# "I saw what you did there" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 22, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215 "2015-09-22T16:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/21 "2015-09-22T23:29:47Z")
A lot of times I post a funny and wonder if anyone got it, or wish that someone would publicly acknowledge it with a posted smiley or something like a ISWYDT. But that’s just because I like the feeling that you get in a movie theater rather than watching something alone–the pleasure in shared thinking or response. But it’s a thing of the Internet, obviously, and I myself don’t go out of my way to add a smiley or “good one” as often as I should/would were we all in one room. The style of posting here allows for the wit of the posters to be quite well displayed, and-- although my experience in forums and boards is not all that wide–people here are quite witty and articulate about it. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/22 "2015-09-22T23:35:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s even better when you detect a clever bit of wordplay that the author of the post didn’t even realize he or she had penned. And that after re-reading his or her post, the author “gets it”. Which is the brother-in-hiding of the plain old response quoting an ambiguity or mistake in grammar or yes, a typo, and letting loose on it. Just because you can, because [Nitpick]s are not immediately shouted down. Note that a [Nitpick] usually is a wham-bam correction of a typo that might perhaps not be recognized as such by other readers, or was indeed a mistake in spelling, grammar, or something worth pointing out. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/23 "2015-09-23T01:35:21Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > When I’m bored, I just use it while quoting random posts, since I like to picture Dopers being slowly driven insane trying to figure out what obscure reference or pun they missed. You…you…_you SWINE!_ ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/24 "2015-09-23T02:18:44Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > A lot of times I post a funny I didn’t see what you did anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/25 "2015-09-23T09:19:04Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > When I’m bored, I just use it while quoting random posts, since I like to picture Dopers being slowly driven insane trying to figure out what obscure reference or pun they missed. I’ve even internalized this attitude, no pun intended… ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/26 "2015-09-23T15:04:27Z")
> [@donkeyoatey](#): > > I didn’t see what you did anywhere. Where’s my damn like button! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/27 "2015-09-25T21:07:32Z")
Hmmmm… three out of four of the posts at Urban Dictionary seem to think it is primarily sarcastic in nature, rather than appreciative of a clever turn of wit. > **[Urban Dictionary: i see what you did there](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i%2Bsee%2Bwhat%2Byou%2Bdid%2Bthere)** > > A common turn of phrase on the internet, generally used as an expression of quiet, subdued admiration for one's wit. Especially appropriate after a particularly deft pun. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/28 "2015-09-25T21:30:27Z")
Sometimes I’ll drop in an obscure reference joke, never to be met with an “ISWYDT”. Then I think everyone thinks I made some weird, non-sequitur or am insane. Which I do, and am, but still… I can be clever. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/29 "2015-09-25T22:03:47Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Hmmmm… three out of four of the posts at Urban Dictionary seem to think it is primarily sarcastic in nature, rather than appreciative of a clever turn of wit. > > [Urban Dictionary: i see what you did there](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i+see+what+you+did+there) And the three that seemed to think it is sarcastic are overwhelmingly down-voted, while the one that considers it positive is overwhelmingly up-voted. Unless you’re making a joke about misuse of statistics, in which case I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/30 "2015-09-25T22:55:09Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > And the three that seemed to think it is sarcastic are overwhelmingly down-voted, while the one that considers it positive is overwhelmingly up-voted. > > Unless you’re making a joke about misuse of statistics, in which case I see what you did there. Nope, I never noticed the votes on posts at UD before! Thanks for the schooling. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/31 "2015-09-26T01:00:21Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > And the three that seemed to think it is sarcastic are overwhelmingly down-voted, while the one that considers it positive is overwhelmingly up-voted. > > Unless you’re making a joke about misuse of statistics, in which case I see what you did there. > [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Thanks for the schooling. Fish. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/32 "2015-09-26T04:01:38Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Fish. I taste what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/33 "2015-09-26T04:16:46Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I use it only when I don’t want to take away the joy of someone else figuring it out. But IMHO, that’s exactly what you’re doing, because _I see what you did there_ is so worn-out. It’s like you’re just calling attention to yourself more that the original comment, as though you were the only one who could figure it out, when probably many others did, and just didn’t bother to say anything. It’s tiresome. > [@BigT](#): > > If I really think it’s obscure, I’ll continue the joke. Much better to do this, IMHO. Then at least you’re contributing something. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/34 "2015-09-26T05:16:41Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > But IMHO, that’s exactly what you’re doing, because _I see what you did there_ is so worn-out. It’s like you’re just calling attention to yourself more that the original comment, as though you were the only one who could figure it out, when probably many others did, and just didn’t bother to say anything. It’s tiresome. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215/35 "2015-09-27T05:09:40Z")
[**The proto locution**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059297/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-what-you-did-there/732215.md?page=1)