#1216 Saying Things

I’m often fascinated by the words we use to supposedly communicate. We say, I “could of” gone to the store when we mean, I “could have” gone to the store. We say, he was suppose to speak correctly when we mean, he was supposed to speak correctly. We just get sloppy sometimes.
Like one of my pet peeves. I was at an educational event, and the speaker was a teacher. He was talking about a new school program meant to engage the kids called CAFÉ. He told us CAFÉ was the acronym C-A-F-E- and stood for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanded Vocabulary.
‘Scuse me, that’s CAFEV. Not a pretty acronym to be sure, but it does achieve that whole A for Accuracy thing you have in CAFÉ...
I should have expected it. This was also a teacher who used that grating word I hate more than any other, Ex-cetera.
You’re a teacher for gosh sake, it’s not Ex-cetera, no more than its Ex-spresso. It’s Et cetera. It means “and others.” If I was introducing my many ex-wives and forgot some of their names, I could use the term ex-cetera.
Surprising the guy’s grammarcheck didn’t catch it when he wrote his speech.
Mine caught me the day. I had typed in the phrase “free gift” and my grammar-check suggested I just say “gift.” And you know what? The computer was right. “Free gift” is a redundancy isn’t it? If it’s a gift, it dang well better be free.
Here you go honey, I got you this wonderful bouquet of flowers. That’ll be 19.99. Sort of takes away from the whole sense of what a gift is doesn’t it?
Such redundant stressing might have helped with my uncle. He never gave a gift that was quite free.
This is a gift for you. It’s free. So don’t go saying I never gave you anything. For free. Did I mention it’s free? Pay no attention to those strings attached. That’s just so it’s easier for me to hang onto your sense of obligation.
Feel free to get me a thank you card as soon as possible, and buy it, and send it, ex-cetera...
America, ya gotta love it.