I know the title doesn’t a bell ring..but it is hilarious and serious at the same time which made me write about it…
I decided to finally shift from PUN to some FUN-DA- (for all us) MENTALS!!!
The THINGS that I need to do to help others…!!!
You either get the sarcasm here or you don’t…
That’s your THING!!!
THING is the most common filler used by almost all English language users or should I say, non users!!!
The meaning varies according to the context, timing, intelligence level of the listener and the speaker, perceptions and sometimes even hope or expectations.
I am listing here top 4 contexts where one uses THING as a filler and what exactly he/she means by that THING and what it could be perceived as!!!
In the bargain we could perhaps improve and widen our vocabulary and also and get us into a bit of THINk-inG mode!!!
# Grandparents level- “We don’t understand such THINGS”…here THINGS could mean Technology, Online shopping, Online chatting, virtual payments, Dating apps, or could just be even the concept of dating, value systems of youngsters, clothing choices, Food preferences, length of the dresses, sexual orientation of the new generation, choice of courses to pursue, choice of role models, Live in relationships, socialising in pubs or resto bars, spending quantity and frequency, and affliction towards Brands.
Grandparents never mince their THING vocabulary to express their disgust towards these things. So many things disgust them!!!
# Youth level- “We don’t understand this THINGAMABOB ( that is indeed the tweaked, twisted and novel variant of THING) that elders talk about”…here THINGAMABOB is synonymous with values, morals, respect, discipline, homemade hacks for almost everything from medicines to recipes, fresh and healthy home cooked food, Concept of longevity — holding onto some object or some person forever, sense of pride, patriotism and joint families!!!
# Work level- “The THINGS I heard today in the canteen have left me bedazzled”!!!
Bedazzled can’t be a word one would use if one grasps for THING as a filler, This is just yours truly, showing off a bit!!!
The THINGS here could be gossip, rumours, grapevine murmurs, turnover, marketing and advertising strategies, layoff propositions, organisation behaviour, how HR sucks…yet again, office romance, bromance, someone becoming the boss’s new blue eyed boy or girl, company’s expansion plans, pay cuts and raises, international travel plans, insurance policies, manipulations, office politics, training schedules, upskilling, new and sexy team lead onboard, or simply the humble and modest gourmet himself/herself complaining about the dishes in the Canteen where this THING is brewing and letting off steam!!!
# Personal level- My memory is so powerful that I remember almost everyTHING …So when I ask “Where I have kept this THING???”- it could mean my glasses, comb, onions, charger, phone, watch, towel, safety pins, wallet, money which is not there when I find the wallet, newspaper, milk coupons, my laptop, and the most important THING of all…house keys!!!
If I don’t find this most important thing then how will I possibly find all the things that I have not found???
So,you can now thank and doff your hats and heads to the universal filler word THING that fits and fixes even the smallest of crevices and doubts in the Queen’s language.
And the best part is, your listener always understands and misunderstands what your THING might mean in the context depending on his/her convenience.
Magical!!! We need to hang on to this THING all our lives and never let it go!!! After all, it is everyTHING for most of us, all that we have as far as our vocabulary is concerned!!!
Unless you have other THINGS on mind to take your language to the next level!!!
By the way, I sometimes even can’t find that THING you eat with Tea in the evening…I mean some cookies and biscuits…I love the ones that actually go TING TING TI-DING…anyTHING that rhymes with THING works for me!!!
