Contrary to popular belief, English is my first language. My accent throws off a lot of people.
That was a joke.
But no matter that I’ve had twenty years of experience with the English language, there still come phrases that force me to pause from my fake-laughing and say, “…what?”
There’s a phrase I’ve grown up hearing. My old foe. It’s the phrase: “You’re something else.”
I’ve heard it after laughing.
“Haha! Rebekah you are something else.”
I’ve heard it with a scoff and a head shake.
“Wow. You’re something else.”
I’ve heard it with a shrug and a smile.
“Well, she’s definitely something else!”
Call me sensitive, but I’m insulted!
And I don’t even know why.
Here’s this phrase I’ve heard over and over, with different connotations, and I can’t figure it out!
I feel dumb, and annoyed, and confused, yet flattered?
I mean. How dare you use a phrase I don’t understand!
Do you also get a sick pleasure from reading Shakespeare to 3-year-olds? I bet you’re one of those people who uses words like “fuchsia” and “serendipity” in an every day sentence.
“You’re something else…”
Does this mean you’re annoyed with me? Are you alluding to the fact that I’m not human but in fact an extra terrestrial princess? Or are you saying that I’m fun and unique and you think my toes are gorgeous and my teeth are straight?
USE YOUR WORDS.
Why must we create these doggone sentences that take until the end of time before we can read and understand what seemed to be written so plainly on the wall?
It’s exhausting.
I now understand why, instead of attempting verbal communication with foreigners, we stick to the protocol of hand signals and grunting. It’s for the benefit of everyone’s present mental health.
Oh-Speaker-Of-The-Phrase, what is this “else” that you speak of? If I’m something “else,” what’s something regular?
I don’t think it’s fair that this phrase can be an insult OR a creepy saying for I have an alien girl fetish, and I think YOU may be the one because you’re something else …I see you, Neytiri…
That’s a steep 50/50.
But then, my writing this post may leave you thinking that I’m something else.
It’s a never ending cycle, isn’t it?
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Haha you’re something else.
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HOW DARE YOU!!
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It’s a compliment!!
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Are you SURE??
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First definition!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=something+else
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=-) then thanks!
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Lol, writing a whole entire blog post about one single sentence, and being able to make it funny, that’s something else! Lol well done, great post 🙂
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Haha, when the inspiration strikes, you go for it!! Thanks for reading!
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Hey Rebekah!
Just finished Paper Towns…it was spectacular! My review is forthcoming, but as promised, here’s the link to my review of I Do Not Come To You By Chance:
https://thatssojacob.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/so-so-so-scamdalous/
Have a look and see if you want to consider it for July’s read. If so, yay, because I’m already ahead of the game 😉
Also, here’s a super secret sneak preview of what’s next up on my ginormous stack of fiction (non-theory) reads, just in case any of them might be good choices for a future book club selection:
1. Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk (not a new book at all; written in 1955, it’s a throwback, in tribute to Wouk, who just turned 100 last month, I wanted to have read one of his books during his lifetime so it’s next up on my list)
2. The Way to the Cats by Yehoshua Kenaz (I have it in both English and Hebrew, hoping to read them simultaneously. We’ll see how that goes.)
3. Climbing the Mango Trees by Madhur Jaffrey (Less of a fiction and more of a memoir, but it’s been collecting dust on my night stand for almost a year now as I’ve been either reading books for class or books from the library)
Any thoughts?
Talk soon,
TSJ
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“I’M IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!”
Haha, this was a really funny post but you also raise some valid points!
I also wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for the STARLIGHT bloggers award:
https://adeleinglasses.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/journal-05-the-starlight-blogger-award/
It’s absolutely fine if you don’t accept awards, I wanted to give you the recognition nonetheless!
Thanks for always entertaining me with your blog!
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Lol I find myself screaming that all the time now that I’ve written this post! “GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!”
Thank you so much for nominating me!! I’m so honored! You’re the best!
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