One thing about English and Scottish and some Irish

[jpgray]

They say "to be honest" a lot. You might not feel that you remember this particularly from just reading this, because it's not the sort of thing the average person might notice. Without the benefit of close linguistic analysis that only clever people like myself are capable of, it's easy to miss. But now that I've provided you with this intensely penetrating insight--you'll notice.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

1. To be honest

with you the Scots and Irish are really the same people united in their dislike of those pigs, the English........... please everyone reading this, remember I am speaking tongue in cheek to a large degree. However, if you look at history, I think you'll agree with me.

[jpgray]

2. To be honest, they don't usually add anything beyond the phrase

Actually, it's a placeholder. In other words, something mostly meaningless that just goes before a sentence through habit. Seriously, I don't see the point of such things. Like, yeah.

[Little Wing]

4. Dear Sir,

I beg to differ. To be honest, all three are united against those swine, the French. Know what I'm saying?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

7. Nonsense!

The English, Scots, Welsh, Irish and French are united in brotherly solidarity against those darstedly Channel Islanders.

[Deep13]

9. So not so tongue and cheek.

:mad:
When Britain first, at heaven's command,
Arose from out the azure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the a-azure main,
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:

Rule Britania!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

The nations, not so blest as thee,
Must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
Must in ,must in, must in their turn, to tyrants fall,
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
(Chorus)
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Brittons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Thomas Augustine Arne

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. to be very honest..i think you and i have about the same amount of spare time...

otherwise known as too much spare time

:P

[jpgray]

5. The more I have, the less I seem to do with it

In fact using my spare time to bitch about my spare time may be the least productive thing I have ever done ever. :D

[YankeyMCC]

6. "I'll be honest with you."

This is how my wife starts some of her conversations with me.

I bite my tounge every time to keep from saying "What you're not honest with me usually?" because I know that's just asking for trouble.


Oh BTW: She's of Italian descent not a drop of English, Scottish or Irish blood. ;)

[billyskank]

8. To be completely honest gray, I believe you are right.

Notice how I added the amplifier. As if to imply that usually I am being less than completely honest with you.

[jpgray]

10. It's spreading though

People in the US who are Anglophiles used to just say "a bit" and "rather" too much, now "to be honest" is making the rounds. To be honest, it seems a bit odd, and rather forced, coming from "my people." :P

[Anarcho-Socialist]

12. To be fair, I agree with you

on everything you just said. At the end of the day, superfluous words in sentences annoy me very greatly.

[Deep13]

11. Phrases like to be honest, honestly, I assure you, ...

... and believe me are ways of saying "The following is intrinsicly unbelieveable."