(Putting this in the Pit because, well, it’s about grammar and syntax, and you know what that means. Motherfuck!)
Who starts these trends? Can we weed them out of the gene pool?
For the past couple of years, I’ve been hearing people on the radio – not just halfwit politicians, but journalists, including the supposedly smart people on NPR – use the phrase “just not” when they clearly mean “not just”.
This morning, on “Morning Edition”, they were talking about the upcoming primaries in Michigan and South Carolina, and the politically sensitive issues the candidates will have to talk about to win in those states. Somebody said something like, “It’s just not immigration, there are several hot-button issues.”
No. You didn’t mean what you said. You meant “It’s not just immigration.” Motherfuck! There are probably many better examples, but I’m too goshdarned mad right now to think. I could stamp me little foot.
Consider these two statements:
“She’s just not attractive.”
“She’s not just attractive.”
Those have completely different meanings. Play back the tape and listen to what the fuck you said.
I almost title the thread “Just? Not!” On reflection, I’m happy with my choice, and glad that there’s a place like the SDMB, where the standards of civilized, intelligent discourse are upheld. Motherfuck!
Are we doing just not, or can we expand this to others that are driving us batty? I’d like to nominate “myself” in place of “me” for this thread. Apparently the dictionaries have been duped far enough to concede “myself” as an acceptable substitute for “me,” but I don’t think I’ll ever stop cringing when I hear someone say, “That’s just not good enough for myself.” Why say a longer word, why type a longer word, when “me” would perfectly convey the meaning you’re after?
(I personally consider this one of those faux high-falutin’ things - people try to sound more educated and end up sounding even dumber.)
Actually, you’re most liekly to hear it in a compound object, where the person knows better than to say “I”, but has had the ability to say “x and me” (even when it’s appropriate) drummed out of them in grammar school.
While “just not” and “not just” mean different things,
There’s more to it than that – but saying so brings
Up a question that withers the brain when discussed:
When is “just not” not just not “not just?”
It’s not just the just not that has Baldwin fussed
(It’s the Pit, which explains why he needlessly cussed),
At professional speakers he aims his rant’s thrust,
They should know better, he types in disgust.
But it’s just not the not just-ice that leaves me nonplussed
Among the syntactical rules that we bust
Are much bigger crimes (well, as big, I trust)
Linguistic quirks to which we all should adjust.
Just not to say not just won’t leave one’s hair mussed,
Not just to say just not, but to erupt with a gust
Of words from a grammar that’s gone all to rust
Getting along sometimes needs a thick crust.
There’s no law I know of that says that we must
Satisfy pedants’ grammatical lust
And wrap every thought like a prisoner trussed,
Gagged with a style-book, and choking on dust.
Personally, it bugs me that NPR talks about Hilary is a “woman candidate” and voters with two XX chromosomes as “women voters.” Female, people! Female is an adjective. Woman is a noun. Would you call Obama a “man candidate?”
