The ever popular “here’s a stilly phrase you should never say,” has returned. They are phrases that you should try to avoid saying.
“Do what?”
“Do what?” as an equivalent of “excuse me?” or “pardon me?” when someone says something you don’t understand.
It’s apparently a common phase tied to the Texas hill country, North Carolina, and Alabama. So much for the South.
It means “I can’t hear you or I don’t understand.”
Then politely respond, “Please repeat what you said because I did not hear you.”
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“It is what it is,” was voted by USA Today as the No. 1 worst cliche of 2004.
Here is what you just said — It is = It is.
It’s a cliche that is popular within the circles of coaches, business execs, and those of us who just want to say — “It’s happened. ‘I’m going to forget about it. I’m going to move on. There is nothing that can be done about it.”
I guess the best way to rephrase this one — “It’s a fact that I cannot change. I will move forward.”
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How are things going? Here’s the response — “Same ole, same ole.”
Talk about a boring response. Maybe the best answer is to use the word boring.
Surely, there is a better answer. How about, “My life is very boring. How about yours?”
— Jim Misunas
Cliches hit sour chord