Overused and empty words

[Dallas Jayson]

"There's a lot to unpack" ugh!

[Guest]

I really tense up when I see the words "firstly, secondly, thirdly" used. It is good enough to use "first", "second", and "third" in your writing. The "ly" is superfluous.

You tense up easily. Some other opinions from some cunning linguists:

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-better-first-second-or-firstly-secondly-I-drew-up-a-few-principles-such-as-“Firstly-be-polite-"Secondly-be-attentive-when-others-are-talking%E2%80%9D

Ameer Ali, C1- Advanced Level English Certification by British Council

Author has 1.1K answers and 2.2M answer views

‘First/second’ and ‘Firstly/secondly’ can both be used as adverbs with the following difference :

 

Just to indicate the positions in a sequence, the “First/second ” combination is used.

 

e.g. She came first ( not firstly) and he came second (not secondly ) in the music competition.

To describe things, ideas, reasons, etc. in a series, “Firstly/secondly” combination is used :

 

e.g The purpose of the study tour is, firstly ( not first ) to collect plant specimens, and secondly ( not second ) to have fun.

 

Even though some people argue that the “First/second ” combination can also be used to describe the series effect, in my personal opinion, the use of “Firstly/secondly” combination has a more powerful and stress effect in the above context.

 

The various combinations that are in current use are :

 

i) First … secondly … thirdly …

 

ii) Firstly … secondly … thirdly …

 

iii) First … second … third …

 

However, the one option that is not acceptable is :

 

Firstly … second … third …

Between ‘First’ and ‘Firstly’, of course, ‘First’ sounds more natural and less verbose.

 

So, in the instant case, the sentence modified as,

 

“First, be polite. Secondly, be attentive when others are talking”,

 

would be more appropriate."

Edited March 15, 2021 by Unicorn

[Guest]

"Paul Larkin, Author at Self-published Author (2012-present)

Author has 6.9K answers and 3.6M answer views

Hi Lynch,

 

Good question. Both first and firstly are correct. firstly, secondly etc are the more formal versions.

 

First can be an adjective or an adverb and refers to the person or thing that comes before all others in order, time, amount, quality or importance:

 

What’s the name of the first person who walked on the moon? (adjective)

 

Beth always arrives first at meetings. (adverb)

 

We often use first, especially in writing, to show the order of the points we want to make.

 

When we are making lists, we can use first or firstly. Firstly is more formal than first:

 

Dear Mr Yates

 

First(ly) I would like to thank you for your kind offer of a job …"

[bostonman]

"Look," used to start a sentence. I'm hearing more and more of this on TV when commentators are interviewed, the answer to every question starts with "Look." (Biden does it too.)

[JayCeeKy]

"Look," used to start a sentence. I'm hearing more and more of this on TV when commentators are interviewed, the answer to every question starts with "Look." (Biden does it too.)

I also have noticed that Biden does indeed use "Look" at the beginning of many answers, esp when he doesn't like the question. I have tried to analyze why so many politicians use this useless word ("Omit needless words." says Strunk & White, The Elements of Style, page 12).

 

It seems to be a rhetorical device, similar to "Listen" for gaining and holding attention and for asserting authority in advance of emphasizing a point. It's like saying "Listen, I am going to say something very important, so pay attention!" As you noted, it is a viral crutch that seems to be spreading throughout media.

Edited March 29, 2021 by JayCeeKy

[dcman]

Republican

Democrat

[Becket]

I am literally sick of people using literally incorrectly. It literally made me puke. And what literally made me even sicker was some dictionary literally "OKed" the use of the word literally to mean NOT literally. I kid you not. Literally.

[bostonman]

I am literally sick of people using literally incorrectly. It literally made me puke. And what literally made me even sicker was some dictionary literally "OKed" the use of the word literally to mean NOT literally. I kid you not. Literally.

 

There have been so many marvelous posts on this forum over time, but this one may possibly be the best. Literally.?

[JayCeeKy]

And what literally made me even sicker was some dictionary literally "OKed" the use of the word literally to mean NOT literally.

 

Figuratively speaking, you hit the nail on its head.

[bostonman]

Figuratively speaking, you hit the nail on the head.

 

He literally hit the nail on its literal head.

[bostonman]

"Paradigm shift"

 

Why do "digms" come in pairs, and why are they always shifting?

[OCClient]

Figuratively speaking, you hit the nail on its head.

But there is still

a lot to unpack.

[Islesguy]

I also have noticed that Biden does indeed use "Look" at the beginning of many answers, esp when he doesn't like the question. I have tried to analyze why so many politicians use this useless word ("Omit needless words." says Strunk & White, The Elements of Style, page 12).

 

It seems to be a rhetorical device, similar to "Listen" for gaining and holding attention and for asserting authority in advance of emphasizing a point. It's like saying "Listen, I am going to say something very important, so pay attention!" As you noted, it is a viral crutch that seems to be spreading throughout media.

If I begin a sentence with "listen", I am very uncomfortable with what I am about to say.

[Lazarus]

‘Living his/her best life”.

 

[Luv2play]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:58 AM, Islesguy said:

If I begin a sentence with "listen", I am very uncomfortable with what I am about to say.

When my mother would start a sentence with, "Look buster", I knew I was in for it.

[+ azdr0710]

2 hours ago, Lazarus said:

‘Living his/her best life”.

 

I'd like to know how many times Oprah has used "live your best life" on magazine covers, TV promos, website ads, etc.

Edited June 14, 2021 by azdr0710

[Kippy]

Santa Oprahana has spoken...

[+ Axiom2001]

I abhor the overuse of "I love it"-- "you guys"--  "Oh, my god!"  ..."like"

[+ azdr0710]

our news team unpacks the story

Edited August 20, 2021 by azdr0710

[jeezifonly]

Look and so at the beginning of a statement are not dictionary uses of the words.

“Look,” would require reference to a visual aid such as a chart or graph to support the point.

”So,” would indicate a summation in reference to a previously mentioned assertion.

They are used in place of “Um…” and “uh” which are used as a stall for gathering thought. “Look” when spoken by a politician could also be standing in for the less polite, “sh-eeee-it”

 

[+ FreshFluff]

The use of “Having said that,” to mean “Furthermore” instead of the opposite
 

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by FreshFluff

[+ FreshFluff]

5 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

Look and so at the beginning of a statement are not dictionary uses of the words.

“Look,” would require reference to a visual aid such as a chart or graph to support the point.

”So,” would indicate a summation in reference to a previously mentioned assertion.

They are used in place of “Um…” and “uh” which are used as a stall for gathering thought. “Look” when spoken by a politician could also be standing in for the less polite, “sh-eeee-it”

 

Intellectual types like using  “So..” this way. 

[+ FreshFluff]

6 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

our news team unpacks the story

Oh my god

[+ E.T.Bass]

8 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

Look and so at the beginning of a statement are not dictionary uses of the words.

“Look,” would require reference to a visual aid such as a chart or graph to support the point.

”So,” would indicate a summation in reference to a previously mentioned assertion.

They are used in place of “Um…” and “uh” which are used as a stall for gathering thought. “Look” when spoken by a politician could also be standing in for the less polite, “sh-eeee-it”

 

One can use "so" to help indicate a consequence,

and is especially helpful when the audience isn't as clever as we here in the forum.  

[+ FreshFluff]

There’s a manner of speaking that I would ban if I were the language Taliban. It involves assigning responsibility or intent evenly to all parties involved even when it’s clearly inappropriate to do so.

“They tried to save the marriage”=One of them cheated while the other begged him/her to stay

“The group drifted apart”=Three of them decided to stop speaking to the fourth

People often use this tactic to save face. I find that it’s common among straight women who are more invested in their relationships than their partners. 

Edited August 21, 2021 by FreshFluff