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...
