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 1 of 3 1 2 3
#162906 10/30/06 11:00 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Lately I note this expr used in mitigating response to an unwarranted umbrage, eg

John: What a colorful tie

Bill: So you think it's too bright? That I'm trying to draw attention? You think I'm a showoff?

John: I was just sayin'

I am wondering if you also have picked up on this usage, would you agree with my observation, or given my somewhat inadequate vocabulary, how could I have better described the phenom--thanks all

Last edited by dalehileman; 10/31/06 01:01 PM.

dalehileman
#162907 10/31/06 01:46 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
I ain't sayin', I'm just sayin'.

#162908 10/31/06 11:35 AM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Fal: Good ones

Note that I edited my def in hope of better describing the phenom. Did I succeed and how could it be better put


dalehileman
#162909 10/31/06 04:05 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
I only see it used by children in a pre-emptive strike. They know perfectly well that they're about to say something wrong but they seem to think if they preface it with this magical cantrip no harm will befall them.

Ummm, I'm just sayin', why are you so fat?

#162910 10/31/06 04:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
'Wat ud ye be sayin', mistress?' said the countryman, whose attention the hostess had been unable to gain until he had cleared the passage for a response by an application to the jug.
'Why, I'm just sayin', Mr. Brady, she's a rare mither as ud trusten her wee led to tha Yorksheer measters.'
- E. Lloyd, Grumbleby Hall (1883)

#162911 10/31/06 06:44 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
myr: Good one, I can use it

tsu: Thank you for that. However, in the sense I indicate, the respondent doesn't explain what it is he's sayin'


dalehileman
#162912 10/31/06 10:39 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Quote:

... in the sense I indicate, the respondent doesn't explain what it is he's sayin'




Wull... Cause he just said it.

#162913 10/31/06 11:17 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
D
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Fal: Sorry if I wasn't clear. What I meant to convey was that the expr "I was just sayin'" in the context of the example is one requiring no further elaboration on just what it was that the speaker was sayin' and so stands alone

Last edited by dalehileman; 10/31/06 11:18 PM.

dalehileman
#162914 11/02/06 12:31 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
Another meaningless utterance that irritates me to hear is:
Ya' know

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

My mother-in-law peppers her speech liberally with this phrase:
"I was talking to Karen, ya' know, and she told me she went out to what's-his-name to get, ya' know, another thing for her, ya' know."
And on, and on.

Saddest of all is that, after a telephone conversation with her, my dear wife will carry the (bad) habit in her speech patterns for several hours!

Ya' know what I mean?


"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton
#162915 11/02/06 01:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
like, yeah.


formerly known as etaoin...
Page 1 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 (), 435 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