Annoying phrases.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gringo

it bugs me when someone says that someone "indicated" something. He indicated? Really? He didn't say it, he indicated it. Like a piece of litmus paper.

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I believe you have not thought this one out thoroughly. There are a lot of ways to indicate something without speaking. The description of some of these ways would not survive long in a post on these forums. Therefore in many cases "indicated" is a better choice.

Ken

[Gringo]

The type of "he indicated" that I am bugged about is a substitution for 'he said" or "he explained". The deliberate substitution of the word "indicated" for what was a verbal communication.

[Gene]

To continue being annoying, writing is verbal too (and nounal, adjectival, conjunctive, etc.). Saying and explaining are different as a lot of saying doesn't explain anything.

However, the point may be the difference between Anglo Saxon words (often short) and Latin derived words, often longer. There are often at least 2 words for everything, one Anglo Saxon and one or more, Latin. Because modern English has words from both, we have more words than any other language.

College educated people are more likely to use the words with Latin roots, but so are those trying to impress others and some who have no real idea what they mean. Does this explain, elucidate, enlighten and, of course, indicate anything?

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gringo

The type of "he indicated" that I am bugged about is a substitution for 'he said" or "he explained". The deliberate substitution of the word "indicated" for what was a verbal communication.

It is interesting how different things annoy different people. I have previously listed a few of my annoyances. I would guess that some others would find them to be simply a part of modern English.

To me the words "said" and indicated" in this usage are about the same as the difference between imply and infer. If someone says to me, "He said ......", I take it to mean what follows is nearly a quote.
If someone says to me, "He indicated ....................", I view that as the speaker's interpretation of the original speaker's intent.

Ken

[Gringo]

But if someone says to you that someone "indicated" something, that makes it totally subjective and unreliable. Especially when he didn't indicate it. He said it.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gringo

But if someone says to you that someone "indicated" something, that makes it totally subjective and unreliable. Especially when he didn't indicate it. He said it.

In my opinion; Pretty much so.

If someone said that to me, and I really cared about the subject, I would say, "What exactly did he say?"

Ken

[PhilipKS]

I love it when the ‘ordinary’ people on today’s reality TV try to sound educated by using words they do not really know. The other night, for example, Rick restored something that, “…totally superseded my expectations!”

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

However, the point may be the difference between Anglo Saxon words (often short) and Latin derived words, often longer. There are often at least 2 words for everything, one Anglo Saxon and one or more, Latin. Because modern English has words from both, we have more words than any other language.

Word length is inversely proportional to word importance, at least with regard to nouns and verbs. The shorter the word, the more important the concept it represented for survival.

Examples: Fire, food, life, home, child, mom, dad; all nouns representing important concepts. Eat, drink, bathe, cook, run, swim, fight, hide, see, hear, feel, touch, taste; all verbs representing important concepts.
Thus, one can see the relative importance between the concepts of "education" (4 syllables) and "sense" (1 syllable).

It's usually when people with more education than sense— and often, not enough of either— get hold of language that it gets annoying. That's when they get their tongue wrapped around their eye teeth and can't see what they're saying.

[Foil-warped]

The newscasters are messin' with the English language! As a military brat, I always knew that a "troop" was a group of soldiers; a military unit. My father was part of a troop. One soldier can be referred to as a "trooper". Yet you always hear "four troops etc, etc" when they mean four soldiers. War is hell.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, this used to irritate the young mechanics, at the new car dealership, when us old timers would start out with......"Back in the old days......."

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, this used to irritate the young mechanics, at the new car dealership, when us old timers would start out with......"Back in the old days......."

They only said "Back in the old days" back in the old days.
Now a days, they say "back in the day"
English gets lazier and lazier.
Soon we'll condense whole sentences to one word.
Yo,
maybe we already do.

Ken

[Fly at Night]

"Beyond a reasonable doubt."

Guaranteed to stupefy every jury in the land.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by w7ts

They only said "Back in the old days" back in the old days.
Now a days, they say "back in the day"
English gets lazier and lazier.
Soon we'll condense whole sentences to one word.
Yo,
maybe we already do.

Ken

Hi, I have been retired for about five years now; How do you TEXT "Back in the old days"? People don't even talk anymore. They text a person sitting right next to them.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, this used to irritate the young mechanics, at the new car dealership, when us old timers would start out with......"Back in the old days......."

Wasn't it actually, "Back in the good old days"?

That's actually how I finally started to realize that I was getting old. When I finally had a coworker who was younger than my career, and I could honestly say to him, "I've been doing this since before you were born."

[Skatiero]

Originally Posted by purman

I stay at home with our four kids and run the business end of our office. When ever I go shopping with all the kids. I always here " you have your hands full". Once would be ok. But I was in JC Penny's yesterday and heard it 5 times.

We just say, better than empty! Thanks! (we have seven kids)

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

"Beyond a reasonable doubt."

Guaranteed to stupefy every jury in the land.

It confuses lawyers and judges too. Think if it as: convict if you only have unreasonable doubts.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

It confuses lawyers and judges too. Think if it as: convict if you only have unreasonable doubts.

Gene

I play the odds. 90% are guilty. Therefor I will vote not guilty on the tenth jury I serve on.

Ken

P.S. Here's a valuable tip. To avoid serving on a jury, get in a argument with the defense attorney during jury selection.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Wasn't it actually, "Back in the good old days"?

That's actually how I finally started to realize that I was getting old. When I finally had a coworker who was younger than my career, and I could honestly say to him, "I've been doing this since before you were born."

Hi, I was in a bank once and my wife and I look younger than we are. Some people will even argue with us until I show them my driver's license. I told the young female clerk that I probably graduated from High School before her parents were even born. After exchanging a few numbers, I was right by about one year.

[Janie Q]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

You, too?

Me, too!

[Naper]

And he went like