Does the word "busted" bother you?

[Sun]

Does it bother you to hear or read the word "busted" used as a synonym for broken? I was surprised this morning to see it used in a news article, and as I read the article's comments, it became clear to me that some people found its use inappropriate, and others didn't.

 

I tried to cover a variety of options (several inspired by the news article's comments) with the poll, but please comment as needed! Please don't take offense at any of the options; I was just trying to cover a range of opinions!

Edited August 20, 2011 by Sun

[Hunter's Moon]

I use busted to mean something burst open. For example, we had a reallllllly old package of morning crescent rolls (I didn't check the date before opening) and they busted when they were opened.

 

But if something is broken, I just say broken.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It does not bother me in colloquial conversation. It would bother me in a news report.

 

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

Edited August 20, 2011 by Jean in Newcastle

[Wabi Sabi]

No, would never have occured to me that it might bother some people. I'm not even sure I understand why...?

[bbkaren]

It's preferable to me, that someone would say "It's broken" rather than "It's busted".

 

HOWEVER, I'll take "It's busted" any day of the week over "It's broke".

[BatmansWife]

No, would never have occured to me that it might bother some people. I'm not even sure I understand why...?

 

:iagree:

 

I voted that I rarely use it. I rarely use it to mean that something broke. I'd occasionally use it if someone got caught and were going to get in trouble ("Busted!" or "You are so busted!"); which seems more like a slang or something.

 

I don't know why it's wrong to use it to refer to something broken. I looked the word up at dictionary.com and there are many definitions for it.

 

I wonder if it's a regional thing? I don't really ever hear this word very much. We say broken...maybe in other parts of the country it's more common to say busted?

[LidiyaDawn]

 

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

 

:iagree:

 

 

…that, or to emphasis the effort someone put into something: "she busted her arse getting that report done on time"

 

but it doesn't bother me if people use it for broken.

[BatmansWife]

:iagree:

 

 

…that, or to emphasis the effort someone put into something: "she busted her arse getting that report done on time"

 

but it doesn't bother me if people use it for broken.

 

What?? :lol: See....it could be a regional thing. Just like this sentence. You say arse and I would have said ass.

Ooooppps....sorry everyone. :blush:

[bbkaren]

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

 

Around here, it's also slang for someone (usually a woman) who appears to have led, shall we say, a "rough life" (i.e. Very rough around the edges...smoker, drinker, cusser, behaves in a lewd manner, etc.)

 

ETA: Also, means "broke" i.e. without money ("I'm flat busted"). So it appears we've come full circle! lol

[Word Nerd]

I voted Other because "busted" always makes me think of Candace on Phineas and Ferb.

[twoforjoy]

Never use it, but it doesn't bother me.

[ereks mom]

The only time I use it is when I mean "caught in the act" or something similar, and only in a light-hearted manner. I don't use it to mean "broken".

[swellmomma]

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

 

me too!

[ThatCyndiGirl]

hate it hate it HATE IT!!!

 

I don't understand why people say "the pipe busted" instead of "the pipe burst".

[Ellie]

To use it instead of "broken" is to sound uneducated and ignorant. I would never, ever use it.

 

To use it to mean "Oh, man, I did something I shouldn't have and I'm busted!" in a light-hearted, goofing-off kind of way is different; I would never use it formally, of course.

[BatmansWife]

hate it hate it HATE IT!!!

 

I don't understand why people say "the pipe busted" instead of "the pipe burst".

 

Interesting. I had looked up the word "busted" at dictionary.com. The first definition is "to burst".

 

 

To use it instead of "broken" is to sound uneducated and ignorant. I would never, ever use it.

 

To use it to mean "Oh, man, I did something I shouldn't have and I'm busted!" in a light-hearted, goofing-off kind of way is different; I would never use it formally, of course.

 

Maybe I'm ignorant...but I don't understand why saying busted "instead of broken is to sound uneducated and ignorant". That seems a bit harsh. If you look the word busted up in the dictionary, there are many definitions; including burst, break, fracture.

[bbkaren]

To use it instead of "broken" is to sound uneducated and ignorant. I would never, ever use it....

 

Isn't there a nicer way to put things, sometimes, you know, to avoid hurting people's feelings? Gosh.

[jewellsmommy]

It does not bother me in colloquial conversation. It would bother me in a news report.

 

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

 

 

:iagree:

[Parrothead]

I don't use it to mean broken. I use it as caught.

[WishboneDawn]

Isn't there a nicer way to put things, sometimes, you know, to avoid hurting people's feelings? Gosh.

 

:confused: Ellie is all about hurting feelings though. To imply she shouldn't hurt other people's feelings is to hurt her feelings, right Ellie?;):D

 

Didn't bother me, it's just her opinion and we're pretty straightforward with those here.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Interesting. I had looked up the word "busted" at dictionary.com. The first definition is "to burst".

 

 

 

 

Maybe I'm ignorant...but I don't understand why saying busted "instead of broken is to sound uneducated and ignorant". That seems a bit harsh. If you look the word busted up in the dictionary, there are many definitions; including burst, break, fracture.

 

I looked in 3 different contemporary dictionaries and all 3 say that using it to mean broken is slang or informal language. If you are using it informally you are not ignorant or uneducated. But if you are using it formally, then yes, you are ignorant (which means lacking in awareness or knowledge) of more formal vocabulary.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Love the song- My-Give-a-D@mn's Busted!

[BatmansWife]

I looked in 3 different contemporary dictionaries and all 3 say that using it to mean broken is slang or informal language. If you are using it informally you are not ignorant or uneducated. But if you are using it formally, then yes, you are ignorant (which means lacking in awareness or knowledge) of more formal vocabulary.

 

Oh, thank you for explaining what ignorant meant....because I didn't know.

 

:001_rolleyes: :001_smile:

[nono]

ETA: Also, means "broke" i.e. without money ("I'm flat busted"). So it appears we've come full circle! lol

 

Esp. in relation to gambling around here.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Oh, thank you for explaining what ignorant meant....because I didn't know.

 

:001_rolleyes: :001_smile:

 

The fact that you were taking offense when Ellie meant none, seemed to show that you thought that she meant it to mean that you were stupid. I am ignorant of many things but I am learning everyday and don't mind admitting my ignorance.

[BatmansWife]

The fact that you were taking offense when Ellie meant none, seemed to show that you thought that she meant it to mean that you were stupid. I am ignorant of many things but I am learning everyday and don't mind admitting my ignorance.

 

I didn't think she meant that I was stupid....because I don't use busted for broken. I did say that apparantly I was ignorant...meaning that I was ignorant to Ellie's fact that people who use busted for broken are ignorant and uneducated.

[Runningmom80]

Around here, it's also slang for someone (usually a woman) who appears to have led, shall we say, a "rough life" (i.e. Very rough around the edges...smoker, drinker, cusser, behaves in a lewd manner, etc.)

 

ETA: Also, means "broke" i.e. without money ("I'm flat busted"). So it appears we've come full circle! lol

 

 

I was thinking I'm flat busted too. :lol:

 

 

I use this frequently, unfortunately! :tongue_smilie:

[bbkaren]

...it's just her opinion and we're pretty straightforward with those here.

 

Really, are we? Because anytime I've expressed an honest, straightforward opinion or even a lighthearted comment, I've been excoriated. So which is it?

 

Do we walk on eggshells or do we tell it like it is?

[Violet Crown]

I rather like to hear usages such as busted, or broke as a past participle. English is richer for her array of dialects and idiolects, and to hear the variety of usages makes me happy.

 

A few days ago, a City employee was relighting my water heater, and not being in a hurry to get back out into the 100+ temps, we were chatting. As we got more comfortable talking together, I noticed that I was easing into Anglo-Texas dialect ("They did good") and he was easing into Black Texan dialect ("Never mind, I seen worser"), even though we had both started speaking to each other fifteen minutes before in perfectly Standard English. Sometimes, "wrong" usage is just a signal that a person is at home with you.

[BatmansWife]

As of right now....apparently there are 13 people here who are completely ignorant because they voted "It doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I say and write this". Right now there are 14 people who are half ignorant because they voted "I say it, but I wouldn't use it in formal writing." I'm glad I am only "rarely" ignorant.

 

:smilielol5::smilielol5:

 

I wonder how many more people will vote and show their lack of intelligence??

[Georgiana Daniels]

My oldest daughter's English book said that it's incorrect to use "busted." After I found that out, for some inexplicable reason, I started using it endlessly.

[bbkaren]

My oldest daughter's English book said that it's incorrect to use "busted." After I found that out, for some inexplicable reason, I started using it endlessly.

 

Now that's funny!

[bbkaren]

I didn't think she meant that I was stupid....because I don't use busted for broken. I did say that apparantly I was ignorant...meaning that I was ignorant to Ellie's fact that people who use busted for broken are ignorant and uneducated.

 

haha LOVE it!

[WishboneDawn]

Really, are we? Because anytime I've expressed an honest, straightforward opinion or even a lighthearted comment, I've been excoriated. So which is it?

 

Do we walk on eggshells or do we tell it like it is?

 

I think you're drawing a false parallel here. What got you in trouble before was dragging someone's sexuality into a lighthearted discussion about something unrelated to their sexuality. Ellie has addressed the topic at hand. If she had started musing about the sexuality of those of us who use busted in the manner she objects to then I would have had a problem.

 

Not that she wouldn't do that. She's a troublemaker. Right Ellie?:D

[WishboneDawn]

I rather like to hear usages such as busted, or broke as a past participle. English is richer for her array of dialects and idiolects, and to hear the variety of usages makes me happy.

 

A few days ago, a City employee was relighting my water heater, and not being in a hurry to get back out into the 100+ temps, we were chatting. As we got more comfortable talking together, I noticed that I was easing into Anglo-Texas dialect ("They did good") and he was easing into Black Texan dialect ("Never mind, I seen worser"), even though we had both started speaking to each other fifteen minutes before in perfectly Standard English. Sometimes, "wrong" usage is just a signal that a person is at home with you.

 

In my husband's family they all drop their helping verbs when they're comfortable. It used to drive me up the wall!

 

"The car needs washed" Argh! I've since realized it's a piece of regional dialect and stopped letting it bother me. I haven't gotten to the point that I think it's charming though. :)

[bbkaren]

I rather like to hear usages such as busted, or broke as a past participle. English is richer for her array of dialects and idiolects, and to hear the variety of usages makes me happy.

 

A few days ago, a City employee was relighting my water heater, and not being in a hurry to get back out into the 100+ temps, we were chatting. As we got more comfortable talking together, I noticed that I was easing into Anglo-Texas dialect ("They did good") and he was easing into Black Texan dialect ("Never mind, I seen worser"), even though we had both started speaking to each other fifteen minutes before in perfectly Standard English. Sometimes, "wrong" usage is just a signal that a person is at home with you.

 

We just bought a place in TN and dealing with the folks down there, the language is like music to me. Sure, there are grammatical errors, but it's part of the dialect; part of the culture.

 

There are some that just blow me away but that I find so charming.

 

"If you connect the fitting, that might would help."

 

"I don't care to stop by and help you." (Meaning the EXACT OPPOSITE of what it would mean in the North - he means he wouldn't mind stopping by!)

 

In our country there are so many flavors of English--grammatically correct or not--it just adds to the privilege of living here. Just like landscape, weather, urban vs. rural, anything you could possibly want to experience, it's here! Whatta country!

[bbkaren]

...What got you in trouble before was dragging someone's sexuality into a lighthearted discussion about something unrelated to their sexuality...

 

No. Someone said he was giggling like a schoolgirl, and I brought up his gayness. It was a joke, and it wasn't (shouldn't have been) a big deal. But half a dozen people got their PC feathers ruffled. Sorry.

 

And that's just one instance. The whole Confederate Flag/Rednecks conversation is another. More PC feather-ruffling. Oh, but it was okay to make blanket statements about "rednecks" in the same thread.

 

The spanking statements - asking people if they spank then making judgmental statements, "It's wrong to spank, etc." Well, no. Not to a lot of people it's not.

 

I just think there is a lot of good information here, and a lot of nice people.

 

But there are some folks here who are pretty condescending and downright nasty to folks who might not think - or choose to live - like they do.

 

Look, I try to have a good time, enjoy interacting with people on forums. It's a lighthearted thing for me - and I'm fully aware that I'm not a tiptoe-around-sensitive-subjects type of person.

 

I'm also not easily offended, so I can take it like I dish it out. But back to the original subject, calling anyone who uses a certain word in a certain way "ignorant and uneducated" is just obnoxious.

 

And to find so many people like that, all on the same forum where a person like me - who is just starting out and could really use the homeschooling information - is just tiring.

[WishboneDawn]

No. Someone said he was giggling like a schoolgirl, and I brought up his gayness. It was a joke, and it wasn't (shouldn't have been) a big deal. But half a dozen people got their PC feathers ruffled. Sorry.

 

And that's just one instance. The whole Confederate Flag/Rednecks conversation is another. More PC feather-ruffling. Oh, but it was okay to make blanket statements about "rednecks" in the same thread.

 

The spanking statements - asking people if they spank then making judgmental statements, "It's wrong to spank, etc." Well, no. Not to a lot of people it's not.

 

I just think there is a lot of good information here, and a lot of nice people.

 

But there are some folks here who are pretty condescending and downright nasty to folks who might not think - or choose to live - like they do.

 

Look, I try to have a good time, enjoy interacting with people on forums. It's a lighthearted thing for me - and I'm fully aware that I'm not a tiptoe-around-sensitive-subjects type of person.

 

I'm also not easily offended, so I can take it like I dish it out. But back to the original subject, calling anyone who uses a certain word in a certain way "ignorant and uneducated" is just obnoxious.

 

And to find so many people like that, all on the same forum where a person like me - who is just starting out and could really use the homeschooling information - is just tiring.

 

You sure pick strange threads to go looking for homeschooling info. ;) :)

[bbkaren]

Good grief - like I said, I like to be social and have fun on forums as well.

:tongue_smilie:

[bbkaren]

In my husband's family they all drop their helping verbs when they're comfortable. It used to drive me up the wall!

 

"The car needs washed" Argh! I've since realized it's a piece of regional dialect and stopped letting it bother me. I haven't gotten to the point that I think it's charming though. :)

 

This is something they say in the south a lot too - takes some getting used to but do you really let other people's dialects "bother you"?

[Joyofsixreboot]

At my house busted means I caught you. ( You are so busted.). At my dad's it means it's broken. I speak both teen and hick fluently. But my grammar might could use some help:lol:.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Not much anyone says (other than rotten grammar and severe cussing) bothers me. I'm not their Mamma. :) lol

[bbkaren]

... But my grammar might could use some help:lol:.

 

 

:D

[WishboneDawn]

Good grief - like I said, I like to be social and have fun on forums as well.

:tongue_smilie:

 

Not allowed here. We never have fun.:D

[Jean in Newcastle]

This is something they say in the south a lot too - takes some getting used to but do you really let other people's dialects "bother you"?

 

The OP was about a newspaper article. I have no problem with slang used on the comics page or as part of a quote. I also have no problem with puns in headlines - esp. if part of the Sports page. But for hard news, I expect formal language.

[WishboneDawn]

This is something they say in the south a lot too - takes some getting used to but do you really let other people's dialects "bother you"?

 

Yes, I guess I do. I know some Come-From-Aways (<----Charming regional term) often find the different dialects of those of us in NS charming but when you've grown up in the thick of it the charm wears off sometimes. Husband's family is from 30 minutes down the road. I didn't realize that could make such a difference in dialect and counted him as having pretty much the same dialect as me so the helping verb mystery came across more as lazy then a real difference.

 

Funnily enough when we traveled across the country to a wedding in Vancouver it was ME that people pointed to as having a Nova Scotian accent and my husband would get comments about how he sounded like an "ordinary" Canuck. He had all of his helping verbs then. :tongue_smilie:

[mom31257]

I love the word busted because it always makes me want to sing this!

 

 

ooh...extended and sing along version!

Edited August 21, 2011 by mom31257

[*Lulu*]

It does not bother me in colloquial conversation. It would bother me in a news report.

 

ETA: usually I think of the word as meaning caught doing something wrong as in "You are so busted!"

 

:iagree:

 

I voted other. While it might occasionally slip from my mouth during very informal speaking, I would NEVER use it in my writing as anything other than a joke.

[mom31257]

I love the word busted because it always makes me want to sing this!

 

 

 

ooh...extended and sing along version!

 

I forgot to say that I voted "other" because I didn't see an option for just loving the word! I think I only use it when singing the song.

[HollyB]

The OP was about a newspaper article. I have no problem with slang used on the comics page or as part of a quote. I also have no problem with puns in headlines - esp. if part of the Sports page. But for hard news, I expect formal language.

 

:iagree:

 

I stopped watching one of our local news channels when they reported that "the fire truck's window was busted"