to think "if you like it, put a ring on it" is a revolting expression?

[ArsenicFaceCream]

Women are using it about themselves!

WTF is going on?

'If you like my finger and you want it and the rest of me to remain in your life, you'd best marry me sharpish'

Nah, it doesn't scan properly.

christmas has solved it

The message above mine is somewhat confusing.

omg ive posted on the wrong thread

picnic

Don't worry christmas - I do it at least twice a week

ffs it took me ages to do that

i have reported myself

PMSL at ilovechristmas!

I always translated the 'it' into 'relationship' IYSWIM. As in, if the relationship was that good, you should have wanted to make it permanent. I've never heard the phrase used outside the song though. If I did, I wouldn't think the person using it was referring to herself as an 'it', but that she was using it as shorthand for all the rest of the song's story - i.e. bloke buggered off and only tried to came back a long time later and not for the right reasons. And she is rebuffing him!

But don't both "it"s have to refer to the same thing Where? It's getting quite slippery to try to impose an interpretation that gives the sentence two (undifferentiated) objects.

The 'it' has been discussed in some magazines (I read a few music magazines), she does it quite a lot apparently. It is part of her writing style.

I can't find it in me to get all that het up about it. The message she intended was clear and catchy! Not insidious at all.

If other women find it useful as shorthand for all sorts of pissed offness, well, OK. As a saying it has currency, obviously!

I.e. he can't put a ring on the relationship IYSWIM

As a saying it has currency, obviously!

Clearly

Yes! If you liked the relationship (it) you should have taken steps to make it mutually permanent (put a ring on it) - both its are the relationship.

And you need to allow a little poetic license, don't be so literal. Of course you can put a ring on a relationship. Western culture allows a ring to mean marriage, permanency, monogamy etc.

No Nomama I'm sorry, rings go on fingers, or hands or people. Not on relationships

In any normal version of english, the 'it' is the woman.

If you use the phrase as a stand-alone, that is certainly how it will be understood.

Songs are not literal, nor meant to be. For which I am deeply grateful, as I was a big Duran fan (The Reflex is a lonely child, you're about as easy as a nuclear war, sing blue silver etc.).

And that's why you find it offensive!

Songs and poetry take liberties with a language. If you don't allow it they lose their sense!

And, having heard the song, I would allow the backstory within it and would not understand it as you do!

Ah! The Chauffeur.. as if a sun could bed down behind your dress

It's moved beyond the song. It's now a phrase in common usage.

This isn't about the song.

My most favourite track, Nomama!

Maybe more women should start putting rings on their men if they're bothered outside of the song.

It's a good song, many poems/songs takes liberties as someone said as they are fitting a tune or rhythm. Twerking bothers me waaay more - gross. Or that robin thicke song.

"This isn't about the song."
Isn't it? When a phrase is used beyond its original source, it's generally chosen because it carried the baggage of its source; it's shorthand for the entire source.

Language expresses symbols as much as literals IMO.

Mine too, WhereYouLeftIt

Arsenic it may have moved beyond the song but, for those who know the song, its meaning is still that within the song. It only loses its meaning if you don't know where it came from - as with any saying.

You may find it offensive, others don't. Again like many other things.

A ring through the nose... smokeandglitter ?

Just to carry on the misunderstanding... and awful stereotypes!