[Linganth] Substitute x for y

[GABRIELLA MODAN]

Fish and chips twice -- is that a common British way of asking for 2 of something? Are there regions in the US where people say that? I've never heard it before.

Galey Modan

----- Original Message -----
From: Martin Walsh <kisutu at hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, January 31, 2005 2:56 pm
Subject: Re: [Linganth] Substitute x for y

> I sympathise with Ronald's wife because I too get 'substitute'
> muddled,
> thinking that I can just substitute it for (with?) 'exchange'.
> But then I
> also have trouble making myself understood when I go to our local
> Chinese
> take-away and ask for fish and chips twice, I mean fish and chips
> two times,
> two fish and chips, two fish and two chips, two of everything, oh
> yes and a
> pot of curry sauce, no, only one of those...
>
> Martin Walsh
> Cambridge, England
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ronald Kephart" <rkephart at unf.edu>
> To: "linganth-list" <linganth at cc.rochester.edu>
> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 4:43 PM
> Subject: [Linganth] Substitute x for y
>
>
> > All:
> >
> > More than twice now, I have gone to our local fried chicken
> outlet and
> > ordered the 8 or 12 piece dinner, which usually includes some
> breast,
> > thighs, legs, and wings. While doing so, I have said:
> >
> > "Please substitute legs and thighs for the wings."
> >
> > And nearly every time, the response I get is:
> >
> > "So, you want all wings?"
> >
> > I cannot understand how they can interpret my request in this
> way. For me,
> > "substitute x for y" should mean that I don't want y, I want x
> instead.
> > But my wife who seems normal otherwise, agrees with the chicken
> people.
> > What's going on here?
> >
> > Ron
> >
> >
>