Beyond Poll: Play it by ear, play it by year, or both?

[HiTempguy1]

Had an interesting office conversation today.

I've always known "play it by ear" is a saying, but what I didn't realize was "play it by year" is technically NOT a saying. I also can honestly say I can not possibly recall a time when someone has said "play it by ear", but everyone I've known has said the latter.

It apparently has become accepted as an idiom as well as teh googles will reveal. Play it by ear is pretty straightforward, improvisation. I've always thought of "play it by year" as "wait and see".

Super curious if its a generational thing, if I am retarded (a distinct possibility most beyonders would agree ), or if both have valid meanings.

[rage2]

I've never heard of play it by year. Then again, I've also never heard of people wiping their asses standing up.

[Masked Bandit]

I have NEVER, heard the phrase "play it by year". I think you may want to get your hearing checked...lol.

Edit: Honest question, the people that thought it was year and not ear, are they ESL maybe?

[E46..sTyLez]

I think "play it by year" is just people hearing "play it by ear", then repeating the wrong thing.

[Mibz]

I had an argument with a buddy about "toe the line" vs "tow the line". Neither of us knew that the other was a legitimate phrase, but both of us sure as shit know that "play it by year" is not.

[rx7boi]

What the fuck is play it by year?

[jwslam]

Are you one of those people who think this needs to be settled, for all intensive purposes? Maybe I should of made another thread...

Spoiler:

Corrections are:
"For all intents and purposes"
"Should Have"

[GQBalla]

never heard Year either.

[sabad66]

20-0-1-0 so far... looks like you're retarded

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by sabad66
20-0-1-0 so far... looks like you're retarded

Distinct possibility!

And no, I've definitely not misheard from the people I've heard it from. I just found it very interesting, and also at jwslam. It isn't a very common expression I use.

I'm no grammar nazi, but I typically try to be correct in my word skillz.

[Darkane]

Play it by year lol.

Definetely ear. Just explain it to them musically, no sheet music I'm winging it.

[Tik-Tok]

Yeah, option #1 for sure.

On a similar note, a contractor we used to use was 100% positive the phrase was "1/2 of one, another six dozen of the other", he would get so pissed when we corrected him, and asked him WTH that even meant, lol.

[C_Dave45]

Rofl!! As years go by there are many expressions that get bastartdized. "I couldn't care less", "for all intents and purposes", "nip it in the bud"...etc etc (NOT ect, ect, btw)
But I've never, ever heard "play it by year"!! WTF is that supposed to mean?

Another one..."six of one, half a dozen of the other"

[lint]

Gitch, ginch or gonch?

[carson blocks]

If I heard someone say "play it by year", I would immediately lump them in to the same category as folks who say "I could care less" or "for all intensive purposes"; The category of people who do not put a moment's thought in to language and the meaning of the words they use, but rather simply parrot the sounds made by those around them and hope the context is correct.

[eglove]

Almost as bad as "I seen" drives me fucking bonkers when I hear that

[TomcoPDR]

Knock on wood or touch wood?

[jwslam]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1
at jwslam.

I'm glad I provided the amusement I aimed to provide.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by carson blocks
If I heard someone say "play it by year", I would immediately lump them in to the same category as folks who say "I could care less" or "for all intensive purposes"; The category of people who do not put a moment's thought in to language and the meaning of the words they use, but rather simply parrot the sounds made by those around them and hope the context is correct.

But what if I could care less.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Unknown303
But what if I could care less.

i.e. I could care less about this topic, but here I am posting...

Originally posted by eglove
Almost as bad as "I seen" drives me fucking bonkers when I hear that

So many stories I hear at work go like this:

So he says <<insert whatever>>
And then I says<<insert whatever>>
So he says<<insert whatever>>
And then I says<<insert whatever>>