Words (or phrases) that I say that "people don't say in real life"

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Inspired by this thread:

[ul]
[li]methinks[/li][li]meh[/li][li]eh[/li][li]thrice[/li][li]shall[/li][li]I’m doing well and you?[/li][li]Please, thank you, you’re welcome, bless you, etc[/li][li]pray tell[/li][/ul]

I am sure there are others, but those are the ones that popped into my head first. My children also use a lot of “outdated” words regularly – they do converse with me in the house, so have massive vocabularies. Yes, they have both had to define words for their teachers at least once.

What words or phrases have earned you the “WTF did you just say? No one talks like that in real life!” comments?

ETA “Cuckold” – I used the word the other day in an IM with a friend who had never heard the word prior – I think it’s now his favourite word!

#2

You mean individually, or strung together like that in that order?

#3

I say “meh”. I also say “Please”, “Thank you”, etc. And “Excuse me” for all of its various uses.

#4

I like to tell people I’m not receiving. Another favorite of Mr. Athena and I is that we’re “intensely private people.” Both of these come from reading far too many Victorian age novels I think.

#5

Cite!

#6

pravnik – individually. It’s just been a personal observation that many other people don’t use them.

I also say “I will be happy to assist you with that” and “it’s been my pleasure, is there anything else with which you need assistance today?” My cow-orkers find it infinitely amusing that I speak the way I do – but these are people who consistently say things like “pacific” when they mean “specific.”

#7

There are a couple of TVisms that I swear I have never heard in real life.

“Can I get a rain check?” when someone has to crap out on a date.

and naturally I can’t think of the others right now :smack:

#8

I’ve heard that IRL (about friendly get-togethers, not actual dates). Of course, I remember when you really COULD get an actual raincheck on a sale item that the store was out of, so…

#9

Some of the “unusual” or otherwise archaic words that find their way into my daily vocabulary include:
[ul]
[li]methinks[/li][li]meh[/li][li]flibbertigibbet[/li][li]lollygagger[/li][li]betwixt[/li][li]horrid[/li][/ul]

I was quite surprised to see so many people chiming in on the SDMBisms-That-Irk-You thread saying “no one uses meh in real life” - a good chunk of my friends and coworkers use the phrase quite regularly.

(also, I have used “can I get a rain cheque” on more than one occasion when I’m unable to accept an invitation from a friend)

#10

I was somewhat shocked when I read that thread – I am not the only person I know who says “meh” – even if I exclude my kids. I also say betwixt and horrid. And superfluous and mellifluous – yeh, I know, I’m weird.

#11

Horrid is a very common word in the UK, and superfluous is used in everyday conversation as well (I know I’ve been in conversations where it has been used and not just by me).

#12

What kind of asshole doesn’t use these with frequency?

My wife and I both say “meh”. I have a friend who was saying kick you/her in the cunt 15 years ago; it seems to have caught on online all of the sudden and I wouldn’t be surprised if people thought it was one of those things started online that “no one says in real life.”

Lollygagger, methinks, rain check, horrid, pray tell, shall, thrice, all predate the internet in my vocabularly and I’ve never thought of them as rare, weird, or “online” words. Ok, maybe thrice is a little weird.

#13

“I’m doing well and you?” all the time.

I also say “…with which…” as in “I don’t have a pen with which to write at the moment”. It’s completely natural to me.

I also use science jargon in basic conversation… annoying, but I can’t stop!!!

“please, thank you etc” always… In fact, I can stick in a “bless you” in the middle of a sentence during lecture and keep going on… students find this amusing. :smiley:

#14

Yeah, maybe you’re just not as weird as you think, seeing as how many people do use many of these terms. I know many, many people who say “eh.” It’s also never occurred to me that “superfluous” might even be remotely odd.

#15

We must be living on different planets. I grew up in the South and live in suburban Massachusetts which isn’t know for being especially polite. Still, it is hyper-rude not to say some combination of “Please, thank you, you’re welcome, bless you” to even the lowliest waiter or cashier or even a homeless person.

I have no idea where you are getting this from. A common stereotype of Americans is that we are too polite and this one holds true. I say please, thank you, and you are welcome probably 10+ times a day and you would have to be a world-class asshole not to do so.

Is there a reason why you think this? It is so abnormal that I think it calls for an explanation.

#16

Watch out–there’s a movement about to rid at least one dictionary of so called “archaic words”

fubsy
skirr
embrangle
and others… here is the BBC radio bit.

archaicwords

#17

I use “meh” somewhat frequently, in conversation and online.

Coupla other things I say, however, people really don’t use in real life.

To wit:

-To wit.
-Ronicheese (I always trip over my words trying to say “Macaroni and…”)
-For serious.
-“This is she.” (I know, I know. I never thought it was odd, 'til a friend of mine pointed it out to me)

Oh! And I almost forgot:

-Somnambulist
-Callipygian
-Epicurean

#18

Missed the edit window.

Re please, thank you etc–hearing them is so common, that I notice when I don’t.
I don’t think any or the words or phrases on the OP’s list are obscure. :confused:

#19

Excellent…I get the chance to reference Real Genius:

Actually…I do. Sometimes, at any rate.

#20

I use the raincheck thing all the time. I mostly use it when I don’t really want to do something though.