Things you'll never say...
Jan 2nd 2017, 8:02 pm
#46
WTF?
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Homeostasis
Posts: 79,367
Re: Things you'll never say...
I've never understood why people get so bent out of shape about saying "Happy Holidays." In what way is it different from the equally neutral "Season's Greetings" that has been used in the UK on non-commital greetings cards since the fifties to my personal knowledge and most likely far longer.
It's a made up problem. Made up by the same bunch of assholes who made up the non-existent war on Christmas.
EDIT: The irony doesn't escape me that the same people who are "against the PC brigade" are actively getting the hump because other people choose to a different greeting than what they do.
Last edited by Leslie; Jan 2nd 2017 at 8:06 pm.
Jan 2nd 2017, 8:05 pm
#47
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Things you'll never say...
.... Well it amuses me. 
..... What Pulaski said about accepting idioms/venacular and staying long term in a country... I can't be bothered to find it but there is actually research demonstrating exactly that. IIRC it was making the mental/emotional adjustment to your new abode as "home" which helped you switch on "assimilate" mode for the new language. ......
Last edited by Pulaski; Jan 2nd 2017 at 8:07 pm.
Jan 2nd 2017, 9:10 pm
#48
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Location: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
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Re: Things you'll never say...
Not exactly grammar or idiom, but I write "the UK and Europe" in e-mails, memos and reports as often as I can. .... Well it amuses me.
I have managed to adopt almost all the local words, spellings, and idiom while somehow, but certainly not deliberately, absorbing little, if any, of the accent.
.... Well it amuses me. I have managed to adopt almost all the local words, spellings, and idiom while somehow, but certainly not deliberately, absorbing little, if any, of the accent.
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:19 pm
#49
Account Closed
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Posts: 0
Re: Things you'll never say...
Something like how my Sheffield accent ended up as a cab driver in London summed up pretty well.
"you have a northern accent mate but you use words and phrases that the Yanks use all the time"
Believe me after so many years words like "petrol" and "lift" (elevator) will disappear entirely from your vocabulary along with many others.
Before I came here I lived in Canada for five years. By the time I left I was saying "eh" after every sentence. Fortunately that didn't last very long
"you have a northern accent mate but you use words and phrases that the Yanks use all the time"
Believe me after so many years words like "petrol" and "lift" (elevator) will disappear entirely from your vocabulary along with many others.
Before I came here I lived in Canada for five years. By the time I left I was saying "eh" after every sentence. Fortunately that didn't last very long
I can't say I ever hear anyone say eh. I do on occasion to be funny, but it's certainly not normal conversation out here in BC.
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:30 pm
#50
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Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
Those who say y'all or hear it, what state are you in? I am from So. California and I don't think I have ever heard anyone from So. Cal say it, those who do are usually from Texas or another southern state. Wondering if its common outside the south, or if it's a southern thing.
Were you in Eastern Canada? Middle part?
I can't say I ever hear anyone say eh. I do on occasion to be funny, but it's certainly not normal conversation out here in BC.
Were you in Eastern Canada? Middle part?
I can't say I ever hear anyone say eh. I do on occasion to be funny, but it's certainly not normal conversation out here in BC.
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:30 pm
#51
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Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: Things you'll never say...
I was with some co-workers in a casino, and one of them said 'OHMYGOD isn't that the guy from PORN STARS over there at the bar?! He's my biggest hero! Let's go get his autograph!'
At least, that's what I could've sworn she'd said.
I was very confused.
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:47 pm
#53
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Joined: Dec 2015
Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
I've never understood why people get so bent out of shape about saying "Happy Holidays." In what way is it different from the equally neutral "Season's Greetings" that has been used in the UK on non-commital greetings cards since the fifties to my personal knowledge and most likely far longer.
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
Last edited by dc koop; Jan 2nd 2017 at 10:54 pm.
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:54 pm
#55
CA to TX to Jamaica
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Location, Location.
Posts: 4,887
Jan 2nd 2017, 10:59 pm
#56
Banned
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Location: california
Posts: 6,035
Re: Things you'll never say...
Anyone with a pronounced British accent sounds stupid using "y'all" If I went back to the old country and started saying that to my relatives in Sheffield they'd laugh their heads off and rightfully call me a Gormless Twat.
Jan 2nd 2017, 11:00 pm
#57
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Things you'll never say...
I associate the period Dec 15 thru Dec 30 as being the Christmas season. It's not sure if J.C was actually born at this time. Some say a Roman Emperor fixed his date of birth at that time while compiling the 12 month calendar. Anyway it suits me to say Merry Christmas and that's all there is to it. If the reason that "Happy Holidays" came about for fear of offending non-Christians then all I can say is Bollacks with knobs on !! I mean no offence when I say "Merry Christmas" The Mexicans say "Felice Navidad" Nobody goes around making an issue of that so what the hell is really going on?
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
Jan 2nd 2017, 11:02 pm
#58
CA to TX to Jamaica
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Location: Location, Location.
Posts: 4,887
Jan 2nd 2017, 11:04 pm
#59
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Things you'll never say...
I associate the period Dec 15 thru Dec 30 as being the Christmas season. It's not sure if J.C was actually born at this time. Some say a Roman Emperor fixed his date of birth at that time while compiling the 12 month calendar. Anyway it suits me to say Merry Christmas and that's all there is to it. If the reason that "Happy Holidays" came about for fear of offending non-Christians then all I can say is Bollacks with knobs on !! I mean no offence when I say "Merry Christmas" The Mexicans say "Felice Navidad" Nobody goes around making an issue of that so what the hell is really going on?
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
Jan 2nd 2017, 11:06 pm
#60
CA to TX to Jamaica
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Location, Location.
Posts: 4,887
Re: Things you'll never say...
I associate the period Dec 15 thru Dec 30 as being the Christmas season. It's not sure if J.C was actually born at this time. Some say a Roman Emperor fixed his date of birth at that time while compiling the 12 month calendar. Anyway it suits me to say Merry Christmas and that's all there is to it. If the reason that "Happy Holidays" came about for fear of offending non-Christians then all I can say is Bollacks with knobs on !! I mean no offence when I say "Merry Christmas" The Mexicans say "Felice Navidad" Nobody goes around making an issue of that so what the hell is really going on?
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
The popular English way of abbreviating Christmas to "Xmas" is on my stupid list. What the hell does Xmas mean anyway? Is it just sheer laziness? A problem with saying the word Christ? Or a belief that Jesus Christ shouldn't be the name he's known as and that therefore he should be known as Mister X instead ?
Plain ridiculous
X is Greek for 'chi' or Christ.