Play it by?

**Jerry The Saint** · 30/04/2007, 2:07 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Btw, I thought it was "I would have thought" jerry?!?!

Yep, 'would have' is correct - this guy got it right the first time and went back and changed it to the incorrect, meaningless phrase.

The original post (and the way people will argue that they are right no matter what) just reminded me of a bit from Seinfeld

Kramer: Anyway, it's been two years. I mean isn't there like a statue of limitations on that?

Jerry: 'Statute'.

Kramer: What?

Jerry: 'Statute of limitations'. It's not a statue.

Kramer: No, 'statue'.

Jerry: Fine, it's a sculpture of limitations.

Kramer: Just wait a minute...Elaine, Elaine! Now you're smart, is it 'statue' or 'statute' of limitations?

Elaine: 'Statute.'

Kramer: Oh, I really think you're wrong.

**paul_oshea** · 30/04/2007, 2:14 PM

see jerry i was proving it the other way round for example, where I would have said it was "statute" but the other two would have said statue and made me out to be the stupid one.

here is an example, worst part was it was this guys parents who thought i was stupid too ( english parents, english kid - makes sense, crap education system and all that

) , I explained that your ears played a part in your balance and walking ( indirectly ) etc, and they laughed at me, and kept going on about it and I was like I am right, I'll prove it, unfortunately the intenet wasn't readily available at the time so I couldn't prove it. But it was so frustrating. I have so many memories of things like that from when i was younger.

**noby** · 30/04/2007, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Loosely connected to the subject -the expression "swing a cat" as in "there isn't room in here to swing a cat" has nothing to do with those disgusting Feline four legged critters.
It refers to turning a boat -catamarans were thought particularly tight turners ...nearly possible to turn it on the axis -unlike other boats that need wide spaces to turn.

Er, you're wrong here Lionel. Schumi is right. The cat o' nine tails was a whip. Down below deck, there often wasn't enough room to swing a cat - lucky for the intended recipiant.
Also, 'You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' is from the same origin. It was meant as a threat directed at the guy with the whip. Nowadays it means you help me and I'll help you.
A lot of sayings have nautical origins:
As the crow flies
Three sheets to the wind
Rub salt into the wounds etc.

**Jerry The Saint** · 30/04/2007, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by noby

Rub salt into the wounds etc.

I've heard of people that try and do this when someone gets a wound.

But it's a common expression

It has to be worth a try

Yes - but think about what it means! Not to mention that the concept of a metaphor is lost on these people

**finlma** · 30/04/2007, 3:16 PM

I thought it was "Play it by year" for a long time but found out a few years ago how wrong I was.

My gf always says "The proof is in the pudding" and plenty of others do too - it doesn't make any sense. The proper saying is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". I try to tell her but she still thinks she's right.

**noby** · 30/04/2007, 3:21 PM

A bit like 'Don't upset the apple tart', or 'It's a sad fate of a stairs'.

**MojoPin** · 30/04/2007, 3:30 PM

thanks lads gonna have to confess to the gf im wrong theres a first time for everything or in my case with her theres a 2339 time for everything ha

**gustavo** · 30/04/2007, 3:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

I like it when someone is described as a

rather than a prima donna

The one that really bugs me is when people say would of/could of etc.

I recently saw someone post on a message board

and then a moment later reply

Sometimes it makes me loose my temper.

So I'm not the only one !
Also card shark , fare play and tenderhooks

**OwlsFan** · 30/04/2007, 3:42 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

all and sundry was one i used never get i always thought it was:

all-un-sundry, as thats how its pronounced. In fairness thats a tricky one, as in comeupance.

There's a woman from Cavan in our office who says "all on Sunday"

**strangeirish** · 30/04/2007, 3:47 PM

Another one....'Fair dues to you'. It's not 'Fair Jews to you'!

I think the Cohen's et al, may find it offensive.

**kingdom hoop** · 30/04/2007, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

So I'm not the only one !
Also card shark , fare play and tenderhooks

Anyone watching Eamon Dunphy on RTE last week will have realised their error when he referred to Tony Cas as nothing but a card sharp!

**the 12 th man** · 30/04/2007, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by strangeirish

Another one....'Fair dues to you'. It's not 'Fair Jews to you'!

I've also heard "Fair Juice to yeh" on that one.

**tricky_colour** · 30/04/2007, 4:25 PM

It's definately play it by year. How could you possibly play any musical instrument with your ear? It's just too soft. Play it by year means so see how things pan out over time.
The figs are grown inside the rolls. It's a bit like a ship in a bottle.

**tricky_colour** · 30/04/2007, 4:29 PM

The proof is in the pudding refers to using alcohol in a cake for example in brandy pudding the alcohol is 40% proof.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 30/04/2007, 5:08 PM

Always thought it was play it by year. Never heard of play it by ear.

**Jerry The Saint** · 30/04/2007, 5:29 PM

This whole topic is all a moo point anyway - like a cow's opinion. It's moo.

**SkStu** · 30/04/2007, 6:29 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

see jerry i was proving it the other way round for example, where I would have said it was "statute" but the other two would have said statue and made me out to be the stupid one.

here is an example, worst part was it was this guys parents who thought i was stupid too ( english parents, english kid - makes sense, crap education system and all that

) , I explained that your ears played a part in your balance and walking ( indirectly ) etc, and they laughed at me, and kept going on about it and I was like I am right, I'll prove it, unfortunately the intenet wasn't readily available at the time so I couldn't prove it. But it was so frustrating. I have so many memories of things like that from when i was younger.

hilarious posts POS. Only cos it seemed the exact same way to me when i was younger. It used to **** me off so much. 2 things that i remember vividly.

1) Like Al Gore mentions in the documentary, i used to say that Ireland and England had to have fit together at one stage and Sth America and Africa. I used to get the atlas out to prove it and the adults still rolled their eyes up.

2) I remember (i must have been about 7) it was christmas time and we were makin cards in school for our folks. All the idiots in my class were writing "Mary Christmas". I actually walked out of the room when the teacher backed up all the tards in my class and said it was Mary Christmas. He made me write Mary Christmas but i changed it when i got home. I was traumatised. Tough times.

misspellings that bother me:

quiet instead of quite.

eg Bohs were quiet good last night.

**Wolfie** · 01/05/2007, 8:41 AM

I remember reading an interview with Liam Howlett of the Prodigy and he said he knew a Punk in his school that had customised his jacket with the legend "Excercise the Demons" on the back.

Another one that bugs me is when I hear people say "I'm literally over the moon / high as a kite" etc etc. No you're not!!!!

I've also heard the end of the world as we know it described as "The A-pop-a-lypse".

**Jerry The Saint** · 01/05/2007, 10:32 AM

From a post in the World Football section

Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

just deserves for that chairman

That's a new one to me.

The most common version is probably

just desserts

as if someone is getting ice cream or chocolate mousse or something but the 'correct' phrase is

just deserts

pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in reward/punishment not Sahara.

**kingdom hoop** · 01/05/2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

From a post in the World Football section

That's a new one to me.

I was pretty dubious about that alright, but I said I'd go with it. Thanks for the heads-up. Just deserts doesn't sound good to me though. Aha, that word desert is obsolete outside of the saying, so I'll take some solace in that!

http://www.answers.com/Just%20Deserts#after_ad1