Tue 4 Mar 2008 @17:05
I’m not picking on anyone here. But I’m curious about the phrase, “all of the sudden”. I’ve seen it written this way several places recently and it just doesn’t sound right to me because I learned it as “all of a sudden”. I’m wondering if this is one of those regional things? I did a quick search online and found a couple references that claim the way I learned it is the “right” way. None of them attributed any particular origin to the phrase in either form. One diatribe went as far as stating,
…idioms are shaped by widespread usage, so that if enough people over a long enough period of time say “all of the sudden,” eventually that will become the preferred idiom, and someone many years hence will write an article deploring the fact that some benighted speakers and writers don’t know any better than to say “all of a sudden.”
But that day has not yet arrived, and until it does, the proper phrasing remains “all of a sudden,” and those who use “all of the sudden” will be marking themselves as imperfectly educated, or at the very least as careless in their use of language.
Wow. Calm down. [You can read all of that short article here.] I’m not on a crusade to change anyone’s speech pattern. Not on this point, at least. There are other mangled idioms that bother me far more. Still, if you… suddenly are willing to change, please do….
The origins of some phrases are inscrutable [clear as mud] while others are pretty obvious [crystal clear]. As I said, I’m curious whether this is regional. So, do you say “all of the sudden” or “all of a sudden” and where did you learn to talk like that?
March 4th, 2008 at 18:40
Why not just say “suddenly”?
ERRORS THAT TINKLE ME OFF
How about “irregardless”?
Or “suposably” instead of “supposedly”?
Or abuse the word “basically” which basically says basically nothing and adds basically zero to an already-adverb-abused language?
Or “axe” me a question, instead of “ask”?
Recent spelling errors in papers from some of the best and the brightest (suposably):
–”thrown” instead of “throne” (as in Hamlet wanted to sit on the thrown)
–”persay” instead of “per se” which is pretentious enough when spelled like it’s suposably supposed to be
–”accomplish” instead of “accomplice” (as in Iago hired Roderigo to be his accomplish.)
See? You did it. You put an English teacher on a rant. And all of the sudden I am a hot little potato.
Those are like, ya know, some of the same ones that tinkle me off too! [BTW, I did just say suddenly.] ~Tim
March 4th, 2008 at 23:44
I’m not a teacher - not even close - but all the ones listed above annoy the he** out of me too!!!!
As for answering your question Tim, I say “all of a sudden” — and everyone I know that I’ve ever heard use the phrase says it that way too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen “all of the sudden” before, and like you, it would drive me crazy!
You don’t have to be a teacher, just… literate, which you certainly are. ~Tim
March 5th, 2008 at 17:23
All of THE sudden? Are these people high? More importantly, are these the same people who insist that “these ones” strung together is an acceptable phrase?:(
I’m not aware of a correlation on either point. More research! ~Tim
March 5th, 2008 at 19:43
i’ve never heard or seen it any way other than ‘all of A sudden.”
thus sayeth the lime.
That settles it for me! ~Tim
March 10th, 2008 at 11:50
hahaha.. I’ve also learned it as “all of a sudden”. My daughter likes to make up new words like “swetsuit” instead of wetsuit or “beg the pardon” instead of “beg your pardon”. I try to correct her but she argues that she can make up whatever she likes. I am afraid she will be the ones using “irregardless” or “conversate”.
Well, I would agree with your daughter that “all words are made-up words” so she can make up whatever she likes. I’ll still cringe whenever I hear “irregardless” or “conversate” though. ~Tim [I love swetsuit -- I've worn one and that's pretty accurate]
March 10th, 2008 at 22:36
I confess a bit of snobbery… “All of the sudden” irritates me in the same manner as “would of.” Brrrrrrrrrr! It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me.
Ack! I HATE would of/could of/should of! ~Tim