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08-03-2007, 07:55 PM
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#1 of 13 
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Local Time: 01:18 AM
Local Date: 10-12-2008
Posts: 22
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Like, God willing, you know?
The habit of turning a statement into a question by tacking on "you know?" to the end of it has been abused for as long as I can remember and it seems to have spread nationwide, like McBurgers.
The insertion of ", like," has been more recent but even old fat guys seem to feel comfortable using it as if, like, they were born in the valley, as if.
I do remember the first time I heard the phrase, "you don't have to be a rocket scientist to......blah blah," and it made me cringe. Rocket scientists never refer to themselves as rocket scientists.
But, that didn't matter and English has been plagued by that phrase for many years now. And, there's a new kid on the block.
I was watching the NewsHour, listening to the mayor of Minneapolis being interviewed about the 35W disaster and heard, for the second time, the term, "God willing," being spliced into a sentence. I think the term may be common in the East, but the good mayor is most certainly an infidel. The Twin Cities have a large Muslim population and it seems to have rubbed off on him.
English is so accommodating, you know?
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08-03-2007, 09:26 PM
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#2 of 13
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Member
Join Date: Jan 1999
Local Time: 08:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 3,636
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
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English is so accommodating, you know?
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OMG!! WTF?? LOL!!! 
-Brian
Come, Rubidia. Let's blow this epoch.
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08-06-2007, 08:14 AM
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#3 of 13
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Jay
Member
Location: NJ
Join Date: Mar 1999
Local Time: 09:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 7,923
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
HAHAHAHAHA, this describes a friend of mine to a tee, ya know?
Jay
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life
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08-06-2007, 09:09 AM
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#4 of 13
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Member
Join Date: Dec 1969
Local Time: 09:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 7,307
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
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I think the term may be common in the East, but the good mayor is most certainly an infidel. The Twin Cities have a large Muslim population and it seems to have rubbed off on him.
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"God willing" has been a common phrase in English for centuries. There is nothing especially "Eastern" or "Muslim" about it.
You're completely missing the point of the "rocket scientist" reference, but I doubt I'd be able to explain why in a way that would seem reasonable to you.
Regards,
Joe
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08-06-2007, 03:33 PM
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#5 of 13
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Local Time: 05:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 2,895
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
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You're completely missing the point of the "rocket scientist" reference, but I doubt I'd be able to explain why in a way that would seem reasonable to you.
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It's not brain surgery.
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08-06-2007, 06:02 PM
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#6 of 13
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Member
Join Date: Dec 1969
Local Time: 09:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 7,307
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
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Originally Posted by Rob Gardiner
It's not brain surgery.
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Or rocket surgery. 
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08-06-2007, 11:22 PM
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#7 of 13
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Local Time: 09:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 549
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
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English is so accommodating, you know?
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Doesn't bother me one iota as much as the current, "Do I think English is accomidating? Yes, I do." structure. |
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08-07-2007, 07:15 AM
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#8 of 13
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Member
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Join Date: Mar 2002
Local Time: 04:18 AM
Local Date: 10-12-2008
Posts: 785
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
Does this mean English becomes accommodating when a person uses language that is intimidating?
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08-07-2007, 11:03 AM
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#9 of 13
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Member
Location: Rensselaer, NY
Join Date: Oct 2001
Local Time: 09:18 PM
Local Date: 10-11-2008
Posts: 13,978
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Re: Like, God willing, you know?
There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!
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08-07-2007, 04:24 PM
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#10 of 13
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