Businesses are not organic, strictly. My pet hate is "signed off on" - what the fuck? In meaningful human language, we say "signed off", or "approved".
'Pet hate...' My hates are prisoners kept in a dark dungeon with a sewer running through it.
Businesses are not organic, strictly. My pet hate is "signed off on" - what the fuck? In meaningful human language, we say "signed off", or "approved".
'Pet hate...' My hates are prisoners kept in a dark dungeon with a sewer running through it.
Well yes, but this is about turns of phrase which turn our stomach. Not moral outrages. Moral outrages go elsewhere.
A lawyer friend objected vigorously to the expression "lawyer-like." What is that supposed to mean, he would ask. "He took a very lawyer-like approach to the matter." How else is a lawyer supposed to approach a matter?
One thing is dislike is what might be called "meaningless superlative inflation".
For instance, if I'm in a shop paying for my purchases, and my debit card works first time, why is that - according to assistant - "amazing"? It's just normal.
Not if the norm is for the card not to work on the first swipe.
My lawyer friend, by the way, was asked to issue an opinion as to the financial integrity of a party to a transaction. He began his letter by reviewing the steps he took in forming the opinion, and then wrote: "Based on the foregoing, we opine as follows:".
I told him that was very lawyer-like.
I've never seen "opine" anywhere, either in speech or in writing, except as used by my lawyer friend.
One thing is dislike is what might be called "meaningless superlative inflation".
For instance, if I'm in a shop paying for my purchases, and my debit card works first time, why is that - according to assistant - "amazing"? It's just normal.
If it ever takes two swipes, check your bank account as soon as possible. That can (not always) be an indication of hacking, such as happened to me a couple of months ago using a wireless payment terminal. Since then I've found that paying directly with the phone is better - something to do with data encryption at both ends.
It's a regionalism. Parts of California use "guys" for both men and women. Time to get over being horrified by other people's regional dialect, I think.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
We once went for posh afternoon tea for my birthday and the receptionist asked the occasion and then said ‘amazing’. As she led us to the table I was muttering to Mr Heavenly ‘no it’s not, I have one every year’.
I hate being addressed like a child when in a restaurant and the server comes and says "what are we ordering?" or "have we finished?" There are many other examples.
I am always tempted to reply "Oh, are you joining us?"
There are some narrow lanes near here, well used by traffic in the peak hours. It only needs one large lorry to come along and the roads block up, causing frustration and posts on our community Facebook page of "It's total carnage in the lanes".
Well, that's a different matter. I was merely talking about traffic building up as it tries to squeeze through, no doubt with hooting and cursing.
The lanes are rarely used by pedestrians, they would be quite dangerous.
That saddens me. How have we got to a stage where walking down a country lane has become dangerous? There are so many people who shouldn't have driving licences if that's the case.
Problem is that it's on the edge of town and quite heavily used as a rat-run by commuters. It's national speed limit, there are no pavements, and some bends. I don't like driving along it as I think that most people drive too fast. It runs from 51°32'14.2"N 3°08'44.4"W to 51°32'23.7"N 3°10'00.1"W. You will see from G++gl+ that a lot of building is going on, too, with more to come.
It's a regionalism. Parts of California use "guys" for both men and women. Time to get over being horrified by other people's regional dialect, I think.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
Thank you! I was beginning to wonder if I'd go the rest of my life having people look squiggle-eyed at my usage and tell me that "nobody REALLY does that, you must be mistaken."
It's a regionalism. Parts of California use "guys" for both men and women. Time to get over being horrified by other people's regional dialect, I think.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
My wife and I are no longer surprised when a server in a restaurant addresses us together as 'you guys'. (Southern Ontario, Canada). I must in danger of losing my curmudgeon licence, because it doesn't even affect the tip now.
It's a regionalism. Parts of California use "guys" for both men and women. Time to get over being horrified by other people's regional dialect, I think.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
And in UK. I have many times heard it used by young women when addressing a group of females or a mixed group.
It's a regionalism. Parts of California use "guys" for both men and women. Time to get over being horrified by other people's regional dialect, I think.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
Thank you! I was beginning to wonder if I'd go the rest of my life having people look squiggle-eyed at my usage and tell me that "nobody REALLY does that, you must be mistaken."
Years ago, on another forum, someone overseas told me I was wrong because someone in Australia they knew said so!
My wife and I are no longer surprised when a server in a restaurant addresses us together as 'you guys'.
Say what you want, I still love to hate the usage -- which is what this thread is all about, isn't it?
And gone are the days, I guess, when gentleman orders for the lady.
[Miss Amanda runs and ducks in anticipation of the diatribe to come for that remark.]
Tangentially... A few months ago we were in a pub in Limerick where I ordered a pint of the local stout. The barman asked my wife what she wanted, and she told him, "I'll just take a sip of his". "You can't do that!" said the barman, and brought her a half pint. An entirely satisfactory outcome for all concerned.
The barman asked my wife what she wanted, and she told him, "I'll just take a sip of his". "You can't do that!" said the barman, and brought her a half pint.
On another tangent . . . reminds me of an experience I had at a diner in Los Angeles: The Pantry. Los Angelenos will know it well. "Never closed, never without a customer." The Pantry is famous for, among other things, its huge portions and excellent sourdough bread, which they make into toast for breakfast.
I was doing the Scarsdale Diet -- low on carbs. I went to the Pantry for breakfast and ordered bacon and eggs, no potatoes, no toast. The gentleman sitting next to me at the counter likewise ordered breakfast but with potatoes and toast. His toast looked so delicious and tempting that I said to the waiter, "I'll have some toast too." "Oh, no, you won't!" the waiter replied, shaking his finger. "I know what diet you're on!"
What the hell does “Smart casual” mean? It seems to be code for such a wide variety of dress codes from no vests and beach wear to no need to wear a tie at the other (and ladies are cut more slack).
I am a literalist so guidance might help.
What the hell does “Smart casual” mean? It seems to be code for such a wide variety of dress codes from no vests and beach wear to no need to wear a tie at the other (and ladies are cut more slack).
I am a literalist so guidance might help.
It gets even more confusing for some of us, given that it involves a meaning of smart not used in the US.
I take it to mean the best examples of what you usually wear. So in my case it would be the newer trousers, a top that was actually ironed, one of the more successful knits. Smart without the casual would be more gender-typical involving tights and skirts and tailored jackets.
it involves a meaning of smart not used in the US.
Oh, I don't know about that. I've seen "smart" used to mean "snazzy", "spiffed up", as well as "on the ball intellectually."
I haven’t heard that since my childhood (the 1960s), and even then I only heard it as part of the phrase “Well, don’t you look smart?,” or a variation of that. Even then the meaning of smart was at best a vague “nice.” It was kind of a version of “Well, you sure clean up good” (which I still hear).
But I’ve never in the US encountered smart as a descriptor of expected attire, and I think only a very small percentage of Americans would have any clue what is intended by that descriptor.
But maybe I should say it’s a meaning of smart not used in my part of the US, except possibly by people in their 80s or older, and let it go at that.
Comments
'Pet hate...' My hates are prisoners kept in a dark dungeon with a sewer running through it.
Well yes, but this is about turns of phrase which turn our stomach. Not moral outrages. Moral outrages go elsewhere.
For instance, if I'm in a shop paying for my purchases, and my debit card works first time, why is that - according to assistant - "amazing"? It's just normal.
My lawyer friend, by the way, was asked to issue an opinion as to the financial integrity of a party to a transaction. He began his letter by reviewing the steps he took in forming the opinion, and then wrote: "Based on the foregoing, we opine as follows:".
I told him that was very lawyer-like.
I've never seen "opine" anywhere, either in speech or in writing, except as used by my lawyer friend.
If it ever takes two swipes, check your bank account as soon as possible. That can (not always) be an indication of hacking, such as happened to me a couple of months ago using a wireless payment terminal. Since then I've found that paying directly with the phone is better - something to do with data encryption at both ends.
Anywhere in Australia "guys" can be heard referring to women.
I'm also amused when a famous actor or singer is described as "legendary". "No," I want to say, "They're real!"
Or “Iconic”. I try to imagine an effigy or a portrait of said person being paraded through the streets.
I am always tempted to reply "Oh, are you joining us?"
"Virtual" as a synonym of "veritable." "That storm is a virtual disaster." No, it actually is a disaster. It's a veritable disaster.
With respect, it isn't. At least, I hope not.
The lanes are rarely used by pedestrians, they would be quite dangerous.
That saddens me. How have we got to a stage where walking down a country lane has become dangerous? There are so many people who shouldn't have driving licences if that's the case.
Thank you! I was beginning to wonder if I'd go the rest of my life having people look squiggle-eyed at my usage and tell me that "nobody REALLY does that, you must be mistaken."
My wife and I are no longer surprised when a server in a restaurant addresses us together as 'you guys'. (Southern Ontario, Canada). I must in danger of losing my curmudgeon licence, because it doesn't even affect the tip now.
And in UK. I have many times heard it used by young women when addressing a group of females or a mixed group.
And gone are the days, I guess, when gentleman orders for the lady.
[Miss Amanda runs and ducks in anticipation of the diatribe to come for that remark.]
Years ago, on another forum, someone overseas told me I was wrong because someone in Australia they knew said so!
Tangentially... A few months ago we were in a pub in Limerick where I ordered a pint of the local stout. The barman asked my wife what she wanted, and she told him, "I'll just take a sip of his". "You can't do that!" said the barman, and brought her a half pint. An entirely satisfactory outcome for all concerned.
I was doing the Scarsdale Diet -- low on carbs. I went to the Pantry for breakfast and ordered bacon and eggs, no potatoes, no toast. The gentleman sitting next to me at the counter likewise ordered breakfast but with potatoes and toast. His toast looked so delicious and tempting that I said to the waiter, "I'll have some toast too." "Oh, no, you won't!" the waiter replied, shaking his finger. "I know what diet you're on!"
He brought me the toast anyway.
I am a literalist so guidance might help.
This might be a good place to mention the old tongue-twister:
One smart fellow, he felt smart.
Two smart fellows, they felt smart.
Three smart fellows, they all felt smart.
But I’ve never in the US encountered smart as a descriptor of expected attire, and I think only a very small percentage of Americans would have any clue what is intended by that descriptor.
But maybe I should say it’s a meaning of smart not used in my part of the US, except possibly by people in their 80s or older, and let it go at that.