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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Overused Phrases of 2003
In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of the phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going so high that it metaphorically pokes through the roof of the building where it's taking place, so for example one could say sales are going "through the roof." I suppose I could say its use is "through the roof," but I won't. It's not a new phrase, of course. Though I don't know when it first emerged, it was quite familiar to me when I heard it a few years ago, in a long-running commercial for some diet plan from a couple of years ago. I believe it was Slim-Fast. A woman gave a testimonial about how, while losing weight, her energy level went "pshoo -- through the roof!" She punctuated the "pshoo" with a thumbs up gesture. Now I see and hear it everywhere. -JoAnne > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of > the phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Now I see and hear it everywhere. "At the end of the day" should be retired for a while.  SignatureMaria Conlon Please send any email to the Hot Mail address. On 26 Dec 2003, Maria Conlon wrote >> In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use >> of the phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > "At the end of the day" should be retired for a while. When all is said and done, I'd agree with that. SignatureCheers, Harvey Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years; Southern England for the past 21 years. (for e-mail, change harvey to whhvs) > On 26 Dec 2003, Maria Conlon wrote > >> "At the end of the day" should be retired for a while. > > When all is said and done, I'd agree with that. Same here. Shall we generate an action plan to spool up everyone else and make sure we're all on the same page? -- Mike Nitabach >> On 26 Dec 2003, Maria Conlon wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >Same here. Shall we generate an action plan to spool up everyone else >and make sure we're all on the same page? As long as you are thinking outside the box when you do it... Jitze >>>> "At the end of the day" should be retired for a while. >>> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > As long as you are thinking outside the box when you do it... Good point. Shall I stay under the radar as well? SignatureMaria Conlon Please send any email to the Hot Mail address. >>>>>"At the end of the day" should be retired for a while. >>>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Good point. Shall I stay under the radar as well? Is that a credible threat? \\P. Schultz >> Good point. Shall I stay under the radar as well? > > Is that a credible threat? Do you want it to be? SignatureMaria Conlon Please send any email to the Hot Mail address. >> On 26 Dec 2003, Maria Conlon wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >Same here. Shall we generate an action plan to spool up everyone else >and make sure we're all on the same page? Only when the people on the ground stop moving the goalposts. Steve Hayes hayesmstw@hotmail.com http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of > the phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I suppose I could say its use is "through the roof," but I won't. The more common usage here (and, I suspect, the older) is for an expression of anger 'When he saw the damage to his car, he went through the roof' -- John Dean Oxford De-frag to reply > The more common usage here (and, I suspect, the older) is for an > expression of anger 'When he saw the damage to his car, he went > through the roof' In the States you are just as likely (and perhaps more likely) to hear "he hit the roof." "Through the roof" here quite often refers to the unexpectedly high level of some quantity under discussion - expenses for example. I would say that the distinction if it exists at all is very fine. SignatureGood luck and good sailing. s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat http://kerrydeare.tripod.com > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of the > phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going so high [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Now I see and hear it everywhere. I don't suppose US politicians use the execrable expression "up and down the country". I could spit every time I hear it. Adrian Signatureb. England 1966; SE Cheshire -1986; Birmingham to date > > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of the > > phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going so high [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Adrian A new BrE phrase that got a lot of airing this year, especially on BBC World and BBC Canada's comedies was "back in the day." What does it mean? Is it the equivalent of "when ah were a lad"? Cheers, Sage A phrase I hear very often now is "in terms of". Fred _______________________________ > > > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of the > > > phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going so high [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Cheers, Sage While introducing his surprise on-stage guest, John Lennon, at Madison Square Garden in 1974, an uncharacteristically tongue-tied Elton John said to the audience "... and if you don't sing on this one... I want to hear you raise that roof up to the ceiling!" I heard "bling" too much. The "so" reinforcer has taken over Britain this year. The latest one I heard was from a newsreader who said: "New X-Ray machines that can see through people's clothese are going to be fitted at airports to improve security. That is so going to be abused." I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression "postie" on the televsion (for a postman). I've yet to hear it in real life. The word "minger" has been massive this year, having gained ground the year before. "ap" <qp10qp@aol.com> wrote... > I heard "bling" too much. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > machines that can see through people's clothese are going to be fitted > at airports to improve security. That is so going to be abused." [...] You might want to listen to R4's _Word of Mouth_ from yesterday, in which Stephen Fry explained why he so liked it. Some of his other peeves, like "NONE takes a singular verb", are off-target, though. There's a good discussion of "whatever", tracing its history and differing nuances. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/wordofmouth.shtml Matti > I heard "bling" too much. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > The word "minger" has been massive this year, having gained ground the > year before. The fact of the matter is, I have no idea what "minger" and "bling" mean. Cece > I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression > "postie" on the televsion (for a postman). I've yet to hear it in > real life. "Postie" has been used regularly in bicycle-racing circles to refer to a member of the United States Postal Service racing team. See http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1 &q=postie&btnG=Google+Search&meta=group%3Drec.bicycles.racing or http://tinyurl.com/yqxx5 -- Mike Nitabach >I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression "postie" >on the televsion (for a postman). I've yet to hear it in real life. Unremarkable, as far as I'm concerned, and part of my active vocabulary for the past ten or fifteen years. Signature-ler >>I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression "postie" >>on the televsion (for a postman). I've yet to hear it in real life. > >Unremarkable, as far as I'm concerned, and part of my active vocabulary >for the past ten or fifteen years. It makes more sense in Canada, given the French name of Canada Post (Postes Canada). Best regards, Spehro Pefhany Signature"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com In response to: >>> I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression "postie" >>> on the televsion (for a postman). I've yet to hear it in real life. Geoff Butler writes: >> Unremarkable, as far as I'm concerned, and part of my active vocabulary >> for the past ten or fifteen years. And Spehro Pefhany says: > It makes more sense in Canada, given the French name of Canada Post > (Postes Canada). Well, it is true that an English speaker wanting to pronounce "Postes" in a jocular, deliberately non-French way might say it like "posties". I sometimes speak of "Posties Canada Post" myself in this manner -- that is, jocularly referring to the French and English names overlapped. But as we all know, "postes" properly sounds just about the same as English "post", so I don't buy the conclusion that "it makes more sense". "Postie" is a word I hear only from the news media, where it is likely to occur only in reference to postal strikes. But I've been hearing it there for plenty of years. SignatureMark Brader, Toronto "Don't be silly -- send it to Canada" msb@vex.net -- British postal worker My text in this article is in the public domain. > In response to: > >>> I've recently heard quite a few people using the expression "postie" [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > to occur only in reference to postal strikes. But I've been hearing it > there for plenty of years. Here in Quebec you might expect to hear "Osti, c'est le postie" -- but I haven't! > I heard "bling" too much. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > The word "minger" has been massive this year, having gained ground the > year before. i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" to me again. i mean it. Marty Feldman filted: >i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" to >me again. i mean it. Call you that a lot, do they?... Carry a digital camera around with you until it happens...I want a jpg of the actual act of biting....r > Marty Feldman filted: > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Carry a digital camera around with you until it happens...I want a jpg of the > actual act of biting....r i'm planning to have c-span cover it. dadoctah@earthlink.net spake thus: > Marty Feldman filted: > > > >i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" to > >me again. i mean it. > > Call you that a lot, do they?... I'd like to place it on record that I had *never* heard this word before. I had to look it up. SignatureDavid ===== > i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" > to me again. i mean it. Why don't you figuratively bite him? It'll hurt more. -- Mike Nitabach > > > i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" > > to me again. i mean it. > > Why don't you figuratively bite him? It'll hurt more. if i replied with a visciously intoned response, such as "pot-kettle-metrosexual", i'll end up sounding like lieberman, and that'll hurt ME more. boy, do i detest those bush wannabes. grrr. >> >> > i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >"pot-kettle-metrosexual", i'll end up sounding like lieberman, and >that'll hurt ME more. boy, do i detest those bush wannabes. grrr. Are visciously intoned responses made in an angry, syrupy voice? Signaturewrmst rgrds Robin Bignall Quiet part of Hertfordshire England > >> > >> > i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Are visciously intoned responses made in an angry, syrupy voice? yes, and best made in the state of connecticut. >> >> >> >> > i'm going to literally bite the next person who says "metrosexual" [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >yes, and best made in the state of connecticut. That explains why Mark Twain chose a chap from there to send back to the court of King Arthur. The big fellow in the armour never knew what hit him. Signaturewrmst rgrds Robin Bignall Quiet part of Hertfordshire England > A woman gave a > testimonial about how, while losing weight, her energy level went > "pshoo -- through the roof!" She punctuated the "pshoo" with a > thumbs up gesture. When I first saw this commercial, I remember immediately thinking that the diet company's lawyers must have insisted that the phrase, "taking this pill caused my energy levels to increase", be replaced in the script by, "pshoo--through the roof". -- Mike Nitabach 24/7 > 24/7 I'll vote for "if and when." It was common in discussions about Iraq. "If and when we invade..." SignatureSML ess el five six zero at columbia dot edu http://pirate-women.com > In the last couple of years, I've noticed a sharp increase in use of the > phrase "through the roof." The phrase suggests something going so high [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Now I see and hear it everywhere. What's odd is that it takes for granted that we all think in terms of graphs these days. The only way it really makes sense for me is if it's being used to describe a graphed line (such as sales) that is aiming steeply upward, going up as if it would go "through the roof." As others have said, it's not referring to actual objects or people going through roofs. A hundred years ago, very few people thought in terms of line graphs and bar graphs; now apparently everyone does. SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux I don't know how new this expression really is, but I do know that it was in 2003 that I started hearing it enough to notice: "Give it up" as a way of calling for applause. And more specifically, as the *only* expression used to call for applause, over and over as different people are introduced during an event. SignatureMark Brader "It is hard to be brave," said Piglet, sniffing Toronto slightly, when you're only a Very Small Animal". msb@vex.net -- A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh My text in this article is in the public domain. > I don't know how new this expression really is, but I do know that it > was in 2003 that I started hearing it enough to notice: "Give it up" > as a way of calling for applause. And more specifically, as the *only* > expression used to call for applause, over and over as different people > are introduced during an event. Good catch. Here's one I have spotted lately: "Not so much." As in: "My friends are all fans of Rey. Me, not so much." Also sprach MC: > Here's one I have spotted lately: "Not so much." > > As in: "My friends are all fans of Rey. Me, not so much." Should be a semicolon between the clauses; that's almost certainly how it is said. SignatureSimon R. Hughes > I don't know how new this expression really is, but I do know that it > was in 2003 that I started hearing it enough to notice: "Give it up" > as a way of calling for applause. And more specifically, as the *only* > expression used to call for applause, over and over as different people > are introduced during an event. Irritating, certainly, but better than "Put your hands together": at least it doesn't make me think I'm being exhorted to pray. Mike. |
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