Current Phrases You Can't Stand

[4691mls]

I don't like nouns used as verbs either.
In the aftermath of the shootings in Buffalo I heard some official refer to "funeralizing" the victims.

[Maggie May]

Watching old reruns of Judge Judy recently. One of the plaintiff’s said…..I was “conversating”with my friends. Judge Judy said. I would normally correct you, but I believe one of the dictionaries has accepted “conversating” as a proper word. ��

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Maggie May

Watching old reruns of Judge Judy recently. One of the plaintiff’s said…..I was “conversating”with my friends. Judge Judy said. I would normally correct you, but I believe one of the dictionaries has accepted “conversating” as a proper word. ��

The one that sets my teeth on edge is “coronate”. The word is crown which is a verb as well as a noun. Yeah, yeah, I know; coronate is accepted. But not only is it inelegant, it requires three syllables instead of one.

However, I’m not consistent; I like some backward formulations. The word “ablute” comes to mind. Still not really a word, as the jagged red line under it indicates.

[arjaybe]

I think English has been verbifying nouns for a long time.

[arjaybe]

Or should that be verbificating?

[DiapDealer]

That would technically make "verbifying" a gerund then, right? The noun form of a verbified noun?

My head hurts, now.

[guanaco]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

I think English has been verbifying nouns for a long time.

The word is verbing.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by issybird

However, I’m not consistent; I like some backward formulations. The word “ablute” comes to mind. Still not really a word, as the jagged red line under it indicates.

Depends on the dictionary you consult. Using Firefox, Edge and Chrome, switching to British English says it's all fine. 69 million Brits can't be wrong to slightly misquote.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by guanaco

The word is verbing.

Why not denominalization? Anthimeria though that covers using any part of speech as another part of speech so not as precise? Conversion though again that can cover conversion in any direction.

And for what it's worth, verbification and verbify were around in the early 19th century.

[DiapDealer]

I just don't understand why the entire sports world can't hear how utterly stupid the phrase "he left his feet" sounds.

Suggested replacements (in no order of preference)
1) his feet left the ground/floor/ice/bag
2) he jumped in the air

Anything is better than a phrase that suggests he went somewhere that his feet did not!

I don't know how sportscasters say it (and the vast majority of them do) with a straight face.

[GrannyGrump]

Oh--- also “notate” and “commentate”

I understand that these have become acceptable nowadays, but still find them to be awkward and clumsy.

When and WHY did “annotate” and “comment” become anathema?

[BetterRed]

The use of 'more' and 'most' to qualify adjectives rather than using the comparative ('-er') and superlative ('-est') forms.

FX 'more quick' rather than 'quicker', 'most slow' rather than 'slowest'.

I thought it was a prolix-prone US trait, but I now hear it all the time on the BBC. And I really mean 'all the time', a commandment must have been issued from on high. Baby sister A(ustralian)BC is on the same path.

Stop it! Use not many words when few would serve.

BR

[sedgefog]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I don't like nouns used as verbs either.
In the aftermath of the shootings in Buffalo I heard some official refer to "funeralizing" the victims.

This was shocking to read. It makes it sound as though it was done with aggression.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by sedgefog

This was shocking to read. It makes it sound as though it was done with aggression.

It sounds as if they see it as an industrial process.

[sedgefog]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

It sounds as if they see it as an industrial process.

That's exactly what it sounds like. Even worse!