Saturday, October 22, 2016

Usage tip of the day


From Leddy’s Imaginary Dictionary of Usage (2016).

Also from this non-existent volume: Nice .

comments: 6

Pete said...

I believe the original context of this version of the verb was a listener acknowledging that he/she understood a joke. Usually in conjunction with the unspoken thought, "I'm not stupid, you don't need to explain it to me."

Michael Leddy said...

With jokes, esp. bad ones, I’ve heard people say “I get it” (as in “I get it — I just don’t think it’s very funny”). I’ve heard “I get that” so often on cable news that I think I’ve forgotten about other contexts for it.

Daughter Number Three said...

With all due respect...

Michael Leddy said...

Yes! I associate that one (or the short version, minus with ) with The Sopranos .

Pete said...

My bank held a legislative forum this week with Illinois federal and state legislators. I'm one of the few liberals in the bank, and couldn't help but notice that all of the ire directed at the politicians during Q&A was toward the Democrats. And in every single instance, that ire was prefaced by "With all due respect." Which is another way of saying "I think you're a moron and you're spectacularly wrong, but I'm trying to be tactful."

Michael Leddy said...

Ha! Remarkable that a phrase that announces respect implies the opposite.