Need some help from you English speakers.

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When someone say "That was interesting", is it often meant sarcastic, or do they really mean IT IS interesting? I'm asking because I want to use it as a part of a brand name.
  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    It might be different for different people, but at least for me it wouldn't be sarcastic. Interesting is a nice low bar that most things can rise to. If a person is expected to make a comment that's one thing that's easy to say.

    It does sound like it would be a long brand name though.
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  • Profile picture of the author lived
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    Originally Posted by taskemann View Post

    When someone say "That was interesting", is it often meant sarcastic, or do they really mean IT IS interesting? I'm asking because I want to use it as a part of a brand name.
    That's an interesting question.
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  • Profile picture of the author taskemann
    Thanks everyone. I've got the help I need.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    It's used both ways. Mostly the sarcasm doesn't come through well if you can't hear the statement. I don't think it's probably used as sarcasm as much online as in spoken word just because you can't tell the difference without the inflection usually -- unless the context brings it out without any doubts. Even context can cloud sarcasm in that statement. From what I've seen, people mostly avoid ambiguous sarcasm online and shoot for more obvious remarks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    IF someone rolls their eyes while saying "That was interesting" to you, chances are there's a smidgeon of sarcasm in their comment.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      IF someone rolls their eyes while saying "That was interesting" to you, chances are there's a smidgeon of sarcasm in their comment.
      I get the same thing when I punch someone in the nose. They roll their eyes,and I know then that they are being sarcastic...unconscious...but sarcastic.
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      • Profile picture of the author JimDucharme
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I get the same thing when I punch someone in the nose. They roll their eyes,and I know then that they are being sarcastic...unconscious...but sarcastic.
        Well, that was interesting :rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    Jimmy, I'd pass on this idea unless you're playing on the fact that the statement can be interpreted either way.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
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    For the record, I'm never sarcastic. :rolleyes:
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Actually, "That Was Interesting" although not originally with sarcastic connotation seems to be more and more used that way but a relatively recent development.

      Someone witnesses an embarrassing outburst or behavior from someone at work or in a social situation for instance may say to his colleague as they walk away. "That Was Interesting" snickering and sneering.

      Perhaps change it to That's very interesting or something.

      In the Case of Claude throwing a punch the person would say "that was interesting" because for a split second they would see a close up view of Claude's hand and notice the badly manicured fingernails.
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

        Actually, "That Was Interesting" although not originally with sarcastic connotation seems to be more and more used that way but a relatively recent development.

        Someone witnesses an embarrassing outburst or behavior from someone at work or in a social situation for instance may say to his colleague as they walk away. "That Was Interesting" snickering and sneering.

        Perhaps change it to That's very interesting or something.

        In the Case of Claude throwing a punch the person would say "that was interesting" because for a split second they would see a close up view of Claude's hand and notice the badly manicured fingernails.
        My fingernails are not badly manicured. They are manicured, sprayed with a hard enamel, and then shaped in the images of The Backstreet Boys.

        The nerve calling my fingernails badly manicured!

        If I hit someone in the face, they would yell; "Hey, this guy clutching his hand, screaming...I think...he sort of punched me in the face! Is he crying? Sir, why are you crying? My...those are nicely manicured fingernails..are those images of the Backstreet Boys? Nice.....nice tatoo also...who is it? Is that Elmer Fudd? What's a "Riffle"? Sir, stop crying"

        And that's why nobody messes with me!
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    • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      For the record, I'm never sarcastic. :rolleyes:
      We know that.

      :

      To OP:

      Maybe this will help you further break it down.

      Things that are truly interesting to me tend to be scientific/nature phenomena.
      Or, why somebody did what they did - as in why they wrote a song from the
      perspective they did. Or, why an employee handled a situation the way they did.
      Or why somebody did what turned out to be a very good deed... Sometimes it is
      truly interesting to find out why somebody did something stupid.

      In the sarcastic vein, I tend to say "interesting", and you can tell from my
      flat inflection and soft voice, when somebody does or contemplates doing
      something that is bad, or not so good, or effective, and I am trying to be polite.
      Like when somebody tried hard to do the right thing, but did not. Or, when
      somebody shows me something they built, or a piece of art they created, or a
      song they wrote and I don't think it's all that good.

      Dan
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    • Profile picture of the author HeySal
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      For the record, I'm never sarcastic. :rolleyes:
      So you're really like that. Huh. :rolleyes:
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

        So you're really like that. Huh. :rolleyes:

        Sal; Best post on the thread. Clever, and I can't think of a good rebuttle.
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        • Profile picture of the author pickthat apple
          I will give my opinion if I may, although English is not my mother tongue and I live in uk and I am Italian (sorry!). The way people from Scandinavian countries use "that", although pronounced as if it is very important within the sentence, it really isn't. That is the way they speak.
          For those that don't know, they may get all excited thinking...Eric really had a great opinion of my site (for example)...but really Eric didn't think that much of it!
          If Eric likes your website, he will tell you exactly that. Plain and simple.

          Reverse all that. If an Englishman uses that sentence (and doesn't look like he's only being polite) yes indeed he could possibly find something interesting.

          To call a brand: "that was interesting" (ps unless you dedicate it to your partner but that doesnt bring in the bucks) first of all tells me that the guy behind it is not English (by the way: uk English or USA English?) which is ok if that is what you want. Then it is a very long name!
          Just curious: branding what?
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  • Profile picture of the author Brady Partridge
    As "that was interesting" is often used in a sarcastic sense nowadays, I'd go with something else. If, however, the advertising campaign for the product is big on humor, then "that was interesting" would make a great punchline-cum-slogan.

    I hope that was interesting.
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  • Profile picture of the author duplication
    I think they are saying that they just might have learned something.
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
      Originally Posted by duplication View Post

      I think they are saying that they just might have learned something.
      ...Unless they were being sarcastic. Like for example, I could say your post was "Sooooooooooooo very bloody interesting I nearly passed away" and that might be sarcasm.

      I could say "Wow, that was so interesting I feel like I've just done a parachute jump and wet my pants" and that could be a genuine term of joy at what I'd just learned.

      ...Though they'd both probably go down as sarcasm.
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