Author Topic: Funny English and Linguistics stuff... (Read 204093 times)

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #900 on:** June 11, 2014, 11:46:55 AM »

My ma was a school teacher, and she said that the kids in her class thought that The Star Spangled Banner was addressing some guy named Jose: "Jose, can you see . . ."

BlackBlade · « **Reply #901 on:** June 11, 2014, 04:25:38 PM »

I honestly don't know if we did the pledge of allegiance at all in my school. I definitely did it in cub scouts, but I'm not sure if that's where I learned it.

dkw · « **Reply #902 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:58:20 PM »

Our school says the pledge every day, but they do not sing the national anthem. The kids learn a bunch of other (easier to sing) patriotic songs in music class.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #903 on:** June 11, 2014, 08:14:36 PM »

Yeah. My school was an American curriculum and owned by the Missouri Lutheran Synod. So part of me feels like in elementary school they probably taught us the pledge of allegiance, but we certainly didn't recite it in middle school or high school. It would have probably been problematic because we were like 30% American while I was there, and obviously other countries nationals wouldn't be required to say the pledge.

We did have mandatory chapel all through school. Maybe it balances out.

Brinestone · « **Reply #904 on:** June 12, 2014, 03:42:51 PM »

My kids say the pledge every day at public school.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #905 on:** June 13, 2014, 08:44:33 AM »

I keep hearing about the World Cup on the radio, and every time, I think about how a Brazilian sounds like a really huge number.

She dated two Brazilian guys when she was in high school. (What a promiscuous young lady!)

Three Brazilian tourists were injured in the bus accident (That must have been a very overcrowded bus!)

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #906 on:** June 14, 2014, 08:13:20 PM »

I've heard jokes with different variations of that punchline and they are without fail hilarious. One of them had one of George W. Bush's advisors telling him that they had 100 Brazilian troops pledged to help in a military maneuver.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #907 on:** June 30, 2014, 06:15:04 PM »

Why do we even call it a suitcase? We don't put suits in it. We put suits in a garment bag. The garment bag should be the suitcase and the suitcase should be the garment bag.

My grandparents used to call a small suitcase a valise, but I don't ever hear anyone call it that anymore; they say overnight bag, so it's not like we're opposed to changing the names of the luggage.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #908 on:** July 09, 2014, 01:06:49 AM »

Jonathon: You might as well add to your knowledge base by learning the CIA's Style Manual.

Link to actual guide.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #909 on:** July 10, 2014, 11:05:22 AM »

Quote from: Tante Shvester on June 30, 2014, 06:15:04 PM

Why do we even call it a suitcase? We don't put suits in it. We put suits in a garment bag. The garment bag should be the suitcase and the suitcase should be the garment bag.

Garment box, maybe? Because it's harder than a bag. And the suits will be going into something softer. A suitbag.

Quote

My grandparents used to call a small suitcase a valise, but I don't ever hear anyone call it that anymore;

French people say it all the time

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #910 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:03:00 AM »

Can anyone explain to me why they are called movie trailers, when they show them before the movie?

rivka · « **Reply #911 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:22:20 AM »

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2270/why-are-they-called-trailers-if-theyre-shown-em-before-em-the-movie

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #912 on:** July 16, 2014, 07:29:29 AM »

Thanks!

Porter · « **Reply #913 on:** July 20, 2014, 08:07:19 AM »

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #914 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:23:59 AM »

Tales from the Crypt must have been written by a cryptographer.

Jonathon · « **Reply #915 on:** July 28, 2014, 01:56:38 PM »

I just saw this joke on Twitter:

Quote

How many copy editors does it take to change a light bulb? Too.

rivka · « **Reply #916 on:** July 28, 2014, 04:56:15 PM »

pooka · « **Reply #917 on:** July 30, 2014, 04:59:17 PM »

LOL. Just catching up on the thread. Loved the Walken comma especially.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #918 on:** August 22, 2014, 08:48:24 AM »

Take the phrase, "If it's all the same to you." How would you explain that phrase to somebody learning English? Paying particular attention to how the meaning is derived from the specific words used.

I'm kinda failing at it.

Jonathon · « **Reply #919 on:** August 22, 2014, 12:45:59 PM »

How about "If all the options are of equal value to you"?

it = the different choices or options
same = same value or worth

If it's all the same to you, then you don't see one option as being better than another, and thus you don't have a preference.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #920 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:17:21 PM »

The problem is the phrase is often used to assert that a person should stop having a disparate value on all the options. Like a detective walking in to a room and a person asking, "Who are you?"

"If it's all the same to you, I'll be asking the questions here."

Or if you're on a walk and suddenly a person walking with you doesn't feel well,

"If it's all the same to you, I'll just sit down here for a minute."

Is it used in such a way that a person *isn't* asserting a position and asking you to be OK with it?

Dro_Trebor · « **Reply #921 on:** August 23, 2014, 09:52:01 AM »

I don't think that invalidates Jonathon's explanation, though. Sarcastic use of a common hares s understood to flip its meaning or put a non-literal spin on it. It shouldn't be expected to track to a literal, or even typical figurative use of the phrase.

Like the joke about two negatives make a positive, but two positives don't make a negative. "Yeah right!"

BlackBlade · « **Reply #922 on:** August 23, 2014, 12:16:55 PM »

I'm not trying to invalidate it, I'm honestly asking if it's used in a non-assertive way.

dkw · « **Reply #923 on:** August 23, 2014, 01:18:23 PM »

Not completely non-assertive, but definitely in a non-sarcastic way to say "I think we should do it this way, if it doesn't conflict with your preference."

Jonathon · « **Reply #924 on:** August 25, 2014, 08:28:17 AM »

I think Bob and Dana are right. The detective is being sarcastic, but the person on a walk is not. They're just kind of assuming that the other person doesn't mind.