TMI Tuesday: Language (A Tribute to George Carlin)

1. What is your language pet peeve. (example 'hot water heater', why would you heat hot water)

The unbelievable use of the word "like". It has, like, completely, like, permeated everyone's, like, the word "the". You see what I mean...

2. What is your favorite word? Both dirty and clean?

Puscillanimous. I love that word. Obsequious - that is a good one, too. How about ubiquitous? Another truly delightful word. I don't have a favourite "dirty" word - I don't consider words to be clean or dirty. How do you put dirt on a word?

3. What is the one word you cannot spell?

Hmmm. Oh, yes. I don't know if this counts, since it is French, however, it is in common use. Hor's Duvoures... no, hor's devours... no. I don't know. Even when I look it up I have trouble with it. That is unusual for me. I'm an excellent speller.

4. What is the one word you always pronounce wrong?

Another tough one. Oh, yes, I know. Archipelago. I consistently say it incorrectly.

5. If you could erase one popular catchphrase from the english language, what would it be?

There must be a million. I need to think about that. Maybe the use of the word "seriously" as a sentence.

Bonus (as in optional): The late, and very hot Michael Hutchence (INXS) once sang, "Words are weapons, sharper than knives". What is the most hurtful thing you have ever said to anyone? Was it deliberate or accidental? What was the most hurtful thing ever said to you? Do you think it was deliberate or accidental?

I don't like thinking about the most hurtful thing I've said to someone. But the funny thing is, I carried a lot of guilt around for saying something to Ray once when I was maybe 12 or 13 but he doesn't recall it. We'd argued about something and very coldly I had said, "You're not my father." This man has raised me and it was something said to be completely hurtful. But it mustn't have been too bad - when I confessed years later to being sorry about it, he never remembered it. And I rarely feel guilty about things, so I wasted a lot of bad feeling on something that was never an issue.

What was the most hurtful thing ever said to me...? Wow. Hmmmm. Why is it when I do these things my mind sometimes goes blank? I can't recall something that jumps right out. But people have said hurtful things, sometimes accidentally, sometimes purposefully.