News You Can Bruise for 2009 February 5

Permalink [Comments] (6) Thu Feb 05 2009 21:15 Don't Love Actually:

It's February, a little late for New Years resolutions, but I've decided on one: to stop using the word "actually" so much. I will try very hard to use it only when disentangling a falsehood or counterfactual from the truth. Which actually happens pretty often on this weblog, but I'll try to use substitutes like "in sooth", the nicotine patch of "actually". Not that one! Use-mention distinction!
Comments:

Posted by Riana at Thu Feb 05 2009 22:13

I support this resolution, but I urge that it be kept most strictly in keeping "Actually" out of the beginning of sentences, as this tends to denote that whatever follows that word will be a snide correction of whatever the interlocutor just said.

Example:SETH DAVID SCHOEN: I'm Seth David Schoen. A panda bear is not actually a bear, nor is it a panda. I'm--LEONARD: Actually, a panda bear is a member of order Hemiptera, also known as the "true bugs."

It's funny how the extra emphasis on the first syllable comes through even -- perhaps especially -- on the Internet.

Posted by Riana at Thu Feb 05 2009 22:14

(P.S. Seth David Schoen does not share this resolution.)

Posted by Evan at Thu Feb 05 2009 22:19

You know, I actually thought of the movie Love Actually this morning.

SYNCHRONICITY

i have no reluctance to avoid trucking with 'actually', however the word 'realize' is making me twinge lately.

i am also totally going to start referring to things as the nicotine patch of $x

Posted by Fafner at Fri Feb 06 2009 13:39

According to my parents, when I was about four or five, I used to spend long periods sitting quietly by myself, then suddenly look over at whoever was in the room, say, "Actually...", then drop my gaze and go quiet again. They never came up with any explanation for this behavior.

Posted by Kristen at Fri Feb 06 2009 21:43

Did you pick that up from Atticus or did Atticus pick that up from you. The boy is a crack up, he begins everything with "Actually...."

Posted by pedro at Sun Feb 08 2009 21:05

I often give away my unstated feelings or secret pessimistic anticipations by saying things like "Actually, that was pretty good!" after the fact. alhp hates this.

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