Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
#162916 11/02/06 01:09 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
1. "I'm just saying" (and its variants) isn't meaningless.

b. How do you know "y'know" dates from the early 80s? Which century?

iii. What's the apostrophe doing in your spelling of the term?

Enquiring minds want to know. At least this one does.

#162917 11/02/06 03:13 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Casssell's places "you know" at late 19C+

One might suppose the apostrophe replaces "ou"

Irritates me too 'cause, y' know, I'm a prescriptivist


dalehileman
#162918 11/02/06 03:19 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>One might suppose the apostrophe replaces "ou"

now explain "ya' know"..

#162919 11/02/06 03:37 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Quote:

>One might suppose the apostrophe replaces "ou"

now explain "ya' know"..





tsanks for, ah, spelling out the question, tsuwm. Guess I wasn't clear, huh.

#162920 11/02/06 04:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
Quote:

1. "I'm just saying" (and its variants) isn't meaningless.

b. How do you know "y'know" dates from the early 80s? Which century?

iii. What's the apostrophe doing in your spelling of the term?

Enquiring minds want to know. At least this one does.



From personal experience, I recall this becoming prevalent during the "hippies" era of American History. That was a time when things were,
cool
boss
hip
heavy
groovy (much later, toward the Disco era)
et cetera.


"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton
#162921 11/02/06 05:25 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
Quote:

1. "I'm just saying" (and its variants) isn't meaningless.



I guess that depends on what you mean by meaning

You are so ugly.
vs.
I'm just saying, you are so ugly.

Does one really make you want to hit the speaker any less than the other?

#162922 11/02/06 10:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Quote:

Another meaningless utterance that irritates me to hear is:
Ya' know




There's a term for this sort of locution. Other varieties are "um", "er" and "uh". They're used to continue speech flow while the speaker is framing his thoughts thus avoiding being interrupted by someone who thinks the speaker has finished talking.

Quote:

A carry-over from the early '80s it is overused ... far too frequently.




Is there another way to overuse something?

#162923 11/03/06 01:57 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>There's a term for this..

here's one -- I don't know if this is yours..

embolalia
the use of... um... virtually meaningless filler words, phrases, or... er... stammerings (or so-called hesitation-forms) in speech, whether as... uh... unconscious utterings while arranging one's thoughts or as... like... a vacuous, inexpressive... you know... mannerism

#162924 11/03/06 10:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Works for me.

I guess the reason some complain about some of these, e.g., "ya know" or "like", but not others, e.g., "um" or "er", is that the dissaproved terms have a life beyond their embolality and are thus somehow traitors. The words that are otherwise meaningless don't have anything to live up to and do not betray.

#162925 11/03/06 01:16 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Is there another way to overuse something?

Page 2 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5