Re: Friday Fun: What Pet Peeve makes you puke?

["Cathy MacDonald" <camacdonald -at- core -dot- com>]

What peeves me to pieces is the way media-speak has been adopted by Regular
Joes.  Have you noticed how certain cliches seem de rigeur these days?

We now have institutionalized phrases that always seem to appear after
someone's death or a catastrophe.  For example:

"At least we finally have closure."
"We aren't here to mourn X's life, we're here to celebrate it."
"The city can now begin the healing process in the aftermath of..."
"After a courageous battle with <fatal disease>..."

I can certainly appreciate a well-turned phrase, but when it's chanted like
a response in church, it's time for the Triteness Police to break things up.
I suspect this is due to the fact that more people listen to the news on
television (which is, in reality, just advertising mixed with crime,
celebrity gossip, and dubious consumer advice) rather than read the
newspaper.  They then internalize the stock phrases they hear without a clue
about what the words actually mean.

On a peevier note, I've heard the expression "if you will" (which, to me, is
just grating verbal filler) morph into "if you would" and even "if you
could."  "If you would" may be a legitimate anglicism, but I'm not sure that
it means the same thing as "if you will."

A writer I know constantly uses this construction:  "My point being is that
(it can't be done in time, etc.)  Or should I spell it "My pointbeing is
that...."?  Aaaaaarghhh!







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