real hedz say "in phenakistiscopes"
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Prof._Stampfer%27s_Stroboscopische_Scheibe_No._X.gif/440px-Prof._Stampfer%27s_Stroboscopische_Scheibe_No._X.gif
― mark s, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:35 (ten months ago) link
thanks now i'm sat here fixated on the little men
― Tyler Perry's Cystitis (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:36 (ten months ago) link
I am pretty sure I say “I saw that in theatres”. The relevant distinction is seeing something in theatres vs seeing it at home
― G. D’Arcy Cheesewright (silby), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:38 (ten months ago) link
homes
― close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:42 (ten months ago) link
American English may be unique in referring to a movie house as a “theater.” Every other language I can think of uses a form of “cinema.”How many other variations of English did you think through?
― vashti funyuns (sic), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:45 (ten months ago) link
Seeing a single movie more than one time in theaters might also be more common in America, but I don't have any data to support that
― active spectator of ecocide and dispossession (Eric H.), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:47 (ten months ago) link
Silby - rather than "the theatre"? Are you from the West coast? I'm gonna figure this out.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:48 (ten months ago) link
theater oops
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:51 (ten months ago) link
How many other variations of English did you think through?
Oh, hey there (again). I said "other languages," i.e., not English. The Romance languages with which I am familiar all use their form of "cinema." Russian and German, too. Even Japanese.
But I appreciate your jumping on me (again).
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:53 (ten months ago) link
I was riffing on the “at cinema” joke but not well
― ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 15:55 (ten months ago) link
ENBB I’m originally from northern VA
― G. D’Arcy Cheesewright (silby), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:09 (ten months ago) link
I've heard people from various parts of the country talk about "going to the movies."
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:09 (ten months ago) link
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjM4ZGNlZWEtOGUwNi00ZDAxLWIxZDktZWQ4NWViNGQ1NzA2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTIxMDUyOTI@._V1_.jpg
― jaymc, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:12 (ten months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDz4_AwfeaI
― peace, man, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:13 (ten months ago) link
I said "other languages," i.e., not Englishseems a pretty American thing to not consider non-American forms of things, good OT
― vashti funyuns (sic), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:15 (ten months ago) link
"The movies" is completely different.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:16 (ten months ago) link
"The movies" is fine. It feels old timey but not wrong.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:18 (ten months ago) link
"I saw ET at the movies." Acceptable."I saw ET in theaters." Not acceptable unless you saw it in more than one movie theater.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:19 (ten months ago) link
"Only in theaters" means "It will be a while before it gets to Netflix, so get off your ass and drive over to the AMC / Regal / multiplex / whatever. Also, buy some popcorn and a bucket of Pepsi."
― Oh I believe in Yetis' Day (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:19 (ten months ago) link
I usually say "I saw it in the theater", usual response is "who gives a fuck and also do I know you"
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:20 (ten months ago) link
x-post yeah but it what it really means is that it is currently in many theatres at once!
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:21 (ten months ago) link
seems a pretty American thing to not consider non-American forms of things, good OT
Seriously, WTF. I made an offhand post thinking mostly about the other languages with which I am familiar. But you do you.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:24 (ten months ago) link
When I have seen a movie in a theater (or when I want to) I am more likely to say "on a big screen" or "on the big screen" or maybe "in a theater."
I am unlikely to say "cinema" or even "film," Because the last four things I saw were Barbie, Paw Patrol, Mario, and Minions.
Calling those pieces of entertainment "film" or "cinema" seems a trifle pretentious.
― Oh I believe in Yetis' Day (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:25 (ten months ago) link
I would never say “on the big screen” unless I were being ironic
― G. D’Arcy Cheesewright (silby), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:28 (ten months ago) link
"I saw it in the spheres"
― active spectator of ecocide and dispossession (Eric H.), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:30 (ten months ago) link
totally say "on the big screen," it's fun and specifically informative
btw did you see the Cinerama is being brought back with a very stupid name
very American thing to get mad when someone asks a genuine question and the answer suggests to oneself a vague degree of unconsideration, great OT
― vashti funyuns (sic), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:44 (ten months ago) link
Where I'm from they say films not movies, and they see those "at the pictures".
― The First Time Ever I Saw Gervais (Tom D.), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 16:58 (ten months ago) link
so maybe it's southern
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, November 22, 2023 9:06 AM bookmarkflaglink
But so is Pleasant Plains so who knows
I reiterate I haven't heard "saw it in theatres," but who knows. I do live in the land of going to Krogers or to Walmarts.
― pplains, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 17:17 (ten months ago) link
Right I meant it might be a southern thing but maybe not since you are also a southern thing and had not heard it!
Omg Walmarts.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 17:35 (ten months ago) link
Yeah I think I saw they plan to come up with a better name in due course
― G. D’Arcy Cheesewright (silby), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 18:16 (ten months ago) link
It's actually "walmarks," but I don't have the energy right now.
― pplains, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 18:24 (ten months ago) link
Kmarts
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 18:41 (ten months ago) link
I would probably say "I saw that in the theater" but I've definitely heard "in theaters" and it sounds perfectly normal to me.
"in theatres" is not an American thing because we don't spell it "theatres"
― c u (crüt), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:09 (ten months ago) link
I didn’t correct my autocorrect because I’m talking to grownups, we’re aware of us/uk variant spellings and have had our whole lives to come to terms with them, it’s not really worth remarking on
― Boris Yitsbin (wins), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:19 (ten months ago) link
wasn't implying that you aren't aware :)
― c u (crüt), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:20 (ten months ago) link
"I saw ET in theaters." Not acceptable unless you saw it in more than one movie theater.
"I saw ET when it was first in theaters." I hope this is acceptable, because it's how I would say it!
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:24 (ten months ago) link
the one I hear all the time is Aldi's, makes me so upset
― budo jeru, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:32 (ten months ago) link
Yes, that's def acceptable usage because you're using it there in the same way it's used in marketing stuff. The "when it was first" makes it ok. Think in that case I'd prob say "I saw it when it first came out" but yours works.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:34 (ten months ago) link
adding an s or ‘s to the name of businesses does, in fact, annoy me and if that’s an american thing I apologize to the rest of the world
― ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:48 (ten months ago) link
I don't think that's an American thing. E.g. Tescos
― Colonel Poo, Wednesday, 22 November 2023 19:52 (ten months ago) link
I saw ET in theatres.
he kept ambling into and out of them and kids were screaming and running out of the building, spilling popcorn everywhere
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:05 (ten months ago) link
See? That just looks so wrong! Also if I saw ET I would hug him.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:06 (ten months ago) link
I used to get really irritated with my dad for saying “Barnes and Noble’s”. He also used to inexplicably say “Borders and Books.” I would always retort “Dad, they don’t sell borders.” It never stuck with him though.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:40 (ten months ago) link
He also used to inexplicably say “Borders and Books.”
interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borders_(UK)
― c u (crüt), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:43 (ten months ago) link
When I was a young child in Michigan, we went grocery shopping at "Farmer Jack's."
https://i.etsystatic.com/8959096/r/il/5ae1d6/2415370730/il_fullxfull.2415370730_ded5.jpg
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:43 (ten months ago) link
hi do u like my hat, it is made of tablecloth
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:46 (ten months ago) link
It also exists only in two dimensions, unlike my head
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 20:47 (ten months ago) link
Borders Books and Music was the best. Spent many many hours in the cafe there as a teen.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 22:18 (ten months ago) link
Should have been Borders and Books tho.
Liminal Spaces
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 22 November 2023 22:19 (ten months ago) link