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BS: why do we say sure so much
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Subject: BS: why do we say sure so much From: GUEST,mg Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:19 PM This mystifies me. Of course, Swedish Americans say it a lot and that is where I picked it up. I live where they live shall we say...so we always say sure instead of yes..but then I got to thinking, well, the Irish say it a lot as well. Do others? Is there a word in Swedish that is similar? Irish? Why has this taken hold?Do Germans say it in US? Germany? How did the Irish start to stay it so much? mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:20 PM Because it is a shorter word than 'Certainly'? |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: fat B****rd Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:34 PM I don't know I'm sure. Sorry |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: gnu Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:42 PM Anyone who says sure is an idiot and I am positive about that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: pdq Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:44 PM Because saying 'certainly' makes you sound like Curly Joe of the Three Stooges. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 20 Jun 12 - 04:57 PM German's 'ja wohl' is the same thing- kind of a place holder. On the other hand, one could say that 'sure' and 'ja wohl' are small courtesies that indicate polite agreement with whatever was said, thus greasing a more civil society. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: GUEST,mg Date: 20 Jun 12 - 05:43 PM I suspect a German connection. But where did ja sure ya betcha come from? mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: gnu Date: 20 Jun 12 - 07:06 PM pdq... ya mean soitainly? Nyuk. Nyuk. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: pdq Date: 20 Jun 12 - 07:23 PM Like, fer shurr, doood... |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 20 Jun 12 - 10:45 PM "You betcha" to me is a western US formulation (without ja sure attached). I was 13 when my family moved from Oregon to Virginia. The 'gentility' of Virginians contrasted with the unstudied animation of the west. My mother's hearty response to thanks was "You betcha". Embarrassed me greatly. :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Little Hawk Date: 20 Jun 12 - 10:57 PM I don't say "sure" very often. Does that help? |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 21 Jun 12 - 12:03 AM "Are you Shaw?" a lady once asked the great 20C playwright. "Positive," he replied, and walked on. ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 21 Jun 12 - 12:57 AM Two men sat in a humid room in Sedona, Arizona. The telephone rang. The nearer man stirred himself to pick it up. 'Hello. Yes. Sho' is!' He hung up. The phone rang again. 'Hello. Yes. Sho' is!' He hung up. After this had been repeated four or five times, his companion stirred himself to ask, 'Who is that that you say the same thing to every time?' 'I don't know. I just pick up the phone, and this woman says "Is that Sedona, Arizona?". And I say "Yes". And she says "This is New York, long distance". And I say "Sho' is". And I hang up.' ~M~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 21 Jun 12 - 01:26 AM I just realized that the phrase my mother used was "You bet!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Tangledwood Date: 21 Jun 12 - 04:17 AM "why do we say sure so much" That had me wondering when I first visited USA. A waiter delivers my meal so I say "Thank you". He says "Sure". So should I reply "Yes, I'm sure", or should I play safe and say "No, wait until I try the food"? |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Nigel Parsons Date: 21 Jun 12 - 05:09 AM It could be worse, you could use it repetitively. In Jonah-Man Jazz (by Michael Hurd) I remember the words (attributed to God) "The man that's sitting 'neath the pineapple tree, I'm certain sure, sure, sure, is the man for me"! Cheers Nigel |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MartinRyan Date: 21 Jun 12 - 05:33 AM Shur, who cares? ;>)> The Hiberno-English use is more subtle than casual affirmation. MtheGM's story about Shaw (true or apocryphal) is an elegant example of the distinction between Anglo Irish and Hiberno English! And no, I don't think there is an Irish language connection. Regards |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: GUEST,Eliza Date: 21 Jun 12 - 07:46 AM I don't ever say "Sure" in that context. I've always thought it was an Americanism. I usually reply "Yes", which seems to suffice! |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 21 Jun 12 - 12:17 PM I'm not sure I'm so conscious of it that (I'm going to let that one stand since it actually serves a purpose) I sometimes notice well-known authors whose works have, presumably, been edited by professional editors making the same stylistic error |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 21 Jun 12 - 02:55 PM So, Eliza, when someone tells you "Thank you!" you respond with "Yes"? :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 21 Jun 12 - 05:08 PM Ebbie ~ "Sure" is not a usual response to "Thank you" here. "You're welcome" or "That's OK" would be more likely; but generally a smile would be considered sufficient acknowledgment.. Some people occasionally do say "Sure", to be sure [OK ~ joke intentional!], but that is quite recent and a bit of an American influence. ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: GUEST,mg Date: 21 Jun 12 - 05:51 PM I am an American of the USA Variety and I have never heard anyone say sure in response to thank you... But come to think of it Southerners say sure'nuff. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Ebbie Date: 21 Jun 12 - 06:14 PM sheesh A joke doesn't work around here, maybe? My query at 2:55 was in response to Guest/Eliza at 7:46: "I've always thought it was an Americanism. I usually reply "Yes", which seems to suffice!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 22 Jun 12 - 12:45 AM Oh, I got your joke OK Ebbie, & relished it. But one has a reputation to maintain, and that person on the other forum didn't post "MGM, your pedantry is legendary" for nothing! In fact, she sure didn't! x~M~x |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 22 Jun 12 - 03:04 AM ...which is not the same as saying that I am sure she didn't. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Charley Noble Date: 22 Jun 12 - 08:53 AM The ubiquitous "yeh know" used to irritate me in a similar fashion back in the early 1970s, but it's gone its way. "Totally awesome" and "for sure" will have their day as well. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: GUEST,Grishka Date: 22 Jun 12 - 10:47 AM "Certain" is a more elaborate (or posh) synonym for "sure", both originally French words. In older British texts we often read "Surely!", whereas nowadays "Certainly!" is preferred in Britain, both meaning "Yes, I am sure/certain of that!" or "Yes, I assure you!" (not just "Yes."). As in many other cases, American usage is more conservative. I do not know whether there is any influence from other languages, but it is certainly not needed for explanation. Another question is why Americans tend to drop the good old Germanic suffix "-ly" of adverbs, indeed possibly following present-day usage in German and related languages. Any linguist in the know? |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 22 Jun 12 - 01:28 PM I quickly became unpopular because I said '-ly' when someone omitted it in their speech. Griska, -ly is disappearing rapidly from the language, sure(ly) not just in America. Why, I dunno. |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Amos Date: 22 Jun 12 - 01:40 PM I think the 20th century usage is a blending of patterns. One thread is "a sure thing" which I believe was originally an East Coast bettor's slang. Another is the construct of assurance "To be sure" or "You may be sure of it". I think these have been blended with others into the modern ubiquitous "Sure!" which can be used so many places. I am curious about the "Ja, sure" construction MG refers to which has become almost a parodic cliche of Midwestern Scandinavian-descended groups, where it is used for agreement, acknowledgement, in place of "you're welcome", and just to fill air-time. I think it must have a Swedish parent, but I don't know much Swedish. Interestingly, the Swedes (like the Danes) have a one syllable word for thanks, "Tak!". But when they say "you're welcome" it takes three or four syllables depending on drawl. Interesting thread! |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: MGM·Lion Date: 22 Jun 12 - 11:57 PM Charley: I regret ya know that 'ya know' is alive and ya know well here in the ya know UK ya know! Just watch any tv interview. The other, even more irritating, compulsive phatic interjection is "if you like". Surely "surely" is a word used to introduce an interrogative statement? As in "Surely he couldn't have meant that?" Surely you will all agree with this? ~M~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: mg Date: 23 Jun 12 - 08:58 PM Swedes say it almost like ya shooer..in a tune almost. They are very tuneful speakers. mg |
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Subject: RE: BS: why do we say sure so much From: Don(Wyziwyg)T Date: 23 Jun 12 - 09:43 PM There is, I believe, an Irish connection with the word. Sure and why wouldn't there be? Probably a corruption of "Wisha", which became "Why sure" to the listener and eventually attenuated to "Sure". My grandfather, who was born and brought up in County Cork used it all the time. It is only used in the American idiom ("sure do", sure can", "sure is" etc) by Irish Americans. I have very rarely heard it in Eire. Don T. |
