Do You Even Understand What You Just Said?

People Say Some Pretty Dumb Things

from JoeUser Forums
OK, I'll be the first to admit that I take some liberties with language at times. But some people say some things just just simply mae no real sense, and quite often they don't even realize it. While it's hardly a major issue, but it does make me wonder if they even know what it is they just said.

Some common examples which I find both amusing and annoying.

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".

I didn't see nothing. Umm, ok, that means you saw something. You do know that, right?

Save up to 50% and more. Ok, which is it? I can save up to 50%? Or I can save more than 50%?

He's itching himself No, he's scratching himself. Something else is itching him.

It''s our 3 month anniversary Do you know what the word anniversary even means? It means annually recurring date of a past event, as in once a year. Get it?

Does this make me look fat?No, it was the Twinkies that did that. What you mean to ask is "does this hide my fat?"

I set my clock/watch ahead so i am always on time Really? Did you do it in a way that you didn't know it's set ahead so as to trick yourself?

I need gas You do? Why? Are you sure it isn't your car that needs the gas?

I have to take a crap Really? And where are you taking it to? Personally, I prefer to leave them.

Stupid idiot As opposed to a smart idiot?

There are a lot more, but I think you get the idea. If you have one that you hear people say, or say yourself, that just makes no sense at all, feel free to share it with us.
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
To be fair, in most of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.), a double negative is an emphatic negative, not a logical positive. As the Artificial Intelligence researchers will tell you, natural languages don't really map well to systems of formal logic.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ummm, yeah, ok. We're talking about English here.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".


Another one like this is PIN number.

I didn't see nothing. Umm, ok, that means you saw something. You do know that, right?


Sometimes I wonder if maybe some people aren't playing a game of semantics with this one. It's a way of lying without the person they're talking to realizing it.

Millions of people are idiots.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I wrote kind of a similar article here Link on May 8 and still zero replies. I guess no one gets it.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Another one like this is PIN number.

Yep, I don't know how I neglected to include that little gem.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ok, you just hit a button!  First:

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".

NO!  Asynchrous Transfer Mode (we were here first)

Second:

Same Difference

Excuse me?  We are comparing 2 things, not 3!  To have the same difference, you must have at least 3 things so that the difference between item 1 and 2 is the same as item 2 and 3!

geez!

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply By: stutefishPosted: Friday, June 17, 2005
To be fair, in most of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.), a double negative is an emphatic negative, not a logical positive. As the Artificial Intelligence researchers will tell you, natural languages don't really map well to systems of formal logic

Are you Hal?  just checking........

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ok, you just hit a button! First:

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".


NO! Asynchrous Transfer Mode (we were here first)


Sorry doc but that's wrong. What you are quoting is "how" the macine communicates to other machines. ATM is the name and it stands for automated teller machine. Just go ask at a bank. I did.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Does this make me look fat?


I'm going to disagree with you on this one. There are some clothes that are not flattering and can "make you look fat." Really. Trust me.

I set my clock/watch ahead so i am always on time


Yes. I forget that it's set ahead and when I look at the numbers, I freak out and start hurrying. (Actually, Adrian sets the clocks ahead, so technically I don't know how ahead they are)

I have to take a crap


My boys take dumps. They take them to the toilet and then forget to flush them so that the next person to go into the bathroom has a nice surprise.

Stupid idiot


C'mon, can't this one be OK? The "stupid" intensifies the "idiot"...it sets the "stupid" idiots apart from the regular idiots.

My pet peeve is someone who constantly peppers their conversation with "yanno what I'm saying?"


Hahahaha...I constantly say "you know?" or "does that make sense?"...

Neat blog, Mason.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Same Difference


Isn't that an oxymoron?
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top

My pet peeve is someone who constantly peppers their conversation with "yanno what I'm saying?"

I'm tempted to reply, "no, I don't, would you please repeat that?" every time they utter it.

I agree!  yanno what I am saying?

Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

Sorry doc but that's wrong. What you are quoting is "how" the macine communicates to other machines. ATM is the name and it stands for automated teller machine. Just go ask at a bank. I did.

Brrrrpppp!  I was using ATM before the banks!  My statement stands.  call me a geek!  ATM is Asynchronous Transfer Mode!

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

Same Difference


Isn't that an oxymoron?

Arrrgggggghhhhh!  We are agreeing again!  Curses my precious!  Curses!

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top

I'm going to disagree with you on this one. There are some clothes that are not flattering and can "make you look fat." Really. Trust me.

When asked of a man by a woman, it is a trap!  There is no right answer.  Run, fast and far away! Do not answer it as you will be wrong regardless!

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Brrrrpppp! I was using ATM before the banks! My statement stands. call me a geek! ATM is Asynchronous Transfer Mode!


So what do you call the machines?
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Arrrgggggghhhhh! We are agreeing again! Curses my precious! Curses!


The end is nigh!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
When asked of a man by a woman, it is a trap! There is no right answer. Run, fast and far away! Do not answer it as you will be wrong regardless!


Hahahaha...here's your answer: "You look great in everything, baby. I love the way that dress (jeans, skirt, top, whatever) makes your ass (waist, legs, boobs, whatever) look. You're a knock-out!"

Obviously you can't say this exact thing every single time, so you have to vary up the structure and the exact words you use a bit, but...

When you say this, you will save yourself 30 minutes to an hour because she will feel sexy and adored and she won't run upstairs and change 5 more times (or walk around pulling on her clothes and looking dejected for the rest of the night).
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top

So what do you call the machines?

Cash giants!

Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

The end is nigh!

Not as long as my precciiisssous exists!  Master is evil!  He wants to hurt Gollum! Guulum, Guulluim!

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
Another one like this is PIN number.


You ever fill out a form that asks for your "SSN #"? Same difference, and it annoys the piss outta me!
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top

Hahahaha...here's your answer: "You look great in everything, baby. I love the way that dress (jeans, skirt, top, whatever) makes your ass (waist, legs, boobs, whatever) look. You're a knock-out!"

Obviously you can't say this exact thing every single time, so you have to vary up the structure and the exact words you use a bit, but...

When you say this, you will save yourself 30 minutes to an hour because she will feel sexy and adored and she won't run upstairs and change 5 more times (or walk around pulling on her clothes and looking dejected for the rest of the night

Hehehehehe

I was just looking for some great advice! Cheap!

Got it!

hehehehehhehehehe

Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
my pet phrase, by the way, in situations like that is:

"That is both repetitive and redundant".

You'd be surprised at how many people don't get that!
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
My favorite is talking face to face and one say "DO YOU SEE what I am saying?" nope your words have no form dummy.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
That is both repetitive and redundant
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
My favorite is talking face to face and one say "DO YOU SEE what I am saying?" nope your words have no form dummy.

I suppose that could be a valid question if communicating in sign language, otherwise it's annoying.

And yeah, the SSN# is both repetitive and redundant.