Terms we use in America that don't make sense

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sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Things that don't make sense in North American English:

1) saying "Gesundheit" when someone sneezes... Why use a German word?... in England, they say/used to say "Bless you", which at least was English.
2) There's no English equivalent for the expression "Bon appetit" when you start a meal.

#1 will get you aethiest slapped...



 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
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I don't understand it when people use the expression "same difference" when we are both describing the same thing. Shouldn't the expression be "same thing"?
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: Special K
I don't understand it when people use the expression "same difference" when we are both describing the same thing. Shouldn't the expression be "same thing"?

It's "same differences", and they essentially mean the same thing.

IE. both red books are neither blue nor light. The differences are the same.
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
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Originally posted by: Fritzo
I have, in my house, a "hot water heater". Shouldn't I have a cold water heater?

thats weird, i have a water heater in my house. it even said it on the box when i installed it.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
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Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: alrocky
Going to the bathroom

Rush Hour

you = fail.

He's right about the first one. If there's no bath, it's not a bathroom, but rather, a washroom.

I believe he's right about the second one too. It lasts longer than an hour and you don't get to rush because it goes so slowly.
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: torpid
I believe he's right about the second one too. It lasts longer than an hour and you don't get to rush because it goes so slowly.

Technically it's that one hour that people are rushing out of the office. Everything after that is simply the consequences.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Things that don't make sense in North American English:

1) saying "Gesundheit" when someone sneezes... Why use a German word?... in England, they say/used to say "Bless you", which at least was English.
2) There's no English equivalent for the expression "Bon appetit" when you start a meal.

#1 will get you aethiest slapped...

i'm atheist and actually still say bless you. Why? because gesundheit just feels weird, and I was raised to be polite. I also still say thank you when someone says 'bless you' to me. Sure, it's partly hypocritical, but I don't care if I am not constantly advertising my atheism, not to mention it's just a saying that is the norm in society and there are many norms I still adhere to, because it's just more proper and less grief that way. My atheism is my belief because its what I choose to believe in, not because I feel the need to be a non-conformist or something. When I say it myself though, it's just a little more empty in meaning and purely for the politeness.
 

Rudee

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
11,218
2
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Originally posted by: mjuszczak
I'll start.

Emergency Room = Usually not just one room, but multiple multiple rooms, yet its called an Emergency Room .... COULD be called "Emergency Rooms" or "Emergency Center", but we don't say that - we say we're going to the Emergency Room.

Others?


It certainly doesn't make sense saying "we're going to the emergency rooms". Also, you can only be in one room at a time, so yes, it's correct to say "we're going to the emergency room".
 

jonessoda

Golden Member
Aug 3, 2005
1,407
1
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Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Things that don't make sense in North American English:

1) saying "Gesundheit" when someone sneezes... Why use a German word?... in England, they say/used to say "Bless you", which at least was English.
2) There's no English equivalent for the expression "Bon appetit" when you start a meal.

#1: There were an awful lot of German immigrants in this country's development. And for that matter, I mostly hear "bless you" or "god bless you."

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I have, in my house, a "hot water heater". Shouldn't I have a cold water heater?

Around here we just call it a "water heater."

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
axe
Let me axe you a question.

Actually, that's been in English since it was Anglo-Saxon.

 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Things that don't make sense in North American English:

1) saying "Gesundheit" when someone sneezes... Why use a German word?... in England, they say/used to say "Bless you", which at least was English.
2) There's no English equivalent for the expression "Bon appetit" when you start a meal.

#1 will get you aethiest slapped...
Why say anything when someone sneezes? Why not also say something when anything enters/leaves the body? Each breath, each bite, each burp, each fart, anything. Why's a sneeze so special that it needs narration?
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
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Originally posted by: torpid
Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: alrocky
Going to the bathroom

Rush Hour

you = fail.

He's right about the first one. If there's no bath, it's not a bathroom, but rather, a washroom.

I believe he's right about the second one too. It lasts longer than an hour and you don't get to rush because it goes so slowly.

maybe could be an outdated term when people were rushing home, causing bad traffic, that bak then, lasted only an hour, since most everyone worked the same shift? not like now, where the populations are way larger, more people own cars and people are getting o anywhere from 230pm to 630pm? id say that just because its outdated it isnt really inaccurate.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
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Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: torpid
I believe he's right about the second one too. It lasts longer than an hour and you don't get to rush because it goes so slowly.

Technically it's that one hour that people are rushing out of the office. Everything after that is simply the consequences.

Not here. People start leaving at 3:30 from some offices (mostly state workers), and other offices (private sector) let out at 5:30. So there is a constant influx of people trying to go home from about 3:45 to 6pm here.
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Things that don't make sense in North American English:

1) saying "Gesundheit" when someone sneezes... Why use a German word?... in England, they say/used to say "Bless you", which at least was English.
2) There's no English equivalent for the expression "Bon appetit" when you start a meal.

#1 will get you aethiest slapped...
Why say anything when someone sneezes? Why not also say something when anything enters/leaves the body? Each breath, each bite, each burp, each fart, anything. Why's a sneeze so special that it needs narration?

I don't say anything simply because it makes no sense. Sneezing is just a normal bodily function like everything else. I cringe when someone says God bless you, because it assumes that person is of faith. Meh, it's just the little things..
 

HammerCurl

Senior member
Apr 3, 2007
651
0
0
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
We say "I'm going to the hospital" and "I'm going to school". Why don't we say "the" school? It makes no sense. You aren't really distinguishing which school in the same way you aren't really distinguishing which hospital, but it definitely doesn't sound natural to say I'm going to the school, but it's the same thing as saying I'm going to the hospital.

You've definitely got a point here and it frustrates and confuses me. So I'll try to slightly refute it. At least where I'm from there's one main hospital and everyone assumes you mean the same one. Kids from all over attend different schools and also school's definition changes from just the building you attend to the actual process of meeting teachers/classmates for learning. "I went on a fieldtrip today at school today." That seems natural, even though you're not at school and school becomes a process rather than a building. Much like the same way you say you're going to work, it's left generally because more of a difference than the hospital. I think that the only reason hospital gets a "the" is because of frequency involved. Work and school = no "the", but gym definitely gets a "the". Hmm... maybe "the" is attributed to a short length of time spent at a location coupled with infrequency of visits. But more likely, "the" denotes something being eventful, while no the lacks any kind of real interest or notariety. I think I should get back to work... but I still want to analyze this...
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
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Originally posted by: LoKe
I don't say anything simply because it makes no sense. Sneezing is just a normal bodily function like everything else. I cringe when someone says God bless you, because it assumes that person is of faith. Meh, it's just the little things..
don't let the faithmonsters get you!

seriously though, I can't remember ever having heard anyone say "God bless you" - just "bless you". I thought it was just common courtesy... *shrug*
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: LoKe
I don't say anything simply because it makes no sense. Sneezing is just a normal bodily function like everything else. I cringe when someone says God bless you, because it assumes that person is of faith. Meh, it's just the little things..
don't let the faithmonsters get you!

seriously though, I can't remember ever having heard anyone say "God bless you" - just "bless you". I thought it was just common courtesy... *shrug*

It's the same assumption.
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
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then why say "'scuse me" when you burp or cough? its the "polite" thing to do. if you dont want to, dont. when that thread first came about (on the whole sneeze/ bless you thing) i thought i was a gesundheit sayer, but afterwards realized i had at some point changed to a bless you sayer. its so automatic, i say it without even thinking it. i also dont are if someone else doesnt say it to me when i sneeze, because i always say "'scuse me" after sneezing, since i interrupted their day with it.
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: LoKe
I don't say anything simply because it makes no sense. Sneezing is just a normal bodily function like everything else. I cringe when someone says God bless you, because it assumes that person is of faith. Meh, it's just the little things..
don't let the faithmonsters get you!

seriously though, I can't remember ever having heard anyone say "God bless you" - just "bless you". I thought it was just common courtesy... *shrug*

It's the same assumption.
so you assume someone is religious when they say "bless you"? lol!
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: hanoverphist
then why say "'scuse me" when you burp or cough? its the "polite" thing to do.
Totally not the same thing.
What do you mean?! Obviously they are saying "excuse me" to God!
 
Jun 4, 2005
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Originally posted by: meltdown75
so you assume someone is religious when they say "bless you"? lol!

Text

And:
to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.
to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.
to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.
to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the multitude.
 

HammerCurl

Senior member
Apr 3, 2007
651
0
0
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: LoKe
I don't say anything simply because it makes no sense. Sneezing is just a normal bodily function like everything else. I cringe when someone says God bless you, because it assumes that person is of faith. Meh, it's just the little things..
don't let the faithmonsters get you!

seriously though, I can't remember ever having heard anyone say "God bless you" - just "bless you". I thought it was just common courtesy... *shrug*

Meh. I think they would still say God bless you even if they knew you didn't have faith. They have faith so its their God blessing you. I mean to murderers and everyone else they would say "May God have mercy on your soul" before chopping their heads off. It doesn't have to mean you have faith, probably helps them feel better that they said it. Just look at them, say "I'm a heathen. But thank you", and smile slyly. I think that'd make it fun for you at least.
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: LoKe
Originally posted by: meltdown75
so you assume someone is religious when they say "bless you"? lol!

Text

And:
to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.
to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.
to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.
to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the multitude.
Wikipedia can blow me. Wikipedia isn't walking around talking where I live, sneezing and getting blessings. Real life examples > internet and everything you can google.

I say "bless you" all the time and I walked into a church, the roof would cave in on me. In fact, when I sneezed last night, I heard a demonic voice say "bless you" and I'm pretty sure it was Satan.

edit: oh and pwned yourself with the Wiki link anyway.

Bless you is a common English expression addressed to a person after they sneeze. The origin of the custom and its original purpose are unknown. In current practice, it is merely a socially obligated response.