It's no secret that I love the English language. A LOT. I love the subtleties of grammar and nuances of dialect that have the power to completely change the implication of a sentence. I am utterly fascinated by idioms and colloquialisms (particularly those of the Southern United States), and there is little I enjoy more than a well-constructed, colorful turn of phrase. But, there is one phrase that has snuck its way into popular vernacular that absolutely drives me nuts: “I know, right?”
I believe the phrase is a contradictory atrocity against the English language! (Not to mention it's been overused to the point of obnoxiousness.) I understand that the intended meaning is one of resounding agreement, but I don't feel the construction reflects the intention. It's as if one is making a confident statement, then second-guessing himself. “I know. Don't I?”
How am I supposed to know if you know? You either know or you don't. You said you knew. How can I trust someone who makes a statement willy nilly, not sure if it was accurate before it came out of his mouth?
My husband made a comparison to an expression of agreement that I like to frequently use - “Isn't it, though?” - to the one aforementioned. I was deeply offended that he would make such an accusation of similarity! The two are not synonymous. I'm sure of it. I think...
lol. you are sure they aren't synonymous, though. i'm telepathic... i think.
ReplyDeleteAm I being a jerk, you may say yes and to that I say.....I know, right?"How am supposed to know if you know?"
ReplyDeleteI find that someone who professes to love to English language so much does not proof read their blog, especially after critizing other people's use of an expression. I believe they say if you point the finger, three are pointing back at you.
My comment got all jumbled. This site is booby trapped! It was supposed to read :
ReplyDelete"How am supposed to know if you know?"
I find that someone who professes to love to English language so much does not proof read their blog, especially after critizing other people's use of an expression. I believe they say if you point the finger, three are pointing back at you.
Am I being a jerk, you may say yes and to that I say.....I know, right?
Yeah, booby trapped, I tell you! It wasn't me; it was the site. Nevertheless, I fixed it. Thanks for drawing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if I do make such an error in the future, I will defend it by saying that even people who love the English language make mistakes now and then. To err is human. In my eyes, a simple typing oversight is far less egregious than purposefully making a statement that lacks confidence as well as coherence. As you well know, I am a woman of many peeves, and the phrase in question just happens to be one of my pets.