What English expression do you hate the most?

[glasgowcyclist]

Any politician who answers an interviewers question with either 'Listen' or 'Look'.
There's a special place in hell for those people.

Even worse, in my book, is starting a reply with, “We’ve been very clear…” (and then go on to answer a question that hasn’t been asked).

 

[Tribansman]

Foodie - pretentious and self congratulatory

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Foodie - pretentious and self congratulatory

Oh no. @Fab Foodie will be disappointed!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

TV chefs who say of any liquid they’re cooking, “reduce down”.

 

[matticus]

Sometimes it's enough to make you think about jumping off of a bridge. But hey, it is what it is.

You won't get me that easily. ;-P We are where we are ...

 

[MichaelW2]

Talking of miss-spelling of words. There's a whole threads worth in the making for stupid miss-spelt car names. Our car as an example Mokka.

Car names seem to follow a formula of being pronouncable by speakers of most ( some, a few) languages, having no obscene reference and not infringing on other trade names. Beyond that, it is up to the panel of bright young graduate marketing trainees to put their Eng Lit Oxbridge degree to good use.

My latest car query was the change from Jaguar to Joguar. Maybe it was a poor choice of font, nevertheless, Joguar it is from now on.

 

[matticus]

At the risk of starting another thread, surely it's "mine". I always thought that was a brilliant cartoonification of the greediness and aggressive nature of gulls.

Yeah, the official word is that it's "Mine" (which of course makes perfect sense, as you say).
But when I first saw it, I thought "Mate" - and clearly lots of Aussies think the same. And it amuses me; surely the main purpose of art, especially art as pure as animation for childers!

 

[Tribansman]

The nauseatingly twee phrases used on packaging to personify milk, drink bottles, etc

When finished, just pop me in the bin

Look at the state of this:

 

[Poacher]

Should of / would of.

 

[Electric_Andy]

At the risk of starting another thread, surely it's "mine". I always thought that was a brilliant cartoonification of the greediness and aggressive nature of gulls.

You have given an excellent description of why it is clearly "mine" and not "mate". It may sound like "mate" in other accents but "mate" makes no sense at all. If you think they are saying "mate" then you don't understand comedy, or irony, or seagulls at all.
<adjusted for pedantry - there is no such thing as a seagull; it's a gull and could be one of about 50 species of gull, likely to be a Herring Gull from their appearance in the film>

 

[Jody]

Off of does produce quite a lot of hate in me.

Should of, could of , would of

Any of them produce the same response in me

edit: Beaten to it by @Poacher

 

[matticus]

You have given an excellent description of why it is clearly "mine" and not "mate". It may sound like "mate" in other accents but "mate" makes no sense at all. If you think they are saying "mate" then you don't understand comedy, or irony, or seagulls at all.
<adjusted for pedantry - there is no such thing as a seagull; it's a gull and could be one of about 50 species of gull, likely to be a Herring Gull from their appearance in the film>

I bet you're fun at parties.

Mate.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Two things.

Firstly "like". It's like, not an actual like "word" any more, but more like, a pause, an interjection, like the modern equivalent of "ummm" or something. STOP IT!

Secondly, automated systems that pretend to be chatty and human. "Gosh, that's embarrassing. I can't put my finger on your cancer diagnostic test right results now. Don't worry though, I'm on it!!!!"

 

[Electric_Andy]

I bet you're fun at parties.

Mate.

I bet you respond to most of my posts with a snide comment, but I can't tell if you're joking or not

 

[PK99]

Obviously

Whatever