How long would you say "in ages" would be?
As in
Quote from: "RW"
As in
A long time. I would guess two years or more.
2 years or more no more than 4
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "RW"
As in
A long time. I would guess two years or more.
That's what both my husband and my friend who is visiting said as well.
Quote from: "keeper"
Hey keeper, we have not seen you in ages.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
Hey keeper, we have not seen you in ages.
Hey seoulbro, I was in Kentucky get my legs fitted. ac_smile
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
Hey keeper, we have not seen you in ages.
Hey seoulbro, I was in Kentucky get my legs fitted. ac_smile
I am going to a sports bar tomorrow night to get my ulcer fitted.
Which bar? You in Calgary? Or edmonton?
Quote from: "keeper"
Much further East.
I think it depends on how old you are. It's relative, "ages" for a 70 year old can mean something very different from that of say, a 20 year old.
Quote from: "keeper"
Keeper..
ac_hithere
Ages to me is exaggerated because it's not possible not to have seen someone for "ages." I just like to keep it factual so I figure the amount of time and say so like "a year or so ago." Ages to me would cover a broad period depending on the tendency of the speaker to "exaggerate" things.
Would any of you say it's 4-5 days?
Quote from: "RW"
As in
Long enough to make you feel awkward? ac_unsure
Quote from: "Azhya Aryola"
Ages is entirely up to the person who says it..
But, it is usually exaggerated.
Quote from: "RW"
Is that a serious question? :laugh:
Quote from: "RW"
Did someone say that to you after 4-5 days?
Yes, someone I was talking to tried to justify 4 days as "in ages". When I said it wasn't even close, he said that it was a mere difference in opinion.
Ridiculous, eh?
Quote from: "RW"
Only if I bent her over the couch :wink:
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Quote from: "keeper"
Keeper..
ac_hithere
Fashy acc_hugz
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "RW"
Only if I bent her over the couch :wink:
What does that mean?
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
And insulting.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
And insulting.
I thought so too. The worst part is that wasn't even close to the most insulting part of that conversation.
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
Uh oh. In that case it could be code for
Quote from: "easter bunny"
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
Uh oh. In that case it could be code for
Funny I made a glue reference after reading that as well. It went:
"Glue. It's not just for arts and crafts."
Quote from: "RW"
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "RW"
Only if I bent her over the couch :wink:
What does that mean?
Meaning 4 or 5 days would be to long.
Sorry mind is in the gutter
Quote from: "RW"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
And insulting.
I thought so too. The worst part is that wasn't even close to the most insulting part of that conversation.
I suppose when a conversation starts out like that it won't be good.
Ok in all seriousness if someone said omg keeper I haven't seen you in ages and we both knew it was only 4 or 5 days I would take that as they missed me and we're happy to see me so soon.
But being me I would have replied" fuck off that's creepy"
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Quote from: "RW"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
And insulting.
I thought so too. The worst part is that wasn't even close to the most insulting part of that conversation.
I suppose when a conversation starts out like that it won't be good.
It wasn't good but what do you expect from someone who considers 4 days to be "ages"?
I have a follow up question for y'all....
If someone said to you "I haven't seen her in ages!" and it had been 4 days, would you think you'd been lied to or deceived?
Quote from: "keeper"
But being me I would have replied" fuck off that's creepy"
I would take that as you mean so little to me that I cannot even remember meeting less than a week ago.
Quote from: "RW"
If someone said to you "I haven't seen her in ages!" and it had been 4 days, would you think you'd been lied to or deceived?
Yes, you've been lied to. We've already established that 4 days is not ages.
Quote from: "Renee"
Old people I know don't really use it differently than they did decades ago.
To me it's a figure of speech that translates to "haven't seen you as recently as I wish I had" ...especially if it's used to denote 4 days. That there is some hype, if taken literally, so I would just smile and raise my eyebrows as in "oh, really?" ...and not take offense.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
But being me I would have replied" fuck off that's creepy"
I would take that as you mean so little to me that I cannot even remember meeting less than a week ago.
My friends use to be sarcastic, I would never think that.
People who know me know I joke around a lot.
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
But being me I would have replied" fuck off that's creepy"
I would take that as you mean so little to me that I cannot even remember meeting less than a week ago.
My friends use to be sarcastic, I would never think that.
People who know me know I joke around a lot.
Close friends is one thing, but someone you ran into just a few days ago? That is like not you again. I just said hello to you five days ago for fuck sakes.
Ok I get ya...
Quote from: "RW"
Quote from: "easter bunny"
Quote from: "RW"
Ridiculous, eh?
Uh oh. In that case it could be code for
Funny I made a glue reference after reading that as well. It went:
:laugh:
Seriously though, I think this person might have an affinity for you. Best to let him down gently. ac_unsure
Different context but maybe you're on to something....
It's just a guess but it seems like he has a desire to see you more often. Freudian slip maybe?
Or never as it were.
Quote from: "easter bunny"
It's obvious he wants more contact with RW.
.
Quote from: "RW"
I can understand your feelings RW.
Quote from: "RW"
Aha! Perhaps it
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be for anyone else and there in lies the problem.
It sounds complicated. =(
It became really simple actually :)
Simple is good. Things aren't always easy.
Quote from: "RW"
exactly
It's nothing if they say "ohmygawd! I haven't seen you in ages!" and you're good friends but if they told someone in a conversation then that's different.
Ohmygawd Annie?
I haven't seen you in ages :fgj(4):
Quote from: "keeper"
I haven't seen you in ages :fgj(4):
That's insulting. :001_tongue:
:120p6wp_th:
It's the new me
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
Change is best when it stays the same.
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
ac_sothere I've changed, says so on my medical wrist ban.
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
ac_sothere I've changed, says so on my medical wrist ban.
You have not got a leg to stand on.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
ac_sothere I've changed, says so on my medical wrist ban.
You have not got a leg to stand on.
:rimshot:
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
ac_sothere I've changed, says so on my medical wrist ban.
You have not got a leg to stand on.
:laugh3:
acc_angry you fuckers gunna burn, you know that right?
I'm already lighting the fire.
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "keeper"
Quote from: "Renee"
Quote from: "keeper"
It's the new me
So basically no change.... :laugh3:
ac_sothere I've changed, says so on my medical wrist ban.
You have not got a leg to stand on.
:laugh3:
acc_angry you fuckers gunna burn, you know that right?
I hope so. Don't want to put out the effort for nothin. ac_biggrin
:evilthoughts2: <▪▪▪▪▪▪ you guys
:43(2): <▪▪▪▪▪▪ me
:6az3al5_th:
Quote from: "keeper"
:43(2): <▪▪▪▪▪▪ me
:6az3al5_th:
exactly keeps
I think the definition of "ages" to the person using the term would depend on a number of things... a. how long they'd known the person they were talking about (for example if they'd only known them a short while then a few days may seem like ages, or if they'd known them a couple of years, but hadn't spoken apart from passing greetings for a year, then it may seem like ages since they'd spoken) and b. if they were referencing the last specific interaction (which may have been bumping into them a few days ago) or an overall idea of how long ago it had been since they had regularly interacted with any depth. Without knowing the specific details of the circumstances being referenced, it is hard to know why the person in question deemed it "ages".
Time frames and truth are all about perspective. What is true to one person, may not be for another. And what seems a long time to one person, can seem like barely a blip in time to another. I don't think it's a lie, if they're telling you what their definition of ages is, even if that definition is different to yours.
Quote from: "Mona"
Time frames and truth are all about perspective. What is true to one person, may not be for another. And what seems a long time to one person, can seem like barely a blip in time to another. I don't think it's a lie, if they're telling you what their definition of ages is, even if that definition is different to yours.
That's how I see it too.
Quote from: "Mona"
Time frames and truth are all about perspective. What is true to one person, may not be for another. And what seems a long time to one person, can seem like barely a blip in time to another. I don't think it's a lie, if they're telling you what their definition of ages is, even if that definition is different to yours.
I agree with you to a point.
For the most part there are parameters that come with these words. A few is generally a small number like 3-4 or less. Several is more than a couple but not a great deal. Many means a large number. An age is used to describe a longer period of time as by definition it's literally a lifetime.
I tend to agree with the people who laughed at 4 days being defined as "in ages". I question the motives of people who select words that are far outside the boundaries of standard convention.
Quote from: "RW"
I on the other hand am taking your comment outside the boundaries of its context. But first, although I've already tried to answer your original post's question I see that I did a poor job. I'll just say that in social expressions of this particular sort, it seems unreasonable to me to expect people to adhere to any standard convention. People who are surprised and pleased to see you are likely to be effusive and even to engage in hyperbole. I don't think if questioned they would claim to have meant literally "in ages."
But to get to your remark which I just quoted, there are scads and scads of colloquial expressions, especially those which go through brief but very pronounced "vogues." To name just one example, consider the word "literal" or "literally" as in "I went though literal Hell to get here, with that traffic" or "I literally thought the guy was gonna croak right there and then" (or alternatively, he was literally gonna croak.) It is widely recognized that the term "literally" in those hyperbolic usages is not itself meant to be taken literally.
In fact the very definition of "hyperbole" as applied to everyday speech means that the statement is not meant literally.
Quote from: "Peaches"
Quote from: "RW"
I on the other hand am taking your comment outside the boundaries of its context. But first, although I've already tried to answer your original post's question I see that I did a poor job. I'll just say that in social expressions of this particular sort, it seems unreasonable to me to expect people to adhere to any standard convention. People who are surprised and pleased to see you are likely to be effusive and even to engage in hyperbole. I don't think if questioned they would claim to have meant literally "in ages."
But to get to your remark which I just quoted, there are scads and scads of colloquial expressions, especially those which go through brief but very pronounced "vogues." To name just one example, consider the word "literal" or "literally" as in "I went though literal Hell to get here, with that traffic" or "I literally thought the guy was gonna croak right there and then" (or alternatively, he was literally gonna croak.) It is widely recognized that the term "literally" in those hyperbolic usages is not itself meant to be taken literally.
In fact the very definition of "hyperbole" as applied to everyday speech means that the statement is not meant literally.
The hyperbole of it is obvious and a given. It clearly hadn't been an entire lifetime.
Since the hyperbole is obvious, we have to look at it as the idiom it is. The idiom of "in ages" means "a very long time". That is how it is defined and not an interpretation. Now we can sit here and play word games about what "very long" means but at the end of the day, a reasonable person would not consider that time frame to be a mere 4 days.
For example:
"When did you last see your ex-GF?"
"I haven't seen her in ages."
If a person is asking a serious question and requesting a serious answer, answering "in ages" to signify 4 days is misleading and deceptive.
LOL, sure it is. But in the example I hope I'm recalling correctly, there was no serious question and thus no serious answer is being sought. The person said, "I haven't seen YOU in ages" when it fact it had only been a few days.
I'm not inclined to
The scenario driving this involved a serious inquiry. To me it felt like deception but sometimes I need to check my perspective as I can be a BIT emo. <--- Now THAT's hyperbole!
That's a good Golden Rule. With your permission, I'd like to add that to my quote list.
Quote from: "RW"
That's a good Golden Rule. With your permission, I'd like to add that to my quote list.
Feel free. As with every good idea I've ever had, it's not original.
Quote from: "RW"
The hyperbole of it is obvious and a given. It clearly hadn't been an entire lifetime.
Since the hyperbole is obvious, we have to look at it as the idiom it is. The idiom of "in ages" means "a very long time". That is how it is defined and not an interpretation. Now we can sit here and play word games about what "very long" means but at the end of the day, a reasonable person would not consider that time frame to be a mere 4 days.
For example:
"When did you last see your ex-GF?"
"I haven't seen her in ages."
If a person is asking a serious question and requesting a serious answer, answering "in ages" to signify 4 days is misleading and deceptive.
In the scenario you are listing here, I would say that the definition of "ages" would depend on your definition of "see".
And the context within which the question was asked. If it was a casual "Hey when was the last time you bumped into your ex-gf or noticed her in the same general location and waved?" Then "ages" would be a massive and unnecessary exaggeration. But if the question had more of a "when did you last interact and connect on an emotional or physical level with your ex-gf?" feel about it, then most males would dismiss any interaction as unimportant and try to alleviate the stress of the person asking by saying it was "ages ago" meaning that the threat the ex-gf represented was "ancient history" in his mind and therefore unimportant, despite the female asking perhaps being more concerned with knowing exact facts.
It also depends on the usual time referencing of the person being asked. If they would describe not hearing from you in four days as being ages, or refer to an injury or bruise happening a few days before as happening ages ago, then responding to any question about time reference as being ages ago when it was less than a week is a normal and non malicious response.
If I were to ask, "When was the last time you talked to Bob?" and you only communicate with Bob via email, a relatively intelligent person would translate "talk" to "email". We can play around with words all day, but the essence of the question being asked is clear. You are being asked when was the last time you communicated with Bob.
If you wrote Bob 4 days ago, to say "in ages" would be a massive exaggeration to the point of being misleading would it not?
I understand what you're saying about the significance of the interaction changing the significance of the wording. Does that offset something being misleading as a massive exaggeration?
It still depends on the depth of the communication. I talk to a lot of people online, some are just random passing messages, and others are in depth conversations. So if the person was referencing someone that they used to message multiple times in a day, and only had a chance to send a brief message and didn't have an actual conversation, then that person might not consider that "recent communication".
Obviously you know far more detail on this specific situation, I'm just saying that there's not always a "right or wrong" answer, and the other person may not have viewed the statement the same way that you do. To me, it's all about intent. Inaccuracies don't always mean dishonesty.
You're right. Inaccuracies don't always mean dishonestly.
Sometimes visceral reactions happen and things go all to shit in one very emotional instance.
C'est la vie.
I appreciate everyone giving me their perspectives. You have been extremely helpful in allowing to look at a broader picture.