Grab is a word I dislike. It seems you can grab a beer or a pen or a victory these days. And a couple of simple words which other people find offensive, ones I don't think I have mentioned before: nostril and goitre.
Is it the sound that turns people off (goitre shares the oi sound of ointment and moist but I can't really go into that because I said I wouldn't mention those words again)? I think not; I feel it's not really the sound which offends people but the element of ickiness (the state of being icky) associated with the meaning.
But let's get really modern. The New York Times has already come up with 2016's most hated words and phrases and topping the list were manspreading, vape and so.
Allow me to guide you through them. Manspreading is a word created to describe the habit of men taking up too much room on public transport by such means as opening their legs and encroaching on the space of others. Whatever next!
Vape is a verb people have made up (based on the noun vapour) to describe people smoking e-cigarettes, though what they are one shudders to think.
The simple word so has earned its place on the list because of the increasing habit of starting answers with it, almost as a synonym for um or like.
Person 1: Which words do you hate?
Person 2: So, there's moist and vomit and goitre.
It has featured on earlier lists but in a different sense: "I am so over this government!"
The word conversation also made the list. It is apparently becoming very popular on US media as a synonym for discussion or debate.
People are invited to "join the conversation" which I think simply means "offer an opinion".
Problematic and stakeholder also made the list though I feel that stakeholder has been around in the corporate world of weasel words for yonks.
Some of the listings earned their place because they use two words where one would do.
The most unpopular example was price point.
In the world of politics, a top contender was "walk it back", formerly known as "retract a statement". To put these into historical perspective, last year's list featured bae, polar vortex and hack.
Earlier contenders were my bad (1998), free gift (1988) and live audience (1983, 1987 and 1990).
Because these examples will be depressing to lovers of language, I feel I need to end on a lighter note. What better source than Engrish where language may be bad but at least it's funny!
Instructions in a hotel:
"In case of fire in your room, please, keep your cold blood, do not shout 'on the fire'. If you can not master the fire, leave your room by taking care to close the door."
- Wyn Drabble is a teacher of English, a writer, musician and public speaker.
