The "Annoying Phrase" Thread

[Paisley]

I also find the abundance of "I'm sorry" out there to be annoying. If they're so darn sorry about it, why don't they do something about it?

If someone bumps into someone once, "I'm sorry" is fine.

If someone, say, continually crashes into people on a dance floor, they need to do something about it (like, quit flailing, look where they're going, take little steps).

This post originally made me think of Titus: "I know, you're SORRY" (to someone who ruined yet another holiday meal).

 

[Tomasso]

Usually when someone says " I'm sorry" to me. I reply with " I know your sorry, now apologize."

Sorry, but that's downright rude; and from a Duchess, no less.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

This thread remind me of some mother or father screaming at their kids on the street: "Apologise like you mean it". How on earth does anyone know what the feeling is behind a statement? [huh] You just know, right? Telepaths, every one.

I reckon Feraud has it right. Mountain, meet molehill.

bk

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... a bunch of sociopathic suits on the assembly line ...

Wickedly apt description! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Usually when someone says " I'm sorry" to me. I reply with " I know your sorry, now apologize."

Sorry, but that's downright rude; and from a Duchess, no less.

Rude, heck. It's downright b**ch goddess-y. Words one might hear from a seasoned dominatrix.:whip: (Hmm ... could she be that kind of 'dutchess'?)

.

 

[Tomasso]

Words one might hear from a seasoned dominatrix.:whip:

.

Or a nun.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Or a nun.

I've known several scary nuns! Got slapped by 'em, too.

.

 

[Tomasso]

Got slapped by 'em, too.

.

No ruler? What kinda nuns did you have.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

No ruler? What kinda nuns did you have.

I had Catholic nuns who slapped me for praying with my fingers arched and interlaced, instead of rigid and touching at the fingertips.
The nuns hissed that I was praying in the Protestant manner. :fing28:


.

 

[irb]

IF we are talking about bumping into someone, then if they are sorry, they do something about, by saying it. Should an accidential 'bumper' do more than apologize? (I am geniuinly curious, not being sarcastic).

In all fairness, if someone bumps into me on the train and says, "I'm sorry", my response wouldn't be to activate the orbital weapons platform I keep at my personal beck and call to wipe them out and all traces of their family, down the the seventh generation. (Despite rumors to the contrary. *grin*) Really, bumping someone and saying, "I'm sorry," is fine. What really irks me is, for example, "I'm sorry, but my shift's up in 5 minutes," or "I'm sorrry, nothing I can do" when there demonstrably are things they could do--among them, not pretending at a remorse they don't feel. Hearing this sort of patent insincerity often enough tends to give one a rather dim view of the phrase generally, which would lead to my favoring, say, "excuse me" or "pardon me" when shoving people out of my way. Er, I mean bumping someone. Yes, of course.

 

[avedwards]

Personally I think it's easiest to differentiate between the different forms of sorry in German.

If you bump into someone: "Verzeihung" - excuse me

If someone has lost a relative: "Herzliches Beileid" - literally "heartfully sharing your sorrow" but interpreted as my condolences

To apologise: "es tut mir leid" or "entschuldigung" - sorry

I find that having these three different forms of sorry makes it easier to tell what is meant and it stops one word being overused. On the other hand, German can be awkward with both a formal and an informal form of you as I sometimes have no idea which to use.

 

[Fedord Spaniard]

Wickedly apt description! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

.

Thank You, Thank You Sir. :takes bow: lol

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Personally I think it's easiest to differentiate between the different forms of sorry in German.

Yes...this is easier in Portuguese too....


There is the semi-oft told story amongst learners of Portuguese about the girl on a bus, who upon falling on top of a seated gentleman when the bus suddenly moved....who said the 'wrong' -pardon me-.....and thus asked for his permission to sit in his lap...

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yes...this is easier in Portuguese too....

And in Spanish.


You have "desculpa," which essentially means "I beg your pardon" -- and then there's "lo siento," which means "I'm sorry." "Desculpa" is said by someone who bumps into a person.


In English, we have sadly lost the custom of saying "I beg your pardon." It sounds better than "sorry."


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[stephen1965]

In English, we have sadly lost the custom of saying "I beg your pardon." It sounds better than "sorry."

What?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

What?

That's what!


I beg your pardon, Stephen. I meant to say "Yankish", not "English."

.

 

[stephen1965]

That's what!

Ah, now I see.

 

[Viola]

My greatest story along these lines is from when my father visited me in Indiana. For a little background he is … well, let's say he's from a small country town.

He was getting off the bus with us, and someone moved in front of him. He didn't see her. She (young female student) didn't see him, and they - naturally in the circumstances - bumped into each other. He instinctively said "Oh, sorry luv" and stuck out his hand onto her shoulder to steady her in case she should fall. Paddy can confirm that this is exactly the kind of thing a man like my father would do. Perfect gentlemanly conduct, i thought: Accept responsibility, say sorry, and make sure she's OK. Hmmm, well i've never seen anyone wince quite so much as that girl when his hand touched her shoulder. Strange idea of "personal space" some people have.

No disrespect to your father, but this is regional. I'm from the city and if I get bumped by a strange man and then he touches my shoulder I'm going to wince/flinch whatever. Then I might whip around and see it's a gentlemanly old man and then smile and be pleasant but I do not expect the necessarily very best of strange men on public transit and I cannot be cavalier about being touched. It's a hard old world, and so on, and so forth.

 

[Fedord Spaniard]

And in Spanish.


You have "desculpa," which essentially means "I beg your pardon" -- and then there's "lo siento," which means "I'm sorry." "Desculpa" is said by someone who bumps into a person.


In English, we have sadly lost the custom of saying "I beg your pardon." It sounds better than "sorry."


.

Dont forget "perdon" for sorry also. And if you dont mind my two cents Marc its "disculpa" not "desculpa". Just a reminder my friend... no te offendas ok.

 

[JJWord]

I was just at the airport and had someone pull one of those wheeled suitcases right into my leg. I really wasn't paying attention, had my eyes on the arrivals screen, so I said "I'm sorry" because I may have been in their way (even though I was standing still for about 2 minutes at that point, but no matter). She very abruptly said "sorry" and moved along.

Normally I get a little upset with the abrupt and insincere "sorry", but at an airport who knows what horror/rescheduling/jetlag that woman's dealt with.

At Wal-Mart a few weeks back, the woman in front of me had two carts full of items in the 15 items or less line. She glanced back rest of us in line and said "sorry". No, no you're not. Why even say it?

It amazes me at the variety of people I encounter, and how the same word can evoke vastly different feelings.