This being a global site with local outbreaks, it's intriguing to see how so many of the mannerisms and expressions and habits that have grown so cliched they drive people crazy elsewhere have never been heard of in my corner of the world. Or they have a completely different meaning or resonance.

It isn't so much that I get irritated by verbal expressions, but there are some that tend to tell me I'm not going to get along too well with this person (assuming they come from my corner of the world):

"Do me a favour"
"In your face" BR> "Feisty"
"Sad" when used as a way of putting someone down.
"Meritocracy" (when used with approval)
And there's the old social-work favourite "I hear what you say" (with the unspoken coda "But I'm not really listening to you.")