THEY SAY Perhaps I ought to have put that title in quotes, because I want to talk with you about the steady increase in the number of times the expression “they say” is used in our daily conversational exchanges.
It is spelled “On Dit” in French. I discovered that that years ago when I visited New Orleans. I didn't even realize the expression was being used in the French Quarter because those sometime rather strange people down there insist it be pronounced “ong de” with a long “e”', mind you. Got it? They say “ong de” when when we would be saying “they say”. It doesn't take long to pick up on the local lingo down there. After all two Virginians, they say, who were as you-all as they come, they say, bought that whole end the country without writing a book about it in French on dit.
Scholarly people often dress it up a bit and say: “...is reported.” and some credit at least three authorities: “Fingleberg, Wesson and Kernestgauffel tell us that... The rest of us seldom even try to identify who the “they” might be in the expressions we use in everyday talk. You choose the authority you respect the most at the moment. If you like, you may say : “lawyers say... or Indian chiefs, pizza lovers or trombone players. The idea is to lend authority and to add a gentry tone to whatever you are saying. The majority of the time the statement parrots something you heard on radio or television when they said what they said because some said they pay them if they said it. If at all possible, try to shift previous credit or blame to someone else know simply as “they”.
Many people are unaware they are using the expression at all - much less too much.”They say” has worked its way into the American type of English to the point where it just happens without effort, purpose, intent or meaning. It takes on deceptive disguises, too.- such as, they tell me, adding suggests, concedes, and other such terms – disguised by being surrounded by a welter of words which have actual meaning. It is best done with the brain in neutral while the speaking mechanism in on the way to other such means of trashing out our verbal heritage y'know” they tell me, is becoming more evident. They say, y'know is taking over, at least, that's what they're sayin', y'know. It has joined the pack of verbal wolves chewing away at our linguistic heritage.
Sports interviews on radio and TV will surely contain “y'know”, by both or all members of any group. Combine such uses with “localisms” such as “see what I mean?”, or “like what it is” and “Man, Oh Man!” and you might well think you have dropped in on a foreign language auction of some sort.
A.L.M. March 20, 2005 [c486wds]
