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| 17566 |
"I'll be down in a minute"
There's an annoying new slang expression spreading in the New York area. My friends are starting to use it a lot. Basically, the word 'minute' has come to mean any random amount of time. "I'll be downstairs in a minute," or "I'll be ready in a minute" can mean anything from ten minutes to a half an hour. I personally hate this new slang expression, but it pretty much remains only in the hip hop and youth genres around here. You wouldn't hear an old person saying it!
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Language pair: English; All
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| 17589 |
Re: "I'll be down in a minute"
This expression has been existing in French for decades ! We also use "in one second" (dans une seconde) or even "in two seconds" (dans deux secondes).
I wonder if it came to the US by translation or not...
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 17566
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| 17725 |
Re: In a minute
Hey mate,
This is Australia talking to you now, I had to laugh when I read your message as it has been used in Australia forever. I am always saying "i'll be there in a minute" Just had to share that with you, and was wondering if you have any aussies up there spreading the word?
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 17566
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| 18058 |
Re:
Hi John, you must be a young fella,
This is a very old expression popularised thru the medium of tv movies, throughout western culture. and many other culures have similar expressions. For example the Japanese "Chotto matte kudusai"......wait a moment/or wait a bit.
Its a human nature frailty to extend a request of time waiting, and have others standing around impatiently waiting for you.
I'm from Australia.
, but have travelled extensively..............get used to people white lying about time waiting.
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 17566
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| 18616 |
Re: in a minute
Hey man,
I'm from the US, and I'd have to say that expression is not new in the slightest, even my sexdegenerian mother uses it! Also, "one sec." It just means a period of time which is deemed by the speaker as being short. I wouldn't really call it slang.
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 17566
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| 19374 |
Re:Re: in a minute
another way that is used which is more slang oriented is to use it as past tense, but for a long period of time. like i recently had a class with a girl i dated and havent seen in two years, and when i saw her i said " damn girl i aint seen you in a minute" even though it had been obviously much longer than that.
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 18616
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| 20313 |
Re:Re:Re: in a minute
It's funny that you responded to the slang in that manner (you would never see hear an old person saying it!)...its an old term in hip hop slang (US), and it's when people try to comprehend our slang (that is obviously out of their league) is when there is a discrepency. A "minute" is a past tense form of time, and often refers to a long span (ex. I talked to my mom of whom I haven't talked since last year, and said "dag ma, I aint talked to u in a minute!"). It all goes back to the saying-don't knock it 'till you try it... I wish that people who speak negatively about our slang (which America calls Ebonnics-another stupid remark to something they know nothing about) would just leave it alone-it was created so you wouldn't understand, so stop trying.
An annoyed African American
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 19374
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| 22120 |
Re:Re:Re:Re: in a minute
I just have to say that I definitely disagree with what the last person said. I'm 21 years old - born and raised in the U.S. - and have used that pretty much my entire life. My parents use it, as well. It's more of an exaggeration than slang. I've also always used the phrases "in a second" (or the equivalent of "in a sec") and "in two seconds" (or "in two secs"). These expressions are by no means new or developed from Ebonics. It's basically something one says when they're about to do something within the very near future. I know there have already been so many responses, but I just wanted to give my view on the topic.
Shannon
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 20313
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| 25558 |
Re: in a minute
This is often used in England too "Be there in a minute" even when you are only too aware it will take you at least an hour!!
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Language pair: English; All
This is a reply to message # 17566
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