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I read a lot, although not as many books as I’d like to. Throughout the day I am reading articles and blogs posted all over the Internet by writers and bloggers from all walks of life. When my daughter is taking a nap I’ll usually enjoy the peace and quiet and read for several hours on one monitor while working on another - getting up occasionally to clean the kitchen or start a load of laundry. Multi-tasking at it’s finest.
This is the point where I call you people out, not by name, but you know who you are. I was guilty of it once, too, but never twice. I am going to start the initiative to do away with the term, “but I digress” from all future articles and blog posts on the World Wide Web. That’s right, let’s ban the use of the term! Everybody block it from working in your word processors and erase it from your brain so it doesn’t come back. It is a phrase that is so overused and sometimes people don’t even use it correctly in their writing. But I digress. (<– See, like that! I wasn’t really digressing at all!)
Don’t get me wrong, I love reading the articles and blogs from everyone that uses the term, but when I get to it in a paragraph it makes my left eye twitch a little bit. I know the words, “but I digress,” are a lot easier to write out than, “I’m sorry, I just got a little off track there for a second and I’ll continue on with my original point here in the next sentence,” but the term is so common now that it loses all meaning for me.
It’s time for a change, people! Who’s with me? What other overused phrases would you like to see eliminated from writing? Submit them in the comments section below!
May 9, 2008 |
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7 Comments so far
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stewartallyn, Dads May 9, 2008 11:25 am
I’m with ya buddy.
How about these versions of “honest”…
In my honest opinoin…
I can honestly say…
If I can be honest…
Does all this mean that you were lying to me before?
Does this mean that if you are not saying “honest” you are lying to me?
Honestly…some people.
timbury, P.C. May 9, 2008 11:42 am
I would like to add a phrase from my detested phrases list: “I’m just saying.” It’s a disclaimer of the most cowardly sort. For example,
“I wouldn’t wear those jeans if I were you.”
“Are you saying I’m fat?”
“No, I’m just saying.”
Rather than hide behing this meaningless fragment, the person should say, “Those jeans fail to disguise your weight issues,” in my honest opinion. Ah, but I digress!
Quirkee James May 9, 2008 12:13 pm
+1 on “I’m just saying” and “In my honest opinion.” I know you are just saying it and I don’t want you to lie about it!
P G, Dads May 9, 2008 12:41 pm
hey, it is what it is
wornoutwoman, Moms May 9, 2008 12:57 pm
In relative terms….
In relative terms? Who says it’s relative? Who determines its relative?
How can I be who so I can determine what’s relative.
Bad Momma, Moms May 9, 2008 1:56 pm
I’m not gonna lie, to make a long story short, I could care less!
Trish May 10, 2008 6:28 am
And….
“what I really meant was…”
“don’t take this wrong, but…”
“let me explain…”
“just kidding…”
What a great post - and that DOES bear repeating!