Sayings that you hate now

[Random_Spock]

Two words: 'fiscal cliff'. Not really a saying persay, but it's annoying to hear it on the news so much. -_-

And another one: 'the American people'. This one is way overused and I figure if any politician uses it, it can't be good.

[stoneroses]

God save the Queen

[Locutus of Bored]

trekkiedane wrote:

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But, "You have a lovely wife." (and that sort of comment) is actually an insult!

The one saying it to you is expressing their disbelief in the fact that such a "lovely" woman would ever have anything to do with you...

The "Thank you"-response only shows that you also find it quite unbelievable that such a person would have anything to do with you -AND implies that you have (had?) some kind of special mojo that got her attention at the time...

Unless the person sounds incredibly shocked that even a lowly schlub could have a lovely wife and expresses that in an exaggerated way, or they're being obviously sarcastic about your wife being lovely and actually mean to imply the opposite, then I don't see what's insulting about it. It's just meant to be a polite compliment in her absence, essentially saying it was pleasant to meet her and that's she's a nice person.

What you're saying would render any kind of compliment an insult. Like saying "You have a nice car" implies that they're actually saying "How did a bum like you get a nice car?", when all they're trying to do is tell you you have a nice car, either to make polite small talk or to commend your good taste.

Nor does it imply that you had anything to do with making her a lovely person, to address scotpens' comment. It's either complimenting your good judgment in picking a lovely spouse or more likely again just trying to make polite small talk.

[trekkiedane]

HoHoHocutus wrote:

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What you're saying would render any kind of compliment an insult. Like saying "You have a nice car" implies that they're actually saying "How did a bum like you get a nice car?", when all they're trying to do is tell you you have a nice car, either to make polite small talk or to commend your good taste.

If the car was sentient and had a say in whom would become its owner then you're absolutely right, but if the car is just a thing anyone could have purchased then not so much.

[Maurice]

"Low hanging fruit". I've been jokingly saying when there's not a simple solution it's the "no hanging fruit."

"No worries, " used indiscriminately.

[JarodRussell]

trekkiedane wrote:

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If the car was sentient and had a say in whom would become its owner then you're absolutely right, but if the car is just a thing anyone could have purchased then not so much.

You have a nice avatar.

[Locutus of Bored]

^ That doesn't follow even by his argument since it's possible he took the pictures and he obviously created the gif, so he was involved in the creative process.

trekkiedane wrote:

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If the car was sentient and had a say in whom would become its owner then you're absolutely right, but if the car is just a thing anyone could have purchased then not so much.

That's a bizarre interpretation of a simple compliment.

Let's say two people have the same amount of money to buy a luxury car. One guy goes out and buys a big ass Hummer, and the other guy goes out and buys a nice understated Lexus sedan. By your rationale, I can't compliment the guy who bought the Lexus on his good taste in not buying a "everyone look at me" gas-guzzling small penis compensation device, because he had no part in designing it. But he still made a good choice out of the options that were presented to him, and I'm complimenting him on his good taste.

Or for another example, someone who maintains a vintage car in good condition can be complimented on his efforts by saying "nice car." He didn't design it, but he was involved in keeping it in good condition.

Even if you don't think it's much of a compliment, it's an incredible leap beyond that to say it's somehow an insult unless it's obviously an expression of shock or sarcasm as I said earlier. It just seems like searching for things to be insulted about that aren't even there or implied.

[trekkiedane]

Whenever you compliment someone a choice of theirs, you are merely letting them know that you approve of that choice and could possibly have chosen the same way yourself... In daily (spoken) language it's not much of a compliment; more like a conversation-starter along the lines of letting someone know that you and they have something in common (say, taste in cars).

I don't see how you can think it's the same as saying someone has a "nice wife".


ETA: Speaking of AVs: Is that Sesame Street Gul Madred is watching???

[Kestra]

I don't see how saying that you have a lovely wife would be offensive unless there were other implications! And the thanks part is just a thank you for the compliment, not a thank you for in a taking credit sense.

[Locutus of Bored]

trekkiedane wrote:

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I don't see how you can think it's the same as saying someone has a "nice wife".

I don't think it's exactly the same. I was just giving an alternate example to point out why I don't think your interpretation of it as an insult makes sense.

ETA: Speaking of AVs: Is that Sesame Street Gul Madred is watching???

It's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

[The Engineer]

"Cash money." Like, with a goddamned passion.

[sojourner]

So, there's no chance "you have a lovely wife" might be a compliment on your good taste in choosing her?

[T'Preea]

Maurice wrote:

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"Low hanging fruit". I've been jokingly saying when there's not a simple solution it's the "no hanging fruit."

"No worries, " used indiscriminately.

My hubs says that and it drives me bonkers.

*

"Keep calm and carry on" is starting to make me crazy because people at my work say it all the time. Another thing I hear almost every day is "It makes no difference" in reference to "paper or plastic? *I'm a checker at a grocery store* Half the time I want so smack those people. It makes all the difference. Sorry, I'm ranting.

[RoJoHen]

T'Preea wrote:

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"It makes no difference" in reference to "paper or plastic? *I'm a checker at a grocery store* Half the time I want so smack those people. It makes all the difference. Sorry, I'm ranting.

I'm surprised that you work in a store that still gives people an option. Nobody around here even has paper bags anymore.

[trekkiedane]

HoHoHocutus wrote:

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I don't think it's exactly the same. I was just giving an alternate example to point out why I don't think your interpretation of it as an insult makes sense.

And I just think that complimenting someone on their wife is a bit like saying: "nice catch"... which you obviously can when talking about cars (or fish). Maybe it's just me, but I definitely hear (/read) it as someone finding it so difficult to believe that you have such a nice wife that they need to tell you so.

It's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Ah! -That I would never have recognized as I have never seen it