The term pet peeve stems from the word peevish which means "easily irritated" or "ornery." In other words, it's an annoyance that is specific to an individual and may not be relatable to others. People not using their signals when changing lanes could be irritating to one driver, but another may not even think about it.I recently had a discussion with a new friend and the topic of the pet peeve arose. As I began telling her my feelings on grammar and manners, I started listening to the words being produced by my mouth. I listened to myself and wondered how her opinion of me was changing on the spot. I explained how I didn't like grammatically incorrect text messages and how perturbed I become when holding the door for a non-responsive stranger. I sat, listened, and came come to the conclusion that this girl must think I was insane for having such petty irritations.
That's the thing with the pet peeve, though. What bothers one doesn't bother another, but then it wouldn't be a pet peeve if it didn't really upset us. When she listed her pet peeves, I laughed too. How could wet, squeaky sneakers make a person cringe as much as it was visibly bothering her to simply talk about? How could the mere thought of a harmless insect make a person squirm with uneasiness?
Asking a stranger what his or her biggest pet peeves are can be entertaining and enlightening, but it can also be extremely dangerous. If you don't know the person well enough to have already established an opinion, the question very well could form one for you. Not putting the toilet seat down after each use? Not turning the volume down on an audio receiver before switching it off? Sharing drinks? Taking your shoes off before entering a home? Touching the windows of a vehicle? I'm a perfectly sane individual, but if these were the only facts you knew about me, what kind of impression would you have?
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