Why do some people over-use the word "do"?
 

Sorry, this is a bit of a rant/nitpicking session, but bear with me:

On a flight yesterday to Vegas (another day trip for work) I noticed that flight attendants have a hugely annoying habit of interjecting the word "do" into sentences all the time. I've observed this elsewhere with professional salespeople, customer service representatives, etc. and it's always kind of bugged me.

What is the point? What the hell is this supposed to accomplish? It comes off as sassy, a bit arrogant, smarmy and ultimately contributes to the breakdown of our language.

Here are some examples:

1. Instead of saying, "we do hope you've enjoyed your flight with us. . ."

Why not just say, "we hope you've enjoyed your flight with us. . . "?

2. Instead of saying, "we do need you to remain in your seats with your seatbelts securely fastened. . ."

Say, "we need you to remain in your seats with your seatbelts securely fastened. . .".


3. Instead of saying "we do need everyone's attention up here for just a moment. . ."

Why not say simply, "we need everyone's attention for just a moment. . ."?

4. Instead of telling a customer, "I do show you conducted a transfer of $1,000 on March 28. . ."

Just say, "according to my records, I show you conducted a transfer of $1,000 on March 28. . .", or whatever.


What the heck is with this "do" being interjected everywhere? It's an extra word. It's not necessary. It's. . . well. . . "do-do", IMO. It sounds smarmy and subtly condescending. All of the above examples have at least one "do" too many.

This bother anyone else?

Thinking about this some more. . .

I guess if you have a heavily British accent, that makes it okay. Example:

"I do say my boy, you are quite a good shot"
(sounds better/more "British" than "you're quite a good shot"). In that context maybe it's okay. . .

Functions of the English auxiliary verb - Dummy

Because, aside from the verbs to be and to have, only auxiliaries can be inverted to form questions and only auxiliaries can take negation directly, a dummy auxiliary do is used for questions and negatives when only a full verb exists in the positive statement (i.e. there are no auxiliaries in the positive, non-interrogative form). The same dummy do is used for emphasis in the positive statement form. This is known as do-insertion.

For example, if the positive statement form is:

I know the way.
the interrogative, negative and emphatic forms are respectively:

Do you know the way?
I don't know the way.
I do know the way.
Compare this with:

I should know the way.
Should I know the way?
I shouldn't know the way.
(and the emphatic form has to be marked by intonation or punctuation).

(From Wiki)

Interesting, so it's technically grammatically correct (probably explains why the Brits like it - they tend to LOVE their Queen's English), but I still say it comes off as annoyingly sassy when said by anyone without a British accent.

At least I can rest easy that it's not just a corporate fad that'd destroying our language like so many others (over-use of acronyms, "making up" new words, etc.)

do what?

i did think about this for about 4 nano seconds, but i really do think its no biggie

do do do dah dah dah

I do admit that it do bother me too.

I find the verb "to be" overused. I don't know why, it just bugs me when my computer says "Please wait while your disk is being formatted". Why not "Please wait while your disk is formatted"?

Better stay away from the Lou Reed section.
Jim

There are too many other words and phrases that tick me off...

- "actually"
- "at this point in time"
- "alleged suspect"
- "like"
- "axe" instead of "ask"
- "gangsta" talk
- "out the house" instead of "out of the house"

And do add

- "hopefully"
- "nucular" instead of "nuclear"
- "Nassau" instead of NASA
- "off of" (it's just off)
- "upstair" instead of upstairs

etc etc. People ARE getting stupider.

Could be worse, it could say:
"Please do wait while your disk is being formatted". :D
-Chris

Reminds me of this wonderful bathroom graffiti:



To be is to do. -Aristotle

To do is to be. -Sartre

Do be do be do. -Sinatra

All that in a place dedicated to the creation of "doo-doo". What irony! :)



"Irregardless" pisses me off too. There's no such word. It's either "regardless" or "irrespective of", not "irregardless".

Irregardless, a lot of people use it.

My son says "do" way too much. For him,

do = shoe
do = drink
do = liquid

Of course, he'll probably grow out of that. Then, like his dad, he'll just say "dude" all the time. :rolleyes: