17 Dec, 2010
"Like, you know what I mean?"
"Whatever" voted most irritating word in poll
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Whatever you think about using grating words, at the end of the day it's actually better not to say whatever, if you know what I mean.
For the second consecutive year "whatever' topped a Marist poll as the most annoying word or phrase in the English language.
Nearly 39 percent of 1,020 Americans questioned in the survey deemed it the most irritating word, followed by "like" with 28 percent and the phrase "you know what I mean' at 15 percent.
"Perhaps these words are introduced through popular culture, for example movies ... so they catch on," said Mary Azzoli, of Marist. "It has a lot to do with how accepted and how popular they become in every day speech."
Azzoli said words like "whatever" can be quite dismissive depending on how they are used.
"It's the way they are delivered and inherent in that delivery is a meaning.
The phrase "to tell you the truth" and "actually" were also unnerving to many people. But for younger Americans, aged 18 to 29, "like" was the word that annoyed them most.
Story courtesy of news.yahoo.com; Photo courtesy of images.google.com.
Colossians 4:5-6 (NLT)
5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about our speech?
Today's God's Story scripture reminds us that we need to let our conversations be attractive. The ESV translates this part of the verse as "always be gracious, seasoned with salt." There is a richness to that kind of conversation. God's Story deserves that. It doesn't mean we have to be a perfect public speaker, but we do need to know our audience and be aware of how they are receiving the message we are sharing.
How would your friends describe your conversations about God's Story? Would they say they were "gracious and attractive"? What about those who aren't following Jesus yet? How would they describe your conversations? When we share God's Story it isn't just about what we say, but how we say it as well. If our telling of God's Story is full of words that will annoy the person with whom we are sharing, we might be keeping them from really hearing the truth of God's Story.
How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to My Life?
- Listen carefully to yourself as you have conversations with others over the next few days. Listen for those "annoying" words mentioned in Today's Story.
- Ask God to make your conversations with those who are not believers "gracious and attractive."
How can I connect Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to Others?
- Ask a friend if you can practice sharing part of God's Story with them. Ask them to listen for annoying words you might use. Ask them to make sure your Story-telling is "gracious and attractive."
- As you get together with family and friends to celebrate Christmas in the coming week, those times would be a great place to share God's Story with several folks all at once. Practice telling the story of Jesus arrival and ask if you can share it at your family gatherings.
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