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General Category => Words => Topic started by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 06:06:56 PM

Title: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 06:06:56 PM
FOLLOWING ON FROM THE EXTENSIVE ENGLISH LESSON OF YESTERDAY....
The use of this phrase drives me barmy equally as much as apostrophe
 abuse... >:(
You hear people saying it all the time...quite often TV presenters and Newsreaders, who really should know better...

Actual is fact... so why repeat it?

You wouldn't say 'well, actually actually i hate it..'   or   'In fact in fact i hate it'.
So what say you all???
T  :angel:

Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 06:27:42 PM
 Oh yes......it's right up there with "revert back" and "new innovation" !!!!!
My pet hates also include the "buzz" words that seem to appear and then get used ad nauseam..... "at this point in time" (what's wrong with "now"?),  "at grass roots level" ,   "embattled" politicians, "frenzied attack" etc etc. Are we just getting old and embittered and cynical, do you think?    :-\
Just remembered another..."speaking for myself personally"   grrrrrrrrrr!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 06:31:53 PM
Wots rong wif riting and speekin proper Engand like wot i was tort sins i was a likkle childrun. i ad a gud ejucashun an its nize too rite proppa an tauk gud...
peepol lik it..
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 06:33:59 PM
'sgood innit?
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:14:48 PM
"And, so, uh, like, uh, when my mom told me I couldn't, uh, ya know, uh, go out with my friends, uh, ya know, cause it was like, uh, Tuesday, and uh, a school night. Well, then, I was like, 'No way, dude.'"

 ;) ;) ;)
ANNOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYING!! Yes!!!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 08:22:02 PM
 and she goes, she goes, she goes, like........y'know  (or is that only in Australia?)
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:23:31 PM
Yes, we get that too, Binks. It's more of a northern than southern thing, though. Heard that a lot growing up in NYC.
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 08:23:57 PM
Yeh right...i know what yah mean right...cos like right..it's annoying right..when people right say like right all the time and like all the time. it's like not necessary right....what do they like teach em in schools...???
Right cos i can't fathom it like....our youngsters right are like turning into cavemen again right....with just grunts and groans like to like communicate...and lets not forget right..the shoulder shrugging right...
This forum right is like the best use of the English language right that i come across like during the working week right....
Keep it up like girls and boys right....
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 08:26:19 PM
 :)  The favourite greeting to a customer by a shop assistant over here is "Are you right?"  To which the usual reply is "I'm right, thanks"    !!!!!!!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:28:37 PM
That's different.  ???

Right about what? Doing all right? Right or wrong?  Huh?
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Viz on June 19, 2007, 08:29:58 PM
are you sure that you're (NB careful apostrophe placement) not secretely writers for Grumpy Old Women? - seems like every topic ends up with a good old fashioned whinge " Eh - it wasn't like that in my day - now when i was a gel young people had some respect"  not that I'm averse to a nice bit of bitching - i was just wondering?
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:35:04 PM
As for me, since I can't speak for anyone else, it's sad.  :'( I'm beginning to think I'm TURNING INTO MY OWN MOTHER!  :o

It all started when I had the kids. And it was downhill from there!   >:( >:( >:(
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 08:37:04 PM
Were we bitching....??? :-R
Grumpy? >:(
Whingeing? :-\
Disrespectful? :-X
I bloody hope so..if that didn't come across it was all in vain....
And maybe...perhaps....hopefully...everything crossed.....we will see a beautifully punctuated and grammatically correct sentence today...unless of course he's hiding as Linda has suggested. Although i do recall him mentioning being busy today....funny about that!!
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Linda on June 19, 2007, 08:40:42 PM
I keep losing the bloody Forum!!!  Just composed a lovely message about how my son and his friends use the word 'gay' for anything/anyone they consider to be uncool and then couldn't post it!

On another subject entirely, does anyone still use the good old semi-colon?  Has it been replaced by a - ?  I ask because it causes me some trouble when I'm proofreading - should it be used or replaced with a - or a full stop?  Comments, please.  This is a serious topic for me, eh, like!  After yesterday I need to give my sides some time to heal up!!!  >:D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:43:44 PM
I LOVE the semicolon; it's so much easier to keep tidy than the colon!  >:D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Linda on June 19, 2007, 08:44:45 PM
Thank you very much for that, 3B!  V. helpful (not)!  >:D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:46:30 PM
That's (not!!!), to you, Linda dear. Must add the emphasis for full effect!!!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Linda on June 19, 2007, 08:47:48 PM
Bog off!!! Is that enough emphasis for you?  >:D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:49:26 PM
You got it!  :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Viz on June 19, 2007, 08:50:22 PM
In actual fact (just for you T) i do think the semi colon is losing it's grip and has to a large extent been replaced by the dash - i use the dash a lot, although i have nothing against a semi colon - i think i only use the poor old semi colon in more formal writing - never (i dont think) in e-mail. But why do you think threeb that the semi colon is easier to kep tidy than the colon - i must disagree: ";" does not look tidier than ":" to me.
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 08:50:31 PM
1/2 a colon is better than no colon at all...
I use them..occasionally...is there much call for them these days???
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 08:51:32 PM
Probably not since Dickens. Everything is about short, terse expressions. Texting will only make it worse, I fear.  >:(
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 09:58:36 PM
 I confess to developing sloppy punctuation habits when emailing, or posting in this forum. Usually it's because I'm in too much of a hurry to get my twopennorth in before the topic changes ! I just love a line of dots............they can stand for almost anything. If I'm writing a proper letter, which I do, surprisingly often, then I'm very aware of punctuation.
  I remember being taught that you should use a colon before a list of words, i.e   These people are members of our forum: 3B, T , Viz, etc
A semi-colon is to join two sentences together. That's 2 sentences which could be separated by a full stop (period to you, Threeb!) i.e   I don't have a problem with apostrophe; the apostrophe has problems with me.

Having said that...............I rarely use either! :D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 10:13:27 PM
OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Get you...little miss prim and proppa....
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 10:16:09 PM
And so, what's with all the  ........ ........... ........ anyway? Do we fill in the blanks while we pause to read the punch lines?
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 10:21:58 PM
no, all the .....................are to give me time to think. Still, if you feel like filling in the blanks, please feel free!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 10:45:04 PM
I started this topic with a genuine question..now look what you've gone and done??!!?? >:(
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 10:47:44 PM
Don't blame me.....I gave you a thoughtful and measured answer. Not my fault if other people insist on trivialising everything!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 10:49:23 PM
 Trailer Trash..how could they do that to me...especially when i was trying so hard to be sensible  :'(
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 19, 2007, 10:52:01 PM
SOOOOO sensible. With your thong-talk! Oh, yeah! I get it  >:D !
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Binkie on June 19, 2007, 10:54:40 PM
  Poor, poor T
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 19, 2007, 10:58:27 PM
That's my girl...
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: a non-amos on June 21, 2007, 04:45:20 PM
Beg to differ, but I have no major issue with the phrase "actual fact", even though it seems redundant and also repetative.

All too often, facts are less than absolute.  Today's facts can all too easily become tomorrow's fallacies.  When is a fact really a fact?  How do you denote a fact that has also been proven?

What really gets under my skin is "very unique".
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 21, 2007, 05:18:03 PM
Velly intelesting......
A serious point of view a-non.....and valid...but look at the stats..[not many i know] most people don't like it....
 :angel:

Lots of folk reading your soup recipe...what's on the menu today  :-H
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: a non-amos on June 21, 2007, 05:20:42 PM
No cooking today, just work and band practice.
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 21, 2007, 05:23:15 PM
Hope your G string doesn't break???
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Alan W on June 21, 2007, 06:26:44 PM
If you want infuriating phrases, have a look here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/portal/2007/06/14/nosplit/ftannoy114.xml), where the Telegraph newspaper ran a competition for them.

I just had to share this with you.
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 21, 2007, 06:44:19 PM
Loved it VIRAL....
The kind of verbal crap i hear all the time at work....
Me..i just love the honest to goodness vernacular...saying it like it is and calling a spade a spade.... Did you guess?
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 21, 2007, 07:24:14 PM
That really was refreshing.

Oh, and T, I always like to call a spade a shovel!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 21, 2007, 07:26:01 PM
Even when you play cards?
[Good morning threeb..]
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: anonsi on June 21, 2007, 11:45:02 PM
Threeb, there is actually a difference between a spade and a shovel.  A shovel is generally wider than a spade, and a spade is usually pointed on the end...
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 22, 2007, 01:08:05 AM
It's actually a joke, Anonsi! When you want someone to say the truth, you reply, "Let's just call a spade a shovel!  8)
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: anonsi on June 22, 2007, 01:57:00 AM
Some people don't realize that there is a difference, and I thought I would enlighten you if you were one of the unenlightened....But I've also never heard that joke. :)
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 22, 2007, 02:21:15 AM
You are such an innocent Anonsi...and i love you for it...
I was once..[that was definately about 11.35 a.m. on a monday in 1973] before i became a shade more cynical...
 :angel:
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 22, 2007, 03:35:49 AM
She's just a BABY! I thought I was naive, but at my old age, I've no real excuse!
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: Viz on June 22, 2007, 06:01:10 PM
i actually thought that calling a spade a spade was telling the truth - calling a spade a shovel is (i thought)eg you run into someone you havent seen for a while and instread of saying "hello how are you - you look a little tired" you say "hello, how are you - oh my god - what have you done to yourself you look like you've aged a 100 years" - i think it has a slightly different to the truth - ie more "brutal" somehow

Now that's what i call "calling a spade a shovel" - but your poinbt is well made anonsi - a spade is a spade and a shovel is a shovel - one is for gardening (the one with the pointy end) and the other is for eg shovelling manure out of a horse's stable.
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: biggerbirdbrain on June 23, 2007, 12:02:50 AM
Smartypants!  >:D
Title: Re: In actual fact??
Post by: technomc on June 26, 2007, 09:50:03 AM
Well. It's conclusive...
The majority loathed it...
My faith in human nature has been restored..[a bit]...
Cheers guys....
 :angel: