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Using a data analysis tool that monitors new books, research papers, broadcast
transcripts and news sources, Oxford University came up with a list of the top 10 most
irritating phrases. Headed by "At the end of the day" and capped with "It's not rocket
science," it's both an eye-rolling exercise in familiarity and a good lesson in phrases to
avoid in your own presentations and writing. The readers of the BBC's online magazine,
however, add to the list with their own 20 most hated cliches, and while a few are
British peculiarities, the majority make for good additions to add to your personal
spelling checker or text replacement tool. What meaningless (or management-
friendly) words drive you up the wall? Share your distaste in the comments.Photo
by StaR DusT.
20 of your most hated cliches [BBC News Magazine via Lifehacker AU]
Heading the list was the expression 'at the end of the day', which was followed in second place
by the phrase 'fairly unique'.
The phrases appear in Jeremy Butterfield's Damp Squid, named after the mistake of confusing a squid with a squib
The tautological statement "I personally" made third place – an expression that BBC Radio 4
presenter John Humphreys has described as "the linguistic equivalent of having chips with rice."
Also making the top 10 is the grammatically incorrect "shouldn't of", instead of "shouldn't have".
The phrases appear in a book called Damp Squid, named after the mistake of confusing a squid
with a squib, a type of firework.
The researchers who compiled the list monitor the use of phrases in a database called the
Oxford University Corpus, which comprises books, papers, magazines, broadcast, the internet
and other sources.
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The database alerts them to new words and phrases and can tell them which expressions are
disappearing. It also shows how words are being misused.
As well as the above expressions, the book's author Jeremy Butterfield says that many
annoyingly over-used expressions actually began as office lingo, such as 24/7 and "synergy".
Other phrases to irritate people are "literally" and "ironically", when they are used out of context.
Mr Butterfield said: "We grow tired of anything that is repeated too often – an anecdote, a joke, a
mannerism – and the same seems to happen with some language."
The top ten most irritating phrases:
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