Annoying things people say?

[Psy-Fi]

George Carlin- "Everyday Expressions"

[Janszoon]

I can't stand when people finish what they think is an irrefutable statement with "end of". It seems to primarily be a UK thing, but it's so fucking annoying.

[Trollheart]

Not only that, but to my knowledge it's not proper English to end a sentence with of. Other than that one.  But definitely "end of" requires the expected - story, discussion, matter, world, money, patience etc.

[robhr]

Misuse of the word literally is one that bugs me.

That one bugs me also.

And someone saying "I could care less" when what they're trying to say is that they couldn't care less.

Oh yeah that one for me too.

[jimmy jazz]

@Trollheart

I had a long argument with an American friend about the Beach Boys song, God Only Knows.

I tried to explain to him that what they mean is, only God knows. As in only he knows the answer. But what the title implies is something different. That God just knows about something but can't do anything about it.

He didn't think it sounded wrong.

Also another one the Americans like is to say, 'everyone can't do that', meaning not everyone can do something. Again you're saying something different to what you're trying to say.

Stop getting English wrong!

[Janszoon]

@Trollheart

I had a long argument with an American friend about the Beach Boys song, God Only Knows.

I tried to explain to him that what they mean is, only God knows. As in only he knows the answer. But what the title implies is something different. That God just knows about something but can't do anything about it.

He didn't think it sounded wrong.

Also another one the Americans like is to say, 'everyone can't do that', meaning not everyone can do something. Again you're saying something different to what you're trying to say.

Stop getting English wrong!

"God only knows" is a long established idiom though, it's not like The Beach Boys came up with it.

[jimmy jazz]

"God only knows" is an long established idiom though, it's not like The Beach Boys came up with it.

Only God knows who started it I just know that it should be 'only God knows'!

[Janszoon]

Only God knows who started it I just know that it should be 'only God knows'!

That sounds worse.

[Trollheart]

Yeah sure we say it here: who did that? God only knows. Will it be raining tomorrow do you think? God only knows. Will Villa stay up? God only knows. I can't get my head around any other meaning for it. So he thinks it means that God knows, but that's all? He can't do anything about it? God only knows about that earthquake but can't do anything to help? That's nuts. Americans, of all people, hold that God is the guy, so  how can be not be omnipotent? I've never heard of the other one, but both are ridiculous and make no sense.

Another one they have a problem with, according to my brother, is "your man". I don't know if you use it, but over here we say "your man" to indicate a third party not connected with us, eg "Look at your man over there" or "The state of your man". These Americans (Boston I believe) could not understand. This was, apparently, the conversation.

"What do you mean, my man?"
"Not your man. It's just an expression."
"But whose man is it?"
"Nobody's. It's just something we say."
"But why your man? Is he yours?"
"No of course not."
"Then why say it?"
"We just do."
PAUSE
"But I don't get it. Why is he my man?"
"He's not."
"But you said he was."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did. You said your man. That makes him my man. But he's not my man, is he?"
Another PAUSE.
"Is he your man?"
Larger, more annoyed PAUSE.
"I need a drink!"
"Maybe your man will buy it for you."
"Shut the fuck up."

and so on.

[jimmy jazz]

Yeah sure we say it here: who did that? God only knows. Will it be raining tomorrow do you think? God only knows. Will Villa stay up? God only knows. I can't get my head around any other meaning for it. So he thinks it means that God knows, but that's all? He can't do anything about it? God only knows about that earthquake but can't do anything to help? That's nuts. Americans, of all people, hold that God is the guy, so  how can be not be omnipotent? I've never heard of the other one, but both are ridiculous and make no sense.

No you misunderstood.

'God only knows' implies that God knows but that's all.

If you're trying to say the only person who knows is God, which is what people mean when they use this phrase, then it'd be 'only God knows'.

So the idiom 'God only knows' is stupid and wrong.

!!!

[Janszoon]

I'm not much of a grammarian but I think the issue here is that you're assuming "only" is being used as an adjective when it's actually being used as an adverb... or something. Think of it as:

God only knows = God alone knows

[jimmy jazz]

I'm not much of a grammarian but I think the issue here is that you're assuming "only" is being used as an adjective when it's actually being used as an adverb... or something. Think of it as:

God only knows = God alone knows

It can be read that way but nobody speaks like that. When was the last time someone asked you a question that only applied to you and you replied with, 'me only' rather than 'only me'?

There wouldn't be this issue if they'd have gone with 'only God knows'.

End of!

[Janszoon]

It can be read that way but nobody speaks like that. When was the last time someone asked you a question that only applied to you and you replied with, 'me only' rather than 'only me'?

There wouldn't be this issue if they'd have gone with 'only God knows'.

End of!

I don't think I'd reply to a question with either of those phrases. But it's a God thing anyway, and everybody knows God gets His own weird grammar, like capitalizing pronouns.

[jimmy jazz]

fair enough.

[Lexi Darling]

When I was a kid I once attempted to correct the Christian kids' grammar by saying it was "He HAS risen" rather than "He IS risen." I thought I was so smart but I also wanted to get back at them for their terrible bagel jokes toward me, lol.