Sunday, April 13, 2008

Overused Phrases

"Spot on" is OK when it is used by British people to describe something that is ideal or accurate; but, it shouldn't be used by someone living in Iowa. Just doesn't sound right. To put the point another way, only people who can credibly say "spot on, old boy" should be allowed to use the phrase. Say it to yourself out loud. If it rings wrong, you shouldn't write it either.

8 comments:

Posol'stvo the Medved said...

Not to put too fine a point on it there Dave, but yer title oughta be "Overused Phrase" - singular.

Now, let me tell you briefly about the dream I was having when I was rudely woken up this morning by my alarm clock, of all things...

You, me, and Hedy were all in a writing class being taught by my screenwriting workshop instructor. Everytime I said something, someone sitting between you and me would interfere. I could be wrong, but I suspect it was the Dilf or Big Rick. Anyway, that's all I remember of it. I know there was more, but that's all I remember.

Weird, huh?

Dave said...

You're right about the title. The post was to have addressed more than one overused phrase; but, I didn't like what I had and went with just the one. Then, when I read it after "publishing," I was too lazy to go back and change it.

As to the dream, Big Rick is a likely candidate. The venue is more likely to be the neighborhood bar. Dilf? I'll leave that one to Hedy.

Hedy said...

Dilf wouldn't be caught dead in a writing class. Cool dream.

Posol'stvo the Medved said...

That leaves Rick, I guess. Of course, it still might not be him. It might just be some guy who attends night classes in my dreams.

But you know how in dreams you just KNOW facts without ever being told them? Yeah, I just *knew* it was Rick or Dilf.

Dave said...

I don't think Dilf reads me, so we won't know. Rick does, so, what were you doing last night? You have a lot of straight lines, go for it.

fermicat said...

"Spot on!" just doesn't sound right unless spoken with an English accent. And if you say it with an English accent and you aren't English, you sound like an idiot. So I'll have to agree with you on this one.

I hope I will be forgiven for using the term "Bloody Hell!" once in a while. I'm usually using it because I am trying NOT to say something worse. And I say it with a southern accent, not an English one, which means "Hell" has two syllables.

Kathleen said...

I don't think I've ever used the term "spot on," but I might have to start. ;-)

Kathleen said...

I use Bloody Hell all the time, so if that's not acceptable, I'm in trouble.