Bad English
The standard of English I am bombarded with in the office, shops and on TV is really very depressing. Here are some examples:
Not knowing what words mean
- free gift - a gift is always free
- genuine and authentic - they mean the same thing
- give 110 percent - usually impossible
- very original - either something is original or it is not
- very unique - either something is unique or it is not
- you control your own destiny - impossible, look up "destiny"
Bad grammar
- please contact myself - should be "me" not "myself"
- I will contact yourself later - should be "you" not "yourself"
- I will contact yourselves later - should be "you" not "yourselves"
- Me and Emily went to town - should be "Emily and I"
- We like went to the cinema - should be "We went"
- I will try and visit tomorrow - should be "I will try to"
Wasted words
- at this present moment in time - now
- do you want anything else at all? - do you want anything else?
- going forwards we will - we will
- I personally think - I think
- in the first instance - initially
- obviously Fred is on holiday next Tuesday - Fred is on holiday next Tuesday
Political euphemisms
- collatoral damage - dead civilians
- detainee - prisoner
- enhanced interrogation - torture
- neutralise - kill