# Words (or phrases) that I say that "people don't say in real life" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727 "2008-09-22T19:43:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/21 "2008-09-23T00:05:24Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > 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… I did that for my mom a few years ago, so it’s definitely still around. Not advertised, but existent. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/22 "2008-09-23T00:11:20Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I did that for my mom a few years ago, so it’s definitely still around. Not advertised, but existent. I have a rain check on my fridge right now. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/23 "2008-09-23T00:21:21Z")
[quote=“Litoris, post:1, topic:464727”] [ul][li]I’m doing well and you?[/ul][/li][/QUOTE] I usually say, “I’m well, thanks. You?” Only once has someone challenged me on this, asking “Well? You’re not good?” To which I replied, “That’s not for me to say.” I don’t think that person ever spoke to me again. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/24 "2008-09-23T00:27:19Z")
I’m also a big fan of (my variant) “Well, thanks. And you?” Goes smoothly right over people’s heads. Also, I’m a big fan of “Goodness, I have no idea.” or “Why are you asking me?” or “I don’t know, are your legs OK?” or “You need to ask a specialist.” …when responding to “Can I go to the bathroom?” …which is then usually followed by my question “How weird would it be if I _could_ answer that for you?” I definitely say “meh”. And I never say “Bless you.” I blame hearing “Gesundheit” on my Swiss-descendant Grandmother, and my atheism for continuing its use. Oh, and I also go ballistic over the usage of the word ‘usage’. There’s no damn point to the usage of that damn word that’s two damn letters longer than the perfectly damn good and identically damn connotated and denotated word ‘use’ and never used unless one wants to (try to) sound like a motherf\*^)ing co(_^%&^ing sphin%%& puck^%&ing sh_& of a ti(\* licking di(&\* suc^_ign and pu&^_ fela&&Y^ing _%(&^%(_&^[beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep] ‘sophisticant’. time for my ‘special’ jacket again… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/25 "2008-09-23T00:32:21Z")
I tend to use Britishisms I’ve picked up from Terry Pratchett on a regular basis in my classroom. I have used in the last year: “Pull the other one, it’s got bells on.” “Bugger that for a game of soldiers!” “Bloody 'ell!” In fact, I use “Bloody” a lot, because the kids don’t know what it means, but I do. Not a few Oggisms as well, I’m sure. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/26 "2008-09-23T01:07:54Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I did that for my mom a few years ago, so it’s definitely still around. Not advertised, but existent. Really? Wow…I haven’t seen them since the late 70s or early 80s. I can still remember going with my mom to the store and her getting them. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/27 "2008-09-23T03:28:34Z")
“I beg of you!” “Please may I…” “Yes ma’am.” (Often said when ‘yes’ would do!) “For true!” “swoon” ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/28 "2008-09-23T03:40:37Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Only once has someone challenged me on this, asking “Well? You’re not good?” > > To which I replied, “That’s not for me to say.” > > I don’t think that person ever spoke to me again. Well, surely not, if you started singing Johnny Mathis to them. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/29 "2008-09-23T03:53:22Z")
I was informed rather rudely last week that “No one in America says ‘churlish’.” But it was the only possible word choice. ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/30 "2008-09-23T04:10:06Z")
No one I like says: “eschew” “vis a vis” “extant” “utilize” “deliverables” …and I’m sure I’ll have more 5 mins after I post this. These all seem pretentious to me and makes me want to punch the speaker (writer). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/31 "2008-09-23T04:11:39Z")
Dichotomy. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/32 "2008-09-23T04:22:50Z")
I say “Meh”. Also, “alas”. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/33 "2008-09-23T04:36:43Z")
I’ve been told I use words most others don’t. Dreadful Horrifying Chipper (as in, “You’re looking pretty chipper today.”) Splendid Holy smokes Holy cats Obstreperous Sassy (not as in “sharp and sophisticated” but as in “your mouth is getting a little sassy there, young lady.”) Peachy-keen Delighted (This one I blame on George Carlin) “I am both fine AND dandy, thanks.” I say “meh” too. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/34 "2008-09-23T04:49:10Z")
I have always liked the phrase, “in the fullness of time”, meaning when I am damn good and ready and not before. The few times I have used it in a conversation I have gotten strange looks from others. I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/35 "2008-09-23T05:12:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Really? Wow…I haven’t seen them since the late 70s or early 80s. I can still remember going with my mom to the store and her getting them. Why would you ever see one unless you asked for one? They’re not going to advertise them. My wife gets them all the time. I could be way off base here but they _might_ [???] be required by law in some places. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/36 "2008-09-23T05:57:56Z")
“Anon” (meaning “immediately”. Actually, I have no clue where I picked it up, I’m pretty sure it’s archaic) “Meh” “Albeit” “By the gods!” (Multiply this by the fact that I’m an atheist and you get some squirms. I don’t even say this jokingly anymore, it’s reflexive). As an extension of the above, “lad” or “lass” as in “By the gods lad/lass, what have you done!?” when a friend screws something up or does something weird “Bloody 'ell!” “Dichotomy” “Dissonant” “Exceedingly” (combine with above “Exceedingly Dissonant”) “Betwixt” “Skulduggery” “Thrice” “Utilize” “Eschew” “Alas” “For sooth!” “Rue” “Reckon” (Either “I reckon” or “reckoned with”) “Ire” “Blast!” “Curses!” “A pox on your kin!” “Aberration” “God forsaken” (or “forsaken” at all for that matter) as in “God forsaken beast that yearns for apocalypse.” (oh… and yearns) “Foul” (i.e. “Positively foul”) “Shall” “Methinks” “Pray tell” “Inane” “Banter” “Quell” “Placate” “Proles” (“Quell/placate the proles.” In reference to a bunch of other random people in the room getting restless, and the need to find a way to keep everyone occupied. I don’t really even regard them as “proles” it just comes out that way because it sounds good) “Twilight” “'Tis” “Inquire/Inquiry” “Emulate” To be fair I don’t use all of them seriously, but they do slip out without thinking in lighthearted conversation. There are probably more as well, I’ll post as I remember them, for example I’ve been known to use random lines from Jabberwocky to illustrate a point (or confuse people, whatever). ---
**Author:** ![Pollux\_Oil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@Pollux\_Oil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pollux_Oil)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/37 "2008-09-23T06:10:03Z")
I probably use a wider vocabulary on the internet than I do when I’m talking to other people but I’d be hard-pressed to find a specific word I use that people think is strange. Although one time I used the word “quash” to refer to something and my friend spent about ten minutes trying to convince me I meant to say “squash” even though I knew I meant quash. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/38 "2008-09-23T06:15:19Z")
One of the surgeons used “for the nonce” yesterday, I noticed because I use the phrase, but don’t usually hear other people saying it. I also like to say “I’m feeling a bit peckish”. I’ll say “for cry-eye”, and made one of the techs laugh by using “criminitely” the other day. I may have actually made that last word up, I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/39 "2008-09-23T06:15:51Z")
I thought of another one: “Quasi-” ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727/40 "2008-09-23T06:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=Various posts] "Horrid’…"superfluous "…“albeit”…“bloody 'ell!”…“dichotomy”…“dissonant”…“rue”…“reckon”…“ire”…“blast!”…“foul”…“shall”… “inane”…“banter”…“quell”…“placate”…“twilight”…“inquire/inquiry”…“emulate”…“eschew”…“splendid”…“delighted”…“peckish” [/QUOTE] If you guys keep going much longer, you’re going to drain my vocabulary of all its normal words which I never though anything much of. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-that-i-say-that-people-dont-say-in-real-life/464727.md?page=3)