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Whatchamacallit: being indirect A
Vague and general words In informal speech, we make frequent use of rather vague words and words with many different or rather general meanings, like thing or get. That’s one of the things I want to talk to him about. [thing = subject] Laura has got a thing about mice. [she either really likes or dislikes them] Don’t make such a big thing of it! [Don’t make so much fuss about it!] There wasn’t a thing we could do about it. [a thing = anything] For one thing, I haven’t got time. For another thing, I can’t afford it. [Firstly …, secondly …] The thing is, I have to take my car for a service tomorrow morning. [used to introduce a topic or a problem, or to provide an explanation] As things are at present, … [as the situation is] I don’t get what you’re saying. [understand] We must get that parcel in the post today. [send]
She had big plans to travel the world but she just never got it together. [took positive action or organised herself]
Jill will get things sorted (out) today. [organise things so that the problem is solved] I hope I can get her to myself this evening. [be alone with her]
B
When you can’t think of the word When we can’t remember a word or name, we often replace it with a vague word. For objects: thingy, thingummy /ˈθɪŋəmi/, thingumijig /ˈθɪŋəmədʒɪg/, thingamibob /ˈθɪŋəməbɒb/, whatsit, whatchamacallit /ˈwɒtʃəməˌkɔːlɪt/, whatnot Have you seen the thingy we use for keeping the door open? For people: whatsisname /ˈwɒtsɪzneɪm/ (for a man); whatsername /ˈwɒtsəneɪm/ (for a woman) Did you see whatsisname today? Note that these words can be written in different ways. It is also possible to use thingy for either a man or a woman: I was talking to thingy about that yesterday.
C
Quantifiers Some quantifiers are common in informal speaking but are rare in formal writing. For example, the following expressions mean a lot of: bags of a load of loads of a mass of masses of dozens of tons of umpteen
I can help you – I’ve got bags of time. They can afford to go on expensive holidays as they’ve got loads of money. I’ve tried phoning her umpteen times but she never seems to answer her mobile. These expressions mean a little or some: a bit of, a scrap of. I’ve got a bit of a headache. You’ve been sitting there all day but you haven’t done a scrap of work.
D
Being indirect and less threatening Here are some expressions which we can use in speech to make what we are saying sound less threatening and potentially offensive to the person we are talking to. It’s not the most practical/sensible/intelligent/appropriate thing you’ve ever done. [it’s impractical / not very sensible / rather unintelligent / inappropriate]
It’s not the most practical idea – and I mean that in the nicest possible way. No offence intended, but I think you’ve misunderstood the basic problem. If you don’t mind me/my saying so, I think that you could have handled that better. I gather you feel upset by the recent changes in the office. [I’ve heard it from someone] Incidentally, have you paid your money for the club outing yet? [often used to introduce a new subject into the conversation in an indirect way]
What a load of idiots – present company excepted, of course. [not including you or me] The staff here, myself included, have not been working quite as hard as we should. 170
English Vocabulary in Use Advanced
