Christopher Mackay’s Blog

Something that drives me crazy are phrases — many in common use — that are equivalent to saying “blah blah blah”. These are typically words or phrases that add nothing, change nothing, and leave all meaning intact when removed:

• “going forward” — e.g.: “we’re going to rectify this situation going forward”. How is this any different or better than “we’re going to rectify this situation”? Are you planning to rectify it in the past? No? You don’t have a time machine? Then spare us all the “going forward” clarification. This must be the most inane phrase ever introduced to any language, at any time, on any planet.
• “go ahead and” — e.g.: “I’m going to go ahead and explain this”. No different than “I’m going to explain this”, yet inexplicably, three words longer. People who say this tend to say it over and over and over again.

Something else I’ve noticed is people using incorrect words. This doesn’t reflect English as a second language (the examples listed below came from audio files, not written texts); it reflects a lack of reading (it could also reflect a mere slip-up, were it not for the repeated usage):

• comprised/compromised — e.g.: “the system is compromised of serveral monitors”
• relative/relevant — e.g.: “make sure your questions are relative to the topic”

Sigh.