17
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
You could describe the situation thusly:
This decision is misguided because it's based on an inaccurate report. The report is littered with errors which grossly misrepresent the true state of ...
- 5,232
14
votes
Accepted
Need softer, less potentially offensive word for "malapropism"
Say the phrasing is not idiomatic.
That says you are not judging the words as wrong, but the understanding will be confused because English is particularly idiomatic.
After all, there's no ...
- 6,906
11
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
Sometimes, simplicity is the best approach.
The problems noted might seem rather insignificant, but I will list them all, to show the review officer how strewn with innumerable errors
the ...
- 92.9k
7
votes
Need softer, less potentially offensive word for "malapropism"
Jeez, when you are making a reference to a comic-relief character in a comedy of manners first produced onstage in 1775, I think you have sort of bottomed-out when it comes to "soft" and "inoffensive"....
- 28.2k
6
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
A word to consider is hasty. One, it offers to account for the careless surface errors allowed through by the neglect of sentence-level editing and revision, while at the same time seeming generously ...
- 16.3k
6
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
I think you're chasing a synonym when you really need a larger edit to make the passage sound more neutral in general. After that, neutral terms and phrases fit right in.
Your first idea sounds ...
- 167
4
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
How about "not rigorous". For fields where precision is paramount, lack of rigor is bad.
You could say the "the decision process lacked rigor" or similar.
- 183
4
votes
Accepted
Is "groundbreaking" a positive word, a negative word, or a neutral word?
English has two somewhat similar-looking adjectives that carry rather different (or at least distinct) meanings: groundbreaking and earth-shattering. Evidently, the former has less ambiguously ...
- 169k
4
votes
Accepted
Nonvulgar synonym for "smartass"
Know-it-all, wise-guy, wiseacre or smarty-pants are synonyms for smartass that do not have swearwords in them.
A know-it-all or a wise-guy, usually used in a sarcastic tone, means that a person acts ...
- 1,144
4
votes
Accepted
Is there a specific term for "tone of command" in English?
The second sentence is in the imperative mood.
- 498
3
votes
Nonvulgar synonym for "smartass"
There is the expression Clever Clogs.
A person who is ostentatiously and annoyingly knowledgeable.
This was widely used in my childhood but I haven't heard it so often nowadays.
- 13.1k
3
votes
Nonvulgar synonym for "smartass"
If you're looking for something "kosher" - you can try
Chutzpadik - not showing due respect; impudent; impertinent; brazen (Wiktionary)
It comes from yiddish and seems to embody what you're ...
- 1,311
3
votes
Accepted
Does "nonstandard English" come across as judgmental in the following context?
Use of "nonstandard accents" implies there is a "standard accent".
Is there? Which is it? Does most everybody agree on it being the standard?
If the answer to any of those questions is "no", and if ...
- 611
3
votes
Does "nonstandard English" come across as judgmental in the following context?
Excellent question, because it is hits a lot of issues with disparagement, taboo, euphemism (and its treadmill).
Sure, any word has its natural strength of elicited emotional response. 'Grass' is ...
- 72.1k
3
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
How about inattention to detail?
Your example, reworded:
A number of the problems noted might seem rather insignificant, but I
will list them all, to demonstrate the administrative law judge's ...
- 18.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Is *holy*, used sarcastically, potentially offensive?
I don't see any value in characterizing the "data" (sarcasm noted) as "holy", "sacred", ... I see no grounds for religious objection, but such words will most likely result in a defensive response not ...
- 18.1k
3
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
I was thinking "untidy" but in this context I agree with those above who say "careless".
This is based on this definition of "careless": "not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm ...
- 191
2
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
The word "lackadaisical" is defined by oxforddictionaries.com as
Lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy
- 11.9k
2
votes
Accepted
Tone and formality of the word "loth"
Loth is just another spelling of loath. It's not even marked archaic in my dictionaries.
- 41k
2
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
If I wanted to say that the writer of the report had failed to perform his required duties appropriately and produced a sub-par report, I might say it was negligent of him. This is not a neutral word, ...
- 6,623
2
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
The decision is perfunctory:
perfunctory -
performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial
lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic
(dictionary....
- 6,670
2
votes
More formal way of saying "sloppy"?
I am not sure if there is a neutral synonym of sloppy, partly because sloppy implies bad and partly because, well, neutrality can be subjective - your choicest euphemism may still offend the recipient....
- 28.3k
2
votes
Need less offensive way to say "he doesn't know the difference between his ass and a hole in the ground."
“He doesn’t know which side of the Earth the Sun comes up on”. That’s what my Grandmother told me.
- 21
2
votes
Need less offensive way to say "he doesn't know the difference between his ass and a hole in the ground."
What he doesn't know could fill a book.
This is an idiomatic way of expressing the breadth and depth of one's ignorance. It should be used to express someone's lack of knowledge in an area that they ...
- 15.2k
2
votes
What does it mean if you are speaking like you are 'delivering a sermon'
I associate sermons with a sing-song yet repetitious tone. Difficult to describe so here is an example.
The Most Boring, Ordinary Sermon -
https://vimeo.com/275689798
Note also that sermons are ...
- 37.4k
2
votes
Accepted
I need to know whether my sentence tone is correct for a Software Product
I think it could be a little clearer.... I don't like the word "dissassociated", for instance. Perhaps consider: "You recently made an offline purchase, however the payment methods ...
- 36
2
votes
"Look, lady", "Listen, lady" – lady as a pejorative
The pejorative or sarcastic use is given as definition 3b in the AHD:
Used as a form of address for a woman, often with sarcasm or irritation: Look, lady, I was ahead of you in line.
https://www....
- 16.3k
1
vote
Accepted
Need less offensive way to say "he doesn't know the difference between his ass and a hole in the ground."
As stated in a comment, I typed "doesn't know his" into Google to see what it came up with. It liked "head from a hole in the ground".
From Wiktionary
know one's head from a hole ...
- 7,270
1
vote
Accepted
Term used when answering a question with a lowered tone?
below (one's) breath TDF
Quietly. Often used to describe an aside that one has muttered.
The words spoken are true, but the tone (inflection) suggests otherwise.
- 30.5k
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