I have a lot of language pet peeves. Heck, that's why I have a blog. From time to time I will share a word or phrase whose usage has gotten out of hand. The following is a peeve for June.
The teaser "To be perfectly frank," (or "honest") used to signal that a deeper level of candor was about to be shared. Usually, this translated into juicy gossip. Who doesn't want that? And who doesn't feel special when someone decides to be "perfectly frank" with us?
Until you consider the alternative: Speak with no conviction? Converse with you in only the most superficial way? Make sh*t up? Who wants that?
The point is, now the phrase gets thrown in to a sentence with no forethought, when in fact nothing salacious is ahead. That's always a disappointment.
Please, readers, do your part to put an end to this conversation flaccidifier (which should be a word). Do not use the phrase except in situations of extreme and genuine honesty!
Thanks a bunch.
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