Timeline for What is the verb for criticizing someone (especially juniors) in an annoying way?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 2016 at 8:21 | vote | accept | Mehdi Haghgoo | ||
| Aug 4, 2016 at 13:36 | review | Suggested edits | |||
| Aug 4, 2016 at 13:46 | |||||
| Aug 3, 2016 at 16:36 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | My mother always distinguished between chivvying (getting someone to do something sooner rather than later), and nagging (pointless complaining that just irritates people without affecting outcomes). From her point of view the former was part of normal parenting, but the latter was the eighth deadly sin. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 18:41 | comment | added | Kat | @pkamb I agree. You nag to get someone to cut their hair if it's something they know they need to do but keep putting off. You don't nag someone to cut their hair if they believe the length of their hair is fine and never intend to cut it. In that case you're complaining that they disagree with your values, not that they're putting off a task. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 18:34 | comment | added | Zibbobz | I've never heard of the implication that any action will be taken to stop the nagging - you might do what they ask to stop the nagging, but just as likely you'll dismiss their request as 'nagging'. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 18:21 | comment | added | pkamb | Nagging requests are repeated by the nag and ignored for a time by the recipient, but the implication is that the request will eventually fulfilled (to stop the nagging). I do not think it's as strong of a word choice for observations that will not be fulfilled by the recipient, such as general and constant "moral criticisms of today's youth by elders" from the Question. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 16:00 | comment | added | Zibbobz | This is probably the best choice for context - "nagging" is culturally associated with the example of a mother criticizing their child's choices, exactly in the way that OP gave as an example. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 15:45 | comment | added | Ketura | Also "needling", which is similar but invokes the obvious metaphor of poking needless holes in things with a needle. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 12:49 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | There are many alternatives (beef, bitch, bleat, carp, fuss, moan,...) but this is probably the best one for a learner to start with. | |
| Aug 2, 2016 at 12:39 | history | answered | MKHC | CC BY-SA 3.0 |