It changed the course of history

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the critique of commonly misused phrases and expressions in the English language. Participants highlight phrases such as "I could care less," "irregardless," and "literally," emphasizing their annoyance and the confusion they create. The conversation also touches on the implications of these phrases, suggesting that they often reflect a lack of understanding or thoughtfulness in communication. Overall, the forum serves as a platform for sharing frustrations about linguistic inaccuracies and their impact on clarity.

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  • Understanding of common English idioms and phrases
  • Familiarity with linguistic concepts such as irony and satire
  • Awareness of grammatical standards and common errors
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  • Research the origins and correct usage of commonly misused phrases
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Language enthusiasts, educators, writers, and anyone interested in improving their communication skills and understanding of English idioms.

  • #61
Soilwork said:
The only other one I'm going to defend is "you know".
It's OK to use this because in most cases the person does know. Yes it is used because you haven't thought through what you wanted to say, but I always finish the sentence as soon as I've thought how to put it.
In a (I think) strictly Canuk context, it's perfectly acceptable in casual conversation. It's essentially the same as 'eh', but more of a younger generation thing. As in: "That's a right fine sheep you got there, y'know." :biggrin:
 
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  • #62
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh crud, I was mixing up my stories a bit with the use of au jus; as in "with au jus".
Oh, well, you know... if French isn't your first language... I mean, they're almost spelled the same... it's just those probles messing with you. :-p
 
  • #63
Did anyone mention this one: I don't know what I was thinking!

or, "it made sense when I thought about it". So it didn't make sense before you thought about it?
 
  • #64
Ivan Seeking said:
I don't know what I was thinking!
"it made sense when I thought about it". So it didn't make sense before you thought about it?
Right in there with 'It seemed like a good idea at the time'.
 
  • #65
Danger said:
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside a dog, it's too dark to read. :smile:

That one comes from the Master himself: Groucho Marx.

My personal favorite Marxism: Groucho is looking at his watch while taking someone's pulse and says, "Either he's dead or my watch has stopped."
 
  • #66
Danger said:
Right in there with 'It seemed like a good idea at the time'.

But if the converse is true, it would make sense, no?
 
  • #67
TheStatutoryApe said:
I've made it habit to state that things are my opinion and things "seem" a particular way rather than "are".

This is only my fourth post and I'm already referring to Ben Franklin a second time. :rolleyes: Anyway, in his Autobiography he makes a very good case for using "seem" and other modest words and phrases.

Franklin: "I wish well meaning, sensible men would not lessen their power of doing good by a positive, assuming manner, that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which speech was given to us."

TheStatutoryApe said:
And a friend of mine cringes any time he hears acronyms used improperly such as "ATM machine" and "MAOI inhibitors".

I cringe every time I hear myself say "PIN number." :rolleyes:
 
  • #68
Type 7 said:
I cringe every time I hear myself say "PIN number." :rolleyes:

:smile: I catch myself doing that too, though, just as bad, I needed to create a PIN for something, and the instructions said it should be a specified number of characters, which could be any combination of numbers or letters. :rolleyes:
 
  • #69
Actually, all my PIN numbers are letters. :redface: As part of my ongoing mission to overthink everything, I have to make PINs meaningful in some way by turning them into aphoristic acronyms along the lines of Keep It Simple Stupid.

I've yet to notice any actual benefit or improvement to my character from doing this. :smile:
 
  • #70
Type 7 said:
Actually, all my PIN numbers are letters.

Yah. Careful with this one. If you use a password as a PINumber, then next time you come across a pinpad where there are no letters on it, you're SOOL.

Trust me on this one...
 
  • #71
Type 7 said:
That one comes from the Master himself: Groucho Marx.
Thanks. I didn't know that, but it doesn't surprise me.

Type 7 said:
My personal favorite Marxism: Groucho is looking at his watch while taking someone's pulse and says, "Either he's dead or my watch has stopped."
If you're going to get into quoting Groucho, better start a new thread for it. It'll probably be longer than the 'Thread Killer' thread. :biggrin:
 
  • #72
DaveC426913 said:
Yah. Careful with this one. If you use a password as a PINumber, then next time you come across a pinpad where there are no letters on it, you're SOOL.

It has happened and I was indeed SOOL (which would make a good PIN, by the way). For my ATM PIN I now type the numbers while thinking the acronym. :rolleyes:

Yes, I am quite the complicater of life's simplicities, but I see it as taking the scenic route thru life, the long way home. :smile:
 
  • #73
"enter your pin number"
that is like saying "im going to USA america"
 
  • #74
Type 7 said:
I see it as taking the scenic route thru life
I tried that for a while, but I got carsick. :frown:
 
  • #75
Danger said:
If you're going to get into quoting Groucho, better start a new thread for it. It'll probably be longer than the 'Thread Killer' thread. :biggrin:

I'm much too new here to be starting that kind of trouble! :biggrin:
 
  • #76
Type 7 said:
I'm much too new here to be starting that kind of trouble! :biggrin:
It's never too early to make a bad impression. I went from lost-and-bewildered-innocent-young-thing to major-pain-in-the-ass in a couple of weeks... :devil:



Okay, I'm still bewildered... but that's beside the point.
 
  • #77
Danger said:
It's never too early to make a bad impression.

:smile: Sound words to live by!
 
  • #78
Type 7 said:
:smile: Sound words to live by!
And it gets much easier with constant practise. :approve:
 
  • #79
Danger said:
It's never too early to make a bad impression. I went from lost-and-bewildered-innocent-young-thing to major-pain-in-the-ass in a couple of weeks... :devil:

It didn't seem to take that long. :-p
 
  • #80
Moonbear said:
It didn't seem to take that long. :-p
You flatter me.:redface: Perhaps it's a matter of definition. I figured that I was only a minor pain in the ass at first.
 

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