Matt_C, I always have a go at people for that phrase for exactly the same reason. I think it's come over from America, as is the case with many forms of bastardized English.
Carbon footprint kills me a little inside every time I hear it. But, for me, the most frustrating phrases all come from exactly the same place - the boardroom on The Apprentice. These 'business people' pull out more cliches and know-it-all phrases than I've ever heard anywhere else and the number of mixed metaphors and incorrect idioms makes me want to go and line them up in front of a wall.
Actually thinking about it the phrase "Time at the bar " is really annoying![]()
Actually thinking about it the phrase "Time at the bar " is really annoying
I think the americanisms that are spreading in our language is really annoying too. "Math" is a good example as in "you do the math". It's MATHS.
One thing that also really irritates me is:
"Horrible one, that was."
"Terrible thing to do, that was."
"Right b**tard to her, he was."
I'm sure it's a northern thing but why not phrase the clause properly?
Actually you can understand that one because MATH is just an abbreviation of MATHEMATICS. The S is at the end of MATHEMATICS so you don't have to put it on the end of MATH![]()
So by that logic you could knock the s off the end of any plural word.![]()