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Words or Phrases That Don't Make Any Sense to You

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Mully

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There are certain phrases or sayings people have that just don't make any sense to you. What are some of yours?

I don't understand when people say "True" to me after I tell them something. It makes me annoyed. It's like they weren't listening, but they want to make it look like they were. What the hell does True mean? I don't get it.
 
When people say "I could care less." I think it should be "I couldn't care less" because it makes more logical sense, but some people will die on that molehill.
 
Southerners saying "I'm fixin' to [do something]", as in they're preparing to do something. That's not what fixing means.

In the same vein as "chasing a fix" or "fixin' for a cig".

So yeah, makes sense.


I hate "it is what it is". Such a throwaway phrase that means nothing.
 
Ending sentences with the word 'but.' I feel like that's an Australian-bogan type thing so I'm not sure how many people experience that overseas but it kind of drives me batty. The conversation would go something like this:

Guy: "Christ that new Katy Perry song is dreadful."
Bogan: "She's got a nice pair of honkers, but."

It seems like, grammatically, the 'but' should be at the start of the sentence but for whatever reason, it's being slapped at the end. Irks me.
 
"To be fair" GAF likes to use this a lot to equivocate. Most of the time its unwarranted or makes no sense.

I love using 'To be fair' and then saying something completely unfair like:

"To be fair, I thought you'd be dead by now."

or

"To be fair, you're much poorer than me so I don't care about you."
 
When people say "I could care less." I think it should be "I couldn't care less" because it makes more logical sense, but some people will die on that molehill.
This one,when ever people say "i could care less" i say back to them "why don't you" it puts a awesome perplexed look on their face.
 
I cringe at the phrase "Keep your cotton picking hands off of me."
 
"Good on you".

Does that mean good luck is upon you? Good for you makes much more sense, but good on you drives me crazy.
 
Could care less is fine.

As is: Fat Chance, and Tell Me About It. Both of which also mean the opposite of that the words say. Check out The Language Instinct By Stephen Pinker.
 
"in my opinion" whose opinion would it be if not yours?

Objective fact. This phrase is used to ensure audiences are aware you are speaking subjectively. Obviously there are times when it's clearly your opinion and that phrase is used anyway, but I generally blame society for that, rather than the speaker. Many people I know would likely misunderstand or be offended if that phrase wasn't used and it's really annoying:

"That movie was horrible."
"Wow no it wasn't. You can't just make a blanket statement like that. I enjoyed it and I'm sure a lot of other people did as well."

versus

"In my opinion, that movie was horrible."
"Fair enough."
 
"At the end of the day....."

I think that's probably an English 'quirk' though.
I also hate the liberal use of the word literally.
I think I will literally kill somebody if they tell me again how they will literally die if they can't go to the toilet within the next minute.
 
Could care less is fine.

As is: Fat Chance, and Tell Me About It. Both of which also mean the opposite of that the words say. Check out The Language Instinct By Stephen Pinker.

It's not fine, because it makes no sense whatsoever. "Sure, fat chance!" is ok, because it's always said sarcastically. "I could care less" is not, it's just wrong. Like "irregardless".
 
Objective fact. This phrase is used to ensure audiences are aware you are speaking subjectively. Obviously there are times when it's clearly your opinion and that phrase is used anyway, but I generally blame society for that, rather than the speaker. Many people I know would likely misunderstand or be offended if that phrase wasn't used and it's really annoying:

"That movie was horrible."
"Wow no it wasn't. You can't just make a blanket statement like that. I enjoyed it and I'm sure a lot of other people did as well."

versus

"In my opinion, that movie was horrible."
"Fair enough."

you make an excellent point, most of the time i see that phrase used when it's obvious it's an opinion which drives me nuts... worst though, is "in my humble opinion." argh
 
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