About This Site

Figaro rips the innards out of things people say and reveals the rhetorical tricks and pratfalls. For terms and definitions, click here.
(What are figures of speech?)
Ask Figaro a question!

This form does not yet contain any fields.

    « This Just In: Stupidity Discovered in Washington | Main | Honk if You Hate Noise »
    Monday
    Oct242005

    And I’m Like, What Are You Saying?

    scottevil.jpgQuote:  "Well my friend Sweet Jay took me to that video arcade in town, right, and they don't speak English there, so Jay got into a fight and he's all, 'Hey quit hasslin' me cuz I don’t speak French' or whatever! And then the guy said something in Paris talk, and I'm like, 'Just back off!' And they’re all, 'Get out!' And we're like, 'Make me!'  It was cool." Scott Evil in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me."

    Figure of Speech:  dialogismus (die uh log IS muss), the one-person dialogue.

    The dialogismus, in which the speaker uses other people's voices or recreates a conversation, may be the teenager's very favorite figure of speech.  The substitution of "like" for "said" serves as a disclaimer:  "The following quotation is an approximation, and only an approximation, of the dialogue that actually took place."

    And you thought "like" was just, you know, annoying.

    Snappy Answer:  "That would have made as much sense in Paris talk."

    PrintView Printer Friendly Version

    EmailEmail Article to Friend

    Reader Comments (3)

    Wow, I always speak like that when relating past experience with my friends, but I never thought it could have such significance....ENGLISH Language is changing :P
    November 28, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSprachreisen England
    I remember that part with Green telling his part of the story....this is usually how it goes
    November 29, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBeco Baby Carrier
    Some people have it in them that when they speak people cant take their eyes of them.
    December 22, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSPorts Trophies

    PostPost a New Comment

    Enter your information below to add a new comment.

    My response is on my own website »
    Author Email (optional):
    Author URL (optional):
    Post:
     
    All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.