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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Use of "sad" in British English

I read an on-line comic by British cartoonist John Allison:

http://scarygoround.com/
He sometimes uses the word "sad" where my American sensibilities would expect "angry or "upset" (I know "mad" wouldn't be likely in the context). I was curious if this was a Britishism, or a person quirk of his.
A couple of examples:
1. A character commenting on where another one lives, "that's the placewhere they rob you, then shoot you so you won't feel sad."
2. After Allison changed the style of the artwork, he had a note sayingthere was a good reason, don't email him about it, "I did not intend to make anyone sad."
Brian Rodenborn
  

Top answer

com / He sometimes uses the word "sad" where my American ... "[/nq] As a speaker of British English, I would guess that this is just a joke about the place - ie you'd be so sad living there that shooting you would put you out of your misery. [nq:1]2.

— Usenet

  • com / He sometimes uses the word "sad" where my American ...
  • "[/nq] As a speaker of British English, I would guess that this is just a joke about the place - ie you'd be so sad living there that shooting you would put you out of your misery.
  • [nq:1]2.
  • "[/nq] I'm not at all sure about this one, it may be a comment on the character of the person whose work has been changed, or on Allison's attitude to that person.
  • [nq:1]Brian Rodenborn[/nq] Arfur
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4 Answers
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[nq:1]I read an on-line comic by British cartoonist John Allison: http://scarygoround.com/ He sometimes uses the word "sad" where my American ... on where another one lives, "that's the place where they rob you, then shoot you so you won't feel sad."[/nq]
As a speaker of British English, I would guess that this is just a jok
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[nq:1]As a speaker of British English, I would guess that this is just a joke about the place - ie you'd be so sad living there that shooting you would put you out of your misery.[/nq]
I thought that was probably the case, but I wasn't sure. As I said, a personal quirk is always possible.
[nq:2]2. After Allison changed the style of the artwork, he ... about it, "I did not intend to make an
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[nq:1]I read an on-line comic by British cartoonist John Allison: http://scarygoround.com/[/nq]
It's great isn't it. I only found it a couple of days ago,

"West Yorkshire Anti-Zombie Unit" is so much funnier for being the West YAZU, in a way that's totally untranslatable, without going into a whole subculture of clo
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[nq:2]I read an on-line comic by British cartoonist John Allison: http://scarygoround.com/[/nq]
[nq:1]It's great isn't it. I only found it a couple of days ago,[/nq]
Yeah, it's one of the better webcomics.
[nq:2]1. A character commenting on where another one lives, "that's the place where they rob you, then shoot you
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