COMMONLY MISUSED ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES 5

December 4, 2020

(1) “I USED TO” VS “I AM USED TO”…

(2) THE IDIOM “I AM PULLING YOUR LEG” VS “I AM PULLING YOUR LEGS”…

(3) NBB INFOTAINMENT: “DOWN BY THE RIVER RIDDIM (RHYTHM) MIX”

This is “No Bullshiting”, by Harry Agina

Greetings, folks!

I had a discussion with a guy a few hours before I started this blog. Indeed, he’s the reason for this blog. The dude started by hailing me with, “No Bullshitting!!!” repeatedly.

“Nope, I ain’t bullshitting ya,” I responded in my usual way.

Then, the dude went on, “Brother, I USED TO LIKE your blog, meeeen,” mimicking my slang.

I pretended to be disappointed, and asked him, “What happened now?

What have I done wrong?”

The dude got a little baffled, looked kind-of funny at me for a moment, and then, “Ah ah, because your blog is great,” he retorted.

Pulling his LEG further, still pretending to be disappointed, I said, “But, you just told me that you USED TO LIKE my blog; so, why don’t you like it anymore? What have I done wrong?”

He decided to say it in Pidgin English, just in case Harry doesn’t understand pure English any longer:

“Ah ah, but I dey tell you say I like the blog nah.”

He was now looking at me as though I have lost my marbles; you know, gone koko; like, what the fuck is wrong with this dude? So, I decided that it’s time to stop pulling his leg and put it straight to him:

“Bros, what you said DOES NOT mean that you PRESENTLY or CURRENTLY like my blog,” I said, chuckling. “You said that you USED TO like it, meeeeen!!!  That is past tense, bro; which means that you PREVIOUSLY LIKED my blog; but not anymore. If you CURRENTLY (still) like my blog, you should say, I LIKE YOUR BLOG, period.” You don’t say, “I USED TO LIKE your blog” Then, he finally understood my point, with a little embarrassment on his face, while, for a moment, he apparently wondered if I was correct.

Some people say “I USE to like you,” with the present tense of ‘USE,’ instead of the past tense, ‘USED.’ And, both are wrong. What they mean to say is “I like you,” and not “I USED to like you” nor “I USE to like you.” Another correct example is, “I work for a bank,” and not “I USE TO, (nor USED TO) work for a bank,” when you are presently still working for the bank…and other similar statements.

Using the phrase ‘USED TO’ correctly, comes with the verb ‘am.’ And, this has a different meaning altogether. EXAMPLE: John’s foolishness USED TO (in the past) piss me off (make me angry) when I first met him, but I AM USED TO his foolishness now. This means that I am now accustomed to John’s foolishness, and it no longer pisses me off (no longer makes me angry).

MORE CORRECT EXAMPLES:

(1) “I am used to getting up early for work every day,” for something that has become a regular or continuous habit, or continuous practice. I USED TO get up early every day is wrong; except you have now stopped getting up early.

(2) “We used to go out more,” means that we no longer go out as we did IN THE PAST.

PULLING ONE’S LEG; NOT PULLING ONE’S LEGS:

I highlighted “pulling his LEG” above in the narration of my discussion with my “No Bullshitting” fan, because that’s a phrase (idiom) that many people misuse quite a lot. The culprits say, “You are pulling my LEGS,” which is wrong. “You are pulling my LEG” is correct, and not LEGS. There is no need for “dogo turenchi” (long grammar) about this one. If you didn’t know, and you don’t believe me, then check it out in your encyclopedia of idiomatic usages…but, if you know about “No Bullshitting” Blog, then I know, that you know, that Harry ain’t bullshitting ya, meeeeeen!!!

NBB INFOTAINMENT: “DOWN BY THE RIVER RIDDIM (RHYTHM) MIX“

As I have said in my past blog, I am a lover of “Lovers Rock” reggae. It is noted for its romantic sound and contents. What can I say; maybe I’m just a romantic kind of dude, meeeeeen!!!

Anyway, Reggae Music, as you know (or may know) is Jamaican by origin, which emerged in the 1960s, and was popularized by some legends, including and especially the late Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley of Jamaica (rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist) who died in 1981 (born in 1963); along with his Jamaican co-members of THE WAILERS BAND: the late Peter Tosh (lead guitar, keyboard, vocals); a living legend, Bunny Wailer (percussion, vocals) who was born on April 10, 1947); the late vocalist, Junior Braithwaite (April 4, 1949 – June 2, 1999); the late backing vocalist, Cherry Smith (white lady born 22 August 1943, and died 24 September 2008).

Of course, you can’t talk about reggae without the living legend, another “Roots Reggae” master, Burning Spear, who celebrated his 75th birthday on the 1st of March, 2020. And, if you love the “Roots Reggae” rhythm and voice of Spear, then, you must also love the music of The CULTURE BAND, which sounds exactly like Spear (well, almost exactly like Spear, very difficult to differentiate if you don’t know them well). The group, which was formerly called THE AFRICAN DISCIPLES, originally comprised: Joseph Hill (who was constant until his death in 2006); Albert Walker; Kenneth Dayes; Telford Nelson; Kenyatta Hill; and more, who joined later.

Not to forget another living legend, Ska & Reggae artist, the 72-year old Jimmy Cliff (born April 1, 1948); the late Gregory Isaac (born 15 July 1951, and died of cancer on 25 October, 2010).

The list of Jamaicans who popularized reggae is much longer, but I wanno stop with another one of my favorites, THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS, which was formed in 1969 by Fitzroy “Bunny” Simpson, Donald “Tabby” Shaw, and Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson.

However, the “Lovers Rock” genre of reggae emerged in London, England, in the 1970s.

Most often than not, REGGAE RIDDIM MIXES are done by several DJs, and, the Lovers Rock, “DOWN BY THE RIVER RIDDIM MIX” is among this common custom. “DJ Easy” has his own rendition, and so does “Selekta B” (“Selector B”), among several other Riddim DJs. I bring you my most favorite of the bunch, the “Selekta B” rendition of “DOWN BY THE RIVER RIDDIM MIX.”

https://youtu.be/MAA1jx4Gcb8

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