Grammar Nazi Speaks

[snousle]

Do you know what drives me nuts? The replacement of every verb with "do". Please, you visit Europe, you eat Chinese food, and you sing songs. You do not "do" any of these things unless what you have in mind is some act that cannot be mentioned in polite company.

I'm really trying to purge this habit from my own speech.

Comments

[hickbear.livejournal.com]

Do tell.

[ducking]

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

Doesn't count. Do in this case isn't being used as a generic verb acting on a noun for any and all actions. In your example, tell is still the verb, and do is functioning as a prompt, a kind of permission to proceed with the telling.

[ducking]