Most annoying American sayings

[Pieces]

I simply dislike "umm hmm" used when agreeing or acknowledging a thank you.
I have loads of American friends so phrases don't annoy me at all but "umm hmm" is rude.

[bigkid39]

I use the word awesome in jest now

My first ever visit to Orlando in 2009 and my partner treated me to doing a dolphin swim at discovery cove (he wouldnt do it just watched me). I was in a small group with a husband, wife and their two daughters. The Dad went first. As the dad hung on to the dolphin the mum was saying to the daughters "tell daddy he's awesome, tell him he's awesome, go on tell him he's awesome" needless to say the girls were screaming it, shouting and still telling him it when he got back to them. My though at that point it if i hear them say the word awesome one more time i would be ducking their heads under water! Ok, i actually wouldnt have cos plainly well wrong but the word awesome just grated on me after that.

Now though, i am ok with it but transports me back to that day if i hear it

[mick]

Originally Posted by bigkid39

I use the word awesome in jest now

My first ever visit to Orlando in 2009 and my partner treated me to doing a dolphin swim at discovery cove (he wouldnt do it just watched me). I was in a small group with a husband, wife and their two daughters. The Dad went first. As the dad hung on to the dolphin the mum was saying to the daughters "tell daddy he's awesome, tell him he's awesome, go on tell him he's awesome" needless to say the girls were screaming it, shouting and still telling him it when he got back to them. My though at that point it if i hear them say the word awesome one more time i would be ducking their heads under water! Ok, i actually wouldnt have cos plainly well wrong but the word awesome just grated on me after that.

Now though, i am ok with it but transports me back to that day if i hear it

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When I first arrived at the Grand Canyon and Yosemite I described them both as awesome - and I still do if anyone asks about them.

Mick

[Aims]

Originally Posted by Claudette

Yes I would say that if you are greeted by “Are you alright?” Or “Are you ok?” that it is a nicety and nobody is really expecting a detailed run through. The exception might be if you are visibly upset or trip up at the precise moment you meet someone.

“What are you like” is a rhetorical question. If you hear it a lot, then you are possibly an unusual individual, prone to doing things differently, have a unique style or maybe there is something you are always doing like forgetting your keys, turning up late etc. It could be said in either fondness or exasperation, you would have to judge from the tone in which it is said.

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Thanks, Claudette! That was a great explanation. Now that I think of it, I had done something goofy when my friend said "What are you like" and I remember his tone being friendly when he said it. But...he has said it to me more than once, so I guess he must think I'm a silly person.

[DonnaD]

Originally Posted by mick

Donna

Lush is just a lazy way of saying luscious. Very common in northern England. Used by ladies to describe handsome men I believe. I bet ChrisS still uses it regularly.

Mick

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To me it sounds like a way to describe a handcream or velvety fabric not food (or men)

[RupertB]

When they say 'already' at the end of a sentence which makes no sense.
"Would you stop that already" - what the hell does that mean ?

Why do they find it so hard to understand my name -Paul - 'How do you spell that?" - seriously - I now have to say PORL with an accent (as I cringe). When I was in NY last year, I called my cousin (she is Irish) and she couldn't figure out who it was as even she is now used to PORL as opposed to Paul.

[scooby99]

Originally Posted by suesmum

So agree, got very confused when I first heard those terms, especially pants in the context it was being used!

So if handbags are purses ... what are purses called ?

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Handbags are also called pocketbooks!

[scooby99]

Originally Posted by pinkstargirl

Two spring to mind... the use of ‘so’ in sentences like “Are you so excited?” “Are you so happy?” Usually delivered in a high pitched voice to a child.

Another is more a pronunciation thing. I worked at a summer camp some years ago and one afternoon, was discussing with the girls I was looking after what we wanted to cook on our camp out a few days later. I was writing down their ideas and one was “chicken parmajohn”... I had no idea until I saw it in a cook book that they meant chicken Parmesan!

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They were talking about Chicken Parmigiana & really, their pronunciation is nearer to the original Italian.

[scooby99]

Originally Posted by mick

Donna

Lush is just a lazy way of saying luscious. Very common in northern England. Used by ladies to describe handsome men I believe. I bet ChrisS still uses it regularly.

Mick

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Ha, I think of 'lush' as a southern England thing!

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by DonnaD

It would have been chicken parmigiana and the is exactly how my Italian American family would pronounce it. It is a chicken breast pounded flat, breaded and fried and then covered in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. It is a very common dish here.

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Also very common in parts of the UK - a ‘chicken parm’ or ‘parmo’ is apparently the new ‘night on the town’ food.

Lush for luscious is very Welsh.

Pants for trousers is heard a lot in Preston for some reason!