Oxford Researchers List Top 10 Most Annoying Phrases

Oxford University 2
‘Though maybe “you could care less,” the scholars in question keep track of linguistic mangling and overused buzzwords in a database called the Oxford University Corpus. The voluminous record keeps track of books, magazines, broadcast, online media and other sources, watching for new overused, tiresome phrases and retiring those that fade from use (or misuse).

The great hierarchy of verbal fatigue includes:

  1. At the end of the day
  2. Fairly unique
  3. I personally
  4. At this moment in time
  5. With all due respect
  6. Absolutely
  7. It’s a nightmare
  8. Shouldn’t of
  9. 24/7
  10. It’s not rocket science’ (Wired News)

1 thought on “Oxford Researchers List Top 10 Most Annoying Phrases

  1. I think a nontrivial number of those are essentially Americanisms, which probably makes them grate more on the British ear than elsewhere…

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