"Meet up", "park up" ... why the "up"?

[Bakero]

People are always saying "let's meet up". Why the "up"? "Let's meet" is just fine.

And then there's "I'll be with you shortly; I'm just going to park up". Park up where? What's wrong with "I'm going to park"?

Both irritate me ... but then again, as I get older, a lot of things irritate me!!

I thought NSC would like me to share this with you.

Anyone else have other irritating figures of speech which they'd like to share?

If you don't like phrasal verbs maybe English isn't the language for you- there are about 10,000 of them!

 

[BlockDpete]

I guess its the same as going "up" to London, when some of the people saying that are from "Up" North.

 

[skipper734]

The American version of grammer and the use of words and expresions. .............. The suit fit him well. Me either. There are others but these two just grate.

 

[atfc village]

I go down my local Town,but over to Aldershot . My local Town is on the way to Aldershot ,phrases are wonderful things.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

'Meet up' isn't so bad but 'meet with' drives me barmy. It's just faux American drivel, like 'Chief executive officer'. What sort naff operation adds that unnecessary third word after chief executive?

Oh, wait a moment.

 

[Shirty]

Up here in deepest darkest Essex I often hear "youse" (pronounced use) as a plural of "you". That always gets my dander up.

 

[Bruntburger]

Who cares, language is about communication. If you understand what is being said why does it matter how it was said? It's just sounds from your voice box or scribbles with a piece of carbon!

What's more important is Shirley making each others feel comfortable and at ease ( good manners are actions not spoken or written words)

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

Vacation.

Have seen it written and spoken for the younger generation, "going on vacation soon"
No you are not you ****ing idiot your going on holiday, are you American, have you ever been to America, do you even no where America is on the map !!!
No you ****ing don't !!!

and breath

Living in America I sometimes forget where I am and ask friends, family or colleagues 'where there are going on holiday?' Which normally results in a blank stare in my direction.

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

"I'm off to Tescos"

It's Tesco.

For big shop?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

It's perfectly valid English. "Up" has been used in this way for centuries, it's essentially used to add completion to the verb.

For example, you could say "I'm going to go clean", but I'd wager you often say "I'm going to go clean up". Or how about "showing up" at an event, or "locking up" the home, etc.

Can anyone explain why we say this? The OP is right that it makes little sense, it would be interesting to know the reasoning

 

[OGH's Libido]

Irritates the hell out of me too. It is a apparently an Americanism that has crept in over here. Americans do not understand the concept of "may I have" as they understand that to mean not having to pay for something.

Or another way looking at it is they assume good customer service, and then get it. Nothing worse than agonising over a menu then being told that actually, no, I may not have what I wanted. As long as there is a 'please', a good 'I'll have/can I get' makes it harder for serving staff to get away with 'I'll just check with the kitchen....'.

As long as we don't have the table manners of Americans, we're suitably distinct should we all start being a bit more assertive from time to time.

But just to play ball, I work for an American company. 'Going forward' makes me wretch. But damn it, the alternatives are longer: 'from now' doesn't cut it, it really has to be a word longer at 'from now on'.

I'm off to read Orwell's essay on the English language, that usually calms me down.

 

[Notters]

It's perfectly valid English. "Up" has been used in this way for centuries, it's essentially used to add completion to the verb.

For example, you could say "I'm going to go clean", but I'd wager you often say "I'm going to go clean up". Or how about "showing up" at an event, or "locking up" the home, etc.

This. It's much the same as going up to London.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

How about I'm OFF to work? What part of going is off?

 

[albionite]

"Can I ask you a quick question" and when people say " at the end of the day...."

 

[Murray 17]

Up here in deepest darkest Essex I often hear "youse" (pronounced use) as a plural of "you". That always gets my dander up.

... and "youse twos".

 

[Prince Monolulu]

The incorrect implementation of fewer and less is becoming irritating.

 

[BarnhamBlue]

Some years ago my son asked why you chop trees down, and then chop them up!! I couldn't explain.

 

[drew]

NSC = Collection of (mainly) grumpy, easily irritated, older men!

 

[goldstone]

If you don't like phrasal verbs maybe English isn't the language for you- there are about 10,000 of them!

This is the first time I have heard the term "phrasal verb" and yet I would consider myself fairly adept at English language. NSC once again a source of enlightenment.

 

[Norman Potting]

NSC = Collection of (mainly) grumpy, easily irritated, older men!

"wait" is a favourite of my daughters, particularly the youngest when she is faffing around looking for somthing lost due to her natural untidiness and we are all wanting to get off to school.