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Expressions You Hate!
Mikaela:
Anything that starts with "Why don't you...."
It's a cultural thing. When I started out in my first job, I had an English-speaking boss who would review my work and then go "why don't you... check this, write that, etc" I thought he was asking me why I hadn't actually thought of doing whatever it was, and was therefore indicating my work was inadequate. I felt the direct question was very rude. Then as I got more proficient in English I realized it's just a way of suggesting a course of action. But my feeling about the "why don't you's" still sticks with me since then.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on December 02, 2008, 02:52:48 pm ---Anything that starts with "Why don't you...."
It's a cultural thing. When I started out in my first job, I had an English-speaking boss who would review my work and then go "why don't you... check this, write that, etc" I thought he was asking me why I hadn't actually thought of doing whatever it was, and was therefore indicating my work was inadequate. I felt the direct question was very rude. Then as I got more proficient in English I realized it's just a way of suggesting a course of action. But my feeling about the "why don't you's" still sticks with me since then.
--- End quote ---
You probably didn't mean this to be hilarious, but I laughed out loud at this! I could imagine you thinking your boss actually required an answer ("Well, why don't you? Hunh? Hunh??"). The perils of language translation!
I remember years ago hearing an example of a perfectly logical phrase by someone whose English was her second language. In answer to, "Do you think it will rain today during the picnic?" she said, "I don't hope so!" For some reason, that sounds "wrong" (the usual phrase would be, "I hope not") even though there's really nothing wrong with it.
Back to "Why don't you do such and such" -- the one I really hate is "I need you to do such and such."
Mikaela:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on December 02, 2008, 03:24:24 pm ---"Well, why don't you? Hunh? Hunh??"
--- End quote ---
That was exactly what I thought I *heard* him say! :laugh: The perils of language translation and cultural nuances, indeed.
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on December 02, 2008, 02:52:48 pm ---Anything that starts with "Why don't you...."
It's a cultural thing. When I started out in my first job, I had an English-speaking boss who would review my work and then go "why don't you... check this, write that, etc" I thought he was asking me why I hadn't actually thought of doing whatever it was, and was therefore indicating my work was inadequate. I felt the direct question was very rude. Then as I got more proficient in English I realized it's just a way of suggesting a course of action. But my feeling about the "why don't you's" still sticks with me since then.
--- End quote ---
I agree, to me the phrase "Why don't you ...?" also sounds like "Why haven't you already ...?"
An expression I absolutely disike it "trash". Not the word itself. It's fine as long as it is used for - trash of course; garbage, rubbish, waste.
But I hate the American way of naming (groups of) humans "trash": "trailer trash", "white trash"
It's absolutely humiliating. Of course the English language also has other derogatory words for people. As does German. But somehow naming human beings "trash" is completely unacceptable for me.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on December 02, 2008, 04:13:48 pm ---It's absolutely humiliating. Of course the English language also has other derogatory words for people. As does German. But somehow naming human beings "trash" is completely unacceptable for me.
--- End quote ---
Me too. Especially "white trash," because that's not only demeaning, it's also racist. People who use the term don't always seem to realize this.
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