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Go To blazes
4 November 2012 | by Is it just me or do you also get irritated when you see or hear someone abusing the term “go to”? As in “The Buddipole is my go to portable antenna” or “G4ILO’s Shack is my go to website for interesting articles about ham radio”. Okay, I made the last one up.
What are they trying to say? That the Buddipole is their preferred antenna or mine is their favourite website? If so, why don’t they just use the perfectly good words that have existed for years to say so?
Who started this? I think I first saw it in a computer magazine about a year ago. Journalists are responsible for spreading many linguistic abominations. I should know. I was one.
I assume that this is an Americanism which has recently crossed the Atlantic but I have no evidence to back that up.
8 Responses to “Go To blazes”
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- Matt W1MST, Managing Editor
It all started with BASIC…
10 PRINT “HELLO”
20 GOTO 10
What about “clear blue water”, “draw a line in the sand”, & “level playing field” and MANY more. Surely they all can’t come from the States?
BETTER THAN EVERYTHING BEING “BLOODY”
KD5RGJ
SPENCER
After surviving three year’s of pancreatic cancer that made me a diabetic one, cannot say I get irritated or at least I try to not let it. I always say at least i am not getting blown up in Iraq or Afghanistan.
73’s
Your correct I think about it being a Americanism Jim. Kind of like the new expression I hear a lot of mostly black people saying nowadays in the U.S., “I’m gonna get on up outta this place” or “I’m gonna get on up outta here.” Lighten up Jim! It’s not worth getting upset over such a minor thing so before I unintentionally offend you I’m gonna get on up outta here and get on my go to radio! Hi Hi! Just kidding! ;O)
Very 73 de KU4GW
Let’s talk about those darn Brits… always trying to put “U”s in our words like neighborhood and flavor.
73s, I mean 73
🙂
Interesting, I’ve never heard the phrase abused quite that badly here in America. Either (A) it got corrupted as it went across the pond, (B) it’s only regionally popular, or (C) I need to get out more. 🙂 The only way I’ve ever heard it used a lot is when talking about a person, specifically “he’s the go-to guy”, meaning that a particular person is the person that everyone [usually literally] goes to to accomplish something, i.e. he has expertise in either a broad or specific area under discussion.
It is an Americanism. Basically meaning the thing/person you go to as a matter of choice when a problem or need arises. As in, “That Julian, when I need CW learning software, he’s my “go to” guy.
😉
73 de Larry W2LJ