Most loathed words/phrases

[ktinkel]

I was reading an online interview with Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl on iGullet (an interesting forum for food fans) and someone asked her about words or phrases she hated to see in articles.

Several of her choices annoy me as well: yummy, veggies, and toothsome, in particular (she is talking about food writing).

But I have my own list, don’t you? Here are some of mine. (A few are actual errors, but crop up so frequently that I fear the language is giving up on them.)

reticent (when it should have been reluctant)

this point in time (how about now?)

second of all (following first of all) — accuracy demands it be second of all but one, but really, first, second, etc. is even better)

he flaunted the law (should be flouted, of course)

bring [something] to the party (add would work, Alton!)

There are more, but these have annoyed me recently.