"Getting untracked"

[Kodos]

I wish people would realize that they probably mean to say "getting on track". How could "getting untracked" possibly mean anything good? Do you want your train getting untracked?

[DaddyTorgo]

yes. i always laugh at this

[heybrad]

I have a guy at my work who when he's trying to say he needs to get an idea on how he needs to accomplish something he always says...

"I need to get an ideal..."

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by heybrad

I have a guy at my work who when he's trying to say he needs to get an idea on how he needs to accomplish something he always says...

"I need to get an ideal..."

if i was his boss i'd fire him for being unintelligent

[Subby]

If I am on the track straight to hell or on the track straight to Kodos' underpants, then I probably want to get untracked.

[heybrad]

We also had a driver back in the day who when he was astounded or astonished by something would say, "I can't phantom that."

[duckman]

hey brad

[AlexB]

Mangetout Rodney, mangetout.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Subby

If I am on the track straight to hell or on the track straight to Kodos' underpants, then I probably want to get untracked.

Your loss, pal.



I can't believe I got manscaped and am still getting these bad reactions.

[Mustang]

Drives me nuts when my wife says '6 of one, dozen of the other'.

[spleen1015]

Is it 'coming down the pipe' or 'coming down the pike'?

[RomaGoth]

What about when someone says, "I could care less", when they obviously mean, "I couldn't care less".

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Is it 'coming down the pipe' or 'coming down the pike'?

Pike

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Is it 'coming down the pipe' or 'coming down the pike'?

That might depend upon what they are doing.

[chesapeake]

I always thought the derivation of "untracked" was related to wheel ruts. Getting untracked means you have gotten out of the same old tracks of all the wagons that have come before you. Now you're fast, loose and maneuverable.

Maybe I just made all that up.

[Kodos]

Did you live during the time of Conestoga wagons?

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by chesapeake

I always thought the derivation of "untracked" was related to wheel ruts. Getting untracked means you have gotten out of the same old tracks of all the wagons that have come before you. Now you're fast, loose and maneuverable.
.

When I played Oregon Trail in school, the route was pretty linear. There was never a 'go off the path' option.

Even if there was, I don't think I would have been that fast, loose or maneuverable and probably would have died with 900 miles to go all the time.

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by Mustang

When I played Oregon Trail in school, the route was pretty linear. There was never a 'go off the path' option.

Even if there was, I don't think I would have been that fast, loose or maneuverable and probably would have died with 900 miles to go all the time.

If only the Donner party could have gotten untracked on their way to California. They probably weren't giving 110 percent, either.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

if i was his boss i'd fire him for being unintelligent

Yeah you wouldn't want people to think the words sort of mean the same thing...

Main Entry: idea
Pronunciation: \i-'de-?, -'de? also 'i-(?)de-? or 'i-de\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, from idein to see — more at wit
Date: 14th century

1 a : a transcendent entity that is a real pattern of which existing things are imperfect representations b : a standard of perfection : ideal c : a plan for action : design
2 archaic : a visible representation of a conception : a replica of a pattern
3 a obsolete : an image recalled by memory b : an indefinite or unformed conception c : an entity (as a thought, concept, sensation, or image) actually or potentially present to consciousness
4 : a formulated thought or opinion
5 : whatever is known or supposed about something
6 : the central meaning or chief end of a particular action or situation
7 Christian Science : an image in Mind

Main Entry: ideal
Pronunciation: \i-'de(-?)l, 'i-?\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English ydeall, from Late Latin idealis, from Latin idea
Date: 15th century

1 : existing as an archetypal idea
2 a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only; broadly : lacking practicality b : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions
3 a : of, relating to, or embodying an ideal b : conforming exactly to an ideal, law, or standard : perfect — compare real 2b(3)
4 : of or relating to philosophical idealism

[larrymcg421]

I always thought of it as you're stuck in a rut (going around in circles), so you need to get untracked.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I always thought of it as you're stuck in a rut (going around in circles), so you need to get untracked.

I would think off track is a better term than untracked...

[Karlifornia]

My boss says "expecially". Jesus.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

My boss says "expecially". Jesus.

Well if he's Jesus, isn't his word fact?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

My boss says "expecially". Jesus.

does he enjoy a shot of Expresso from the nearby Starbucks.

[TCY Junkie]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

I would think off track is a better term than untracked...

I don't like off track, it seems every time I bet I lose.

[TCY Junkie]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

What about when someone says, "I could care less", when they obviously mean, "I couldn't care less".

Yes, I wrote this girl and I got that response. I wanted to go out and she told me next month after volleyball was over. I told her if I wanted to just talk to a girl for a month I could write my sister. And then went off on her acting really cocky. She called me an ass and then said maybe I was just joking, but she could care less. Then every time I wrote her for a week she responded within 6 hours when before it was usually 3 days. I don't like girls that make me use my humor just to go out so I told her so long, not in those terms. If you act too interested that's the best way to get rid of someone, unless they're crazy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I always thought of it as you're stuck in a rut (going around in circles), so you need to get untracked.

Very likely Ding ding ding here, based upon the historic usage.
Language Log: Historically untracked

[Kodos]

I maintain that anyone who uses "untracked" is an idiot.

[Logan]

An otherwise very intelligent guy at work dropped "irregardless" today.

[JetsIn06]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I wish people would realize that they probably mean to say "getting on track". How could "getting untracked" possibly mean anything good? Do you want your train getting untracked?

People say this? Wow. That would annoy me if I ever heard someone say it.

[stevew]

Is it "nowadays" or "now and days"?

[cthomer5000]

guesstimate makes me want to kill myself

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

What about when someone says, "I could care less", when they obviously mean, "I couldn't care less".

That's the one that pisses me off the most.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I wish people would realize that they probably mean to say "getting on track". How could "getting untracked" possibly mean anything good? Do you want your train getting untracked?

I don't believe I can recall anyone saying untracked before. Interesting.

[Karlifornia]

I also have never heard "untracked", but it seems to make sense.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

if i was his boss i'd fire him for being unintelligent

It's nonintelligent, dummy!

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by stevew

Is it "nowadays" or "now and days"?

It was never now and days. You're making that up.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by chesapeake

Now you're fast, loose and maneuverable.

You have just described my ideal woman.

That's right, I used ideal properly.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Logan

An otherwise very intelligent guy at work dropped "irregardless" today.

Well irregardless of your thoughts about the word, it is a real word...

irregardless

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: \ˌir-i-ˈgärd-ləs\
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
Date: circa 1912

nonstandard : regardless
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Well irregardless of your thoughts about the word, it is a real word...

It's a word commonly used incorrectly, which is what some are discussing in this thread. But thanks.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Logan

It's a word commonly used incorrectly, which is what some are discussing in this thread. But thanks.

I realize that since I've been reading the conversation, but you didn't say he used the word incorrectly, just that he used it.

[lordscarlet]

One way to follow the progress of and sentiments toward irregardless is by studying how it is described in references throughout the twentieth century. Webster’s New International Dictionary (2nd. Ed. Unabridged) described the word as an erroneous or humorous form of regardless, and attributed it to the United States. Although irregardless was beginning to make its way into the Americanlexicon, it still was not universally recognized and was missing completely from Fowler's Modern English Usage,^[3] published in 1965, nor is irregardless mentioned under the entry for regardlesstherein. In the last twenty-five years, irregardless has become a common entry in dictionaries and usage reference books. It appears in a wide range of dictionaries including: Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged (1961, repr. 2002),^[4] The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (1988), The American Heritage Dictionary (Second College Edition, 1991),^[5]Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary (2001), and Webster’s New World College Dictionary (Fourth Edition, 2004).^[6] It should also be noted that the definition in most dictionaries is simply listed asregardless (along with the note nonstandard, or similar). Merriam–Webster even states "Use regardless instead."

There are many words that have been added to the dictionary in the 20th and 21st centuries that I would not consider "real" words.

[Logan]

Yes, like friggin google.

Dan was just trying to stir trouble.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

There are many words that have been added to the dictionary in the 20th and 21st centuries that I would not consider "real" words.
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I know all about the word "irregardless" and I've used both sides of the argument to have discussions with people. I just don't get why people sometimes as such word snobs. It's one thing to use a completely wrong term or muff up the words of a term, it's another to use a word that has unfortunately been accepted as correct. I guess "it is what it is"... Which is one of my most hated phrases.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Logan

Yes, like friggin google.

Dan was just trying to stir trouble.

Sorry I wasn't trying to be a jerk, I'm just trying to find out what the problem was with the word use, while also pointing out that the word has become acceptable in many dictionaries.

[Logan]

Eh, I should've put a in there.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

I guess "it is what it is"... Which is one of my most hated phrases.

I have often wondered about this phrase as well. What did we say before this became popular? "I guess that is how life goes." or "That's just the way things go sometimes."

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Sorry I wasn't trying to be a jerk, I'm just trying to find out what the problem was with the word use, while also pointing out that the word has become acceptable in many dictionaries.

"Many" may be a stretch, and it is listed as "nonstandard" in all of the dictionary.com entries.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

"Many" may be a stretch, and it is listed as "nonstandard" in all of the dictionary.com entries.

True, but that's just because the book nerds don't like it. If a word becomes acceptable in normal everyday language I don't see where the problem is. There are thousands of words that have died, might as well replace those with words that people actually use...

The story of the word irregardless is funny though, because in context it's been used and has a large number of citations, but it still gets tossed around as nonstandard.

Reading this topic on how a word makes it's way to the dictionary is interesting.
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/23750

[heybrad]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

I have often wondered about this phrase as well. What did we say before this became popular? "I guess that is how life goes." or "That's just the way things go sometimes."

Que sera sera?