The "Actually" addiction-

[Sugar Smack]

Can anyone here think of a really GOOD synonym for that word? I've seen it sprout & grow fangs, not only on DU but IRL conversation. Maybe I'm just hearing it more than I used to. I busted my dad a few times one afternoon saying "actually" a lot and we laughed about it. We tried to come up with words that would mean the same, but it was almost impossible.

Somehow, "verily" or "truly" or "as a matter of fact" just don't seem as natural. I mean, when you're being all high-falutin'. Does anyone here have pointers on the avoidance of or substitution for "actually"? ;) Thank you.

[mainegreen]

1. Sometimes just starting with a simple 'Well...' works as well.

[Sugar Smack]

3. That's one habit I could try to pick up.

I used to say it a lot; it doesn't have the stalling effect that the 4-syllable "actually" does, but I've begun to annoy myself with my own overuse of the latter.

[Oeditpus Rex]

15. That seems a bit self-dismissive to me

When someone says, "Hillary Clinton eats babies" and someone else replies, "Well, that's because campaign food sucks," I hear a sort of "This isn't much of an answer" in that "Well." It's like there should be a :shrug: after it.

[Muttocracy]

37. Hillary and Obama have driven me nuts by starting with "Well...."

over and over again in the debates!

[flvegan]

2. Wow. Actually, just wow.

[Sugar Smack]

6. Are DS1 and I gonna have to come over there and

:spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: you upside the head, boyo? :rofl:

[madinmaryland]

4. Actually, and I say that not matter of factly, I see your point!

:hi:

[Sugar Smack]

9. Careful, now! You could be using in jest, but

there'll come a day when the word SMITES you and you can't stop using it. Like that day one afternoon when I talked Valley Girl and couldn't stop and almost lost my friends, family, job, and self-respect.
:hi: Backatcha!

[AlCzervik]

5. can you throw "Basically" in there as well?

that one drives me fucking crazy.

[Sugar Smack]

7. Oh, SHIT, that one gives me HIVES!!!!

Like-go-see-a-doctor hives! And then go take a shower with a sandblaster, and then go see a therapist.

And I realize that following "Basically" is an endless, ENDLESS stream of nonsequiturs and the sort of nonsense that makes you wish for the last hour of your life back.

:grouphug:

[AlCzervik]

8. and the sentence always seems to start with "Well basically....."

Argh, STFU!



:loveya:

[Sugar Smack]

11. And I had a boss who did that! And I had to report to her,

and follow her squeaky, pissy orders. She liked to end her litany with the question "Does that make any sense?"

:nuke: to her & :loveya: :hug: to you.

[RebelOne]

114. My grammar book says:

Overused and often unnecessary. Try "mainly, most, mostly, chiefly" or "largely."

[underpants]

10. I using it all the time....actually

Sorry couldn't resist

I use it as a way for stating that what I am about to say is fact and in contrast to the conventional wisdom. I have to use it a lot these days.

[Sugar Smack]

13. That reminds me of "in fact", which isn't used as much

but which may be a good substitute if applied sparingly. :P The abuse as I've seen it runs the gamut from "Actually, we're facing a worse recession than ever before" to "Actually, I'm going to have the chocolate frozen yogurt".

[CTyankee]

105. Not as bad as "the fact of the matter is..." n/t

[billyskank]

12. To be utterly frank with you, my dear

I have no idea. :hi:

[Sugar Smack]

14. Oooh, "frankly"!

Have I told you lately that I love ya?:bounce:

[billyskank]

17. Come to think of it, old bean, I don't believe you have.

So I think it's about time again. :*

I love you too. :loveya:

[Mojambo]

35. I use "Frankly" quite a bit. n/t

[Deja Q]

16. She prefers frank over you?

:wow:

:spray:

:hide:

[billyskank]

18. Nobody seems to care what Frank thinks

Poor old Frank.

[Deja Q]

20. what if frank had beans?

Would people then start to care?

:hide:

[Sugar Smack]

21. "frankly", "truly", and "actually" walk into a bar...

I'd probably hit on "frankly" ;) B-) :pals:

[Deja Q]

22. Well, frankly be a happy man.

:)

[billyskank]

23. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves were all in bed, feeling happy

But then Happy got out and went for a pee, so they started feeling Doc instead.

[Sugar Smack]

29. Ooooh,

Drop trou. Turn around. :spank:

[billyskank]

30. You just want me with my trousers off.

:7

[Sugar Smack]

33. & a red fanny, if it's all the same to you.

;-)

[billyskank]

34. ...

:blush:

[Oeditpus Rex]

19. Don't use anything

I actually use "actually" rather often, but I actually understand that I don't actually need to. :)

I mean, look at the difference:

"Actually, you suck." :P

"You suck." :P



:shrug:

[Sugar Smack]

25. Are you on CRACK?

Honey, did your mamma drink tapwater when she was pregnant w/you? What in the sweet name of hell am I supposed to use as a crutch? Esp. when the majority of the populace is allergic to brevity.

:rofl: I must admit I kind of like "Actually, you suck."

:pals:

[Oeditpus Rex]

58. Brevity

is good.

[Sugar Smack]

64. Agreed.

B-)

[supernova]

24. Yea verily, and forsooth!

I do believe thou art accurate in thy assessment.

:silly:

[Sugar Smack]

28. BWAAAH!! I was act- I say, I was waiting for "yea verily"

:rofl: Thanks for that. Thou art a good egg. :P

[ThomWV]

26. Sure. Just substitute this in its place, "In my Universe" and it will make sense.

[Sugar Smack]

31. Thanks. Scuse me while I clean this tea off my monitor.

:spray: I think that may be a rough translation of my former boss's "Basically".

[FloridaJudy]

27. Oh, really?

Basically, I actually understand what you're honestly complaining about, in truth.

[Sugar Smack]

32. You know,

I just had a flashback! Really, it was when I wrote essays in grade school. I swear I added sentences a little like the one you just wrote. And in the conclusion, "in conclusion, I would like to finally wrap my arguments up by basically saying.." :rofl:

[Richardo]

36. My nephew was starting his sentences with 'Actually' when he was a VERY serious two-year-old.

It's very funny from a toddler.

Sugie*, your post reminds me of the 'King of Queens' episode guest starring Janeane Garofalo as an old friend who said 'literally' all the time. She was SO hilarious.




* You won't believe this but I started that sentence with the word 'actually' without even thinking about it. Literally.

[Sugar Smack]

38. See, that would be a scream coming from a 2 year-old.

I LOVE it! :loveya:

I started a half-dozen sentences ON THIS thread w/the "A" word as well, my darlin'. Can I just say, I've known a lot of people who misused, abused, mangled and mutilated "literally". If they saw me flinch, they never indicated it. "We literally DIED laughing!" or, more gruesome, "I literally cried my eyes out" or "His head literally exploded". Who needs the imagery in casual coversation?

[GOPisEvil]

39. "In reality..."

[Sugar Smack]

43. Or as ThomWV would have it, "In my Universe"

But I think "In reality" is funny. When we were kids we used it to push each other's buttons.

[Richardo]

61. "In actuality...."

:think:

[Sugar Smack]

75. "In ALL actuality"

See? I'm losing brain cells. And having flashbacks to college.


:scared: No possible good could come of this.

[Richardo]

85. No good?! You've already got 3 words of that 500-word essay...

Now double-space! Double-space like the wind! :D

















BTW it is excellent having you back on the big board :loveya:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

40. "Like" or "You know?" are pretty good substitutes.

:evilgrin:

[Sugar Smack]

46. *****pfffffffffffffffff*****!

:spray:

OK, I have GOT to say right now that "you know" is as pernicious a virus as "actually", if not more so. You have trumped me, I believe. You brought back a mudslide of memories of ex-boyfriends who used "you know" as others would inhale or exhale. Some would say it twice in a row, because of the power of "you know".

I have my own theory on "like" used this way:

"I was, like, fuck off!" The person who relates such a story so profoundly wishes he or she had said it aloud that "like" means "was in the mindframe". I much prefer that to using it as a sentence opener.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

48. I think we use these words as "space fillers"...

...to hold the audience while we search for the words we wish to use next. Typically, when we allow silence to fall between sentences, someone else will interrupt.

I enjoy conversing with people; but when I find someone I can be silent with, I feel accepted.

[Sugar Smack]

83. That's the same here, about the silence, I mean.

I remember when I first started noticing people using "and" a lot between sentences in order to stave off interruption.

[CTyankee]

113. When I travel in Italy, I notice that the Italians do the same with with "allora"

which means slightly different things in different contexts. It can mean "and so?" or "well, then..."

[SPKrazy]

41. actually i have heard it a lot

along with awesome

rock on

actually i have heard it more than i first actually thought i had:P

[Sugar Smack]

49. Y'see there? That's not a word to trifle with.

:P My poor dad. When I teased him about it, he laughed because he's a retired linguistics professor and he pays close attention to that kind of thing. I think my teasing him about it had the same effect psychologically as telling someone "not to think of pink butterflies"(which will always produce a mental image) because he helplessly used the word all afternoon.

[SPKrazy]

97. Ha ha, my mother was a linguistics professor

although she ended up teaching English to Foreign students at the college level she always was interested in linguistics and I learned some things from her that were interesting and thought provoking.

:hi:

[Sugar Smack]

100. I'm going to have to give my dad a lesson in net-speak.

He wouldn't know where to begin with things like ZOMG! And PWNED. *LOL* :hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

42. Kudzu?

:P

[Sugar Smack]

51. Kudzu. Water lilies. Ivy. Danielle Steele. Euphemisms.

It never ends!!:P :P

[NoPasaran]

44. WHEREAS, who can ever forget Miss Teen South Carolina's use of whereas, and

WHEREAS, most Americans cannot find America on a map because they have no maps, and

WHEREAS, our maps have been sent to the Iraq and the South Africa, and

WHEREAS, we need to help Americans and not the Iraqniacs,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we can actually replace actually with whereas

[Sugar Smack]

54. That shit's funny.

:rofl: I can honestly say there is no better source for linguistic hilarity than beauty pagents, GOP rallies, and class president elections.

[trackfan]

45. "In point of fact" has a nice home-spun ring to it.

or scilicet

[Sugar Smack]

56. I like "in point of fact". It reminds me of those English murder mysteries

with old lace, lavender, pistols, arsenic, and manual typewriters. Those are always where I encountered such a phrase. I've never heard a living soul say it out loud, though.

[Ava]

47. actually, i can!

really would be a synonym for it... for example:

"i'm not kidding. there actually is a good synonym for it"
"i'm not kidding. there really is a good synonym for it"

[Sugar Smack]

57. Hah! Hey, I think it's funny when someone starts a sentence with

"seriously, though" as if to say, "please to disregard any statements you or I may have made beforehand as pure folly" :rofl:

[Ava]

59. my favorite is "dont take this the wrong way but..."

as long as you say that it seems to be perfectly fine to be rude :rofl:

[Sugar Smack]

63. Oh: "With all due respect"

You can say anything in the world after that one! :rofl:

[SallyMander]

76. My favorite of these -- "bless his heart, but..."

A southernism if there ever was one... "Bless his heart, but he's gained so much weight he looks like a beluga in denim"


:rofl:

[Sugar Smack]

80. "I don't mean no harm,

but that kid's dumber than a bag of hammers."

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Ava]

90. "bless their little heart" is an insult in itself here in 'bama

because we all know what it is code for :rofl:

[rosesaylavee]

50. I was actually going to start a thread like this...

Like whoa!

[Sugar Smack]

66. In reality???

Truthfully and honestly I'm glad you posted in this one, actually. :P

[madinmaryland]

52. Actually, "irregardless" is really fricking annoying and is NOT a word!

[BeachBaby]

53. Thank GOD you said that.....

I wanna clock the person who says that in front of me! :)

[Sugar Smack]

68. I've heard people who make good money doing whatever the hell

it is they do say that word out loud. It inspires pure bitterness in me.

[Shakespeare]

55. I agree completely. It's become a "filler' word as annoying as "like"

And it makes me a little batty.

[Sugar Smack]

71. I notice it being used a lot in GD and GDP-

metaphorically speaking, the whet stone for arguments. Later on it infiltrates the language and then TAKES OVER!

[CTyankee]

107. When I was a Literacy Volunteer, I had a class of Chinese women who were all pretty proficient in

English. The ones from Hong Kong had learned English from the Brits so they started their sentences with "Actually..." (altho it sounded more like "Ectually...). The ones from other parts of China never said "actually."

Actually, I tutored them in American English idioms, which fascinated them. They all watched "Sex and the City" and wrote down the idioms they couldn't understand. We would discuss them at our weekly meetings. It was an interesting couple of years...

[Sugar Smack]

108. Wow. I wonder at times what foreigners must think of us here

ESPECIALLY with the idioms, and a new euphemism popping up every 15 minutes or so. I'll bet that was very interesting for you, the tutoring.

I wonder how often euphemisms pop up in different countries, now that I'm thinking about it.

[CTyankee]

109. I've wondered that myself but I think that they don'thave as many as

we do in English speaking America. We have such a large influx of non English speakers into our country, we inevitably get new infusions into English regularly. It is not the same with other countries that have limited influxes of foreigners.

I remember the Chinese women having real problems with our idiom "Holy shit." They couldn't understand the contradiction in terms and were completely bewildered by it! It was hard for me to explain...

[Sugar Smack]

111. I would love to know how you explained that one.

I remember trying to explain American college students' sense of humor to German exchange students. "What does that mean?" was something they'd say often. "Why is that funny?" was almost always impossible for me to answer.

:o

[CTyankee]

112. I said that it was meant to be innately contradictory because

it was used as an attention getting statement. At least, that is what I came up with. Lame, I know, but it's my best guess...

These same women, who all had advanced degrees from universities in China, were interested in taking the practice GRE exam in grammar and English usage (they could do the math/science part easily). I photocopied the practice test for them and even took it myself. It was not easy even for me, with a Master's degree in Liberal Studies. They were game, tho. However, the subtle distinctions of meanings in English were mystifying to them.

It was also interesting to get their reactions to American culture, holidays, history. We discussed protocols at American weddings, for instance. When I said "Then there's the champagne toast..." they broke into grins and one said "Bottoms up!" I had to explain why that would be a no-no at an American wedding.

Oh, and it was during the 04 election and we had some fun with that each week!

[Guava Jelly]

60. I'm actually probably like the wrong guy to ask.

:D

[Sugar Smack]

72. YOU. Go into the little room! And don't come out til

you can properly behave yourself! And write "I will not say 'actually'" 100 times. And BY GUM, do not EVER follow ACTUALLY with PROBABLY!!!!}(

[Guava Jelly]

102. I probably actually shouldn't

I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually,I will not say 'actually

Soory :(

[qwertyMike]

62. Actually

There are several uses, like when the star of "Love Actually" actually solicited the actual sexual services of an actually attractive of an actual lady of the night and actually got nearly actually away from it. So they actually say! Don't know about the actual Liz girl, but I would actually have his actual b*lls. I think she actually does.

PS: Is Irregardless a word (outside of actual New Age dictionaries) ?

Actually Mike

Tell me if this is actually funny or I'll do a Silly Walk

[Sugar Smack]

73. Oh, could you excuse me for a minute, please?

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

Oh. Okay. I feel much better, thank you.

[qwertyMike]

103. Good Reply

I was being silly
Thanks

Mike

[no name no slogan]

65. Verily, I have VERY GLAD to see you around!

I hope you are doing okay Sug! :loveya:

Things are slowly but surely improving here. More med adjustments last week, plus attendant side effects. :puke: But they're getting better, and things are clearing up finally. :hug:

[Sugar Smack]

74. OMG! Okay, not for nothin'

is your # still the same? :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :loveya:

I'm so so glad to see you too.

[JVS]

67. Indeed I do know an alternative

[Sugar Smack]

77. That's pretty good! I hadn't thought of that.

I DID have a boyfriend once who said "indeed" a lot and bowed a little every time he said it. He was being "courtly".

[Schema Thing]

69. "(F)actually"

feed your inner authoritarian!

[Sugar Smack]

79. I hope to GOD y'all got this out of your systems!!

That word's going to be my earworm for the next 3 dozen weeks!!!!!

[SallyMander]

70. How about "methinks"?

Methinks you could rock it. Seriesly. :loveya:

[Sugar Smack]

81. Yea, verily, methinks in point of fact thou rockest!

*hoooooo!*

Littelllllll flower, you're the most! :loveya:

[SallyMander]

84. Methinks thou hath confused me with thee!

Forsooth, there art but one who shall trumpeth the rockfulness of all others... and it art thou!

:rofl:



:hug: :loveya: :hug:


Edit for confounded verbosity!

[Ptah]

78. Factually, it's not an addiction, it's a predilection.

[Sugar Smack]

82. Ptah, I know this doesn't have squat to do with diddly, but

I really like your haircut. I was afraid you wouldn't remind me of HS Thompson any more, but you do.

That said, good answer! :yourock:

[Ptah]

106. .

:blush:

[drmeow]

86. In reality

As you are aware, it is, similar to, when someone says “irregardless” and really they mean regardless and it causes me to have a psychotic break then, in keeping with my fundamental disposition, I want to kill someone.

Translation:

You know, its, like, when someone says “irregardless” and actually they mean regardless and it literally drives me nuts then, basically, I want to kill someone.

[Sugar Smack]

87. How'd you like to be Tom Cruise's translator? Or George Bush's?

That should be one of the highest-paying jobs on the planet. I do believe I've heard Bush say "irregardless", among his countless multitudes of other flaws.

:nuke:

[drmeow]

91. worthy of my skills but ...

Allow me to respond to your statement, in fact, GWB and Tom Cruise are both entirely hopeless and, in essence, beyond help, even from, similar to, as you are aware, someone as good as I am. It is, similar to, they open their mouths and words of little value simply emerge, as you are aware.

translation:

Well, actually, GWB and Tom Cruise are both totally hopeless and, basically, beyond help, even from, like, you know, someone as good as me. Its, like, they open their mouths and stuff just comes out, you know.

[Sugar Smack]

93. I just tripped over your commas and broke my ankle-

So allow me to simultaneously welcome you to DU and spank you upside the head. :loveya: :spank:

[drmeow]

98. I promise, less commas this time

That is entirely a shame about your ankle … my fundamental nature caused me to become overly exuberant with the commas.

Continuing, similar to, are there DU doctors who can fix that, as you are aware?

translation:

That totally sucks about your ankle … basically I got carried away with the commas.

So, like, are there DU doctors who can fix it, you know?



OK, I think that’s enough. Thanks for the welcome. :toast:

[Sugar Smack]

99. *cough* Fewer commas this time

:rofl: I simply COULD NOT resist. Too, I think maybe I could invent some sort of device that dilutes commas and eradicates actuallies. Or I could leave it for someone else to invent. Or I could stop eating sugar all night long and put myself to bed.

[drmeow]

101. Ouch - got me

And I was going to comment - isn't it past your bedtime?

[madeline_con]

88. Actually, I use it to let people know I'm correcting them.

It annoys the hell out of 'em. :evigrin:

[Sugar Smack]

89. HAH!!! Do you ever use "honey" to address people you're correcting?

}( That's a LOT worse, let me tell you.

[madeline_con]

92. Never! It makes me furious when they do it to me.

I'm to old for that crap.

[Sugar Smack]

95. It's hard for me to stay cool when someone throws that

garbage at me too. It renders me apoplectic.

[MrsBrady]

94. the thesaurus says...

http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/actually

Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus
Main Entry: actually
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: truly
Synonyms: absolutely, de facto, genuinely, in fact, in reality, in truth, indeed, literally, really, truly, veritably, very
Source: Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.3.1)

[Sugar Smack]

96. Thanks! I love thesaurus entries.

But the conversational nuance of "actually" just seems too unique for substitution.

Wouldn't it be fun, though, to substitute "de facto"? :D

[Taverner]

104. It has the same meaning as um

Didn't you know that?

[Sugar Smack]

110. TECHNICALLY, "um" is the opposite of "actually".

:rofl: :patriot:

[mikeytherat]

115. I usually substitute, "Holy sh**, you f**king idiot," for "Actually"

mikey_the_rat