September 22, 2005

Inadvisably brusque answer to a question actually given by me today.

"Duh."

Really, I'm sorry. That was so inappropriate. Yet apt.

22 comments:

Meade said...

What? No link?

Wait... let me answer that...

Ann Althouse said...

Not to a student. A colleague.

Harkonnendog said...

Me, from Hawaii, little confused, to a toll-booth attendant just outside of Boston:

"Hey, uh, we're going to New York..."

Him: "Good for you."

I couldn't be pissed because it was so funny.

vbspurs said...

Ann, Ann, you're sensibilities are still so liberal.

I pride myself on my politeness IRL, but "duh" isn't rude. It's the new no sh*t, Sherlock.

Cheers,
Victoria

jeff said...

Oh could it be that I could do the same to some of my customers who are especially on the clueless side (I do internet tech support).

XWL said...

How easily people forget that politeness is the lubricant for social intercourse

(and really, aren't all forms of intercourse improved with the liberal application of loads of lube)

John Stansbury said...

well, at least the colleague didn't go fo' shizzle.

only worse if during deliberation, the arbiter was to lay the smack down with a resounding whuddup, my nizzles!

at least that's how I dream all them smart attorneys talk. I also believe that Dad just went to get some cigarettes, and is coming right back.

any minute now.

XWL said...

I'm trying to remember where I first heard the remark re: politeness and lubricant so I google the term and what do I find?

An article first posted in Pravda on April 4, 1923 written by Leon Trotsky with the title translated to "Civility and Politeness as a Necessary Lubricant in Daily Relations"

It must be international talk like a red day (since I forgot to do my pirate talking earlier this week)

vbspurs said...

I propose we have an

International Pirate Lubricant Day

Gives "Arrrrrrrr" a whole new meaning.

Cheers,
Victoria

ALH ipinions said...

Ann - what a coincidence! I actually used that delightfully "brusque" word in the headline of one of my postings earlier today. Spank me...

Be said...

Harkonnendog:

That's pretty Boston and actually surprisingly polite.

***

Anyone:

What on Earth does "fo shizzle" mean? I hear it everywhere, but when I ask its meaning I get something like "if you have to ask, you don't need to know."

vbspurs said...

What on Earth does "fo shizzle" mean? I hear it everywhere,

Fo' shizzle:

A corruption of for sure as invented and popularised by Snoop Dog, the rapper.

It is usually used in combination with:

Fo' shizzle ma nizzle = for sure my n*gga.

Just think of the -izzle ending in words like modern day pig-Latin with street cred.

BTW, Snoop Dog is doing the rounds these days in a Chrysler advert with Lee Iaccoca -- perhaps you've seen it.

"Fo' shizzle, Iacaizzle"

but when I ask its meaning I get something like "if you have to ask, you don't need to know."

Children are always the most awful snobs.

Cheers,
Victoria

Anna said...

Victoria, how do you know this stuff? I have teenagers, but like most teens, they hate explaining to their o'so boring parental units! fo'shizzle!

vbspurs said...

Victoria, how do you know this stuff?

Well I'm only 20+10 -- ack, stupid Drew Barrymore Fever Pitch reference!

I guess I grew up with El Snoopster a little more than you, perhaps. :)

Cheers,
Victoria

Anna said...

Alas, Victoria, I am older! Yes, I grew up in the age of...should I even say it?...disco And I am 29 with 12 years experience.

Be said...

Victoria - would "fo'shizzle you are (be) the bizzle" (you're the best) be a proper construction, then? Thanks for the explanation.

No kids being snots, by the way, just some colleagues making fun of my lack of knowledge of pop culture/argot.

P_J said...

Ann,

You said this was to a colleague, but was it in the context of the coffee and doughnuts/blogging discussion?

Ann Althouse said...

Pastor Jeff: Yes. The question was whether I made money from the advertisements that appear on my blog!

LizrdGizrd said...

In that case the response was both appropriate and polite. They deserved something much less succint.

vbspurs said...

Alas, Victoria, I am older! Yes, I grew up in the age of...should I even say it?...disco And I am 29 with 12 years experience.

Disco era's good, Anna! 1977 and beyond, hell yeah!

That's when the world started regaining a sense of style and urbanity after the dreck of the late 1960's and early 70's. Yech.

P.S.: Anyone watch the film, Last Days of Disco? It was another Wilt Stillman effort, with his particular ensemble cast of characters which followed him around after Metropolitan and Barcelona.

I remember thinking, if the disco era was like that, I would not have minded living in the 70s (well I did live in the 70s, but I think they'd probably have given me an even harder time entering Studio 54 ;).

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

Victoria - would "fo'shizzle you are (be) the bizzle" (you're the best) be a proper construction, then?

Be, that doesn't sound right. :)

I guess "da bomb" is more appropriate in this context, although I cannot imagine anything more painful for a person doesn't sound this way normally, than hearing one say:

Fo' shizzle! You da bomb!

Ay.

P.S.: I cringe whenever I hear my professors say "my bad", or "word" to their younger students. Come on. It's like my father using 1930's slang: "Move it, sister. Spill the beans! You know the score!". Actually, that would be very cool.

Cheers,
Victoria

Be said...

Thanks again, Victoria, for giving me more proof positive that I should not be trying to diss people with terms like 'derr.'

I'm all for bringing back older slang: Regularly use 'nifty' and 'bee's knees.' Once I figure out what 'Twenty Three Skidoo!'is referring to, I'm going to try to reintroduce that one.