Words We Hate

[Bubbler]

I don't hate any words.

 

[Sea Bass]

'Leverage' and 'utilize' are two of my least favourite and have already been mentioned here.

There are other words like 'adversity' that no member of a championship team can seem to avoid using in celebratory speeches/interviews. Always preceded by 'we had to learn how to face' and always annoying as ****.

95% of the time, the word 'that' is superfluous and drives me nuts.

In the phrase category, I ****ing hate 'it is what it is.'

 

[Big Circus]

Moist.

My wife hates that one. She also hates "panties," and I've never met a woman who likes that word.

Your wife hates moist panties? Dang.

Hey, she married the perfect guy.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Well...
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/97052/

 

[PCLoadLetter]

"Goods." As in "goods and services." I have an irrational hatred of that.

Also "task" used as a verb. "We were tasked to create a user-empowering paradigm shift." Grrrr.

 

[Riptide]

Facility.

Everything is a facility for something. Be specific.

For example, I read a prison story in which it was called a prison about three times and a facility about 30 times. A prison is a prison. Call it that, and without regret.

 

[da man]

Facility.

Everything is a facility for something. Be specific.

For example, I read a prison story in which it was called a prison about three times and a facility about 30 times. A prison is a prison. Call it that, and without regret.

Facilitate is worse.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Moist.

My wife hates that one. She also hates "panties," and I've never met a woman who likes that word.

Your wife hates moist panties? Dang.

If she liked them....oh my.

 

[HandsomeHarley]

"The report said".
I fix this **** a few times a week.
Documents don't speak.

There are, quite literally, dozens of words and/or phrases that, while they may technically be correct, they're written like a fifth-grader.

Many, many of them I see on AP stories. Others are in rags around here that make me cringe.

A few examples:
"... defeated Boston Tuesday." Boston Tuesday is not a team name. If you must, use "on" to separate proper nouns. However, you can fix all of those problems with one simple, yet effective, rule (that even the AP ignores): Time, Date, Place.
"The game is set for 7 p.m. Friday in Boston." Bang.

"over" is a preposition. AP (and seemingly everyone else) uses it to clarify the winner of a game. "Kansas City posted a 4-3 victory over Texas." That's one I hate.

"says" is another word I hate. Just hate it. What is worse is that the AP (and many other places) switch back and forth from past to present tense, seemingly ONLY to get the ****ing word "says" in there. If they're still saying it to this minute, use "says," but if they just said it once, they ****ing said it. "dies" is a close cousin. Unless they're still dying, they ****ing died.

Using "it" as a pronoun for a team/city/state/school.

I use a rule of thumb to try to interchange the school name with the nickname, and ALWAYS try to avoid using "it."

A close cousin is using "s'" when not necessary. It looks better to say "Detroit's Miguel Cabrera" than "The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera".

 

[Buck]

When I was a line editor, I followed the stylebook. I did not let my personal thoughts about the style rules sway my editing.

However, since I am no longer a line editor, I think refusing to acknowledge 'over' when using the words 'win' or 'victory' is archaic.

The use of 'it' as you cite is just kind of lazy but doesn't really offend me.

There is no problem with the possessive - the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera.

I could not agree more with regard to 'says.' This is dumb attempt to create present tense when it doesn't exist.
You might be able to get away with says in a paraphrase, but it doesn't belong with quotes.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Language has rules.
The makers of the stylebook don't give a damn about language.
An editor should be expected to make a few judgment calls.

 

[Buck]

Language has rules.
The makers of the stylebook don't give a damn about language.
An editor should be expected to make a few judgment calls.

Incorrect. A publication has a style. The editor is subordinate to the publication.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Well, I differ.
I'm an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.
I'm not a slave to some dumb book when it is clearly wrong.

 

[Brian]

Well, I differ.
I'm an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.

Speaking of which, I hate the words 'award-winning' in every context. If it's a big enough award to reference, name the award. Otherwise I assume the person is trying to pass off the equivalent of a regional Cable ACE award as an Oscar.

 

[Songbird]

1st place Weekly Sports Section, New Hampshire

1st place feature photo, New Hampshire

Employee of the Year, Roswell

Award-winning!

Was 2nd in New England but thought I should've won. Looser!

 

[JRoyal]

Ever when used as "first ever." Worthless 99 percent of the time.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

Ever when used as "first ever." Worthless 99 percent of the time.

Past history suggests you are right.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

Well, I differ.
I'm an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.

Speaking of which, I hate the words 'award-winning' in every context. If it's a big enough award to reference, name the award. Otherwise I assume the person is trying to pass off the equivalent of a regional Cable ACE award as an Oscar.

I'm not going to out myself on this site.
Besides, it's immaterial.
Point is I've logged enough time in the game not to be subservient to a style guide.
Editors are paid to make decisions, not be robotic.

 

[Songbird]

Agreed.

Only problem is I'm no longer in the game.

 

[HandsomeHarley]

Well, I differ.
I'm an award-winning writer, headline writer and experienced editor.
I'm not a slave to some dumb book when it is clearly wrong.

I'm with you.