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Phase These Phrases Out
Christine Derrick

Whether you listen to a news article or read a piece of promotional literature, there are certain phrases that keep cropping up time and again. One would think that they would have died out with the dinosaurs by now, but no...there they are again, pounding out a message or underlining a string of facts. I have included here a few of my pet hates; I wince every time I read or hear them! First pet hate..."If I could show you a way to...." You see it in loads of business opportunity literature. If I could show you a way to make £300 every day, would you be interested? Well, maybe, but it should really read "if I could show you how I make £300 every day". Every time others try it, they're lucky to make 300 pence!

Next pet hate..."There's never been a better time". This one crops up especially in multi-level marketing plans. There's never been a better time to get involved than right now! Six months later...."there's never been a better time to join!" And a year later (if it's still running!)..."there's never been a better time to get involved!" Come off it, it can't be right all the time.

Next..."You can't afford not to get involved in this opportunity". This is the old bog-standard phrase that is used when people raise the objection that they can't afford to join something. It's getting so sick and old-hat that I don't really want to write much about it; except that I wish people would give up using it!

Fourth pet hate..."absolutely". Who on earth started this ridiculous way of agreeing with other people's comments? Why can't we say, simply, "I fully agree?" It's become a fashion, and widely used in middle class circles; probably because they can drag the word "a-a-absolu-u-tely" out to sound posh.

Fifth one..."take the country by storm". This is a real classic one used in the literature for brand new business opportunities. Makes it sound like a real big gun. But, as with the March winds that come in like a lion and go out like a lamb, the biz will probably turn out to be a bag of wind. The only storms raging will be created by people who have lost their money!

Sixth..."capture the imagination". This one seems to be used all over the place on news broadcasts, whether it's for hot air balloon fiestas, an exhibition or some brand new shopping centre. Imagination is not something that can be captured or caught; it is an internal human function that varies in intensity from one person to another. This overworked, weary old phrase gives me the vision of masses of dimwits peering skyward, oohing and aahing at various aerial acrobatics.

The whole lot get my vote for the Royal Order of the Boot!

Copyright © Christine Derrick

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