Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wordsbury Doughboy

I am a word nerd. I love to analyze and think about words whether they be used singularity or all string together to form a sentence. Here are a few phrases that have puzzled me lately.

"I was just poking a little fun your way."

This statement is usually spoken as an apology of sorts once a speaker realizes they have gone a little too far in their teasing.

For example: Let's say I was I was visiting one of the houses of ill-repute out in Nevada when I spotted a certain golfer. I could shout, "Hey Tiger, Elin called and wants to know if you're gonna change your name to Cheetah when you enter the next golf tournament."

Now Mr. Woods would no doubt be offended. Club in hand, he might charge me and look to inflict damage upon my skull with his Big Bertha. But if I suddenly laughed and said, "Whoa there big fella. I was just poking a little fun you way," he would now doubt smile and laugh.

With a friendly laugh he might slug me in the shoulder and say, "Good one."

Hypothetically speaking of course. We all know that both myself and Mr. Woods would never frequent such an establishment. After all, we have our reputations to uphold.

But my real question is how did the term poke a little fun your way gain traction in the first place.

I can think of only one kind of poking that can be described as fun and it most assuredly is not the same brand of fun generally associated with the statement. Well maybe in Tiger's case but no one else. "I swear Elin, I wasn't interested in those women. It's you I love. I was just poking a little fun their way."

Wouldn't the world be a better place is that's all we had to do to cover our blunders?

"You shrimpers don't get your nets in a wad. We folks here at BP were just poking a little fun your way."

But I'm not one to criticize without offering a solution so I've been pondering the better ways to deliver dosages of fun.

I thought of ... I was just inserting a little fun your way ... but that felt a bit intrusive.


I was just flicking a little fun your way ... but it reminded me too much of boogers.

Tossing ... is what you do to salad and anyone who has read this blog long knows my personal motto is Lettuce is the Devil so no word in cahoots with the devil can be fun.

I was just shooting a little fun your way ... is a bit too clock towerish


Beaming ... too Spockish.


So I ask y'all, my loyal readers, do you prefer to keep getting poked with fun, or can you think of a better delivery method?





14 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I've never heard of that expression before, but I don't think I'll forget it now. Where were you when Tiger Woods needed you last year?

Cloudia said...

Never heard that one.





Warm Aloha from Honolulu

Comfort Spiral

Old Kitty said...

"Kind sir/madam, I was merely endeavouring to bring a little joy, happiness and dare I say it, a little mirth in your direction in an attempt to lighten the gravitas of your very serious situation."

:-)

Take care
x

the walking man said...

Up here it's "Hey forget about it I was just fucking with ya!" Which validates your version of poking and fun.

Akum said...

I guess even this would sound kind of cool, ' Hey, I was just flipping some fun your way'... I can imagine mr.woods chasing you with a club.. LOl

Barb said...

"Poking" fun is kinda mean anyway... I've heard "I was just joshing you" Not sure where "Josh" came from either.

mielikki said...

I think its a southern thang.
Tiger wouldn't get it. probably.
but it would be entertaining to watch him chase you around the green brandishing Big Bertha!

Monnik said...

I've heard it as "I was just flipping you some sh*t", which isn't much better than "poking some fun"

:)

pattinase (abbott) said...

My grandson at three is already a word nerd. He just loves expressions or long words. This week he learned about pez dispensers and he couldn't say that enough times. The longer the better.

Charles Gramlich said...

I like to have fun handed my way on a silver platter.

Reb said...

I too have never heard that one. I think the expression I hate the most is "my bad" - your bad WHAT?

KRS said...

According to the thesaurus, you could also say 'jabbing' 'thrusting' 'digging' (might conjure up same image as flicking) or 'stabbing', but that might conjure up an image of OJ not Tiger.

Hilary said...

It's new to me too.. but not anymore.

Lana Gramlich said...

I've never heard it that way, actually. I know it as "poking fun," but not "poking fun your way." Regional differences, I s'pose.