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 #2 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:11 pm Re: I don't do spiders. |
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| Shaky wrote: |
Is it common to say
I don't do spiders.
What cases do you use it in |
Hello, Shaky.
(1) The "I don't do ___" sentence is often heard here in the
United States. Sometimes it is used for a humorous effect, and
sometimes maybe it shows a little, little irritation.
(2) You hire a man to kill the rats in your house. Then you
say, "Oh, by the way, could you also take care of a few spiders
in the kitchen?" The man might answer: Sorry, sir. I don't
do spiders. = I do not handle the killing of spiders. I am
strictly a "rat man."
(3) Sometimes you might hire a woman to clean your house.
She might say, "Remember, please, I don't do toilets." =
she will vacuum, dust, etc., but she has decided that cleaning
toilets is not something that she wants to do!!!
Sincerely yours,
James |
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James M
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| #3 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:19 pm I don't do spiders. |
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But in my example it is going about somebody's attitude to spiders. It's not anything to do, it's rather prefference. If I were an American, could I say:
I don't do pizza.
I don't do football.
I don't do airplanes. |
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 Shaky
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Posts: 68
Location: Ukraine
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| #4 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:26 pm I don't do spiders. |
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| Shaky wrote: |
But in my example it is going about somebody's attitude to spiders. It's not anything to do, it's rather prefference. If I were an American, could I say:
I don't do pizza.
I don't do football.
I don't do airplanes. |
Hello, Shaky:
Ah! Now I understand your question, and I cannot answer it.
Why? Because I am an old man ("senior citizen" is the nice
term here in the United States) and I certainly would never
speak like that. In other words, I don't do "I don't do"
sentences.
I am eager to see how the young folks answer this question.
James
P.S. I would say:
I don't like pizza; I don't eat pizza; I don't go for pizza.
Let's see what the young ones say about "I don't do pizza." |
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James M
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| #5 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 14:12 pm I don't do spiders. |
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| Just a quickie: How about "I don't dig" expression, James? |
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Eugene2114
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| #6 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 14:29 pm I don't do spiders. |
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| Eugene2114 wrote: |
| Just a quickie: How about "I don't dig" expression, James? |
Hello, Eugene.
"I dig it"
I think that it means: I like it./ I agree. / I understand.
I also think that it's a REALLY old expression that is
no longer used by most Americans. I'm sure the young
folks must have newer forms of slang to express those
ideas. I think (repeat: think) that most American youth
would consider "I dig it" as something only older people
(such as I) would say if they were trying to sound cool.
James |
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James M
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| #7 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 15:03 pm I don't do spiders. |
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Thank you for your elaboration, James.
Would it be a decent substitute: 'not give a hoot/two hoots'? (Beees once said she wouldn't give two hoots about football, and I could say I wouldn't give 'half a hoot' about say, endless soap on TV.)
Or:Boosy - To be FOUL, or to dislike, example: That Ricer car is boosy!
Regards. |
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Eugene2114
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| #8 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 15:26 pm I don't do spiders. |
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| Eugene2114 wrote: |
Thank you for your elaboration, James.
Would it be a decent substitute: 'not give a hoot/two hoots'? (Beees once said she wouldn't give two hoots about football, and I could say I wouldn't give 'half a hoot' about say, endless soap on TV.)
Or:Boosy - To be FOUL, or to dislike, example: That Ricer car is boosy!
Regards. |
Hello, Eugene.
Regarding "boosy," that must be British slang. It sure(ly)
AIN'T American!!!
Regarding "give a hoot," I think (REPEAT: think) that most
Americans would consider that a rather old slang term.
James |
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James M
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| #9 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 19:22 pm I don't do spiders. |
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I've never heard of 'boosy'.
Where did you find that definition, Eugene?
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Beeesneees
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Eugene2114
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| #11 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 21:49 pm I don't do spiders. |
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Boozy, I understand (with the definition of 'drunken', etc.)
Boosy, I've never heard (with any definition).
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Beeesneees
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| #12 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 22:45 pm I don't do spiders. |
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Talking about ''doing''..
What does 'DO WITHOUT' mean?
Like, You could do without those tools.
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RudnyBR
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| #13 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 23:11 pm I don't do spiders. |
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Hello guys,
I had never heard of "Boosy" until I saw the discussion here.
This is what I found on the internet:
Boosy:
1) Nickname for a younger sibling; pioneered by toddlers, consequently the meaning and origin are unknown.
2) BOOSY; a term used to describe a man that is used for enjoyment; a combination of the words "boo" and "easy" making the term "boosy"; 1.Used to refer to a sexy man, or possibly, any man in general if one prefers any male that walks on two l...egs; 2.also known as a man of low worth but who takes pleasure in making a female happy; 3.a man or men (boosies) who may be under a woman's word; 4.a woman's bitch; 5.a man that is treated with some respect but can be easily dropped at any moment; often used to confuse a man unknowing of the terms definition.
Example; 1. Goin to the mall with a boosy
2. This boosy thinks he means something
3. Dont worry, i'll call a lil boosy to help me out
taken from: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=boosy
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Ozzy For President
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| #14 (permalink) Mon Jun 06, 2011 23:38 pm I don't do spiders. |
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Like Beeesneees, I've never heard 'boosy' in use, but I am familiar with 'boozy'. Perhaps 'boosy' has an extremely limited regional usage.
| James M wrote: |
Because I am an old man ("senior citizen" is the nice
term here in the United States) and I certainly would never
speak like that. In other words, I don't do "I don't do"
sentences. |
Well, I'm no spring chicken (I'm pushing 60), and I use 'do' that way on occasion. ("I don't do bean sprouts, but I happily do sushi.") However, I have to admit that I've always had the impression that that particular way of using 'do' was especially popular in the greater New York City area. Here are a few more 'do' examples for Shaky:
- Let's do Bloomies this afternoon. = Let's go shopping at Bloomingdales this afternoon.
- Let's do the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty while we're in New York. = Let's visit ...
| RudnyBR wrote: |
What does 'DO WITHOUT' mean?
Like, You could do without those tools. |
It means 'manage/survive/live without (having something)'. Thus, I would understand 'You could do without those tools' to mean something similar to 'You don't really need those tools'.
People often use 'could do without' when they want something to stop:
- Hey! I could do without all that noise!
(i.e. I would rather you didn't make all that noise./I don't need all that noise and I want you to stop.)
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Esl_Expert
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| #15 (permalink) Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:23 am I don't do spiders. |
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Thank you, Shaky, for your question. I really learned a lot from posters Eugene, Beeesneees, Rudny, Ozzy, and ESL Expert.
I look forward to more of your questions.
James |
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James M
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| Analysing English sentence structure, clauses and phases | A great deal |
