More Mundane Monsters and Offending Ogres

Author notes

NOTICE...how really obnoxious and disgusting...and insulting most of these are!

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  BookGirl
  September 19
  
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  "No problemo" - this I find particularly annoying since those that say it often seem to think they're speaking Spanish. THEY AREN'T. There is no such Spanish word as "problemo."
  "I'm good!" - also quite irritating since it is just plain bad grammar. "I'm well" if anything, please!
  "Not the sharpest pencil in the box" - actually, I'd never heard of that one. Kind of funny to me!
  There are a few more of these that are totally new to me, and others that I hear once in a while... but I guess that's because I don't live in an English-speaking country.
  My brothers and sisters and I have been known to literally translate (quite unconsciously!) "mundane monsters" and cliche phrases from Spanish into English when we're speaking. My parents often tease us about our strange English speaking skills, and when I visit the States strangers can never figure out where I'm from! (Sigh.
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  Granny Frikkin Smith
  July 11
  
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  AVUNCULARLY! Now tell me, illustrious one, why is there not an aunt-version? I'd like to add to your list, unless I overlooked it, 'like leading a lamb to slaughter.' I am tired of that phrase, Gary! There are better ways to illustrate the idea of a gentle or gullible person being taken advantage of than thinking about a poor lamb being hacked up, not to mention groaning at the cliche.
  (Although I will admit that I use it frequently for lack of a better one.)
  It's time to think up a new phrase!
  Maybe "they were like Poles in Germany," or "she was the Pompeii to his Vesuvius," or something much more clever.

  
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  Prestige
  June 7
  
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  Thumbs Up!

  I'm proud to say that I only use a couple of those sayings, even though I say them more than I write them. Anyway, another good one, keep it up!

  
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  Ghost of a Siren
  April 26
  
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  haha I use some of those, and so does my mom. Anyways nice write, very informative. Hmmm I'm hick, should be able to think up some more (since we southerns love using things like this ) I think I may have a few.
  
  The grass is greener on the other side.
  
  Good enough to slap your momma (LOL)
  
  Finger-licking (gross imagry, huh?)
  
  A lot of the more redneck population has adopted the saying "Git R Done" (I hate that saying, lol.)

  
• daftweejimmy
  April 25
  
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  In Yorkshire there's Eeeh by gum, which over the years has come to mean injecting Ecstasy into the mouth, a very dangerous practice.
  
  There is also Thy brain's in thy balls (a bit gender specific)
  
  Don't get your tights in a twist.
  
  Another clean shirt and that'll be him, indicates that the subject of the sentence isn't long for this world.
  
  Shorter than a New York second (the New York second is actually the shortest time measurable, being the time between the lights changing and the yellow cab behind blasting its horn).
  
  If he'd another brain cell, it'd be lonely.
  
  Doesn't know his arse from his elbow.
  
  
  
  
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  scriptor
  April 13
  
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  hmmm interesting kinda funny and on that comment from letsplay1 she says because that the way i roll the way i hear it is cuz thats how i roll but maybe different people say it differently
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  Rosemary
  March 27
  
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  Three More

  Here are three more that I think qualify for the list:
  
  Because thats the way I roll
  Been there done that
  More bang for your buck
  
• 
  Elisabeth
  March 27
  
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  Australia is losing its own rich sayings, so here's some we still have. Our children are adopting the Americanisms.
  Tallblondie will know this one from Oz, "two beers short of a six pack." Then there is - "He's got Roos in the top paddock, mate."(Means he's a Bogan(which means he's a 25watt light globe(which means he's stupid))) I love Australian slang, its so creative. One I haven't used is the one about an inveterate gambler "he'd bet on two flies going up a wall."
  Keep on with the grammar lessons, Gary. They are so enriching.

  
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  Sailor Moon
  March 26
  
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  XD and the sad thing is, I can pick out so many phrases and words in that list that are a very common part of my vocabulary - not to mention that of my mates as well
  But this is a good piece - for all readers, let us put our hands together for Gary *claps* LOL
  
  We're done here.
  
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  Viola.King
  March 26
  
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  Oh, come ON! Plan B is one of the biggest, most crucial parts of my novel! Well, I gues I can justify that by saying that my characters actually named their plans Plan A and Plan B. If they had files on the plans, they would literally be labelled "Plan A" and "Plan B".
  Aside from that one, the rest of the items on your list are COMPLETELY overdone. Thanks for giving me (and everyone else) guidelines on what to avoid while writing!
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  DarthAlvarez
  March 26
  
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  I wish you were my English teacher when I was in High School. My grammar and understanding of the language would be better than it is now.
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  Aesca
  March 26
  
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  So, I see you've found your niche. Careful, or people will be trying to stick you in the pigeonhole for those irritating grammar/punctuation/spelling/good writing nazis. Unless you're already there, in which case you'll have lots of good company (including myself).
  
  I have not heard of quite a few of those. How odd. I'm happy to say that I use them infrequently, however
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  tallblondie
  March 26
  
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  For prosperity, I would like to point out some overlooked (not your fault) Aussie-grown vernacular.
  
  The first is based on a rather shocking Aussie film "Muriel's Wedding", for which we owe the phrase; "you're terrible, Muriel" meant to be spoken with a highly annoying nasal twang.
  
  The second has its basis in an extensive advertising campaign for the Yellow Pages, where it illustrates a scenario of a secretary forgetting to book and pay for her company's add, and her boss finds out and leans out the window as she runs down the street, and yells "Not happy, JAN!!!"
  
  Both, as you can probably guess from their mention here, became the most popular thing to say to your friend, enemy, family, work friends, and even used by politicians, for at least a good two years.
  
  Two others that should be given dishonorable mentions are "thrashed" and "what...ever!"
  
  Another entertaining and informative piece.

  
• • 
    Gary Alexander
    March 26
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    Hello?

    Did you, perchance mean...POSTERITY? Hello?!
  • • 
      tallblondie
      March 27
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      I think I may have...(note to self: don't try thinking up witty remarks at 4am...)
    • 
      Viola.King
      March 26
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      Haha!!
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  SageSyren
  March 26
  
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  Man, how many times in a day do we actually say these kinds of things. My biggest is 'Hello' when I want my children to pay attention or to rethink what they've just said.
  
  Really given me something to think about here.
  
  Brooke