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AIBU?

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Original poster

"I was thinking in my head..."

36 replies

auserna · 07/04/2026 12:56

Or, "in my mind I thought..."

I mean where else would you be thinking? Your left arse cheek? We don't say, "I was walking with my feet," or "I blinked with my eyelids," do we?

AIBU to find this tautology ridiculous and a bit annoying? (And no, I don't have anything better to do today.)

OP posts:
topcat2014 · 07/04/2026 13:43

We are getting less literate with every passing year

Original poster
auserna · 07/04/2026 13:42

BudgetBuster · 07/04/2026 13:25

Well no because the purpose of saying "I was a bit sick IN my mouth" is to point out that the sick was kept in and swallowed, not spat out etc. What you are talking about it being sick FROM your mouth surely?

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Yes, agree with this (much as I hate the expression!).

OP posts:
Original poster
auserna · 07/04/2026 13:41

ChaChaChaChanges · 07/04/2026 13:07

As opposed to thinking out loud, surely.

Yeah, but thinking out loud is basically talking. The "default" type of thinking is in your head, so that doesn't really need to be stated. A bit like reading; if you don't specify "reading out loud" it's assumed you mean reading in your head.

OP posts:
Original poster
auserna · 07/04/2026 13:39

Shatandfattered · 07/04/2026 13:07

I've seen it with my own eyes. I heard it with my own ears. I heard it come out her mouth. Plenty of examples

I don't think that's quite the same - that's basically saying you have "primary" experience of something, as opposed to hearing about it second-hand, reading about it, seeing it on TV, etc.

OP posts:
BudgetBuster · 07/04/2026 13:25

WormHoleInSpace · 07/04/2026 13:08

I agree with you @auserna , along with the I was (a bit) sick in my mouth.

When you are a bit sick in your left big toe let me know

Well no because the purpose of saying "I was a bit sick IN my mouth" is to point out that the sick was kept in and swallowed, not spat out etc. What you are talking about it being sick FROM your mouth surely?

WormHoleInSpace · 07/04/2026 13:14

Pan frying also annoys me..
Dry fry , shallow fry , deep fry are all fine descriptions but they all need a pan .
The only exception is air frying but people always say air fry if that's what they mean .

TheEponymousGrub · 07/04/2026 13:11

WormHoleInSpace · 07/04/2026 13:08

I agree with you @auserna , along with the I was (a bit) sick in my mouth.

When you are a bit sick in your left big toe let me know

No, "sick in my mouth" means, specifically, that I kept it in and swallowed it back. Which is why I had to tell you; you mightn't have noticed. Sorry.

WormHoleInSpace · 07/04/2026 13:08

I agree with you @auserna , along with the I was (a bit) sick in my mouth.

When you are a bit sick in your left big toe let me know

ChaChaChaChanges · 07/04/2026 13:07

As opposed to thinking out loud, surely.

Shatandfattered · 07/04/2026 13:07

I've seen it with my own eyes. I heard it with my own ears. I heard it come out her mouth. Plenty of examples

Nesbi · 07/04/2026 13:06

I think it is done for emphasis, to highlight and acknowledge the subjectivity and interiority of the thought process, often in circumstances where that thought process was wrong, or bore no connection to objective reality.