John Cleese on American Language
Wonderful :D I feel much the same of the American usage of the phrase, All of "the" Sudden.
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Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 12:59,
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I wish to protest
that I have never said All of "the" Sudden. "A" sudden, perhaps, and I won't speculate about the rightness of that, I mean frankly I couldn't care less (AH HA!), but never "the" sudden. The sudden what? I don't believe the usage exists. I won't believe it.
All that said, this is brilliant. Yay Cleese!
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:30,
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*Citation Provided*
grammartips.homestead.com/sudden.html
I also hate hearing people, mainly on US television, using the phrase, "It's not that big of a deal."
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Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:31,
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Ooh, I hate that also.
*hates with hatred*
I still can't get over "All of the sudden." Who says that? Wankers, obviously.
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:37,
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I have heard it used on pretty much every
American program I have seen in the last couple of years. It may have been going on longer, but not that I recall.
Edit: First hit that came up on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iovU5QWWDRA
May not be in the video, I didn't watch it, but the title says it all :D
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Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 13:41,
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I say "all the sudden"
But I hate "irregardless"
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setimret likes his metaphors mixed, not stirred, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:00,
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me too, although that's just categorically incorrect rather than a clumsy bastardisation.
It'd be like saying 'uninattentive' or something. It's just not a word, and a sort of mangled tautology to boot.
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grey kid is breakdancing to save a community centre, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:32,
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My mate went to america.
Apparently they say 'absolutely' after each sentence.
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@RBFesquire Good luck b3ta, was nice knowing you. So long., Wed 1 Oct 2008, 18:27,
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Yes. That;s right. Yes, we do.
No doubt about that whatever.
Happens all the time.
I've never not heard it said.
Not once in thirty-two years.
Never.
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 19:06,
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Nice misplaced semicolon action there, missus.
Yes. Absolutely. Why, thank you. Absolutely.
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 19:08,
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Whichever you prefer.
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 0:56,
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Aww. Let's hug in a platonic fashion. :D
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notmoro and mrnotmoro : formerly Ishamael and his Missus, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 17:38,
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Me too...
Though gotten is actually the regular form (like bit/bitten) and we proper English speakers just stopped using it.
wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_gotten_correct_grammar
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collapsibletank procreates, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 18:58,
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Hate "gotten?" What do you say?
"I still haven't _______ any bread to make sandwiches."
(, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 20:29, Reply)
Although,
technically "could" is the past tense of "can", so maybe they're emphasising their past ability to care, in contrast to the present.
(, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 19:39, Reply)
I think you are missing the point Sir Cleese is making.
It is the lack of "not" that matters.
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Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 0:49,
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No I'm not
It's like if someone says "do you have a good job" and you say "I did". "Did" being the past tense of "do" - thus emphasing the lack of having a good job in the present tense. Since "could" is the past tense of "can", as well as the conditional present (or something), then this could be what Americans mean.
(, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 19:34, Reply)
I think language usage shouldn't be overanalyzed
In the end, language is just bunch of highly advanced grunts and barks. Squeals too, if your mom is involved. So vernacular should be embraced, because it gets the point across fine. That's why I hate it when people point out slight "mistakes," when in fact they know perfectly well what I was talking about even if my usage was contradictory.
But all of a sudden, I realize that I could care less what you think of my language.
(, Wed 1 Oct 2008, 20:24, Reply)
I very much agree.
However; when people use a phrase, when they are patently intending a certain inference and it is wrong, then they deserve correction.
That is where you are wrong. Communication is a collection of common grunts and barks. But a language is a set way of using them.
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Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 0:56,
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