“All set?”
Here’s an interesting language-related story that my boyfriend recently encountered in Indiana. Maybe someone can help figure it out, but it is a bit odd.
So my boyfriend visited one of his relatives in Indiana. They were at a restaurant and he ordered burrito. When he finished telling the waitress his order the waitress asked: “Would you like any remaining toppings with your burrito?” My boyfriend replied: “I’m all set.” However, the girl looked confused and asked again and my boyfriend responded the same way. The girl looked at my boyfriend’s brother-in-law and he was confused about the situation as well. Then he told her: “Yea, I think he doesn’t want any remaining toppings with his burrito.” And apparently that satisfied her.
Then when my boyfriend went to pay for his meal, the cashier (another girl) asked if he wanted soda with his meal. My boyfriend again responded: “No thanks, I’m all set.” And she was silent and confused. Then my boyfriend rephrased: “No thank you, that’ll be it.” And she got it.
Both him and his brother-in-law wondered why the girls couldn’t understand my boyfriend when he said “I’m all set.”
Usually when someone says that it just means “I’m done.” Or “I’m good with what I have.” My boyfriend thought maybe it was an East coast thing but I remember when I was in Illinois the waitress will say “Are we all set?” after we’re done with something.
Any idea? It was a bit odd and funny at the same time. Both girls were also American.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Ooooo…a spiked cuppa! I simply MUST befriend some more interesting kiwis!
I wonder if “pinta” (pronounced pint-a) is a word?!?! If not, it should be down here! “Oye! I’m heading out for a pinta Steinlager! Who’ll join me!”
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August 11th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
what i have come to notice is that some folks are just oblivious of slang that may be used very close to them. the smaller the town the more oblivious usually.
“take out” and “to go” are very american.if the country is an ex english colony then they’ll probably say “take away”. i was especailly perplexed by the obligatory “for here? or to go?” question asked at the end of any fast food order. and living in the south the accent didn’t help at all. sounded more like
“furheerurt’go?” and the fast food workers were just as perplexed by my request for a “hamburger with chips and a soft drink.” as opposed to a “burger with fries and a soda” or better yet “a number 2 combo”.
in the south they say “all set” all the time.
as for the washroom, bathroom, toilet debaucle, if everyone just said “bog” life would be a lot easier.
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August 11th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
@Warona: HAHAHAHAHA! “Bog”! I love it!
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August 12th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
“Bog”…I love it!xD
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August 12th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Here’s an amusing small-town story for you. A friend of mine went to a drinking establishment in one of the smaller Montana metropolitan areas. Upon ordering, he asked the waitress what kind of beer they had. Her reply (I can’t make this stuff up folks), “We have canned and bottled.”
That’s right folks! You CAN INDEED get bottled beer in Montana! It’s our top-selling imported microbrew!
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