A bunch of useless crap
People Say Some Pretty Dumb Things
Published on June 17, 2005 By MasonM In Blogging
OK, I'll be the first to admit that I take some liberties with language at times. But some people say some things just just simply mae no real sense, and quite often they don't even realize it. While it's hardly a major issue, but it does make me wonder if they even know what it is they just said.

Some common examples which I find both amusing and annoying.

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".

I didn't see nothing. Umm, ok, that means you saw something. You do know that, right?

Save up to 50% and more. Ok, which is it? I can save up to 50%? Or I can save more than 50%?

He's itching himself No, he's scratching himself. Something else is itching him.

It''s our 3 month anniversary Do you know what the word anniversary even means? It means annually recurring date of a past event, as in once a year. Get it?

Does this make me look fat?No, it was the Twinkies that did that. What you mean to ask is "does this hide my fat?"

I set my clock/watch ahead so i am always on time Really? Did you do it in a way that you didn't know it's set ahead so as to trick yourself?

I need gas You do? Why? Are you sure it isn't your car that needs the gas?

I have to take a crap Really? And where are you taking it to? Personally, I prefer to leave them.

Stupid idiot As opposed to a smart idiot?

There are a lot more, but I think you get the idea. If you have one that you hear people say, or say yourself, that just makes no sense at all, feel free to share it with us.

Comments (Page 1)
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on Jun 17, 2005
To be fair, in most of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.), a double negative is an emphatic negative, not a logical positive. As the Artificial Intelligence researchers will tell you, natural languages don't really map well to systems of formal logic.
on Jun 17, 2005
Ummm, yeah, ok. We're talking about English here.
on Jun 17, 2005
ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".


Another one like this is PIN number.

I didn't see nothing. Umm, ok, that means you saw something. You do know that, right?


Sometimes I wonder if maybe some people aren't playing a game of semantics with this one. It's a way of lying without the person they're talking to realizing it.

Millions of people are idiots.
on Jun 17, 2005
I wrote kind of a similar article here Link on May 8 and still zero replies. I guess no one gets it.

on Jun 17, 2005
Another one like this is PIN number.

Yep, I don't know how I neglected to include that little gem.
on Jun 17, 2005

Ok, you just hit a button!  First:

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".

NO!  Asynchrous Transfer Mode (we were here first)

Second:

Same Difference

Excuse me?  We are comparing 2 things, not 3!  To have the same difference, you must have at least 3 things so that the difference between item 1 and 2 is the same as item 2 and 3!

geez!

on Jun 17, 2005

Reply By: stutefishPosted: Friday, June 17, 2005
To be fair, in most of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.), a double negative is an emphatic negative, not a logical positive. As the Artificial Intelligence researchers will tell you, natural languages don't really map well to systems of formal logic

Are you Hal?  just checking........

on Jun 17, 2005

Ok, you just hit a button! First:

ATM machine. Do you even know what "ATM" stand for? Automatic Teller MACHINE! What you just said was "automatic teller machine machine".


NO! Asynchrous Transfer Mode (we were here first)


Sorry doc but that's wrong. What you are quoting is "how" the macine communicates to other machines. ATM is the name and it stands for automated teller machine. Just go ask at a bank. I did.
on Jun 17, 2005
Does this make me look fat?


I'm going to disagree with you on this one. There are some clothes that are not flattering and can "make you look fat." Really. Trust me.

I set my clock/watch ahead so i am always on time


Yes. I forget that it's set ahead and when I look at the numbers, I freak out and start hurrying. (Actually, Adrian sets the clocks ahead, so technically I don't know how ahead they are)

I have to take a crap


My boys take dumps. They take them to the toilet and then forget to flush them so that the next person to go into the bathroom has a nice surprise.

Stupid idiot


C'mon, can't this one be OK? The "stupid" intensifies the "idiot"...it sets the "stupid" idiots apart from the regular idiots.

My pet peeve is someone who constantly peppers their conversation with "yanno what I'm saying?"


Hahahaha...I constantly say "you know?" or "does that make sense?"...

Neat blog, Mason.
on Jun 17, 2005
Same Difference


Isn't that an oxymoron?
on Jun 17, 2005

My pet peeve is someone who constantly peppers their conversation with "yanno what I'm saying?"

I'm tempted to reply, "no, I don't, would you please repeat that?" every time they utter it.

I agree!  yanno what I am saying?

on Jun 17, 2005

Sorry doc but that's wrong. What you are quoting is "how" the macine communicates to other machines. ATM is the name and it stands for automated teller machine. Just go ask at a bank. I did.

Brrrrpppp!  I was using ATM before the banks!  My statement stands.  call me a geek!  ATM is Asynchronous Transfer Mode!

on Jun 17, 2005

Same Difference


Isn't that an oxymoron?

Arrrgggggghhhhh!  We are agreeing again!  Curses my precious!  Curses!

on Jun 17, 2005

I'm going to disagree with you on this one. There are some clothes that are not flattering and can "make you look fat." Really. Trust me.

When asked of a man by a woman, it is a trap!  There is no right answer.  Run, fast and far away! Do not answer it as you will be wrong regardless!

on Jun 17, 2005
Brrrrpppp! I was using ATM before the banks! My statement stands. call me a geek! ATM is Asynchronous Transfer Mode!


So what do you call the machines?
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