Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "speech"

I'd like to think I'm a pretty intelligent, somewhat open-minded person. But to be honest, I didn't really realize how much I took for granted before I went to Europe.
Among other things, I didn't fully understand or appreciate the complexities of the English language. Or maybe I just forgot about them. After all, I have been speaking English since I learned how to talk.
Being in predominantly non-English speaking countries forced me to concentrate on the basics and allowed me to forget how much some of the idiosyncrasies that find their way into everyday speech and writing bug me. Now that I'm back in the States, I'm painfully aware of how much certain things drive me up the wall.
My biggest pet peeve in both speech and writing is the use of needless or repetitive redundancies. (Yes, I did that on purpose).
Here are just a few examples:
ATM machine. I mean, come on. Really? Last I heard, the acronym stands for Automated Teller Machine. So why must people constantly refer to automated teller machine machines?
Left to go. This is common sports jargon, so tell me if any of this sounds familiar. There are five laps left to go in the race. He scored the winning goal with less than five minutes left to go in the fourth quarter. Give me a break. There are either five laps left or five laps to go. Right?
End result. As defined in Webster's II New College Dictionary a result is the consequence or outcome of an action, and to result in something is to end in a given way. So I can understand the use of the terms "immediate result," "short term result" or "long term result." But "end result"? No way.
What are some of your pet peeves? Think about it and let me know.
Until next time, "That's life..."

A few weeks ago, I mentioned some of the challenges I faced while visiting my European relatives in predominantly non-English speaking countries.
As you know, the experience forced me to choose my words carefully, and renewed my appreciation for the nuances of the English language. It also resulted in some pure comedy.
It happened when the dinner conversation at my cousin's house in Belgrade turned to music. Since my cousin, her husband and daughter are all musicians. But I have to admit, I wasn't fully engaged in the discussion when Ana's husband asked me if I knew the name of an unusual Australian instrument and began describing it.
Oh, do you mean a kazoo? I asked, still distracted.
No, no, no. It's not a kazoo. Wait, I'll go get it, Darco said.
Ohhhh! I said, feeling like a complete idiot when he reappeared with a large, hand-carved wooden instrument a few minute later. It's a didgeridoo!
Then there was the case of the mysterious vegetable that we had at lunch one day.
What do you call this in English? asked my 16-year-old cousin Sophia.
I had no idea, but I ventured a guess. Perhaps it's a squash, but I don't know for sure...
The question was still bothering me the next day.
Maybe it was a cucumber, I said at breakfast.
Sophia quickly nixed that idea.
It is not a cucumber, she said. I know what a cucumber is!
With no other options, we turned to the Internet and punched the Serbian word for the mysterious vegetable into "Google Translate."
It turned out it was a squash.
Until next time, "That's life..."