words and phrases that should be avoided

[StuartBurchell]

Reading the 'suddenly' thread, I was wondering if there are any words or phrases that should be avoided if possible?

I added phrases because I'm reading Evan Currie's Odyssey One series on Kindle at lunch times and in every book he has someone, usually the captain, says something like "Quality trumps quantity" only for someone to reply "Quantity has a quality all of it's own." and it annoys me every time I read it now.

I have noticed other authors have a phrase that they seem to like and repeat, so I was wondering if there are words or phrases that should be ignored or avoided.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Robert Jordan has a few the Wheel Of Time series.

 

[The Judge]

Any that you use too often. Of course, the trick is to know how often is too often.

 

[tinkerdan]

You definitely want to watch over use of any words-too often-too close together.

There will always be cliches that need to be avoided; most of the time.

One that recently cause the biggest problem with my reading pleasure was one that I found to be slightly anomalous in that it seemed to encompass several different interpretations in meaning. (the phrase was 'isn't it') I could have almost let that slide had it been used by just one character; as a sort of affectation. Unfortunately all the characters used this phrase in the story and they were a mixed bag of people from various cultures that more than likely wouldn't use or even have that phrase.(Maybe an equivalent if you could pin down the meaning; but by context, there were at least five different choices for potential meaning.)

 

[Gonk the Insane]

At a writing class I went to once, the tutor explained their personal dislike for the use of "smirking". Not because she disliked the word, but because she saw it used far too many times in the wrong context. I think there are probably quite a few out there like that. One that springs to mind is "fortuitous", a word I love but one that gets used incorrectly far too often.

Of course, the trick is to know how often is too often.

Yep, that's the trick. Reading that brought to mind Led Zeppelin's How Many More Times and now it's rather fittingly stuck in my head on repeat!

 

[The Judge]

I don't mind "smirk" as a one-off, though I'd get annoyed if it was used too frequently, but the mind boggles how it could be used in the wrong context! One word which I've embargoed though is "chuckle" -- I absolutely hate the word after reading so many fantasies where everyone does it.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

The Chuckle Bros. A new Historical Novel set in Norn Iron. Publication is awaiting the death of certain characters ...

 

[HareBrain]

One of my pet dislikes -- and I'm risking a few friendships admitting this -- is "quirked", as in eyebrow or smile or whatever. I understand why it's used, because it's concise and accurate and does exactly what a verb should, but for some reason it really gets on my proverbials.

There are plenty of other words one should only use once in a novel, because they stick out so much. Carrying on from the "chuckle" theme, "chortle" and "guffaw" are two of them -- in fact, probably any synonym for "laugh". I wonder if grimdark became so popular primarily to get round that problem.

 

[Phyrebrat]

One of my pet dislikes -- and I'm risking a few friendships admitting this -- is "quirked", as in eyebrow or smile or whatever. I understand why it's used, because it's concise and accurate and does exactly what a verb should, but for some reason it really gets on my proverbials.

There are plenty of other words one should only use once in a novel, because they stick out so much. Carrying on from the "chuckle" theme, "chortle" and "guffaw" are two of them -- in fact, probably any synonym for "laugh". I wonder if grimdark became so popular primarily to get round that problem.

Can you use it in a sentence? I can't work out how 'quirked' would be used.

I agree with you and TJ about the laugh words, but I must admit in my genre I think some work. A 'chuckling' drain or plughole is a bit of a twist on the typical meaning, so I'm hoping I'm allowed that. Best of all: 'Titter' is a great one when something crepuscular hiding in the closet gives a conspiratorial laugh but if someone was using it in a normal context I'd be a bit eyebrowsy.

pH

 

[The Judge]

I don't think I've ever seen "quirk" as a verb -- and it isn't in Collins online as a verb, only as a noun -- so it would probably get short shrift from me if I came across it.

I'd allow inanimate objects to chuckle and chortle, pH, so you're fine there (just as long as they're not forever doing it). I'm more forgiving of guffaw and titter, even for humans, perhaps because I've not been emotionally scarred by their overuse.

 

[Gonk the Insane]

Can you use it in a sentence?

"Sometimes it happens."
Ah, not really what you meant

I can't work out how 'quirked' would be used.

I've seen it a few times recently, though I can't recall which book, and a quick search of my kindle proved fruitless. But, something like this:
"She quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused."

 

[thaddeus6th]

In spoken or written English 'quite unique' is one of the few phrases still able to rouse my inner Grammar Nazi.

Something can't be 'quite' unique any more than a woman can be 'somewhat' pregnant. It's unique, a one-off, or it isn't.

 

[HareBrain]

I don't think I've ever seen "quirk" as a verb -- and it isn't in Collins online as a verb, only as a noun -- so it would probably get short shrift from me if I came across it.

Merriam-Webster online has it first used as a verb in 1878.

@Phyrebrat , Gonk's example is the kind of thing I quite often see.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

'quite unique'

I first encountered that from Americans in 1980s. Baffled me. I might of course deliberately have a character say it. Even though I never would.

a woman can be 'somewhat' pregnant.

 

[HareBrain]

I first encountered that from Americans in 1980s.

I believe the American meaning of "quite" tends to be "absolutely" rather than "somewhat" (a usage I also associate with British upper-class, though I'm not sure if accurately). So although in "quite unique" the "quite" is redundant, it isn't necessarily nonsense.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

"quite" tends to be "absolutely"

Absolutely Unique makes no more sense to me. Unique means Absolutely Only One.
"Absolutely pregnant"?

 

[HareBrain]

Absolutely Unique makes no more sense to me.

Makes no more sense than "somewhat unique"? Really? One is a redundancy, the other an impossibility, surely?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

One is a redundancy, the other an impossibility, surely?

True. But not a useful redundancy?

I've heard "very unique" a lot as well.

I heard someone complain on t' Wireless this morning:
"Abbreviation is too long a word"
(They are lucky to be using English rather than German, then, in general)

 

[The Judge]

Merriam-Webster online has it first used as a verb in 1878.

I rechecked the Collins, and as I suspected it's only in the American English section, where the definition is given as "(architecture) to form with quirks"!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Absolutely Unique makes no more sense to me. Unique means Absolutely Only One.
"Absolutely pregnant"?

Reminds me of one I got called out on years ago, that I still use and shouldn't, but at least I do have the good grace to notice when I do: totally irrelevant.