...so much so that they really no longer hold any meaningful purpose...
2007-05-13 23:50:34 · 10 answers · asked by Ivan Drago 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Yes, it's so much better to use more descriptive words. My English teacher would not let us use the words nice, lot or got in any written work, we were encouraged to use more interesting words in order to expand our vocabularies. These days it's all dat and wiv, it drives me mad!!
2007-05-13 23:57:46 · answer #1 · answered by Nickynackynoo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sad thing is that some textbooks of English as a Foreign Language say that there's a verb 'to have got' meaning 'to possess'; so the learner would presumably go into a shop and ask 'Have you got any postcards?' in which the word 'got' is redundant. 'Do you have ...?' is regarded as an Americanism but is preferable in my opinion.
I'm quite happy about 'nice' and 'great', but I wish people on the telephone wouldn't tell me to 'have a nice day'.
2007-05-14 02:07:14 · answer #2 · answered by yprifathro 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not really, I know some very nice people who have got great personalities......these words say enough in the correct context!!
2007-05-13 23:56:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nice idea and a Great question! You really Got me there!
2007-05-14 00:00:18 · answer #4 · answered by Muleman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see your point with nice and great--they have pretty much lost their value, yes.
But got, while well-used, I don't think can ever be overused, since it never did have much "meaning"--it's mainly a grammatical item.
2007-05-14 00:46:04 · answer #5 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If people thought that these words had no meaningful purpose they wouldn't be using them - they'd be using some other ones ! ! !
2007-05-14 00:41:59 · answer #6 · answered by coxon the box 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was at school many moons ago, my english teacher would'nt let us use the word 'nice', and I still try not to. May I add 'basically' to your list?
2007-05-13 23:59:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think "nice" is the ultimate put down - it actually means "I'm too polite to tell you how s##t it is"
e.g. "do you like my new dress?"
"Yes, it's nice" means "Jesus Christ what were you thinking of, it's hideous, I wouldn't be seen dead in it, have you gone blind or mad."
2007-05-13 23:59:49 · answer #8 · answered by dave w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question you got there...nice, very nice.
2007-05-13 23:55:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really don't know. But "please and thank you" is not used enough.
2007-05-14 00:06:04 · answer #10 · answered by Nola 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋