Words you dislike? Or really like?

[tteettimes]

Ya’ll. ———I really like Ya’ll ....

[rsvman]

Ya’ll. ———I really like Ya’ll ...

Which, as any true Southerner knows, is singular. For a group of people, the correct usage is "All y'all."

[killerleft]

I finally got around to reading this thread because after watching the U.S. Open this weekend I have something to contribute.

Words I dislike/despise: Any word or phrase shouted by some nimrod after the player strikes his ball. This includes "bababooie", "dilly dilly", "you da man", "get it big guy", etc. A special spot in h*ll for anyone who screams "GET IN THE HOLE" after the tee shot on a par 5.

Since I don't want to be a complete downer, and since someone already noted "discombobulated" (how come no one is ever described as combobulated?), one of my favorite words is "cahoots". Partly because it really can't be used by itself, you have to be "in cahoots". Which is fun, because it means something is afoot. Which, btw, is another great word.

'in cahoots' are the sounds made by the elusive but noisy Peruvian Owl. Sweeeeeet!

[Reilly]

Which, as any true Southerner knows, is singular. For a group of people, the correct usage is "All y'all."

Seems to be a point of debate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%27all

There is long-standing disagreement about whether y'all has primarily or exclusively plural reference.[4] The debate itself extends to the late nineteenth century, and has often been repeated since.[10] While many Southerners hold that y'all is only properly used as a plural pronoun, strong counter evidence suggests that the word is also used with a singular reference,[2][9][12][13] particularly amongst non-Southerners.[14]

H. L. Mencken recognized that y'all or you-all will usually have a plural reference, but acknowledged singular reference use has been observed. He stated that plural use


is a cardinal article of faith in the South. ... Nevertheless, it has been questioned very often, and with a considerable showing of evidence. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, to be sure, you-all indicates a plural, implicit if not explicit, and thus means, when addressed to a single person, 'you and your folks' or the like, but the hundredth time it is impossible to discover any such extension of meaning.

— H. L. Mencken, The American Language Supplement 2: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States, 1948, p.337[15]

Possessive forms[edit]

The existence of the genitive (or possessive) form y'all's indicates that y'all functions as a pronoun as opposed to a phrasal element.[11] The possessive form of y'all has not been standardized; numerous forms can be found, including y'alls, y'all's, y'alls's, you all's, your all's, and all of y'all's.[10]

All y'all[edit]

All y'all, all of y'all, and alls y'all are used by some speakers to indicate a larger group than is necessarily implied by y'all[16] though this form can be considered, in certain parts of the American South, incorrect, as being redundant. All y'all can also be used for emphasis; the existence of the form is further evidence that y'all is considered a fused grammatical form.[10]

I like (and use) "y'all" a lot. I use it only in the plural sense. I like the idea of "all y'all" for emphasis, usually to convey threat or impending doom or dire consequences: "All y'all better abc, or else xyz."

[rsvman]

Perhaps the most interesting point is that people from all parts of the USA appear to make a point of pluralyzing the word "you," which does not require a separate plural form. "You" suffices for both the singular and the plural.

And yet we end up with "you guys," "y'ins," y'all," etc.

Which brings me to another "word" I dislike: y'ins. It's a Pittsburgh thing, but may be used in other places, too. Like fingernails on a chalkboard.

[rsvman]

Oh, and I agree that "all y'all" is generally used to address a large group, or to place emphasis on whatever instruction is to follow. I also concede that most usage of "y'all" is meant to be plural.
My other post about that was tongue-in-cheek. Having lived in the South for 28 years, though, I can tell you unequivocally that some people do use the word "y'all" even when speaking to a single person. I love H. L. Mencken, but he's been dead for many years.

[devildeac]

Perhaps the most interesting point is that people from all parts of the USA appear to make a point of pluralyzing the word "you," which does not require a separate plural form. "You" suffices for both the singular and the plural.

And yet we end up with "you guys," "y'ins," y'all," etc.

Which brings me to another "word" I dislike: y'ins. It's a Pittsburgh thing, but may be used in other places, too. Like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Cueing up Turk's entry later today...

[KnightDevil]

In the "do not like" column - when did "sit down with" become synonymous with "interview" or "talked with?" I'll answer my own question - it probably happened at the same time that "presser" replaced "press conference." On the positive side, words I like: "Have you recently lost weight?" and "You're right."

[OldPhiKap]

In the "do not like" column - when did "sit down with" become synonymous with "interview" or "talked with?" I'll answer my own question - it probably happened at the same time that "presser" replaced "press conference."

In that same vein, people don't "take a meeting with" someone else. How did that even start?.

[NSDukeFan]

I don’t think I like the words so much, but I loved hearing them “And Duke is king of the dance.”

[Billy Dat]

rictus - a fixed grimace or grin

anodyne - not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so. (shout out Uncle Tupelo fans)

pyrrhic - (of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor.

bespoke - (of goods, especially clothing) made to order.

de novo - starting from the beginning; anew.

[Reddevil]

I don’t think I like the words so much, but I loved hearing them “And Duke is king of the dance.”

Order is restored.

[devildeac]

Corpulent

[devildeac]

Fastidious

[Acymetric]

"Shoot the lights out"
"Could care less"
"Untracked"

[freshmanjs]

"brag on" -- I'm going to brag on my son because he got an award. Ugh!!!

[Billy Dat]

Corpulent

zaftig

[Billy Dat]

Fastidious

punctilious and persnickety

[OldPhiKap]

Zephyr and plethora are often misused. Or, maybe overused.

There is no such thing as a slight zephyr. It's redundant, like saying something is really unique.

Plethora just never sounds natural. Not even when discussing piñatas.

[jimsumner]

Since we seem to be allowing phrases, in addition to words, let me throw one into the mix.

We all know what this means in a sports context and I suspect I've used this one before.

But how can a sports team "control its fate?" By definition, fate is something one cannot control. It is destined to happen. The Greek fates are doing all the work, after all, cutting threads and such. Might as well roll with it.

"Control your destiny" might be the same thing.

Is this an oxymoron? Cognitive dissonance? Is "Duke controls its outcome" better?

I always like it when Duke controls its destiny. But, I still cringe whenever I hear it.

Maybe, that's cognitive dissonance.

What say ye?

And to Acymetric's post, 'could care less" drives me to at least consider homicide.

Figuratively, of course.

Seems both arrogant and ignorant at the same time.