Tonight on "Big Brother's Little Brother", Dermot O'Leary used the VERY American phrase "you do the math" entirely seriously. It's MATHS over here, Mr O'L. Plural.
So I can only assume that particular catchphrase has officially entered UK English now. Along with "whatever", "go figure", "sophomore", "DUH!", and generally ending every sentence with that most infectious of bugbears among the UK young, Australian Querulous Intonation. The revenge of the convicts!
Please note, if your own accent, eg Australian or Liverpudlian, comes with its own built-in AQI, this is entirely fair enough. But I am referring to those with Southern England accents, whose newly-acquired AQI sets my teeth on edge.
As if every statement is a question?
As if the listener is an idiot?
As if they're not listening?
And it's even worse when they add "yeah", yeah?
"I'm just going out for minute, yeah?". YES! We ARE listening to you, honest!
Something that I think is of UK origin, but equally gets my goat, is people starting their retorts with the curious word "YeahNo". Make up your mind!
"YeahNo, like, as if, whatever, gutted, you do the math, DUH, go figure, yeah?".
This, then, is how all young people speak.
Well, an awful lot of them, anyway. The louder ones.
Am I going to succumb? As if.
Just don't get me started on "basically".
