>>>>>We were in line at the checkout at Ikea yesterday evening, and there was a couple in front of us. I don't know what they were talking about, but at one point the guy said something and the woman started laughing. And while laughing, she managed to blurt out, "That's so hilarious it's not funny."
>>>>
>>>>A really annoying one is when talking to telesales people (not the unsolicited callers)
>>>>
>>>>You give them your postcode and house number, they have to impress you that they know your address (well, they've only come up with the street name, which you could have provided when stating the house number)
>>>>
>>>>Then they say "Could you just confirm your name for me?"
>>>>
>>>>My reply is "How can I confirm my name when you haven't told ME what you think it is?"
>>>
>>>Wouldn't a simpler answer be "yes, I could"?
>>
>>No. If the other person has your name wrong, then you can't confirm. So best not to anticipate.
>
>That's what I meant - "I could" is conditional. I didn't say "yes, I can" :).
>
>Peter Sellers used to have good ones on this subject:
>
>- Can you tell me what time is it?
>
>- Yes, I can.
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>- Thank you.
>
>Similarly,
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>- Do you know where Grand Hotel is?
>
>- Yes, I do.
>
>- Thank you.

That's another thing that drives my mother up the wall when I do it to her. LIke the other day, "Is it the same time in Vancouver as here?". "Yes, but they set their clocks differently to it."