Supposedly…
“Do whatever you want” = you’ll pay for this later
“I’m fine” = Not fine
What’s wrong? “Nothing” = Definitely angry
“Don’t get me anything for Christmas/birthday/anniversary” = you’d BETTER get me something
Seconded. I should have my wife’s B.A… I’m the one who earned it.
On the plus side I convinced her to take Geology as her science elective, which was really fun to learn about. No schist!
Candidate for a High Public Office: “It might not be ‘politically correct’ to say this, but…” = because I provided that little preamble it makes okay whatever follows, even if it flies in the face of basic human decency.
Sometimes when people give a reason for rejecting someone, they ***don’t ***mean that “If you fix that reason, I will accept you.”
So for hypothetical example, if someone rejects someone “because they have a poor sense of fashion,” that may just be the cover reason (or one reason out of many) for rejecting someone. That person may then improve their sense of fashion, only to be miffed to find that they still are rejected, because fashion wasn’t the real reason they were rejected; the rejecter was never going to accept them to begin with, no matter what.
I think it would be fair to wait until hearing what has been said first. I know of someone who deliberately leads in with this as a joke. “I’m not a racist, but…I like Oreo cookies.” (or something of that sort.)
I like the variation in which the reason for the rejection isn’t just insincere, but actually intended to play with the rejected one. To see if you can get them to dance to your little tune before lowering the boom (assuming you respect them enough to finish them off).
I’m not against Jewish people. I worship a Jew–I’m a raving Christian bigot who thinks that only MY brand of Christianity is the only correct one.
[Quote=Dead Cat]
“I’m sorry you feel that way” = “Your complaint is laughable and I think you’re a moron but I feel the need to say something that sounds like an apology.”
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I use it as “I am not sorry for whatever it is that I did, but I know you think you have somehow been wronged and deserve an apology.” (Usually after a sometimes-oversensitive co-worker thinks I was snappish.)
In my house, “Okay, I’ll do that later” means “You are going to have to remind me at least three times over the next week to do this thing you asked me to do before dinner.”
“I’ll think about it” = “I don’t really feel like saying “no” to your face”.
“Um, actually…” = “that is so stupid or irreallistic a notion I’m at a loss for words”
“Do you think I’ve put on some weight lately ?” = “I’m in the mood for a flaming row right about now.”
“Umm, yeah, whatever.”
I haven’t been paying attention, but rather than admit it I’ll just go along with whatever you’ve been blathering about.
“I understand that, but…” = “I have no idea what you just said, so I’m going to ignore it.”
"Anyway, . . . " = I don’t want to talk about it anymore.