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An annoying little thing I hear often used on radio and TV is the addition of "go ahead" to a verb, such as "you should go ahead and turn left" instead of "you should turn left" or "I'll just go ahead and add some sugar", etc. I never hear it used in person where I live, so I assume it is regional and the TV and radio people have retained part of their local way of speaking and don't even realize they add "go ahead" to almost every verb.
Where does this come from and am I alone in finding this annoying?
I hear that phrase used in person, and use it myself. I suspect that it's a way to make a directive or statement sound less assertive, to soften the tone (I can't remember what that's called)...it's like when I ask a question instead of giving an order, "Will you pick that up?" instead of "Pick that up". "Go ahead and turn left" is similar to saying "You can turn left up here". Of course they can (ability to do it), and they don't need permission (can=may) but it sounds less blunt to phrase it that way.
The instinct to use what seems like a motion verb in the imperative mood to grant permission (to oneself or another) is not unique to English. If you were at a restaurant in Mexico and asked someone at another table if you could borrow one of their chairs, you might well hear "ándele,"as an affirmative reply. It's a command form of "to walk or move" and in different situational contexts is often used to urge someone to "hurry up" or sometimes, "go away." In this case, though, the sense if very much equivalent to "go ahead," i.e., permission is granted.
I find it interesting that the go can be used not only as a detensifier as above, but also as an intensifier, depending on context.
Go x off is stronger than simply x off. In this case, the x can be any one of several words, primarily various corporeal activities.
While both statements are strong, with or without the go, I don't think I am splitting hairs in saying that the go functions to intensify the imperative.
As Spanish has its "ándale", Japanese has "o-negai shimasu". I was taught this as the response to someone who offers to do something on your behalf, but I've heard fast-food sushi cashiers append it to an order as they call back to the chef.
(On one of the shows repeated over the summer, someone asked about "roger" and "wilco". My brother once told me that a translation into non-military English of "roger, wilco, over and out" is "okay, okay, go ahead and shut up".)
Ron Draney said:
(On one of the shows repeated over the summer, someone asked about "roger" and "wilco". My brother once told me that a translation into non-military English of "roger, wilco, over and out" is "okay, okay, go ahead and shut up".)
Having spent some time in the military as a radio operator, this made me smile 🙂
I just watched a computer graphics tutorial video of exactly two minutes' duration. The tutor (or is it tutorialist?) used either I'm going to go ahead and or You can go ahead and ten times. If my higher math is up to the challenge, I believe that's once every twelve seconds. I found it so annoying that I had to go ahead and watch again in order to grasp the subject matter.
Peter
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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