History It changed the course of history

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The discussion centers around the phrase "It changed the course of history," with participants debating its implications. One viewpoint argues that such phrases suggest a predetermined historical path that can be altered, while others contend that events merely add to the ongoing narrative of history. The conversation shifts to various phrases and expressions that participants find nonsensical or annoying, such as "I could care less," "literally," and "needless to say." Participants express frustration over common misuses of language and the tendency for people to speak without fully thinking through their words. The dialogue also touches on the cultural differences in language use and the importance of clarity in communication, highlighting how certain phrases can lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Overall, the thread emphasizes the nuances of language and the impact of expression on understanding and discourse.
matthyaouw
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"It changed the course of history"

No... It didn't change the course of history, it simply added to course of history, just like every other event. Changed implies a pre-destined course of history that was altered by an event.

What other turns of phrase just don't make any sense to you?
Prediction- someone will ask "how do you turn a phrase?" or words to that effect.
 
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I'm not too concerned about that phrase. History can have a course. Consider a runner in a race who has an (apparently) insurmountable lead. If nothing surprising happens, he's going to win. That's an expected course. If he trips and falls, that's a course-altering event.
 
"If I'd known then what I know now," implies precognition, because what you know now is pretty much based upon how badly you ****ed it up the first time. :biggrin:
 
Ive always disliked "Needless to say." Had a teacher in college that said it all the time while teaching.
 
"... not to mention [blank]." bothers me a little. I guess it makes sense if you take it to mean "... and the preceding didn't even mention [blank]," but at first glance it looks like a blatant contradiction.
 
"it's like deja vu all over again"
 
"...needs no introduction," right before providing one.

"It's always in the last place I look."
 
'I don't believe destiny exists. i believe you have to earn what you get'

or something like that..
 
Danger said:
"It's always in the last place I look."
:biggrin: Ok, but this one is actually meant to be satirical and contradicting.
 
  • #10
Dont blame the player, blame the game.
 
  • #11
"I could care less"

Mostly because I want to answer "how much less?"

Get it right people, it's could'NT!
 
  • #12
mathlete said:
"I could care less"

Mostly because I want to answer "how much less?"

Get it right people, it's could'NT!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I assume you're not a US citizen...
 
  • #13
In my opinion... While not nonsensical in itself, it almost invariably precedes something that is.
 
  • #14
Smurf said:
:biggrin: Ok, but this one is actually meant to be satirical and contradicting.
Yes... now, once a few people like thee and me pointed out how stupid it is. You wouldn't believe how many people I've known who said it seriously.

Irregardless... requires no elaboration.
Reiterate I see this in serious writings and hear it on network news all of the time. 'Iterate' means to repeat, so... rerepeat?
 
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  • #15
Danger said:
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I assume you're not a US citizen...

:confused: It's "I couldn't care less" in the US too.

One that really drives me nuts is "Literally." It's almost always followed by something that is NOT literal.
 
  • #16
Moonbear said:
:confused: It's "I couldn't care less" in the US too.
Pardon my presumptiousness... I've never heard a Yank say that properly. Of course, I've never run into Yanks like you lot before.

Moonbear said:
One that really drives me nuts is "Literally." It's almost always followed by something that is NOT literal.
Oh yes... this was actually the first one that came to my mind, but I wanted to cite one of the more glaring examples and couldn't remember it.

How about If you ask me...? I didn't; you're the last person I'd ask; shut the hell up, you flamin' idiot! :biggrin:
 
  • #17
Danger said:
How about If you ask me...? I didn't; you're the last person I'd ask; shut the hell up, you flamin' idiot! :biggrin:

Oh, that made me think of, "...you know." Um, no, I don't know, why don't you finish your sentence so I will know.
 
  • #18
Moonbear said:
Oh, that made me think of, "...you know." Um, no, I don't know, why don't you finish your sentence so I will know.
3'll get you 8 that there isn't any continuation to the thought. They hope that you'll fill in the blanks and think that they're brilliant. (I know, because I depend upon it to appear clever when I have nothing to say. It's amazing how well it works. :biggrin: )
 
  • #19
Danger said:
3'll get you 8 that there isn't any continuation to the thought. They hope that you'll fill in the blanks and think that they're brilliant. (I know, because I depend upon it to appear clever when I have nothing to say. It's amazing how well it works. :biggrin: )

Yeah, it's usually when they haven't thought through what they were going to say to the end, and just ran out of thoughts halfway through. But, I'm mean. If someone says that to me, I will say to them, very politely and innocently, "No, I don't know. Could you please explain?" :biggrin: :devil:
 
  • #20
Moonbear said:
If someone says that to me, I will say to them, very politely and innocently, "No, I don't know. Could you please explain?" :biggrin: :devil:
Yeah... heh heh... I do that too. Just be prepared to walk away disappointed.
 
  • #21
Danger said:
Yeah... heh heh... I do that too. Just be prepared to walk away disappointed.

Oh, I've never been disappointed. I may look sweet and innocent o:) but I find great pleasure in watching someone squirm to come up with the answer they were hoping I'd fill in for them. :devil:
 
  • #22
Moonbear said:
Oh, I've never been disappointed. I may look sweet and innocent o:) but I find great pleasure in watching someone squirm to come up with the answer they were hoping I'd fill in for them. :devil:
Maybe that's a cultural difference due to my employment in a cowboy bar for so long. (I hesitate to say this, since our beloved little MIH listed her occupation as 'cowgirl', but I define a cowboy as a biker with the brains kicked out.) They don't even try to think something up. You wouldn't believe some of the things that I said to obnoxious customers just for my personal satisfaction, and then had an intellectual friend say 'how the hell did you get away with that?'. Easy, says I; he didn't understand it. For instance, in a very complementary tone of voice praising a fellow for being a misanthropic troglodyte. He blinked a couple of times, smiled, and said 'hey, thanks man'.
 
  • #23
Danger said:
Maybe that's a cultural difference due to my employment in a cowboy bar for so long. (I hesitate to say this, since our beloved little MIH listed her occupation as 'cowgirl', but I define a cowboy as a biker with the brains kicked out.) They don't even try to think something up. You wouldn't believe some of the things that I said to obnoxious customers just for my personal satisfaction, and then had an intellectual friend say 'how the hell did you get away with that?'. Easy, says I; he didn't understand it. For instance, in a very complementary tone of voice praising a fellow for being a misanthropic troglodyte. He blinked a couple of times, smiled, and said 'hey, thanks man'.

Oh, I love doing that! The key is to have someone else around who does understand what you just did so you can laugh about it with them later. I think it's called "diplomacy." :smile:
 
  • #24
Moonbear said:
Oh, I love doing that! The key is to have someone else around who does understand what you just did so you can laugh about it with them later. I think it's called "diplomacy." :smile:
Sort of like we're doing with Franz and BicycleTree? :wink:
 
  • #25
One that really gets me is "You have no idea" or any equivelant, especially when it comes directly after an explanation for emphasis. YOU JUST TOLD ME! I HAVE A PERFECTLY CLEAR IDEA!
 
  • #26
Good'n, Smurf!
 
  • #27
I never really thought about quotes or lines that are annoying.

I think the one I hate most is ...

"The NHL is on strike..."

We figured that one out a loonngg time ago. Fox viewers might need the constant repetition, but we Canadians don't ... most of the time. :)

Also, the most annoying thing is people talking about things they know nothing about. This happens a lot with things regarding politics and science. Most people think they know something about politics because they "hate" Bush, like me, but never really look at both sides of the story, or neither side of the story. Science is also a popular one, but I'm sure you experienced this MORE than enough.

I think the worst quote of all time is ...

"Math sucks..."
"Math doesn't apply to life..."

... anything along those lines. First of all, how can you say "Math sucks" when no one actually learns mathematics. I'm a math major and I'm not even learning math. I'm just waiting for all this boring crap to be done with. They never even discuss math concepts. I just wasted thousands of dollars on a school who partially smokes crack.

Anyways, some of you may know I hate my school, so I will not carry on.

I mean LITERALLY the school sucks, you know... :wink:
 
  • #28
mathlete said:
"I could care less"

Mostly because I want to answer "how much less?"

Get it right people, it's could'NT!

That one used to bother me a lot, too, but then it occurred to me that it makes sense if the speaker is deliberately using it in a sardonic way.

That is, someone is boring you with all the sordid details of the Michael Jackson trial. You reply "I could care less", meaning (sardonically): "Yeah, I could care less, I don't know how, but it is theoretically possible, I suppose."

Of course, that interpretation might be giving the mis-users of the phrase more credit than they deserve ...
 
  • #29
JasonRox said:
Also, the most annoying thing is people talking about things they know nothing about.
One of my favourite sayings was on a shirt or mug or something. I've added it to my home-made button library. "You people who think that you know everything are very annoying to those of us who do." :approve:
 
  • #30
JasonRox said:
I think the one I hate most is ...

"The NHL is on strike..."

LOL! I didn't know about that until maybe a month ago when someone mentioned the NHL strike and I said something incredibly insightful like, "They are?" :biggrin: I don't follow sports at all and never noticed one missing. Now how do we convince all the others to go on strike?
 
  • #31
Moonbear said:
how do we convince all the others to go on strike?
They probably never will, since they've seen how well this one went over... :rolleyes:
 
  • #32
Some more:

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response."- That was a response.
"I don't mean to offend you, but..."- Yes you do. If you know that you are about to offend me and carry on purposefully, you have every intention of offending me, whether or not it pleases you.
 
  • #33
She has a great personality... (I guess this actually belongs on MIH's thread...)
 
  • #34
"To be honest" implies one isn't usually honest, so I say "to be candid" --and because my name isn't "Frank." :smile:
 
  • #35
matthyaouw said:
Some more: ..."I don't mean to offend you, but..."- Yes you do. If you know that you are about to offend me and carry on purposefully, you have every intention of offending me, whether or not it pleases you.
Totally -- I knew someone who would say "I don't mean to be mean" and then go on to say something mean.

I like "cuter than a bug's ear" though it's meant to be goofy because most bugs don't have ears...
 
  • #36
This is my absolute favourite out of my button collection. It isn't a stupid figure of speech itself; rather a commentary upon poor grammar habits.
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside a dog, it's too dark to read. :smile:
 
  • #37
I would say that I have noticed that I use the expression "I would say", when what I mean is "in my opinion", which, according to Danger [I think it was...]immediately gets me in trouble. So from now on, instead I am going to say, "according to the great cosmic source".
 
  • #38
Ivan Seeking said:
I would say that I have noticed that I use the expression "I would say", when what I mean is "in my opinion", which, according to Danger [I think it was...]immediately gets me in trouble. So from now on, instead I am going to say, "according to the great cosmic source".

Would that be your humble opinion?

Okay, I need to settle this once and for all:
Does IMHO stand for "In my honest opinion" or "In my humble opinion?"

There's a problem with it either way, but I'm not sure yet if it's to imply that one usually gives a dishonest opinion, or that the so-called humble opinion is rarely humble.
 
  • #39
I always lean twards the humble side with that.
 
  • #40
I believe it originated as "In my holy opinion"
 
  • #41
Okay now this brings up a good point. Oh yes...I have always understood [edit: I mean, according to the great cosmic source] IMHO to be ' ' humble opinion.

While in college I had a professor and a class mate who both harped about the use of qualifiers such as "in my opinion". If someone used this expression, the professor would say,"we all know that it's only your opinion. You don't need to explain this to the class". My buddy, a real academician [and probably quite insane] would say the same thing frequently. Anyway, I took this to be good academic etiquette. The problem is that the rest of the world expects it. Little quirks of the trade like this appear snobby to the rest of the world. There is a difference between stating a known fact, and stating one's opinion. I have heard objections made by others who are responding to a news or science report, or interview, in which this style of discourse was used.
 
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  • #42
Ivan Seeking said:
Okay now this brings up a good point. Oh yes...I have always understood [edit: I mean, according to the great cosmic source] IMHO to be ' ' humble opinion.

While in college I had a professor and a class mate who both harped about the use of qualifiers such as "in my opinion". If someone used this expression, the professor would say,"we all know that it's only your opinion. You don't need to explain this to the class". My buddy, a real academician [and probably quite insane] would say the same thing frequently. Anyway, I took this to be good academic etiquette. The problem is that the rest of the world expects it. Little quirks of the trade like this appear snobby to the rest of the world. There is a difference between stating a known fact, and stating one's opinion. I have heard objections made by others who are responding to a news or science report, or interview, in which this style of discourse was used.
I tend to use that one alot. Since reading R.A. Wilson's Quantum Psychology, specifically the section regarding E Prime, I've made it habit to state that things are my opinion and things "seem" a particular way rather than "are". Ofcourse it doesn't really seem to help considering that most people tend to take what I say as blanket statements or absolutes regardless.

One that really annoys me is when someone continually says "no really" or "I'm serious" through out a story even though I haven't done anything to indicate that I'm skeptical.
And a friend of mine cringes any time he hears acronyms used improperly such as "ATM machine" and "MAOI inhibitors".
 
  • #43
TheStatutoryApe said:
And a friend of mine cringes any time he hears acronyms used improperly such as "ATM machine" and "MAOI inhibitors".


Hehe.

ATM machine!

I love it!

Ah, what will the masses think of next?
 
  • #44
I believe I've heard "Weapons of WMD" a few times.
 
  • #45
Smurf said:
I believe I've heard "Weapons of WMD" a few times.


That one just hurts my atheistic soul.
 
  • #46
franznietzsche said:
Hehe.

ATM machine!

I love it!

Ah, what will the masses think of next?
It's actually extremely common here in the US. Most ATM signs even say it.
 
  • #47
franznietzsche said:
Ah, what will the masses think of next?
Don't you really mean (m)asses? :wink:
 
  • #48
TheStatutoryApe said:
It's actually extremely common here in the US. Most ATM signs even say it.

Until very recently (when it merged with another company and changed its name) there was a nice shiney sign outside a bank near my house reading "TSB Bank" making it the "Trusty Savings Bank Bank"
 
  • #49
What's your sign? YIELD :biggrin:
"No, I mean what are you? A skeptic; go away, vapour-brain
 
  • #50
Ivan Seeking said:
Anyway, I took this [the use of "in my opinion"] to be good academic etiquette.

Very true. The usage becomes important in scientific talks, especially when it comes to differentiating conjecture or impression from sterner stuff.
 

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