BBC News just posted an article from a complex database analysis revealing the 10 most irritating cliches. Unfortunately, I am so guilty of using many of these - particularly in business situations!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newst … n-irritating-phrases.html

Here’s the top 10 from the Oxford study:
1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It’s a nightmare
8 - Shouldn’t of
9 - 24/7
10 - It’s not rocket science

So, BBC Magazine did an online survey that revealed some more:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7733264.stm

1. Basically
2. To be fair
3. To be honest
4. Going forward
5. The fact of the matter is
6. Let’s face it
7. Touch base
8. 110%
9. In the pipeline
10. Reason being
11. I’m not being funny but
12. You know
13. By the end of play today
14. Singing from the same hymn sheet
15. Can’t get my head around it
16. Raft of proposals
17. To roll out
18. Don’t just talk the talk, you got to walk the talk
19. Lesson to be learned

and

20. Actually

How many of these are you guilty of?

Dan