The Idiot cringes when he hears certain words or expressions. Here’s the current list of utterances that get on his nerves.

Awesome
This overused word has become, according to the Urban Dictionary, “one of the three words which make up most American sentences” and “something Americans use to describe everything.”
When absolutely everything is awesome, nothing is awesome.

“That’s awesome!”

Bucket List
The phrase originates from the 1990s and became overly popular with the 2007 film.
But, please, quit talking about it and just do it.

“That’s on my bucket list!”

Dude
I didn’t mind the use of “dude” when it was part of the surfing vernacular or described Jeff Bridges in “The Big Lebowski.” But since it’s become unisex, universal and used by octogenarians, I recoil when I hear it.

“Wzzzzup, dude?”

Folks
One of the few things I don’t like about President Obama is his constant use of the word “folks” and the way the usage has spread since he became president. That’s all folks!

“It is what it is” and “It’s all good.”
It’s never either.

“It’s all good!”

“It is what it is!”

Like
Like is the new “uh.”
If, like, there were no “likes” in sentences they would be, like, a lot shorter and I’d like them more.

“Where you from?”
This is easily the most frequent question I’m asked on the MedTrek, especially in Turkey where it’s often the only phrase people know in English.

What words drive you bonkers?

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About Joel

Joel Stratte-McClure has been a global trekker since the 1970s. He lived in France for over 30 years, working as a journalist, before he turned his attention to a unique life-time-project of walking the shores of the Mediterranean. The first 4,401 kilometers are explored in his inspirational and entertaining first book "The Idiot and the Odyssey: Walking the Mediterranean." The next 4,401 kilometers are covered in the gods-filled sequel, "The Idiot and the Odyssey II: Myth, Madness and Magic on the Mediterranean,” published on Valentine's Day 2013. The last 4,401 kilometers will be discussed in the last book of the trilogy currently entitled "The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Alexander the Great Walks the Mediterranean."