PHRASES THAT LIKE REALLY BUG US ALL, BASICALLLY
(From the Daily Telegraph)

Readers have responded in their thousands to The Daily Telegraph's call to select the worst phrases in the English language.

Since the invitation was issued in February, more than 3,000 readers have submitted personal inventories of the damned, containing the phrases, aphorisms and clichés that irritate the most.

High on the list of grievances was the increasing use of slang, poor grammar and the incorporation of Americanisms into everyday speech.

Many shared frustrations over the misuse of "forensic" and "literally", while management jargon such as "downsizing", "brainstorming" and "thinking outside the box" also received plenty of nominations.

The Daily Telegraph has responded with its own compilation of annoying phrases, and She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook is now available on Amazon.

Here is a selection of comments so far:

"It's not rocket science". Rocketry is engineering, not a science. - Tony

The phrase "up close and personal" was irritating to start with and has become hackneyed and meaningless e.g. I went on a river trip and was thrilled to get up close and personal with a crocodile - Margot Lang

I can't stand "to die for". Nothing's that good and even if it was, you'd be dead and wouldn't be able to enjoy whatever it was. - Vivsy

"Pushing the envelope" always conjures up for me some ridiculous scene in a mailing room or post office. - Nigel Brown

Why, when someone famous dies, do tributes always "pour" in? Also, when a plane crashes in the sea, the media is quick to remind us that the waters are always "shark-infested". - S.Winrad

Only £1,999.99. - P.H.Heilbron

"This door is alarmed". Is it really frightened? - Alan Lawrence

The infuriating rising inflections at the end of sentences that make everything sound like a question? - Steve Grant

I hate being addressed as "hallo there". My name is not "there". And why have all the cookery books and frying pans disappeared? What is a "cook" book and a "fry" pan? - Susan Byers

When the waitress plonks the plate in front of you and says, "there you go". Where do I go? Where's there? - Ken Clarke

"It will be in the last place you look". Well of course I'm not going to continue to look for it when I have found it. - Tom Batt

There you go!