# Let me axe you something.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283 "2001-11-14T06:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/121 "2001-11-19T21:17:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore > > There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. \*\* OK - to a Hoosier/Michigander gal… carry, Harry & ferry all rhyme just fine - and shore & anymore rhyme with each other too — what am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![Formerly\_Bandersnatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e36b37/32.png) [@Formerly\_Bandersnatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Formerly_Bandersnatch)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/122 "2001-11-19T21:34:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jack@ss \* > \*\*My personal favorite piece of bad grammer is “Don’t make no never-mind to me” when I have no preference for either option. \*\* I’m sorry, but that should be “don’t make me no nevermind”. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/123 "2001-11-20T01:03:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Politzania \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > > > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > > 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore > > > > There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. \*\* > > OK - to a Hoosier/Michigander gal… > carry, Harry & ferry all rhyme just fine - and shore & anymore rhyme with each other too — what am I missing? \*\* O.K., one more try. 🙂 Carry should sound like “cat tree” without the “t” in the middle. Harry should sound like “hat tree” without the “t” in the middle. If you sound like me, you’re probably saying something more like “keh-ree” and “Heh-ree” to rhyme with “feh-ree”, instead of “ca-ree” and “Ha-ree”. Now I’ve gotten so frustrated with the whole thing that I’ve started singing it as “Oh, they had to curry Hurry to the furry…” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/124 "2001-11-20T01:13:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*O.K., one more try. 🙂 > > Carry should sound like “cat tree” without the “t” in the middle. > > Harry should sound like “hat tree” without the “t” in the middle. > > If you sound like me, you’re probably saying something more like “keh-ree” and “Heh-ree” to rhyme with “feh-ree”, instead of “ca-ree” and “Ha-ree”. > > Now I’ve gotten so frustrated with the whole thing that I’ve started singing it as “Oh, they had to curry Hurry to the furry…” \*\* Actually, I think the idea that something “should sound” a particular way is kind of silly. Because, really, “Harry,” “carry,” and “ferry” _ **do** _ sound alike in some parts of the country (and the world, I’m sure). There is no such thing as a standard pronunciation, or at least an official pronunciation. The only reason such varieties of English as Received Pronunciation and Standard American are considered the “correct” way of saying things is because they’re the overwhelmingly used broadcasting pronunciations. There is no such thing as a “correct” pronunciation, within certain limits (if you pronounce “Shirley” as “Ralph”, you’ve got problems that have little to do with the way you were taught to speak :)…) jayjay ---
**Author:** ![DrFrasierCrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@DrFrasierCrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFrasierCrane)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/125 "2001-11-20T03:37:06Z")
As far as my pet peeves go on this subject (and they are legion)… Why is it that some people insist on confusing _lose_ with _loose_? I have a good friend who cannot seemingly make the distinction when chatting. “If I don’t get to just relax and hang lose, I may just loose my mind.” Sounds like it’s already happened! And my dear mother continues (to this day) to call her birthplace “Wa **r** shington, D.C.”. I keep asking her to point out the “R” in the word “Washington”. Her reply is always, “Well, that’s just what everyone calls it there.” Mother, that still doesn’t make it _right_. And she’s an English teacher! ---
**Author:** ![ReillyDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@ReillyDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReillyDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/126 "2001-11-20T17:17:21Z")
Cisco - proper grammar dictates that you cannot end a sentence with a preposition. That’s what’s wrong with that sentence (me thinks 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![ReillyDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@ReillyDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReillyDog)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/127 "2001-11-20T17:22:10Z")
for the uninitiated… IRREGARDLESS is indeed a word in the english language. Here is the definition of IRREGARDLESS as listed in the Oxford English Dictionary… irregardless adv : in spite of everything; without regard to drawbacks; “he carried on regardless of the difficulties” [syn: regardless, irrespective, disregardless, no matter, disregarding] ---
**Author:** ![plasticbryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@plasticbryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plasticbryan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/128 "2001-11-20T18:05:23Z")
My daughter, a gifted child, will often use _anyways_, which will cause me to grind my teeth into flat plates. Anyways, let’s get back to the point. No. No. No. It’s anyway. How about the whole good versus well problem? Or, kids, instead of children? I believe kids are baby goats and even though my children can be stubborn, they aren’t goats. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/129 "2001-11-20T18:40:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > > \*\* > > “Where are you at?” > > \*\* > > I consider myself to have a pretty good grasp on the English language and I can’t anything wrong with this. What gives? \*\* So then I was all like, “Don’t end a sentence with a preposition!” ---
**Author:** ![super\_head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@super\_head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/super_head)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/130 "2001-11-20T18:43:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ReillyDog \* > for the uninitiated… IRREGARDLESS is indeed a word in the english language. …with this disclaimer from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: > [@](#): > > Usage Note: Irregardless is a word that many mistakenly believe to be correct usage in formal style, when in fact it is used chiefly in nonstandard speech or casual writing. Coined in the United States in the early 20th century, it has met with a blizzard of condemnation for being an improper yoking of irrespective and regardless and for the logical absurdity of combining the negative ir- prefix and -less suffix in a single term. Although one might reasonably argue that it is no different from words with redundant affixes like debone and unravel, it has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. ---
**Author:** ![KimKatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@KimKatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KimKatt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/131 "2001-11-20T18:50:16Z")
Irregardless tops my list of words that annoy me. Second on the list is utilize. Who decided that the word ‘use’ should be completely replaced by the word ‘utilize?’ Does the sentence sound more professional or important if we add a word with more syllables to it? And as for regional pronounciations, I am kidded about mine all the time. I’m Canadian, and I work in Detroit, Michigan. So I now have this bizarre blend of a Detroit and Ontarian accent. When I’m at home, I’m told that I sound American; at work, I’m kidded about sounding Canadian. Sigh. It does keep things interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Rae\_of\_Dawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce7236/32.png) [@Rae\_of\_Dawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rae_of_Dawn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/132 "2001-11-20T19:18:03Z")
I don’t spell well and my grammar is attrocious, however, one that I get to ping my husband on is the usage of “less or fewer”. There is less money in the bank than I first thought. There are fewer bills in my wallet. If he says less bills, I asked them when they lost weight. Which is much fun because he gets to pick on my about usage and spelling all the time. ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/133 "2001-11-20T19:22:18Z")
So it appears that the debate regarding “irregardless” is a _mute_ point. MOOT, dammit! It’s a MOOT point! Drives me nuts … ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2001, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/134 "2001-11-20T19:42:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dono \* > \*\*So it appears that the debate regarding “irregardless” is a _mute_ point. > > MOOT, dammit! It’s a MOOT point! > > Drives me nuts … \*\* I really hate that one, too. That, and the “myself” thing are my least favorite misuses of English. My husband wrote half of the thank you notes when we got married and he wrote “Caricci and myself want to thank you…” so much that I finally had to tell him I did not want my name on such atrocities. For some reason it hasn’t stopped him. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_The\_Bold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dale\_The\_Bold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_The_Bold)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/135 "2001-11-21T00:48:25Z")
Ladies and gentlemen, the “Double Is…” “What it is, is…” Don’t you mean “it is?” If so, then say it. _What’s the problem?_ The problem? What it is, is “is is.” ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/136 "2001-11-21T01:06:52Z")
“the car needs washed” is a regionalism that is also found in Central Ohio. I started using it myself after hearing it while dating my now ex-husband. To pronouncee “wash” as “warsh”, “law” as “lore” have always been regionalisms to me also, since those were two words my Bronx-born father still had trouble with after 37 years in Cleveland. I do go crazy about axe and flash. “Can I axe you where your flashes are?” is a torture for me to endure, day after day after day. I so want to say, “yes, you may ask where the flasks are kept.” I did tell one woman we didn’t sell flashlights, before I realized what she really meant. Why is that “sk” sound so difficult? If I pronounced something wrong as a child, my parents made me practice the word, not continue with the mistake. If you can say desk, why can’t you say flask? or ask? One of my bosses drives me right up the wall with her mispronunciation of a word that our company drills into our heads…praline, pronounced prah-lin-ay. It’s on every training video that she makes us watch, but she consistently says par-lin-ay and never seems to notice, even when I asked “is that different from the prah-lin-ay?” I wouldn’t mind if she said pray-leen, since that’s a legitimate pronunciation. Now, could someone please tell this ignorant, middle-aged white woman what “H to the izzo, V to the izzay” means? Even my teenager who listens to that song doesn’t know, and I’ve asked two black co-workers, to no avail. ---
**Author:** ![jaytini2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@jaytini2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaytini2)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/137 "2001-11-21T21:27:02Z")
was that justin guy on the first page kidding? um, hello, kettle? it’s me, pot. YOU’RE BLACK! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmundex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sigmundex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmundex)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/138 "2001-11-21T21:39:14Z")
Hey, Shirley Ujest, “Lemme hode a quarter” I moved from New York to Central Florida after 6th grade, and I’ll never forget one day at the principal’s office. I worked there one period a day, at the desk. On this day, a kid came in, saw me and said “Lemme hode a quarter”. I didn’t know what the hell he was saying, so I made him repeat it multiple times. I never did figure out what he meant until a few months later, after I’d heard it a few more times. I kept wondering why in the world the kid just wanted to hold it. Why didn’t he want to use it? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/139 "2001-11-21T23:43:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sigmundex \* > \*\*Hey, Shirley Ujest, “Lemme hode a quarter” > > I moved from New York to Central Florida after 6th grade, and I’ll never forget one day at the principal’s office. I worked there one period a day, at the desk. On this day, a kid came in, saw me and said “Lemme hode a quarter”. I didn’t know what the hell he was saying, so I made him repeat it multiple times. I never did figure out what he meant until a few months later, after I’d heard it a few more times. I kept wondering why in the world the kid just wanted to hold it. Why didn’t he want to use it? \*\* My sister used to teach elementary school in Baltimore. When she first started (naive white girl from the 'burbs teaching poor inner-city black kids), they would come up to her and say, “Lemme hode a pence.” It took it her weeks to figure out they were saying, “I need to borrow a pencil.” ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/140 "2001-11-22T01:54:23Z")
I have to weigh in here, because I am a picky snot who will correct anyone who will pretend to listen. > [@](#): > > No, you’re quite right. Sometimes, though, it is “me.” > I know sometimes “me” is correct (instead of “I”) but can’t think of an example right now. > Hmmm… > “Who is this present from?” > “It’s from John and me.” > (you wouldn’t say, “It’s from I”, right?) I tutor high school kids for the SAT II Writing test, which is all about this kind of stuff. Nothing will drive you to really understand something like needing to explain it to 15-year olds who will ask, “Why?” until they understand. “I” is a subject. “I” does things or actions: “I drove the car.” "Me is an object: " Things happen to and around “me”: “My dad drove me to school.” Subjects: I, you, they, we, he, she. Objects: Me, you, them, us, him, her. So: “It’s from John and me.” Exactly correct. Notice that “me” is the object of a preposition here, namely, “from”. But: “John and I gave the present.” General rule: Just take John the heck out of there and see what’s right. Then stick John back in. Oh, and I was a member of this ‘net dating site, and sent this one woman a pretty stinkin’ funny (if I do say so myself) letter about how I love doing doughnuts on govt lawns in my car and don’t like people to point out the fact that I smell bad, etc. She wrote back, “You really **through** me for a loop.” Goodbye, and thanks for playing. What do we have for her, Johnny? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283.md?page=8)