# I'll say! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577 "2019-07-05T16:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/1 "2019-07-05T16:08:25Z")
What does that mean? I realize it indicates you are in strong agreement. “Dude, did you see Fred’s hair cut, isn’t that the worst?” “I’ll say!” But _ **how** _ does it mean that? It seems even odder if you drop the contraction: “Beck had a bad, bad, bad day.” “I will say!” Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/2 "2019-07-05T16:20:57Z")
I’ll say!! If you only knew! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/3 "2019-07-05T16:29:28Z")
It’s an idiom. They often don’t make sense. Take “Giving the cold shoulder.” Rarely does ignoring someone involve a temperature change to a body part. Sometimes you get strings of such things: “It’s raining cats and dogs.” “I’ll say.” “Now you’re talking.” Trying to parse such things literally is a problem when learning a new language. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/4 "2019-07-05T16:34:53Z")
I wonder if it’s akin to ‘I say, young man!’? A person trying get another persons attention. (I’m just thinking aloud, be nice, I’ve had a rough morning) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/5 "2019-07-05T16:46:58Z")
Emphasis added? Like some sort of verbal for of **bold**? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/6 "2019-07-05T16:54:25Z")
I’ve always assumed it meant you believe in the statement strongly enough to be willing to go on the record, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/7 "2019-07-05T17:27:17Z")
It’s exactly the same as the more current slang term “Word!” It means “I agree so strongly that I would be willing to repeat what you said myself.” In other words, “I would say the same thing, with emphasis!” “It sure is raining hard today” [Other person thinking] I agree, in fact I will say the same thing with strong emphasis. [Other person speaking idiomatically]: “I’ll say!” ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/8 "2019-07-05T17:47:56Z")
English also has the similar idioms “You said it!” and “You can say that again!” which also indicate agreement but don’t make a lot of literal sense. According to [Etymology Online](https://www.etymonline.com/word/say#etymonline_v_22810) the former dates from 1919 and the latter from 1942. It doesn’t list “I’ll say” and it’s hard to search for the specific idiomatic usage among a lot of more literal uses of the two words. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/9 "2019-07-05T17:59:50Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Sometimes you get strings of such things: > > “It’s raining cats and dogs.” > “I’ll say.” > “Now you’re talking.” I Like that. I wonder how long of a conversation you can have using only idioms. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/10 "2019-07-05T18:04:44Z")
It’s agreeance. “I’ll say [it is]!” ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/11 "2019-07-05T18:05:29Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I Like that. I wonder how long of a conversation you can have using only idioms. Let’s see…: > [@](#): > > “It’s raining cats and dogs.” > “I’ll say.” > “Now you’re talking.” When it rains, it pours. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/12 "2019-07-05T18:33:45Z")
It’s no more confusing than most, and a lot less confusing than, say, “It’s the bee’s knees” or “23 skidoo!” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/13 "2019-07-05T18:40:52Z")
A similar local phrase in Wisconsin is “there ya go!” or “you bet!” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/14 "2019-07-05T19:56:44Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Let’s see…: > When it rains, it pours. It is what it is. (I have witnessed several “conversations” where people just throw out clichés and idioms one after another just for the fun of it.) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/15 "2019-07-05T20:45:24Z")
No harm, no foul. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/16 "2019-07-05T21:17:56Z")
The one I always wondered about was “And how!” How is that supposed to mean “I agree most emphatically!”? ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/17 "2019-07-05T21:29:09Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I wonder if it’s akin to ‘I say, young man!’? A person trying get another persons attention. [Hmm…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k) ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/18 "2019-07-05T23:53:32Z")
My word! By my huckleberry pie, if it sounds out of place maybe it’s because we aren’t in the habit of proclaiming oaths much anymore. If we were oath swearers, instead of just sex and revulsion swearers, “I’ll say” might sound timid. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/19 "2019-07-06T00:37:29Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Take “Giving the cold shoulder.” Rarely does ignoring someone involve a temperature change to a body part. [This idiom originated in the early 1800s. It is said that welcome visitors to a house were served a hot meal but someone who was not welcome was given a cold shoulder of whatever meat was being eaten. The shoulder was known to be the coldest and toughest part of the animal and a much inferior meal.](https://www.bloomsbury-international.com/en/student-ezone/idiom-of-the-week/list-of-idioms/1239-give-someone-the-cold-shoulder/) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577/20 "2019-07-06T03:56:44Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > The one I always wondered about was “And how!” > > How is that supposed to mean “I agree most emphatically!”? One of the meanings of “how” is “to a great extent”: “How kind of you;” “How rude!;” “How interesting;” etc. So “And how!” means “and how very much it is.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-say/836577.md?page=2)