No need to send me any further links to the article saying “Whatever” has been judged the most annoying word in the English language. I’ve heard. Noting that the “Whatever” here is meant in the context of “any thing” rather than an exasperated Valley Girl huff probably doesn’t change things much, I suppose. I’ll just have to live with it.
THEY WERE A LIFETIME TOGETHER
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Whatever, John.
So be it.
As you wish.
And when Elijah says “As you wish.” he is actually saying “I love you.” and now you must push him down a hill.
The degeneration of the English Language strikes again!
WHATevarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Truly, Patrick has a dizzying intellect.
Really? “Whatever” is worse than “meh”?
The judges obviously don’t have teenagers.
“Meh” is the “whatever” for those too apathetic to use an entire word.
Like, whatever.
Heh, I saw this and thought of you. Then I filed it under the same heading as the chocolate covered bacon they were peddling at the county fair this year. That is the “I wonder how many Scalzi minions have already sent it?” folder.
Whot-ev-ahhhhh.
Like, totally.
I’m just getting started. Now, where was I?
Time for a canonical whatever page?
You know, “whatever” isn’t, you know, anywhere near as, you know, annoying as “you know” is, you know?
Whatever.
“Whatnot” is worse that “whatever,” and it’s not close.
Australia
Words or word-like groups of letters more annoying than “whatever”:
1. spew
2. YMMV
3. Methinks (used by people not wearing a ruff collar)
Basically, it’s…
That’s the annoying one for me. Usually due to the fact that the person using it is being oh so condescending and trying to talk down to someone else.
if it’s used more than three times in a conversation, I get a bit cranky.
Bad publicity? No such thing.
Whatever And Ever Amen.
/damn fine album, BTW
As a replacement for ‘totally like’ I sometimes use ‘encompassingly comparable to’, or something of that ilk. I’ve also taken to labeling misuse of the word ‘like’ as an ‘improper simile’.
Another formation that is especially annoying is “or something” and its cousin “and stuff”.
Eh. I’m more likely to wax wroth if someone tells me they were literally glued to their chair. De Gustibus, I guess.
@zakur, #16
What, the word, or the country? I mean, it’s no Samarkand, but at least it isn’t Belgium.
vian @# 23: It is entirely peopled with criminals.
I think it was invented after Europe but before Switzerland.
I’m kinda disappointed your use of the word wasn’t in the vein of valley girl slang. I used to think that was very brave of you, risking ridicule and, wha-
Does that mean Scalzi is the second most annoying word in the English language?
It took them this long; I remember “whatever” being valley girl slang back in the 80′s. Wasn’t that what Moon Unit Zappa kept saying in the song “Valley Girls”.
Whatever.
Cheers
Andrew
As long as it doesn’t become the new linguistic rant people use to fake their intellectual cred. A few years ago, there were more people complaining about “at the end of the day” than people actually saying it.
You don’t hear that much anymore, and no one will find where I hid the bodies.
You’re welcome.
Seeing “Whatever” bolded in reader – a good thing.
Hearing “Whatever” from the mouth of my sister in response to some suggestion or minor correction – extremely annoying.
Context matters.
Come on, “Whatever” is the best title for this blog, whatever you mean by it.
The beauty of words like “whatever” and “dude” are the vocal shadings you can give to them, so long as you grew up in southern California and learned those words as part of your mother language.
Nerdy word question: “It’s a whatever” is something I hear around here and use occasionally as a shorthand for “it’s a question to which the answer is, ‘whatever’.” Did that particular useage make it out of California?
Meh, whatev. I mean, net net, at the end of the day it’s all, you know, the same.
Yes, but are you aware that Ohioans are more likely than residents of 46 other U.S. states to ride with Hitler?
Oh, whatever.
@DG Lewis, #24
As everyone knows, so clearly you can not choose the wine in front of me.
Which is a shame because it’s a lovely Australian Durif.