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While watching yet another reality show last night, I thought of this great discussion topic.
How many customary cliched sayings have no basis in fact? Case in example, a young girl says: 'I felt as if my heart had been ripped out.'
Of course we all know that she means that she was totally devastated, distraught, etc. But the REAL conundrum is, if one has NEVER had their heart 'ripped out', how the heck would they know how it feels?
Similarly with: 'I could have died.' Would that person really seek out Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum or the 7.28 Oxford to Paddington to fulfil their prophesy?
Comments
'Have a nice day' in Tesco's gets me every time.
My biggest is people who say 'Can I get' instead of 'May I have'.
No you can't get anything - only staff are allowed behind the counter!
An icon is something worshipped.
:P
That was not my intention. HONEST!!!!
I wouldn't be quite so annoyed if the person really meant it was the best they'd ever come across and they doubted they'd ever find better, but often what they really mean is that it was quite nice.
I can't bear the over-use of the word 'awesome' and I hate 'cool' too, it always sounds phoney to me.
*goes off happily burnishing her 'grumpy woman' badge*
Airports have lounges, people have sitting rooms.
Lounge or living room it is or, being of the lowclass that I am, the second reception room
It's what goes on ON it which is important
Obviously...
*shudder*
sofa: a long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people. Origin: early 17thC, from French, based on Arabic suffa
On that basis, settee would probably be the common person's usage, they being more inclined to have a settle; the posher people would have French/Arabic influence on their interior furnishings.
I'm a northerner: we had a settee.
couch: a long upholstered piece of furniture for several people to sit on. Origin: Middle English, denoting something to sleep on, from old French couche.
So a couch is more for full-length lounging, perhaps, like the chaise-longue (French for long chair, surprisingly enough)
I don't have a lounge or a sofa or a settee. I have a Chesterfield.
Where in the social strata do I fit?
:-?
I must make an effort to use it more.