Most annoying word - whatever!

If you want to be a great conversationalist, whatever you do don't use the word "whatever."

It topped a US survey as the most annoying word.

The Marist telephone poll of 938 adults revealed it was more grating to many people than "anyway" and less tolerable than phrases such as "it is what it is" and "you know."

"The impetus of this poll was a casual conversation where we started discussing those words that get on your nerves. You hear them over and over again," explained Mary Azzoli, director of media for Marist.

Nearly 50 percent of people questioned said "whatever" was the word that bothered them the most. It was the most irritating word in all regions of the country, and among both sexes, all age groups, educational levels and income brackets.

"It is used so often in terms of casual conversation. Also, when you think of the meaning behind it, it is often a way to dismiss someone. It is irritating in that regard. It is much more off-putting compared to any of the other statement we asked," she added.

A quarter of people selected  chose "you know" as the phrase they would like to ban most from the English language. Eleven percent simply could not tolerate "it is what it is," while seven percent found "anyway" irksome.

And at the end of the day, "at the end of the day" was the phrase that came in a distant last with two percent of the vote.

"In order to be a good conversationalist, the key is to always be aware of what you are saying and maybe to do a little research about which words are overused," Azzoli added.

* Which phrase annoys you most? Post your comments below.

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Lisa   #230   01:42 pm Nov 21 2009

'youse' as a plural of many, and 'gotten' which is redundant word.

Ruz   #229   11:08 am Nov 20 2009

These posts are funny. I feel your pain

Emma   #228   03:51 pm Nov 19 2009

Mark Sainsbury cannot put together a sentence without throwing in 'you know', and it drives me nuts! Mixed in with the persistent stuttering, I just can't watch.

John H #219 - I find the same thing with the words 'many' and 'much'. Ahh.

Holly   #227   07:23 pm Nov 17 2009

Most annoying word ever: 'Chill'

asher   #226   07:21 pm Nov 14 2009

@ Mort #217

Or even worse, should/could/would OF It's incorrect, and it's even worse when teachers do it.

Illiterate_inlaw   #225   12:30 pm Nov 13 2009

My Partners mother uses the word 'and then' after everything she says! Even for sentences that don't require the word 'and then' to be placed at the end- she uses it! And what is worse is the way she uses it, Its dragged out to the very last letter. Its infuriating!

Sam   #224   04:12 pm Nov 12 2009

"Like".

Think about what you're saying people! you don't have to finish every single sentence with the word!

tegz   #223   09:37 pm Nov 08 2009

Uhuh - Makes you sound like you don't care and it really annoys me. My friends are going through a huge phase of it right now and I have picked it up and it drives me nuts.

Adviser   #222   05:40 pm Nov 06 2009

JULIA 214# I understand where you're comming from and the word BUT it negates everything that follows ... haha you must complain alot!!! Anoyone that complains about something that can not be changed will get that answer :)

john   #221   04:59 pm Nov 04 2009

most annoying for me is he use of nothink for nothing ,Even former PM Shipley wss guilty. However for a person who had recieved a very good education she was and is still guilty of speaking very poor english .As a person who left school at 14yrs I find this obscene rather than annoying.

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