Talk:for goodness' sake

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Latest comment: 7 years ago by Kiwima in topic RFV discussion: May–August 2017
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RFV discussion: May–August 2017

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"Used to express surprise or amazement. For goodness' sake, I spelled that word correctly. I never knew I could do that." Equinox 19:50, 14 May 2017 (UTC)Reply

I found this very hard to cite, because most of what I found uses for goodness' sakes instead. I propose that we simply redefine this as an alternate form of that. Kiwima (talk) 21:20, 14 May 2017 (UTC)Reply

I switched to looking a news rather than books, and found more cites. This is now cited. Kiwima (talk) 23:25, 14 May 2017 (UTC)Reply
Sorry but can't agree. I've moved two of your cites to the primary (frustration) sense. Something like "how could you not find her? she's got blue hair for goodness' sake!" isn't showing surprise (the speaker knows the person has blue hair; it isn't news to them); it is showing frustration at the incompetence of the person who failed to find such an obvious target. Equinox 20:02, 15 May 2017 (UTC)Reply
The 2016 one about the birthday cards is more ambiguous perhaps, so I have not moved it; but from reading the article, again, I think the person is expressing bemused irritation at such a silly coincidence, and not actual surprise. Equinox 20:04, 15 May 2017 (UTC)Reply
Frankly, even some of the "used for emphasis" citations could be the "exasperation" sense, but I guess the "wedlock" and "young women" ones are emphasis. - -sche (discuss) 19:02, 16 May 2017 (UTC)Reply

OK, I have added some more quotes that are clearly not exasperation. I consider this cited. Kiwima (talk)

RFV-passed Kiwima (talk) 20:58, 10 August 2017 (UTC)Reply