Stuff that People Say

[dgs49]

Go into a fast food joint. The guy behind the counter asks, "Can I help who's next?

WTF?

It seems to me that if the person behind the counter can see the customer who is next in line, it is appropriate for him to ask, "Can I help you?" If he can't tell who is next because people are milling around, it might be appropriate for him to ask, "Who is next?" Followed by, "Can I help you?"

But, "Can I help who's next?" is nonsense.

It is also common for the person to look you in the eye and ask, "Is this for the dining room?"

The question in my mind is always, what does "this" refer to? Me? Something in my hand? In his hand? I don't get it.

Would it be too challenging to ask, "Will you be eating your meal in our dining room, or taking it out?"

When a waitress deposits my food on the table in a restaurant, the usual sign off is, "Enjoy."

Enjoy is what is referred to as a "transitive verb," meaning that it must have a direct object. It is grammatically bizarre to say simply, "Enjoy," without indicating what it is that she would like me to enjoy.

Would it be too much trouble to say, "Enjoy your meal"? Too pressed for time?

It has become routine to respond to "Thank you," with "No problem."

Who said that it WAS a problem?

The customary response to "Thank you," is "You are welcome." Why is "No problem," better or preferred? It usually makes no sense; it's no easier to say than "You're welcome," and it sounds almost argumentative. ("You got a problem wit' dat?")

I noted on another thread that the expression, "The proof of the pudding is in the tasting," has been bizarrely truncated to, "The proof is in the pudding," which makes no sense at all. It sounds like the person ought to be careful when eating "the pudding," because it might have a foreign substance or object in it.

And in most cases when "The proof is in the pudding" is used, it would be better simply to say, "We'll have to wait and see (how it works out)."

It is obvious that most Americans never actually look in a mirror to see what they look like, and neither do they listen to what they are saying to see if it makes any sense.

[Joe Guy]

Just goes to show you...

[Lord Jim]

It has become routine to respond to "Thank you," with "No problem."

That's terrible.

Everyone knows the correct response is "Not a problem"....

I'll tell you one that grinds my gears....it's an old one:

"You can't have your cake and eat it too"

Like hell you can't!

If you"have" it, then clearly you can eat it....Sheesh, the whole purpose of "having" cake is to "eat" it....

What you can not do...

Absolutely can not do....

Is "eat your cake and have it too"....

Because as any moron can grasp, once you've "eaten" the cake, it is impossible to still "have" it....

That is the way that saying ought to go...

I DO NOT want to have to explain this again....

[loCAtek]

This isn't exactly what you went through, but I've just been wanting to rant about this;

My park office doesn't have voicemail, but uses an answering service so that you can still talk to a real person, which is nice, but the operators have no idea how this mobile home park is run.

In leaving a message the other day, the lady asked for my name, number, address and lot number. I gave her the first three, and stopped because here our address number is the same as our lot number (I assumed she knew that) So, she replies, "..and what's your lot number?" I answer with my address, which she interrupts and asks again, "What's your lot number?"
So, I answer with just the numbers in my address 'X-X-X-X-X'.

Again she asks, "What's your lot number?"

'X-X-X-X-X'

"What's your LOT number?"

'X-X-X-X-X'


No attempt to ask if my address and lot number were the same, just the angry assumption that I had to be wrong.

[Scooter]

It has become routine to respond to "Thank you," with "No problem."

That's terrible.

Everyone knows the correct response is "Not a problem"....

What kind of Southerner are you? Everyone knows the correct response to "thank you" is "uh-huh".

[dales]

Go into a fast food joint. The guy behind the counter asks, "Can I help who's next?

WTF?

1. It's a "fast food joint" not a five-star restaurant.

2. "May I help who's next?"

[Sean]

Language evolves, common phrases evolve. As long as each party knows what the other is trying to communicate is there really a problem?

I trust that you never EVER use slang terms Dave?
Or hyperbole for that matter...

Because otherwise you would just be a hypocritical Grammar Nazi.

[loCAtek]

I'm so bookmarking that post.

[dgs49]

I use slang terms and poor grammar all the time - usually sarcastically or ironically. I use terms like, "onliest" (only) "aks" (ask), and "Picksburg" (Pittsburgh). I also use the vulgar term for copulation regularly.

But the fact is that when you say things that make no sense you sound like a moron, and often this is not the case. It is no more challenging to speak clearly and with proper grammar.

What passes through your mind when you hear half a phone conversation that includes, "Where are you at?"

It is similar to one's dress of one's grooming. The way you speak sends messages about yourself to the outside world - especially people who don't know you. It can brand you as uneducated, careless, a snob, or intelligent. Take your pick.

Another expression that drives me up the wall - and it is UBIQUITOUS - "X got screwed," or "X got the shaft."

Is this really how we want to express the thought that someone was cheated or taken advantage of?

Do people think before they use that grotesque expression? When I hear it on the radio it makes my brain pucker.

[Sean]

Do people think before they use that grotesque expression? When I hear it on the radio it makes my brain pucker.

Wow! So your brain physically changes shape! Does it hurt? Have you seen a doctor about it?

[loCAtek]

I just used one as I ran out the door to get "one-more-thing!" ...ok, it was cranberry sauce. I'd been cleaning up all day; squeezed in some shopping; got home and my neighbor with the leaf blower was out and generously offered to clean my carport, since it's adjacent to his lot [dammit!] so, I had to pitch in and move trash cans and lawn chairs, etc. out of his way ~whew~. Now, since the Queen is making ALL the Christmas Eve dinner, plus cookies; the least I could do was go pick up a can of cranberry sauce. She put up a mild protest, that I should take a rest and I automatically replied;

"No rest for the wicked!"


I know it comes from two different phrases: "No rest for the weary" and "No peace for the wicked", but in my house my Dad always said the above, so I do it now too. I hear it around, and my roommate recognized it so, it's out there in common usage. Deal with it!

[The Hen]

Where I am from, when you thank someone for their actions, or ask them to do something for you, you are likely to receive the reply "No worries" or "Not a problem".

I like both expressions, I use them myself.

Language, like most things in life, is fluid. Txt-speak is now also commonplace and gaining acceptance in dictionaries.

You are likely to be irritated and increasingly disappointed with society if you rail against common word usage.

[loCAtek]

'Disappointed' the new way to be or not to be ...like hen.

[The Hen]

'Disappointed' the new way to be or not to be ...like hen.

Shit-stirring again Lo?

Do you have nothing better to do with yourself? Are you that lonely?

I am so sorry for you. Try and enjoy the season and find peace within yourself this season.

Best wishes to you.

[Sean]

I think she's missing the drama as you and Gob haven't been posting so much Hen...

[The Hen]

Of course she is.

[Gob]

Fucking Yanks fucking with our fucking language again.

The correct expression is; "the proof of the pudding is in the EATING!" The word "proof" there used having the same intent as the expression; "it's the exception which proves the rule." The word "proves" being used to denote "tests".

It is not possible to "have your cake AND eat it," as the act of eating deprives you of said cake. For fuck's sake Jim!

My particular pet hates at the moment are people using "affect" when they mean "effect", and people who use "that" when they mean "which." While we've been in the UK we have seen some spectacular examples of the "grocer's apostrophe too, for example "cap's" and "spa's".

I love grammar Nazism, it is good for the language.

Also everyone knows the correct response to any waitress in a fast food joint is; "lick my balls bitch."

[Sean]

My particular pet hates at the moment are people using "affect" when they mean "effect", and people who use "that" when they mean "which."

*Stores away for future use*

[loCAtek]

~Heh, Hen you're not disappointed? Then why are you projecting so?

Just curious, Merry Christmas.

[BoSoxGal]

I want to climb the walls when I see 'could of' 'would of' or 'should of'.

And people who don't understand why 'me and my friends are going out' is not proper grammar. Seriously? Ignorant much?

I am a proper grammar Nazi.