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Dumbed Down Language Observation

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Renegade:
I've noticed in the last while that a lot of (American/British) TV shows/movies use the phrase, "you're not the boss of me". In my experience, most people stop speaking like small children sometime around about or before puberty. (Which makes me wonder at what age children learn/use the "my X" vs. "X of me" structures.)

Does the phrase strike anyone as utterly childish? Do people actually speak like that in the US/UK?

It just seems to sit well with other phrases like, "nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah".

KynloStephen66515:
Other than children, i have never heard a single person (except for in childish jest) utter that phrase.

Renegade:
Other than children, i have never heard a single person (except for in childish jest) utter that phrase.
-Stephen66515 (March 16, 2011, 11:13 PM)
--- End quote ---

Good. It's not just me then. My sanity is at least partially intact~!  :o

KynloStephen66515:
Other than children, i have never heard a single person (except for in childish jest) utter that phrase.
-Stephen66515 (March 16, 2011, 11:13 PM)
--- End quote ---

Good. It's not just me then. My sanity is at least partially intact~!  :o
-Renegade (March 16, 2011, 11:21 PM)
--- End quote ---

The closest to that phrase, that I have heard, is probably "Who died and made you king/queen" - close to the childish comment, but feels more "grown up" lol

app103:
I never heard anyone use this expression until the theme song from a TV sitcom called Malcolm in the Middle, performed by a band called They Might Be Giants.



I think it's meant to sound childish, and probably intentionally sarcastically so, when used by adults. Probably right up there with your wife telling you "ok, Daddy" with a sarcastic tone when you order her to do something, rather than asking her.

Or like Daffy Duck saying "Yes, my love" (which really irritates me when my husband says it)

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