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"Talking shit" can mean exactly the same thing as "talking bullshit", in the UK at least.

by corin_ 14y ago

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
freehunter 14y ago
In the US, talking shit means saying something negative about someone. John said I stole money from him? He's just talking shit. This could include truths; perhaps I did take his money, but there's more to the story than John mentioned. John paid me money for a service I performed but he thought it wasn't worth what he paid. John said I'm a cheat when I beat him in poker, but that was just the way the cards fell. He's talking shit about me again. Talking bullshit would mean knowingly lying. John paid me for a service I told him I could perform, but I was bullshitting him when I said that. I can't actually perform the service. The mayor campaigned on lower taxes, but he knew he wouldn't be able to change that law.
- corin_ 14y ago
  Here you can "talk shit about" which has the meaning you use (e.g. "I was just talking shit about my colleagues"), whereas just "he's talking shit" is similar to bullshit, except maybe a little less angry and more dismissive.
  - freehunter 14y ago
    Yes, that's the same thing I was referring to. Talking shit (with no modifier) is, in my experience, an uncommon phrase to use in a sentence; the only time I can recall hearing it is when person1 is telling person2 that person3 was talking shit about them. In that situation, the "about you" part is implied, and you can leave it off. "Don't worry about it man, he's just talking shit." That implies person1 is saying person3 said something negative about person2. Now, what I would be doing in a bar is "shooting the shit". This means you're just telling bullshit stories (wild, made up, inaccurate, designed purely for entertainment). I caught a 30" bluegill is bullshit, and I would only say that when I'm in a bar shooting the shit.
    - corin_ 14y ago
      > Yes, that's the same thing I was referring to. Talking shit (with no modifier) is, in my experience, an uncommon phrase to use in a sentence No, no, no! In the UK it is not uncommon! People over here are talking shit all the time, often not about anyone.
      - FuzzyDunlop 14y ago
        Indeed, we often like to talk shit every Friday night after work, typically over a few pints. Though you may encounter the odd person in everyday life who is 'full of shit'. Such is the British way, we tend to use these as terms of endearment just as much as genuine insults.
        cdcarter 14y ago
        Similarly, my best friend is absolutely "a little shit" and I love him for that fact.
        freehunter 14y ago
        I think this chain just points out that fact that "shit" can be used in many contexts. Still doesn't answer the fact that the way the author used it is ambiguous.
      - blaabjerg 14y ago
        I think that's why he qualified the statement with "in my experience", which means he's talking about usage in the US.
      - freehunter 14y ago
        Language is a wonderful, complex, irritating thing. The same words in the same language meaning two different, completely context-sensitive things. The same word being used in completely different ways. Not being able to describe the use of a word without long, protracted arguments giving multiple examples of the usage. Even in the same county, the same language is used differently based on geographical region. It amuses me to hear a US citizen use words and pronunciations I know are from the UK, just due to exposure to the BBC. In the US, Hyundai is pronounced "hun-die" or "hun-day", but I have a coworker who is very much an American who pronounces it "high-un-die" because the only time he hears the word is when watching Top Gear. The Internet makes it difficult to tell which dialect the author is speaking, spawning these arguments and fostering communication between people 3000mi away from each other. That's a wonderful thing. Now if only I could figure out what a curry is and why everyone seems to love it over there.
- ams6110 14y ago
  Bullshitting is not necessarily lying. It's saying whatever you think you need to say to advance your objectives. Truth or falsity is irrelevant[1]. [1] Harry G. Frankfurt, On Bullshit

"Talking shit" can mean exactly the same thing as "talking bullshit", in the UK at least.

by corin_ 14y ago

"Talking shit" can mean exactly the same thing as "talking bullshit", in the UK at least.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

freehunter 14y ago

In the US, talking shit means saying something negative about someone. John said I stole money from him? He's just talking shit. This could include truths; perhaps I did take his money, but there's more to the story than John mentioned. John paid me money for a service I performed but he thought it wasn't worth what he paid. John said I'm a cheat when I beat him in poker, but that was just the way the cards fell. He's talking shit about me again. Talking bullshit would mean knowingly lying. John paid me for a service I told him I could perform, but I was bullshitting him when I said that. I can't actually perform the service. The mayor campaigned on lower taxes, but he knew he wouldn't be able to change that law.

corin_ 14y ago
Here you can "talk shit about" which has the meaning you use (e.g. "I was just talking shit about my colleagues"), whereas just "he's talking shit" is similar to bullshit, except maybe a little less angry and more dismissive.
- freehunter 14y ago
  Yes, that's the same thing I was referring to. Talking shit (with no modifier) is, in my experience, an uncommon phrase to use in a sentence; the only time I can recall hearing it is when person1 is telling person2 that person3 was talking shit about them. In that situation, the "about you" part is implied, and you can leave it off. "Don't worry about it man, he's just talking shit." That implies person1 is saying person3 said something negative about person2. Now, what I would be doing in a bar is "shooting the shit". This means you're just telling bullshit stories (wild, made up, inaccurate, designed purely for entertainment). I caught a 30" bluegill is bullshit, and I would only say that when I'm in a bar shooting the shit.
  - corin_ 14y ago
    > Yes, that's the same thing I was referring to. Talking shit (with no modifier) is, in my experience, an uncommon phrase to use in a sentence No, no, no! In the UK it is not uncommon! People over here are talking shit all the time, often not about anyone.
    - FuzzyDunlop 14y ago
      Indeed, we often like to talk shit every Friday night after work, typically over a few pints. Though you may encounter the odd person in everyday life who is 'full of shit'. Such is the British way, we tend to use these as terms of endearment just as much as genuine insults.
      - cdcarter 14y ago
        Similarly, my best friend is absolutely "a little shit" and I love him for that fact.
        freehunter 14y ago
        I think this chain just points out that fact that "shit" can be used in many contexts. Still doesn't answer the fact that the way the author used it is ambiguous.
    - blaabjerg 14y ago
      I think that's why he qualified the statement with "in my experience", which means he's talking about usage in the US.
    - freehunter 14y ago
      Language is a wonderful, complex, irritating thing. The same words in the same language meaning two different, completely context-sensitive things. The same word being used in completely different ways. Not being able to describe the use of a word without long, protracted arguments giving multiple examples of the usage. Even in the same county, the same language is used differently based on geographical region. It amuses me to hear a US citizen use words and pronunciations I know are from the UK, just due to exposure to the BBC. In the US, Hyundai is pronounced "hun-die" or "hun-day", but I have a coworker who is very much an American who pronounces it "high-un-die" because the only time he hears the word is when watching Top Gear. The Internet makes it difficult to tell which dialect the author is speaking, spawning these arguments and fostering communication between people 3000mi away from each other. That's a wonderful thing. Now if only I could figure out what a curry is and why everyone seems to love it over there.
ams6110 14y ago
Bullshitting is not necessarily lying. It's saying whatever you think you need to say to advance your objectives. Truth or falsity is irrelevant[1]. [1] Harry G. Frankfurt, On Bullshit