Got to KNOW know them.
One thing that, I wouldn’t say irks, ’cause it doesn’t really bother him, but strikes my husband is how women use the same word twice in a row for emphasis. As in:
“It’s a little chilly, you might need a sweater.”
“A sweater sweater? Or just a sweatshirt?”
Or . . . “I could really use a drink.” (said often in my house).
“A drink drink, or just a drink?”
Which, in my writing life, means I have to know know my characters before I start writing–my three first readers all commented my hero was inconsistent, and I realized it’s because I didn’t have his backstory nailed. Now I do. So I am going to revise my chapters, make Mr. Foxy* consistent, and be done within a week. Just in time for school to be out. Oh joy.
And I think I have a title for this one: On Bold Adventure. From Milton, you know**.
*Not his real name.
**Courtesy of the Delightful Phone Friend.
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June 19th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Good for you. You’ll really really know know him. In that way way.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:10 am
An unusually perceptive man.
I think it’s sort of related to the way the Chinese language works. You know, one character, pronounced using different tones = different meanings.
In this case, the first use of the word is like an accent on the second word. Notice how the sound pops up at the end of that first use almost as if it’s taking the brunt of the question mark that will be placed at the end of the second use.
The emphasis + the question-y uptick = “very” or “more.”
A drink drink contains an above average amount of alcohol (what is “average” depends, of course, on the imbiber in question)
A sweater sweater is a much warmer sweater than the usual sweater. Not the light “token” sweater one might tie around one’s waist just in case. A sweater sweater is the sort of sweater one has to commit to. It’s probably bulky and won’t fit into one’s bag very well.
It makes complete sense, and I have no idea why men haven’t incoporated this verbal refinement into their own conversations.