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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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How to describe that annoying thing.......
JK
1
2009/02/28 - 7:40am

Help! What word describes that annoying experience when someone asks me or reminds me to do something I was two seconds away from doing anyway?
An example....I am preparing a presentation at work using a lap top and just setting up the cables and so on when a colleague says, 'You need to put the blue cable in to the wall socket?'. In my mind I'm thinking,' One more second and I would have just done that'. What did my colleague do? Is there a fairly neutral word that encompasses the meaning 'you just told me something I was about to do'?

Guest
2
2009/03/02 - 5:34am

"Umm... duh."

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm actually very interested in finding out a word for that type of situation, too :).

Grant Barrett
San Diego, California
1532 Posts
(Offline)
3
2009/03/02 - 6:49am

Annoying coincidence? Prévu do?

Guest
4
2009/03/02 - 9:53am

indeed

"I was going to count to 100 first"

JK
5
2009/03/02 - 11:28am

Thank you so much for the replies. I like Grant's 'prevu do' and was also thinking about foreign words perhaps Latin or Greek words...something like 'pre..[before]...intended' but pre-intended does not really work. It seems I might just have to stick with .........'already on it bud...' said in a gruff voice?
Jane

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
6
2009/03/02 - 12:02pm

Heh. There should be a word for that phenomenon, JK. But as for a response to the interrupter — because they are interrupting you, right? — I kind of like “Mmmmph.”

Guest
7
2009/03/03 - 8:04am

I don't know of any common phrase for it, but I know the feeling. In general, I describe it as ambition theft -- both because it counterfeits the ambition I had, and it steals future ambition right out of me.

Grant Barrett
San Diego, California
1532 Posts
(Offline)
8
2009/03/03 - 8:05am

"Ambition theft." I might have to steal that. :0)

Guest
9
2009/03/04 - 6:14am

I would be honored.

I have an arrangement with my wife to deal with a similar sensitivity of mine. It would happen at times that I would be putting the finishing touches on some major project, and my wife might start a discussion about ”the next thing we need to do.” I called it “stomping out the afterglow.” When I told my wife how it made me feel, she kindly agreed to give me a 24-hour afterglow grace period.

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
10
2009/03/04 - 10:17am

>>>“stomping out the afterglow.”

Heh. I'm stealing that one. Glenn, you'd better keep your hand on your word wallet around here!

Guest
11
2009/03/04 - 2:36pm

Glenn - you are a poet and I am glad my question provoked your replies. LOL JK

Guest
12
2009/03/05 - 7:41am

Now I am flattered. I chalk up any accidental insight to my vast experience on both sides of annoying things.

Guest
13
2009/03/10 - 6:40pm

I would call it "volunteering to finish up".

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
14
2009/03/13 - 10:05am

>>> I would call it “volunteering to finish up”.

Ha! How about that one, JK?

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