How on Earth do we end up using these over-used phrases and expressions? Back around 2009-2010, I often heard people say, “at the end of the day…” or “it is what it is.” in 2017, I could not help but notice that people were saying, “I get it” way too frequently for my tastes. Now we have another… “literally.”
It boggles my mind how such terms become so widespread in use. They seem to come and go like fads. The scary thing is that it seems to be subconscious. I do not believe that there are people out there thinking I should start saying “literally” because everyone is saying it. I am inclined to believe that these habits are formed subconsciously.
A mere three months since posting this article, I am sad to announce a new phrase which has infected my workplace and elsewhere – “yeah-yeah-yeah.”
I first noticed it being said on a regular basis by one of the managers in our office. It has since spread to one of the juniors and now another veteran employee. I hear this phrase dozens, if not hundreds, of times each day. I have gone on to hear it on radio, podcasts, and in public.
What on Earth is happening here? To be honest, this new “yeah-yeah-yeah” phrase sounds ignorant to me. It sounds like the person is brushing off whatever the other person has said, although in our office, I know this is not the case.