WHEN THE CONVERSATION GOES …
Hey there! I am going a little off script with this conversation tip! It has nothing to do with one-hour projects or anything related to the word pumpkin. Instead, this is taking us back to school.
Who remembers conjunction, and junction what’s your function?
CONVERSATION TIP
This conversation tip’s theme song should be There She Goes by the band The La’s. Some of you might recognize this song from the Gilmore Girls playlist on Spotify.
One you read this converationation tip you will never listen to your bestie or favorite news anchor or friend without listening for this phrase. I must have just said it when my sister madethis face!She is an Engllish teacher.
The thing with this tip is once I share it with you you cannot unhear it.
Trust me. You will silently correct it in your mind.
Are you ready?
Listen for the phrase, usually in the context of a person telling a story, say,
“… and she goes.
And when I hear that phrase, and she goes, I silently ask, “where did she go?”
LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION
Thirty + years ago at my first job out of college. I was in the middle of retelling a series of events in a crucial workplace dramedy. It would have had the enthusiasm of an an episode of Office.
I was in mid-sentence when an older colleague(B y two years) stopped me in mid-sentence. For me that is is like askingme to press the brake on an icy street. I cannot stop in the middle of the story- it throws of my momentum.
But she had something to say and she was wiser than me. Clearly.
I am sure I crossed my hands, popped a hip with my hot roller curls and furroughed my brow.
And she(says) ..
“It is She Said, NOT She Goes”.
She continues with all the confidence of a twenty three year old. With an eye roll I am like “that’s what I said,” And she restates what I said (apparently).
She goes instead of She said.
“She is not going anywhere. She is saying something to you.”
And for over thirty years when I hearanone using the phrase … “and she/he goes”
the subject is not going anywhere, but rather having a conversation, I think of that co-worker.
I don’t remember her name but I remember the goes versus says.
And now everytime I hear someone use the phrase and “he goes….” I silently correct the sentence and insert “said” And if you get mixed up just remember the song,
There she goes …. there she goes again on the Gilmore Girls playlist on Spotify.
Speaking of conversations here is a fun idea fortthe holiday gatherings.
What words or phrases do you silently correct in your conversations?
What are your grammar police words and phrases that drive you crazy?
I cringe when people use “me” not only as the subject of their sentences but also when they forget to be polite and put it first. Examples: “Me and Sam went to the store last night.” “Me and Sara were shopping…”
Even some professional broadcasters are now doing this. Grrr….
Oh that was rude but it is good to know (she just could have handled it more sensitively for sure!). Something that drives me crazy is people messing up the object vs subject of I vs me and defer to always using “I” even when it’s incorrect. Or when they say “so and so and I’s” relationship instead of “so and so’ and s my” relationship. Grr! That one gets me! Haha! I”m more of silent grammar police!
Ah! She was right but it was still kinda rude to interrupt and even more so to correct you like that. Like what you now do, I would have corrected it silently in my brain. It’s not like it was a work related grammar mistake. Lol.