Today I was speaking with the receptionist at a doctor's office. I've never been to this doctor and after my conversation, I know that I wouldn't trust this office with anything, let alone matters of my health.
Maybe it's my own prejudice but I can't stand when people use big words in a context which is totally incorrect, they don't know what the word means but they think that they sound intelligent. But what pisses me off even more is when people make up words, think they sound high brow and intelligent and insist on using them when there are *real*, more appropriate words to use.
My 20 minutes wasted, on the phone with Made Up Word Lady (MUWL):
Me: Hi, my name is Lisa Shanahan and I was referred to your office by Dr. F., to see Dr. M., and I'd like to arrange for an appointment.
MUWL:I am sorry but I don't think at the present time we are accepting referrals from Dr. F.
Me: Is there a reason why, you're not accepting referrals from Dr. F? (Wondering what's wrong with my doctor, whom I think is wonderful. I've never heard of an office not accepting referrals from a doctor.)
MUWL: Please hold, to allow me to conversate with the office manager.
(Me, annoyed, thinking...what do you mean not accepting referrals, and what the *F* is conversate?)
Hold, hold, hold... 5 minutes...
MUWL: Excuse me, but what is your insurance company?
Me: Insurance X.
MUWL: Please hold, I need to conversate again.
Me: You need to what? (oops! thinking that I said it to myself)
MUWL: Conversate, you know, when you are conversating! Please hold.
Hold, hold, hold... 12 minutes...
MUWL: When would you like to schedule your appointment?
Me: What was the deal with referrals from Dr. F?
MUWL: Oh, it wasn't that we weren't accepting referrals from Dr. F, it was your insurance company.
(By this point, I've already decided that I am going to a different doctor, but she annoyed me enough that I want to torture her.)
Me: But you didn't know which insurance I had, when you said you weren't accepting referrals.
MUWL: Welllll, (she is getting annoyed) once I conversated with the office manager, she informed me that it was your insurance company.
Me: Ahhh... so you're accepting referrals from my doctor, but not from my insurance company?
MUWL: Ma'aaaaam we are accepting referrals from your doctor AND from your insurance company.
Me: Well, since there is so much confusion, I think that I'll check with Dr. F. and see what other doctors are available under my insurance.
MUWL: Ma'aaaaam, I conversated with the office manager and we WILL accept your insurance!
Me: Honestly it is not my insurance, it's not the referral. Truth be told, no matter how many times you say it, conversate, conversated and conversating are NOT WORDS!!! {click}
I know, I was mean, nasty and rude, but she just *really* pissed me off! Also, before you ask, English is her first and native language...sad but true!
Some of the other words that piss me off are:
Flustrated: are you flustered, or frustrated? Or, have you become flustered in your frustration in trying to figure out a real word?
Youse: It's just NOT a word! It annoys me when people say "youse guys".
OK, my whinge is over...off to find a different doctor. Does the use of certain words annoy you, or is it just me? Let me know what annoys you.
Friday, July 15, 2005
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*Irregardless. (Double negative. "Regardless" is the word for which they so desperately grope.
ReplyDelete*Visa versa. (It's vice versa. One "a". Just one.)
*Nucular (the proper way to pronounce the word is "NOO-clee-ar." You'd think our own President could pronounce the word, since he's the guy with his finger on the red button. Sheesh.)
*Any one of the four hundred and seventy five words my ex-husband intentionally mispronounced because a) he was afraid of sounding smart (which he was); and b) was trying to get on my last nerve (which he did). This list includes (but is not limited to: "spaghetti (pisketti)," "specific (pecific)," and "stategy" (stragety).
Phew... I feel better now... thanks.
~CA~
Oh my god, I'm getting revved up just thinking about them all. Must calm down... Breathing... OK, better now.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, I'll pick the one I've heard 3 times already this week. The context: they are trying to say that they need to add more detail:
I need to flush out this outline with John in marketing...
Flush??? Come on people, the word you're looking for is "flesh" not "flush," which refers to something you do with a toilet. Arghhhh. Off to another meeting, where I will wait excitedly to see if I get to hear it yet again. Ah the corporate life, what a treat.
Well, since you asked, it bugs me when people use myself in the wrong context. "You can contact myself at......." or "Either myself or my assitant will help you with that" -- what??? Isn't that basic grammar from 3rd grade?
ReplyDeleteOkay, wow, I do feel better!
Oh geeze! I just don't know...I'll have to converstate with someone over this.Irregardless, it may become obvious that I am having trouble finding a suitable word. Because I am not to subtle (please pronounce the "b" in there) about pecific things. Oh, wait I live on the pecific. Ooops, I'll need to flush this out before I make youse guys nucular. Hey, it works for George! But you can see it works for myself too!
ReplyDelete;)
hahahahahahaha
Snort. I can't think of any words right now but thanks for the smile.
ReplyDeleteI have a very good friend (who has her Masters and is a CPA, so she is not stupid) who uses the word Ideal instead of Idea...every stinking time....As in..."I just had a really good ideal, lets go shopping". When I met her she was very young (just starting college) and very insecure. Now she is older, but I have known her for so long I don't know how to tell her it's IDEA no L needed. I would think someone at work or her husband would have clued her in by now! It really annoys me though.
ReplyDeleteGo girl, I'm so glad you were able to retain your wisdom and spit out the words necessary to end the conversating conversation!!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes!! All of your annoying words piss me off too!! At least I am not the only one. Thank you for a good laugh this morning!
ReplyDeleteLisa~~
Hilarious post! Thanks for the good laugh while sipping coffee this morning.
ReplyDeleteUpdate from my 2-hr meeting yesterday afternoon: either "flush out this design" or "flesh out this design" was used but the speaker said it so quietly that I couldn't tell which one he said, and I started giggling the second he said it and everyone looked at me so I flapped my hands in the air (the gesture for "please continue" of course), and he moved on. So now I'll never know.
ReplyDeleteBabygirl's parents -- your comment killed me. I had to read it outloud to Rod. Love it!!! :-)
Oh, and I thought of another favorite one, when people say "I'm nauseous" (which really means I cause nausea) instead of "I'm nauseated" (which means I'm suffering from nausea). Cracks me up.
I am adding a new one to my own list.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the store at?
or
Where are you at?
I want to shove that "at" you know where!
Lisa~~
My father-in-law is the king of made up words, bless him. The tree is "lingin" (translation: leaning) because of all the "scupperdine" grapes on it. Uh, what kind of grapes?? I'm sorry, I was taught they were either scuppernong or muscadine. But whatever. He also says chimbley (chimney) and liberry (library). SO FLUSTRATING! (Hee! I know it's frustrating, but HE doesn't!)
ReplyDeleteI also hate irregardless. And I HATE it when people say "I could care less"... Then CARE LESS!! The phrase is "I could NOT care less."
(This is theraputic!)
I am a teacher and my middle school students will forever use the word "are" for "our"... and PLEASE don't ask them to spell February!
I could go on, but I won't. Thanks for allowing me to vent!!
This isn't a made up word but whenever someone says obviously I go bonkers. I wonder to myself "If it is obvious, then why do you need to point it out by saying OBVIOUSLY?
ReplyDeleteSparky
I thought I was the only one that freaked out about people's poor use of grammer. I HATE it when people say "first annual" There is no such thing as FIRST ANNUAL. It's inaugural!!!! You can't have something that is annual be FIRST!!! sheesh.
ReplyDeleteAnd I used to work with this woman that conjugated all her verbs in the wrong person. For example, You needs to go to work. NO, dummy, I need, You need, he, she, it NEEDS, with an S. God, she drove me insane. I get worked up just thinking about it!! LOL Anyway...I'm glad to know it's not just me! :-)
Oh I love this post! Made up words and bad grammar drive me nuts! I HATE it when people say "Where are you at?". You don't need the at. And when people say I seen her at the store. I saw her there too you know. And for some reason when people say "needless to say..." that drives me crazy. Well, if it is needless to say, then don't say it. Irregardless is a pet peave too. And like Tracy, I once worked with someone who used ideal instead of idea. No idea why!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog, I understand your *flustration* lol.
ReplyDeletesomeone sent me a link to your post saying "you just have to read this!" VERY FUNNY! I am 41 weeks pregnant and it drives me CRAZY when people standing in front of me that I KNOW ask "You haven't you had your baby yet?"
ReplyDelete