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Post by Backdrifter on Apr 22, 2019 21:16:52 GMT
Starting sentences with “I mean...” People wouldn’t and don’t talk like that. Or if they did the circumstances in which they would start a sentence like that are rare. It’s an affectation. I think I do this. I'm not sure though. In that sense I don't think I do it as an affectation because I'm not usually aware of it. Or I've done it before I realise it. It's a bit like an "erm". I think Tony Blair did it a lot. I'm picturing lots of his sentences beginning "I mean... Look..." while the hands did the holding an invisible box at the sides and shaking it thing. |
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Post by mistressjojo on Apr 23, 2019 2:41:59 GMT
Going back to a topic discussed earlier in this thread, old Australians like me used the word 'good' to mean 'OK', 'noted' or 'understood' in both positive and negative situations. I don't know whether this usage continues nowadays, but it used to lead to some curious conversational exchanges, like:
Landlord: "I am increasing your rent from £500 per month to £800 per month."
Tenant: "Good."
I still occasionally say 'Good-o' to denote something is understood or noted. And some people alternate this with 'Right-o'. Neither term mean a thing is good or right, just that it's understood. 'I'm taking the car tomorrow' 'Good -o. ' It's a bit of an Aussie thing, ending things with 'o' .  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 7:21:26 GMT
Starting sentences with “I mean...” People wouldn’t and don’t talk like that. Or if they did the circumstances in which they would start a sentence like that are rare. It’s an affectation. I think I do this. I'm not sure though. In that sense I don't think I do it as an affectation because I'm not usually aware of it. Or I've done it before I realise it. It's a bit like an "erm". I think Tony Blair did it a lot. I'm picturing lots of his sentences beginning "I mean... Look..." while the hands did the holding an invisible box at the sides and shaking it thing. Oh, I do it ALL THE TIME. I don't filter for message boards (well, I do, otherwise I'd be kicked off for swearing), I type how I talk. For me, "I mean" is a verbal placeholder for the beginning of a statement where I need a fraction of a second more to double check that what comes out next is going to make sense but also I just want to make sure people have that fraction of a second to tune into the fact that I'm speaking, in much the same way that SO MANY others begin their sentences with the much-derided "so". I appreciate that it's grammatically incoherent, but people would and do talk like that. Every time you see me do it on the board, that's evidence that I am in fact one of those people and it does in fact happen. Unrarely.  |
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Post by Backdrifter on Apr 23, 2019 7:39:44 GMT
I think I do this. I'm not sure though. In that sense I don't think I do it as an affectation because I'm not usually aware of it. Or I've done it before I realise it. It's a bit like an "erm". I think Tony Blair did it a lot. I'm picturing lots of his sentences beginning "I mean... Look..." while the hands did the holding an invisible box at the sides and shaking it thing. Oh, I do it ALL THE TIME. I don't filter for message boards (well, I do, otherwise I'd be kicked off for swearing), I type how I talk. For me, "I mean" is a verbal placeholder for the beginning of a statement where I need a fraction of a second more to double check that what comes out next is going to make sense but also I just want to make sure people have that fraction of a second to tune into the fact that I'm speaking, in much the same way that SO MANY others begin their sentences with the much-derided "so". I appreciate that it's grammatically incoherent, but people would and do talk like that. Every time you see me do it on the board, that's evidence that I am in fact one of those people and it does in fact happen. Unrarely. That's interesting, I now realise you're referring to writing "I mean". While I know I do it in conversation it would never occur to me to write it other than in its literal use, anymore than I'd write in the various ums and ers that pop up in speech. That said, I find it a bit irritating when people do write "ummm" at the start of things, in that "well actually, no" sort of way. With "So..." I think I noticed that use of it written down before I realised it had become common in speech. In conversation I can almost understand it in the same way as um and 'I mean' but written down it looks ludicrous. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 7:48:47 GMT
I say it verbally, and I write it on social media because I say it verbally. I don't think Burly specified whether it was verbal or written use that ticked him off though, probably both! I'm not sure I would've used the word "affectation" myself, I always understood that to mean people were being pretentious in the thing they've affected to do or say, and I don't know that there's anything inherently pretentious about linguistic placeholders like "so" and "erm" and "I mean". I'll accept "ludicrous" though, that's fair. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 10:40:21 GMT
That said, I find it a bit irritating when people do write "ummm" at the start of things, in that "well actually, no" sort of way. "Ummm" is a funny one. In speech it means "I am about to say something but I'm not entirely sure what it will be so give me a moment to get my thoughts in order". In writing it means "You are the most numbingly stupid creature that has ever existed and the only positive contribution you will ever make to this world is as fertiliser following your death". |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 10:43:04 GMT
"Drop"
As in "Netflix drops new series of x" for instance.
Oh, so Netflix has cancelled the new series of x? No, they have released the new series of x.
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Post by sparky5000 on Apr 23, 2019 10:48:55 GMT
Whenever I watch Match Of The Day and the pundits say “them players” 😐
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Post by d'James on Apr 23, 2019 11:31:33 GMT
"Drop" As in "Netflix drops new series of x" for instance. Oh, so Netflix has cancelled the new series of x? No, they have released the new series of x.  |
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Post by Backdrifter on Apr 23, 2019 13:33:30 GMT
"Drop" As in "Netflix drops new series of x" for instance. Oh, so Netflix has cancelled the new series of x? No, they have released the new series of x. Yes! Thank you. I meant to say this but forgot. Artists now "drop" a new track or album. And if you must say it, don't be over 21. I hear people in their 40s and 50s saying it and it makes me cringe even more. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 13:42:20 GMT
Yes! Thank you. I meant to say this but forgot. Artists now "drop" a new track or album. And if you must say it, don't be over 21. I hear people in their 40s and 50s saying it and it makes me cringe even more. "Greg Doran drops new RSC season brochure" |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 14:24:10 GMT
Oh yes, 'dropping' definitely. Also celebrities who apparently SLAM other celebrities, when actually they just said something mildly negative. This often apparently causes the slammed celebrity to CLAP BACK.
Load of bloody codswallop if you ask me.
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Post by alece10 on Apr 23, 2019 14:38:52 GMT
Everyone these days seems to be "super excited" and everything is "super cool".
Is it another youth thing?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 14:43:38 GMT
Definitely not, "super" is my modifier of choice and I am closer to 40 than I ever believed I would be when I was a youth. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 14:47:06 GMT
Oh! I can't abide 'super' used like that. Super excited, super worried, super hyped. Aaaaargh.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 15:23:58 GMT
Oh, and what's this 'lowkey' thing about? I'm lowkey excited, I've been lowkey looking forward to... I assume it means a sort of minor, low level amount of the thing?
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Post by daisy24601 on Apr 23, 2019 21:46:55 GMT
Oh yes, 'dropping' definitely. Also celebrities who apparently SLAM other celebrities, when actually they just said something mildly negative. This often apparently causes the slammed celebrity to CLAP BACK. Load of bloody codswallop if you ask me. Oh, and what's this 'lowkey' thing about? I'm lowkey excited, I've been lowkey looking forward to... I assume it means a sort of minor, low level amount of the thing? I seem to spend my time in this thread agreeing with you. Slam/shade, *name* shades *name*. Tends to be the media pitting one (usually female) against another to create scandal that doesn't exist. Totally don't get the lowkey thing either, is there a highkey equivalent? |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 7:12:59 GMT
I seem to spend my time in this thread agreeing with you. Slam/shade, *name* shades *name*. Tends to be the media pitting one (usually female) against another to create scandal that doesn't exist. Totally don't get the lowkey thing either, is there a highkey equivalent? Highkey = super, obvs. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 7:43:54 GMT
I said 'fabulous' in response to something in work the other week and the woman on the phone thought it was 'HYSTERICAL' and called me a 'blast from the past'....I think I'm just a bit 'theatrical' for the visual arts world...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 8:05:58 GMT
Oh. I say fabulous all the time. Also blimey and gosh. I am old though.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 8:11:10 GMT
Oh. I say fabulous all the time. Also blimey and gosh. I am old though. Oh I say blimey too! it's such a great non-sweary exclamation! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 8:15:41 GMT
I work in a college with young people, so I need to not swear. But I work in a college with young people, so I want to swear. Hence lots of blimeys, goshes, oh my words and goodness mes.
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Post by Backdrifter on Apr 24, 2019 8:28:13 GMT
I work in a college with young people, so I need to not swear. But I work in a college with young people, so I want to swear. Hence lots of blimeys, goshes, oh my words and goodness mes. Lawks a mercy! (PS you left out 'crikey') |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 10:29:43 GMT
I said 'fabulous' in response to something in work the other week and the woman on the phone thought it was 'HYSTERICAL' and called me a 'blast from the past'....I think I'm just a bit 'theatrical' for the visual arts world... Reminds me of the time I was on the phone to a very posh man in the Royal Opera box office, who was very helpful in sorting out some ticket exchanges. Me: "Thank's, that's fantastic!" Him: "No, it actually happened!" |
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Post by tmesis on Apr 24, 2019 10:47:30 GMT
I hate the use of the word 'recognise' by politicians. Theresa May is the chief culprit, so she will say something like:
'I recognise the concerns of the Windrush generation,' or 'I recognise that many people have reservations about the Irish backstop.'
It's usually an excuse for weasel words since it doesn't commit to any action and actually means:
'I'm bringing the subject up to show faux concern, and to demonstrate I'm a compassionate person, but I'm actually going to do bugger-all about it.'
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