Pet Peeves I
Part One
Q: What is the meaning or definition of a Pet Peeve?
A: A frequent or common subject of complaint or annoyance.
Generally, something that bothers one or more persons that does not bother others. What you find extremely annoying someone else may not find that same issue annoying at all.
Q: How did our annoyances come to be called Pet Peeves?
A: Our answer comes directly from Wikipedia:
The noun peeve, meaning an annoyance, is believed to have originated in the United States early in the twentieth century, derived by back formation from the adjective peevish, meaning “ornery or ill-tempered”, which dates from the late 14th-century.
The term pet peeve was introduced to a wide readership in the single-panel comic strip The Little Pet Peeve in the Chicago Tribune during the period 1916–1920. The strip was created by cartoonist Frank King, who also created the long-running Gasoline Alley strip. King’s “little pet peeves” were humorous critiques of generally thoughtless behaviors and nuisance frustrations. Examples included people reading the inter-titles in silent films aloud, cracking an egg only to smell that it’s gone rotten, back seat drivers, and rugs that keep catching the bottom of the door and bunching up. King’s readers submitted topics, including theater goers who unwrap candy in crinkly paper during a live performance, and (from a 12 year old boy) having his mother come in to sweep when he has the pieces of a building toy spread out on the floor.
When I sat down to write today’s blog I searched the internet for all things connected to Pet Peeve. I found the above origin of the concept and definitions with many examples.
What I also found were numerous web sites listing pet peeves. I found sites with titles or subtitles that read something like this: 70 Pet Peeves almost everyone has, 100 Common Pet Peeves, 76 Incredibly Accurate Pet Peeves. There were more, too. I finally decided to stop reading and start writing.
It seems that we all have at least one Pet Peeve and most of us have more than one.
What is your Pet Peeve?
Do you have more than one Pet Peeve? I sure do!
Do your Pet Peeves often involve the actions or behaviors of those close to you?
Ponder on your answers to those questions in the coming days and then join me next week for Part Two of my Pet Peeve Blog to find out if your pet peeves are among the more common ones.
