Some words are just plain annoying ... whatever

The word "whatever" used to be kind of cool. Now it's just plain annoying.

Back a generation or so, it was kind of a backhanded way of saying, "I may be wrong." Tagged at the end of a statement, it meant about the same as "or something ...", a phrase I like to use.

Somewhere along the line, though, "whatever" got ugly. It's still used sometimes to suggest the speaker may be wrong, with something added, i.e. I may be wrong, but I don't give a rip. It's also used to express disagreement. And when there's clear separation between the syllables, "what-EVER," it means turn out the lights. The conversation is over. I've shut my brain off, and don't bother me with that factual foolery.

Whatever.

Marist College ran a poll of the most annoying words and phrases in use today, and 47 percent of respondents said "Whatever" was the one that grates on the nerves the most. When you consider the sheer number of candidates -- how big is the average American's vocabulary? -- that's pretty impressive.

The old perennial favorite, "you know," was chosen as most annoying by 25 percent of survey respondents. Anyone who listens to sports -- especially post-game interviews with Joe Superstar -- knows all about you know. Y'know?

But there's no malice in "you know," no conversation-ending blow-off. It's merely an empty phrase, a space-filler in conversation. You have the floor, you were making your point, you're scanning the brain for ideas, but you're not ready to relinquish the floor. You know what I mean? Some people say "uhh ... " as that verbal crutch, others will pause, and I'll sometimes say, "let's see ..." but it means we're all fresh out of ideas for a second.

"It is what it is" ranked third in the most-annoying derby, at 11 percent. I hear this every so often, and it's another of those phrases that means ... really, nothing. It brings back memories of "be that as it may," another ultra-annoying phrase that, thankfully, you don't hear much any more. They mean the same thing.

"Anyway" is another verbal crutch, and yes, I use it too much in conversation. Again, I'm filling the air while thinking of something else to say. And seven percent of Marist poll respondents call "anyway" the most annoying word or phrase. Maybe it just doesn't sound as empty-headed as "you know."

At the end of the day, who cares? I don't, and two percent of poll respondents would like the day to end awfully durned soon -- or at least the phrase. "At the end of the day" is overused, it's stripped of all real meaning, but it's nowhere near as objectionable as "whatever."

Of course, I have my own favorite annoying phrase, and it's one I use for the express purpose to be annoying. I've heard folks use "have a nice day" as a conversation ender, and my own variation is "have a lucky day." Of course, there's a story attached to it.

Years ago, I worked in a casino, and "have a lucky day" was the company-sanctioned way of telling a customer to have a nice day. Lucky day, of course, meaning to drop your cash in our machines and on our blackjack tables to see how lucky you can get. Among the employees, that feelgood phrase took a whole different life of its own. It became a great blow-off line, the way some folks will tell you to "have a nice day" when they really mean "get out of my face."

It's funny how some of these phrases stay with you. I thought it was so funny in Nevada when I learned "tokes" meant "tips." Now, in California -- and in 48 other states -- "tokes" means something entirely different. But to this day, when I leave a few bucks for the waitress after a meal, I still call it a toke.

And if I tell you to have a lucky day, it still means I'm blowing you off.

Whatever.

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You tell me: Does "whatever" bring out those homicidal impulses in you? I'm sure you have some other words and phrases that set off those alarm bells. Feel free to share. Use the comments section for your perspective.