GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, I can’t begin to describe my disgust with this one. For one thing, it’s usually pronounced as all one slurred copout word, “notisayn”?
Even worse, it’s said in answer to any question, so basically the person replying “notisayn” isn’ SAYING anything. Except “notisayn”?
Me to kid in class: Kid number 2, do your worksheet
kid 2: “see i, notisayn”?
Me: no, what exactly ARE you saying"?
kid 2: “ikewl teach notisayn”?
and so on…
And that was just as a sometimes sub, I think our “real” teachers should get massive hazard pay for today’s high schools.
Someone already answered the first, but basically it means that if you have something beginning to unravel (a hem for example) and you fix it as soon as you see the one stitch in trouble, you’ll save having to stitch even more later.
The other saying is actually six OF one, half dozen of the other. And pretty much means what you said, “it’s pointless”. Six and a half dozen are exactly the same number. The way I’ve heard it used is generally when two people are coming to agreement on some issue.
Along the lines of “should we go the old highway way? or the shortcut” If both are about the same distance, the two people would say something like "doesn’t matter, it’s about 6 of one, half dozen of the other (where both the one, and the other refer to the number of miles being about the same).
I hope that was clear, it’s somewhere around 1am, and my old eyes are starting to glaze over.
I so hate that one. Not because of the reason you have, but it just sounds so uncaring to me.
To my ears it just has such a “sure, I don’t care what you do” sound to it. Kinda flippant and disconnected. I do NOT like it, particularly from friends. grrr.
Similar: “In just a few minutes from now (such and such will occur).”
“In just a few minutes from now” seems to me to be redundant. It should be either “In just a few minutes (such and such will occur),” or "A few minutes from now (such and such will occur): One phrase or the other; not both.
Lately, I’ve been hearing this annoying locution frequently on news programs.
Just so you know, Knock yourself out and Whatever are supposed to be dismissive and uncaring, so there is no point in complaining about them sounding that way! “Knock yourself out” pretty much means “go ahead, go at it until you fall exhausted to the floor, I really don’t care.”
‘Literally’ used by people who don’t know what it means.
‘What-ever’. This phrase seems to be used by people when they realise that their argument is flawed or that they have nothing to contribute, but don’t care to admit it. If you don’t want to communicate, why are you even bothering to open your mouth?
‘In any way, shape or form’. The first three words suffice.
‘Arc’ for ‘story’. People have heard TV script writers refer to a ‘story arc’ or a character’s ‘arc’, and now think they are clever and hip by using ‘arc’ when ‘story’ would do just as well.
‘It’s more than my job’s worth’. The exact opposite of what the speaker usually means. He usually means that the potential benefit of a proposed action is worth less to him than keeping his job, hence his refusal to go along with the plan.
Bangiadore mentioned “That’s different.” In my world that is code for “Get that horrendously ugly crap away from me.” But that’s just me.
thirdwarning mentioned “so fun.” While that would bug me, it cannot possibly compete with “funner” as in “shopping is funner than school.” That one makes me want to kill teenagers.
“Hooked up,” “hook me up,” “hooked up with,” and other variants.
Which apparently means “had sex,” “met for lunch,” “had my internet connection installed,” “received tickets for a concert from a friend,” and anything else that the speaker does not have the vocabulary to express.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t! So, either I’m comparing something and the other person finds them too similar for comparison, or I’m comparing apples and oranges!
My contribution isn’t really a phrase, but rather a word: “hubby”. Argh. Gack. How I hate that word.
actually, like, really, you know what I mean, know what I’m saying?
my bad!
any of the many like really lame substitutions for that 7 letter word like farging, frigging, farking, fudging, etc. Very rare but very annoying is forking corksoaker!
any substitution for Jesus, such as: jeez, gees, gee whiz.
What do you think of my ligual athleticism? And any words that Dick Vitale may or may not have coined.
hey, add may or may not to the list. Add to the list to the list!
I actually like anyhoo and whatever. I think they’re funny.
I second, third, fourth and fifth literally and ultimate.
One expression that’s common in the south I wish would die a quiet death is “You know what I would do?” Oh, so now all the sudden you’re the fucking know-all master of the subject? I know what you would suggest, but knowing what you would do doesn’t mean it’ll make it CORRECT. Just say “You know what I want you to do?” instead. That’s what you actually mean.
It’s hardly an expression. It’s a simple statement: this is what I would do in your situation. If you don’t want advice, that’s fine, but then why blame the phrase? (and why are you discussing it with the person in the first place?)
Of course it’s not necessarily correct. The person is saying what they would do, not that they’ve been crowned omniscient, omnipotent God of the Universe! And while they may (and probably do) think that this would be the best thing for you to do as well, you can hardly accuse them of being dictatorial given that turn of phrase.
Funny, you resent their (projected by you) claim that they’re the know-all master of the subject, but you have no problem in claiming that you both know what they would suggest, and know what they actually mean. Amazing, these super-powers of yours. How privileged we all are to know you!
I hate it when someone starts a sentence with “Listen.” It drives me nuts. There’s a supervisor at work that does it constantly, even though more than once when she’s done it to me on the phone, I’ve cut her off:
Hey, the OP is about expressions that annoy you. That expression annoys me. I don’t have to prove my case in court. IMHO and MPSIMS are full of petty dislikes that are probably shared by only 5 people on the planet. I’d take a chill pill if I were you.
