon innumerable families. The Guardian of 11.11.95.I rarely agree with either the Guardian or the French Revolution but there are exceptions to every rule.

Graham Weeks ● 7281d

Jane wrote: >Obviously we have no idea whether costs have risen or fallen since then.

David Fox ● 7281d

Jane, I was told by some French friends 30 years ago that no Citroen worked and if one bought one live within 100m of a Citroen garage. It's not too far to push it. I'm reliably informed their cars are much improved now.

Alan Brainsby ● 7281d

I take it you're not about to give up smoking then?

Francis House ● 7281d

The current Sony television advert looks as if the agency also has the contract for Dulux paint and mixed them up (ho, ho). Having said that I did like the Carling Black Label advert with the Germans, sunbeds, swimming pool and bouncing lounger mat. Good backing music,too. Almost went out and bought an Airfix Lancaster kit.

Alan Brainsby ● 7281d

"Oh Papa! ""Oh Nicole!"

Gerry Tan ● 7281d

Well I can see that you and I Graham are not going to agree on this one, you have obviously got a mindset on this that I am sure I am not going to shift. I would say this though, Modern Britain is hardly Revolutionary France  of 250 years ago. The poor I am afraid will always be with us, although the level at which you count one as being poor is subjective. The word 'Moron'indicates to me that by inference you are labeling the poor as such, which I find both patronising and insulting to those in that category who do have responsibility and dignity. So if they stake £2-£3 on a lottery ticket in proportion that is more to them than you or I, but if it gives them a little pleasure what harm can that do, better that than excesive drink or drugs. There will always be the feckless and iresponsible, some of them rich, and some poor, thats the way it is Graham. What irritates me about your attitude to all this is the sanctimonious belief that somehow you can legislate morality into people, for a professed Conservative I find that attitude a bit odd more Social Democrat, perhaps you should take the Guardian on a permanent basis, or 'cross the floor metaphorically' and join our Tony and the Nanny State Cabinet.

Colin Vaughan ● 7281d

You give the poor benefits at the Post Office and conveniently supply a machine there to sell them false hope from the Lottery. The poor are the ones most susceptible to the temptation of untold wealth.I label all participation in the Lottery as moronic.  Just look at the odds. You are more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the jackpot. If you must bet study horse racing form, it is not mere chance.Lotteries, a tax upon imbeciles. Count Camillo Benso di Cavour (1810-1861)State run lotteries: think of them as tax breaks for the intelligent. -- Evan LeibovitchWhy do you think I want to legislate morality in this? The government have been totally inequitable in advertising the Lottery while banning TV advertising of all other gambling. I would not ban betting shops. It is the government participation in this under the pretext of being charitable is what really sickens me. It is not what government should be doing.BTW I resigned from the Conservatives some years ago. Since then Cameron, has( as was said on The News Quiz,) made them into a New Labour Tribute Band.

Graham Weeks ● 7281d

No. I now have a hubble bubble among my pipe collection.

Graham Weeks ● 7281d

Like I say Graham we are not going to agree on this. Of course I know the odds are long, everyone with a modicum of inteligence knows that, but I don't want 'Puritanical Graham to tell me that, I and most people find it a bit of fun. Now before you say it I'll say it for you. 'SO YOU THINK ITS A BIT OF FUN TO HURT THE POOR IN THIS WAY. Answer to that Graham is that the poor have a choice too, and the responsible among them make that choice with there eyes wide open. Some don't of course, but there will always be those sort of people, and yes if you had your way I've no doubt you and your fellow Puritans would close the lottery down, which is imposing your sanctimoniousness on the rest of us, which in my book is legislating morality.

Colin Vaughan ● 7281d

Here's three. "I mean", when nothing has been said to require clarification.Devastated, as in the sentence "I was devastated". Devastated means destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Overwhelmed is what is meant.Acronym instead of abbreviation. An acronym is an abbreviation which happens to make a pre-existing word no matter how spurious, eg mouse- Manually Operated User Selection Equipment. Tfl is an abbreviation, albeit a TLA,three letter abbreviation, which is itself a TLA, not an acronym. I mean, it's devastating.

Alan Brainsby ● 7281d

Marks & SpencerThis isn't just chicken; this is succulent chicken breast nestled on a bed of couscous with caramelised shallots drizzled in melted blue cheese.This isn't just chocolate; this is millefeuille chocolate with gorgonzola melted over wedged potatoes.This isn't just white wine; this is a spectacular 2004 vintage Chablis with a nose of lemon, slate and limestone.What are you talking about? Drives me nuts!

Mark Williams ● 7281d

Everyone is in favour of legislating morality, except perhaps the anarchists. You do not want laws on killing and theft removed.It is a matter of what standards you wish to legislate. I favour more restricive legislation on gambling ,on fireworks, recreational drugs, pornography and Sunday trading. I should like fewer restrictions the sale of alcohol, smoking and laws to make you protect yourself e.g. seat belts and helmets. I remain happy to be called a Puritan.

Graham Weeks ● 7281d

Well yes Graham its surely a matter of degree. Obviously the first two mentioned go without saying. I would agree with you over Fireworks, because putting such things in the hands of the more irresponsible members of the Public can lead to perfectly innocent people getting hurt. Sunday trading, and indeed trading at times like Christmas, and Boxing Days, gives people no time to relax properly. I look back wistfully to those quiet days at the end of the year when everthing just wound down, to give one pause for reflection. Drugs are a scourge on humanity, and again the innocent can be on the recieving end, but its a war that is difficult to win. Actually this discussion could have a thread of its own, but maybe that may find its way on to this Forum at some other time.

Colin Vaughan ● 7281d

Alan wrote: >An acronym is an abbreviation which happens to make a pre-existing word no matter how spurious, eg mouse- Manually Operated User Selection Equipment.

David Fox ● 7281d

Love it to bits, Mark.

Susan Lawrence ● 7281d

I'm loving it!

James de Vivenot ● 7281d

Ha ha.  Actually I love those M&S ads.  They make me dribble in anticipation.It's a pity I can't afford to shop there.

Jane Salisbury ● 7281d

David Fox has a point. My definition of an acronym was a liitle to narrow. An acronym has to be pronouncable, not necessarily an existing word, but like a word, such as scuba, NASA, DEFRA, and so on. However, HTTP, WWW are abbreviations as they can only be pronounced as individual letters."Mouse" was chosen as the two others I considered as spoofs were a bit more subtle - SPOOL (as in print file spooling) or acronym (as in a specialized abrreviation).TLA of course can stand for three letter abbreviation or acronym, although the latter is more common in non-UK English due to the fashion for uptitling or ignorance. That latter remark is not directed at all to David Fox whose comments have been instructive to me.

Alan Brainsby ● 7281d

Mark,You omitted the sound track!!!

Ann S. Allridge ● 7281d

Gerry,You started a good thread here...most enjoyable.Just when I was beginning to lose interest in recent postings.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7281d

Regarding acronyms again, MOUSE, SPOOL, and acronym are regarded by some as backronyms as they are based on existing words. One I do like is WOMBAT - Waste Of Money, Brains And Time, usually applied to scientific projects, I believe. BBC's H2G2 website's got some useful chat.Regarding cliches - carriage/carriages, as applied to the passenger carrying vehicles of a train, specifically.A carriage is a railway vehicle divided into non-interconnecting compartments, such that each compartment has two doors, one either side of the carriage body, the only points of ingress or egress. Carriages where last built by BR in the 50s and probably all scrapped by the mid 70s. What I believe the media  and at least Virgin Railrefer to when they speak of a carriage is a coach. A coach may have compartments linked by a side corridor or be open plan, as virtually every mainline train is nowadays. Additionally a coach may have an interconnection with the next coach. The exception to coach is car, which is an abbreviation of carriage. This has always been applied to Pullman vehicles (US origin) and to all Underground passenger vehicles (where coach would have been used) since the early 1900s (US owned). Rant over, but until I'm assured that modern trains are not comprised of 50 year-old stock, I'll stick to National Express. At least they call a coach a coach!

Alan Brainsby ● 7280d

I read in the press that Tesco are going to sign their express checkouts across the country with "up to ten items" rather than "ten items or less".

Alan Brainsby ● 6604d

I think that change at Tesco, might have been instigated by the report of a woman with £100 worth of goods trying to get it checked at one of the '10 or less' checkouts being gently told off by Sir Terrance Lethy himself, who just happened to be visiting that particular store.Far more 'cringe making' , but not a cliche as such are the selection of DFS adverts on TV, with lots of silly people 'jigginmg about'.

Colin Vaughan ● 6604d

Opening a thread after quite sometime has a sad reminder attached as a contribution from dear Ann.S.Allridge appears just above our latest ones.

Colin Vaughan ● 6604d

Tesco are making the changes after discussions about the correct use of English left everyone in a tizzy. More info here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7590440.stm

Mark Dudley ● 6603d