To Our Readers

By John Flanagan

Saturday, May 17, 1997


How we talk and stuff, OK?

LIKE, OK, basically it's not like I have a big problem with lots of stuff, like how people talk, OK? But, you know, lately I've been bummed out by this thing that people have started to say all the time and stuff -- you know?

I mean, people used to talk different, basically, than they do now. They used to use more different words and stuff. But now, it's like we don't need as many words and stuff as we used to, I guess. I mean basically.

So, like before one guy would say basically, "Thank you.'' And then the other guy would say, you know, like, "You're welcome.'' I used to think that was pretty cool, OK?

But today, they just basically say, "No problem,'' you know? It's scary.

I mean, when somebody does something and stuff and I say like, "Thanks,'' what I get back all the time basically is, "No problem.''

And like this isn't pidgin or something like that. I mean, it's just how lots of people talk and stuff. I mean basically. And it's not just here in Hawaii. I heard a guy in England say the same thing on the radio the other day, OK? The one guy said like, "Thanks for that report, Jane,'' and she said, in like this English accent, "No problem.''

So, I've been wondering -- I know this is like weird and stuff but are we like forgetting how to talk and stuff?

OK, I guess not.

No problem.



John Flanagan is editor and publisher of the Star-Bulletin.
To reach him call 525-8612, fax to 523-8509, send
e-mail to publisher@starbulletin.com or write to
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802.




Text Site Directory:
[News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Community]
[Info] [Letter to Editor] [Stylebook] [Feedback]



© 1997 Honolulu Star-Bulletin
http://starbulletin.com