Society's unwritten rules.

The phrase "I could care less" was originally verbalized as an inquiry, implying that the person could not, in fact, care less. Somewhere along the line the spoken inflection was lost, leading people to mistakenly say that they "could care less" when the opposite was the case.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Krusty69

Wow, you're right. It should be "couldn't," I'll fix it for you. OMG FREAK OUT!!! No need to be an asshole, are you the fucking grammar police?

Actually Phoenix, to be the asshole that takes what you said literally, I would think not pissing on a child would be written down somewhere (or written as a more generalized law), because if you do it you're most likely getting your ass thrown in jail (or a nice fine), whereas say...tipping 5% wont get you in any real trouble.

That being said I see your point.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I think this is the first time I've ever actually seen "ZOMG GRAMMAR POLICE" used on the internet. All I need to see now is the Niagara Falls and my life can be complete!! If I cared.

So on the topic of grammar! Or spelling... any unwritten rules on when vs when not to correct people? I'm all for trying to help point out stuff when someone's confused or if it's a mistake they tend to use a lot. But some people are just so touchy...

How ya doing, buddy?

Quote:

Speaking of handshakes, I hate it when people start the motion but don't actually follow through. They'll stick their hand out and I'll reach to clasp it, and then they'll do a REALLY COOL pull-away thing or slap or something, except I'll be expecting a shake so I grab their hand. They're trying to pull away and I'm just left randomly holding on, which is extremely awkward.

This happens to me quite often! For some reason, my friend's friends
think they are too 'cool' for it or something. Like it's too old fashioned.

I end up reaching for their hand and they either slap my hand like a
high-five or do the 'fist' greeting (tapping up then down or straight on).

I like hand shakes ^_^ It's very welcoming.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by JammerLea

I think this is the first time I've ever actually seen "ZOMG GRAMMAR POLICE" used on the internet. All I need to see now is the Niagara Falls and my life can be complete!! If I cared.

So on the topic of grammar! Or spelling... any unwritten rules on when vs when not to correct people? I'm all for trying to help point out stuff when someone's confused or if it's a mistake they tend to use a lot. But some people are just so touchy...

My friend is a grammar police and around him. I tend to purposely(sp?) make stupid mistakes as I talk so he corrects me so he sounds smart, after awhile he gets pissed and tell me to stop it.

I do not care if people correct me as long as it's a common one I keep on doing over, over and over. Yanno? But if it's a simple mistake such as...

But then again, my thing is this. If you know what I mean, it doesn't really matter cause we're all human and we make mistakes.

That, and how can couldn't care less signify that he could care?

Couldn't care means he could not care as in he doesn't care.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

"Couldn't care less" means that a person could not possibly care any less than he already does. "Could care less" means there's still some room to care more. Get it?

Anyway, I appreciate it when someone corrects me, as long as they're not an ass about it. I don't like for anyone to perceive me as an idiot, and the fewer grammar mistakes I make the less likely it is that someone will think I'm stupid.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Is this even ABOUT society's unwritten rules anymore?

It went from chivalry to waiting tables to grammar.

Speaking of which, what about proper language in front of the parents? This bother any one else? I hate when kids don't speak very well to their mother in public.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Which are all unwritten. The polite way to act...

And I swear to god I've seen kids do that and the mom does almost nothing. I've walked up to a few kids and told them, from my own experence as a kid, you should listen to your parents. They know better, they have wisdom you don't...

Hell if I ever spoke like some of these kids I got popped in the back of the head and told NOT to talk like that again or to make a scene. Hell you know how my mom stopped my little brother from running all over in the store?

She grabbed a tuff of his hair cause my family we all have curly and somewhat long hair. He stopped immidently, fell to the ground(My mom let go right away and didn't pull hair out.) and started crying. He never did it again.

Hell even when I was younger if time out or anything did not work. The 'nice' way. I got belted to the rear two times or even made my own switches.

Am I some psycopath or anything? No. If done right, I feel that sometimes I quick swat never hurts when you tried everything else of course.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I have a question about unwritten rules. Maybe back in the 50's, they published PA pamphlets about this or something, but I was never really TAUGHT.

When you meet someone in a social setting as a female, is it customary to shake hands with the people you are meeting? Business-wise, I know what to do, but in a social situation, I am unsure of how a woman is supposed to act - is shaking hands too masculine?

If it IS in fact the proper way to greet people socially, is a woman's handshake supposed to be firm? I've had people comment on my handshake being "very firm," and I think that may be a bad thing since I am a woman.

I am VERY unsure about the whole situation. I've never been taught this shit, and I am afraid I may be pissing people off with whatever it is I do currently.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Sass, I think they would probaly see you more as a tomboy for doing so. Most females usually do a quick hug as a greeting even to thier own girl friends, unless you don't know them very well usually a hand shake is a best way to go atleast in my book.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Zio

Sass, I think they would probaly see you more as a tomboy for doing so. Most females usually do a quick hug as a greeting even to thier own girl friends, unless you don't know them very well usually a hand shake is a best way to go atleast in my book.

Yea, uh, I don't, like, EVER hug my girlfriends. Because thats fucking queer-ass. I just usually say "Hey, whats going on."

I am talking about when you go to barbecues or some shit where there are new people you've never met varied in age and profession. You talk to different people or whatever.

I'm not talking about meeting with a bunch of kids and being all "HEY NICE TO MEET YOU, 17 YEAR OLD. SHAKE MY HAND."

I just want to know what is socially acceptable when meeting members of someone else's family or something. I don't want to go with the "tomboy" excuse. I want to know what is the acceptable thing to do.

How ya doing, buddy?

Sassafrass, it's perfectly acceptable to shake hands, but as a woman, you shouldn't be trying for a firm handshake, but rather a more limp-wristed (yeah, queer-ass too), gentle shake.

In business, however, this does not apply.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

Sassafrass, it's perfectly acceptable to shake hands, but as a woman, you shouldn't be trying for a firm handshake, but rather a more limp-wristed (yeah, queer-ass too), gentle shake.

In business, however, this does not apply.

You're telling me a limp shake is better than NO SHAKE AT ALL? Wow. As a woman, I find that kind of offensive. ;_;

"O, deary me. I am meek and fragile! Shake my limp-wrist in greetings, but be sure not to harm me!"

Why couldn't I have been born with a dick. ;_;

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

We DO have surgeries to fix these issues, but until then, you get the meek and fragile way out.

But then, if a woman shakes a hand firmly like a man, it doesn't piss me off in the same way, say, as a man who is trying to break my fucking hand. The latter is rude, while the former is just a strange little tidbit. It's the difference between personality issues and poor habits.

So, don't worry about it, really.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I only follow unwritten rules if they logically make sense to me. If not, I don't follow them. I don't care how popular or how socially appropriate they are.

One thing I hate is why the hell do people think it's proper to dress nice in a restaurant? For one, I don't want my nice clothes to get food stains on them and secondly, who looks at another person when they are eating? Did you ever find yourself sitting down at a table and look over at another table and say "Boy, that guy over there has one nice suit on!" So I make it a purpose not to dress nice in restaurants.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

I am VERY unsure about the whole situation. I've never been taught this shit, and I am afraid I may be pissing people off with whatever it is I do currently.

My family has always been very laid back when welcoming new members. You can do whatever you want as a greeting--wave, hug, shake hands, kiss on the cheek. Slapping the ass might be going a bit too far, but for the most part we don't really care. We're just happy you came.

It seems to me that associating with a family that has all kinds of 'unspoken rules and procedures' that you must follow or be looked down upon would just be too much of a pain in the ass to deal with.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Hachifusa

Speaking of which, what about proper language in front of the parents? This bother any one else? I hate when kids don't speak very well to their mother in public.

I hate that a lot. Actually, almost more than that I hate it when parents don't use proper language in front of their own children, or just yell at them. What are they teaching them?

But yeah, I never swear in front of adults, especially ones who I should or do respect. I want their respect back, after all.

...I still see myself as a kid apparently. Hahaha.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

In the UK we have a lot of things that are unwritten but expected in society. The pavement walking thing is very prominent here, we usually walk on the left hand side of the path, but (and I am basing this on 99% of the ones that I meet in the street) the asian community, particulary asian girls seem to have no idea that other people are on the street. They walk right into you and grunt because you didnt move out of their way. This annoys me.

The thing I dont like is how people judge you by your handshake, and you get the assholes that basically rotate your knuckles because they squeeze that hard! Sometimes I just want to stand there screaming when they do it so they learn not to do it again. I hate firm handshakes.

Oh and as British people, we are known for our ability to Queue. We dont talk in queues as it is a sport to us, we face forwards, grip whatever we are buying and hold it close, and we do not blink. The problem comes when a group of people in front let their friend come in with them, even if they arent buying anything. People go silently nuts. Heads shake, mouths make that "tut" and whispering begins. The sport has been compromised!!!! To be fair though I do like it when someone see's you have just a pot noodle and a loaf of bread and they have a months shopping and they let you go ahead of them. Thats queue decorum right there!

Oh and I still dont swear in front of my parents, im 23 and I still feel like they dont know I know the words! Occasionally the word "shit" will slip out but to be honest I have heard my parents swear more since I turned 18 ish.

The one that gets me is the fact that when you go to grandparents houses you have to sit, be quiet, pretend you enjoy the 14 litres of tea she forces down you, and also pretend her stories about edith and joan from number 47 are interesting. Why cant we just sit there and yawn, fall asleep and scratch ourselves? Social faux pas!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by fiercedeity

Oh and as British people, we are known for our ability to Queue. We dont talk in queues as it is a sport to us, we face forwards, grip whatever we are buying and hold it close, and we do not blink. The problem comes when a group of people in front let their friend come in with them, even if they arent buying anything. People go silently nuts. Heads shake, mouths make that "tut" and whispering begins. The sport has been compromised!!!! To be fair though I do like it when someone see's you have just a pot noodle and a loaf of bread and they have a months shopping and they let you go ahead of them. Thats queue decorum right there!

Wow, I just laughed for a solid five minutes when I read this. Takes me right back to my days in Brighton. We need to see more of this guy around. He's like the English Infernal.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I didn't realise that queue...ing was such a sport! That's pretty amusing. I don't mind so much if someone cuts in line if they're not buying anything, but if they are it's like, "Excuse me?"

What I hated more though was the one time I wanted to go through the "10 Items or Less" lane at Target and there was some lady with 34985730497 articles of clothing. I wish I knew what the story behind that was. /small rant

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by JammerLea

What I hated more though was the one time I wanted to go through the "10 Items or Less" lane at Target and there was some lady with 34985730497 articles of clothing. I wish I knew what the story behind that was. /small rant

Holy CRAP, I hate that. Sometimes, I passively-aggressively speak up, too. Especially if the title of the lane is for express checking-out and a person has about 30+ items. I always wonder why the people working the line don't speak up. It annoys the ever-living fuck out of me. The line for quick-check-out. If you've got more shit than necessary, take a regular line.

Although admittedly, I really enjoy the self-check-out with the automated machines, now. It's better than having to deal with the "HELLO HOW ARE YOU" crap at the counter. You can by-pass the bullshit with the "10 items or less, IF YOU WANT" stuff.

Also, what is this with "queing" (did I spell that right). People in England actually make a sport of getting in line? Can someone explain this further, or is it a joke? ;_;

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by sassafrass

Also, what is this with "queing" (did I spell that right). People in England actually make a sport of getting in line? Can someone explain this further, or is it a joke? ;_;

Its kind of a known thing with the brits that we tend to queue for anything. We like to complain about things and a queue is the perfect thing to complain about, so alot of people refer to the brits as pro queuers, its not really a sport though, I was just being a silly bugger. Sorry for the confusion ; ;

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by fiercedeity

Its kind of a known thing with the brits that we tend to queue for anything. We like to complain about things and a queue is the perfect thing to complain about, so alot of people refer to the brits as pro queuers, its not really a sport though, I was just being a silly bugger. Sorry for the confusion ; ;

No, no. No confusion. I am just unsure of what "queuing" is. Is it standing in line while wating to pay for something in a store? Because I just can't picture it, being a pro "queuer." Maybe it's because we Americans are different, but how can you be a pro queuer?

I think I just don't understand the term. I am sorry. ;_;

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Queuing is standing in line for something yes, its just a stereotype we as brits have.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by JammerLea

I think this is the first time I've ever actually seen "ZOMG GRAMMAR POLICE" used on the internet. All I need to see now is the Niagara Falls and my life can be complete!! If I cared.

So on the topic of grammar! Or spelling... any unwritten rules on when vs when not to correct people? I'm all for trying to help point out stuff when someone's confused or if it's a mistake they tend to use a lot. But some people are just so touchy...

He was correct, and yes I was grumpy. It was very late and I was unable to go to sleep. No beef Phoenix, you were right.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?