I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
"I am over it" is easy to understand, although many of us hardly understand what "it" means.
Try being faced with a child who responds to a query with "whatever." That's "I am over" it in a big way and rude as hell. Whatever is a kiss off, one of those I don't care what you think responses that deserves a slap or a spanking. And yes,spanking works if the parent isn't angry at the time.
Considering the habits of the younger generation I suppose we should just be glad they know how to speak English at all.
[Updated on: Sat, 13 November 2010 23:25]
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Location: Canada
Registered: March 2010
Messages: 188
When lost with the changing language, I always check with Urbandictionary.com:
OVER:
Descriptive of one's certian level of intoxication; pertaining to any type of mind/mood altering substance used in excess.
"I've been waiting at this damn intersection for 10 minutes waiting for the stop sign to turn green...I'm so over."
"Dude if I smoke anymore I'll be way over"
**If you've lost the ablity to focus with both eyes open and/or are using the one-eyed-willie method simply to know who you're looking at, you're over.
"I'm over it" means 2 things to me:
1) I've gotten over it. ie It's no longer a big deal.
2) I'm sick of it. ie It's still a big deal but I cbf dealing with it.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: tampa bay,USA
Registered: August 2005
Messages: 371
Timmy, your "true understanding" would be the correct usage of that phrase as used by others where I grew up in New England (Boston).
marco
There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love. Washington Irving
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: September 2010
Messages: 127
The young do not necessarily mean to declare the event, incident itself is distasteful when proclaiming they are "over it." Indeed the "it" doesn't have to be an incident, it can be anything.
The "it" is merely an object, subject, topic that was once of interest, but has now fallen from being topical, of interest, or fashionable for the person uttering the the phrase, "I'm over it."
An example would be a teen who worshipped Brad Pitt when both the teen and Brad were younger, but the now older teen adores Aiden Grimshaw:
In this example the teen might say, "I am over Brad Pitt." Meaning that they no longer regard Brad as an object of their affection.
Someone might also say they are over it, when referring to religion, or their attempts at heterosexuality, in which case they may emphasise it by saying, "I am so over it."
Generally the "it" is not important except for the person making the statement. The "over" means to having gone beyond, to having lost interest.
However, the form of the statement, in itself, can be meant as a put down, a contempt of whatever the "it" happens to be. So when they say I am over Brad Pitt, they are are implying that he is not worthy of their interest, any longer.
This is also a means of belittling another person who has said they like Brad Pitt. So saying that they are "over him," in this way is designed to show that they are somehow superior to the person who still likes him.
The line is a fashionable way to appear to be part of the young clique of "with it" people. It is almost a throw away line that kids use in the course of casual conversation even allowing for its use as a put down.
Myself, I would not object being over Brad Pitt, but I would probably prefer to be under him or Aiden Grimshaw, or both of them. Whatever!
So yes "whatever" is another throw away word in conversation, often used to annoy older people who think it means disinterest in something important.
The older people often do not pick up on the fact that there is an element of resignation to the use of the word.
So if a parent says, "Go clean up your room," the teen may reply, "Whatever," which can mean, " I know I have to do that, so don't worry it'll get done," or it can mean, "F**k off!"
Context and delivery of the words is quite important here.
;-D
DesDownunder
Call me naive if you want, but life without trust in the goodness of others would be intolerable.
Religious indoctrination: It gets better, without it.
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
I suppose we owe all this abbreviated language to "twitter" and assorted instant messaging services. It doesn't serve the user well in developing communication skills since speed of thought often challeges accuracy. Talking quickly with thumbs on buttons does not make a scholar.
"Whatever" would appear to be a distainful brush off, but also an expression of ego. My thoughts are better than yours so I don't have to listen to you...whatever.
I also understand the "non words" that are little noticed in human thought as expressed in writing. He said...she said, none of us notice the "said" only the attribution of the person speaking. Far too many writers don't understand the concept and thus sentences are sprinkled with character names, do you understand that, Des? If not, Des...well, you get the point.
I could write "Des said" or "Des asked" or "Des laughed" a hundred times and not be bothered. Unless of course some fool said "Des said laughingly," that is worthy of execution by firing squad.
As a body we are losing our language skills, and Americans are not alone. We are buried in abbreviation, and I suppose this works well in localized speech. Although I am often puzzled by something Timmy might say, I generally figure it out quickly. But I am knackered by this topic so I will buzz off now.
[Updated on: Sun, 14 November 2010 17:58]
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
] 
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