- In my native language, when somebody says something you already know and it annoys you, you can say “Does it even need you to say it” or “Does it even need you to tell me that.” (These are literal translations.) They’re retorts. I’d like to know how to say that in English idiomatically. It’s not meant to be polite, so I don’t care if the expression’s rude.
- Is “you needn’t tell me that” idiomatic in North America? I haven’t heard many people use “need” as a modal verb in North America. Thank you.
-
Yes, “you needn’t tell me that” is idiomatic, though recently it may have been overtaken by “you don’t need to tell me that”.– HenryCommented Nov 18 at 2:01
-
2The questions are not exactly the same. In the post you mentioned, the PO wanted an expression that's "not really offensive", whereas I don't mind if the expression's offensive.– abcdCommented Nov 18 at 3:14
-
1See this question: english.stackexchange.com/questions/107785/…– hiccupsCommented Nov 18 at 10:38
-
3"Needless to say" is very used in all Englishes.– LambieCommented Nov 19 at 22:34
-
1@abcd: There are idiomatic rhetorical questions that people (in the U.S., anyway) may ask in response to an obvious question, among the most common of which are "Is the Pope Catholic?" and "Does a bear shit in the woods?" These could easily be transformed into statements of the form "Next you're going to tell me that the Pope is Catholic," etc.– Sven YargsCommented Nov 21 at 5:15
|
Show 8 more comments
9 Answers
No shit, Sherlock
(vulgar, colloquial, sarcastic, somewhat derogatory)
A riposte to someone who has just said something obvious
A reference to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, pretending that the interlocutor has just made a great deduction.
[Wiktionary]
-
1Given at the duplicate. Please check for likely duplicates, to avoid bloat. Commented Nov 18 at 12:31
-
2@EdwinAshworth I think the server can carry the load of the duplicates ;-). And for the users it actually increases usefulness. Commented Nov 20 at 2:14
-
2In school we used the less-vulgar "no dip, Sherlock" (though I was never sure exactly why). "No shit" can stand alone and has a clear trajectory from "shit" meaning bullshit/malarkey. Commented Nov 20 at 4:35
-
1Interestingly there exist something similar in German ("Ohne Scheiß") meaning "It's quite true" (the speaker pointing out that he/she's not kidding).– U. WindlCommented Nov 20 at 9:37
-
1@EdwinAshworth Well, this is not a duplicate, since the other question asks about "clean" phrases. All answers here are valid answers to this specific question; they may be rude! Commented Nov 20 at 17:52
While I don't have North American experience, I have heard "Tell me something I don't know" used in such situations. It indicates that the previous remark has not done this.
For example, from Chatterbox, ed. by J.E. Clarke - p99 on Google Books:
'Why hers is black!'
'I am perfectly aware of that; also that yours is purple, Bea's brown, mine and Kittie's gray. Tell me something I don't know,' said Kat flippantly. 'I wish ours were black, it's so stylish.'
and from Freedomways - p263 on Google Books
"He's a mighty mean cracker,"Sarah told him.
"Tell me something I don't know," Moose Coleman stated grimly.
-
This phrase fits the question well, but it would benefit from some published examples or references, such as this– Stuart FCommented Nov 18 at 9:54
Are you looking for something colloquial? How about:
duh interjection
2 —used derisively to indicate that something just stated is all too obvious or self-evident
Well, duh!
Source: Merriam-Webster—duh
The Editors Blog calls duh:
an exclamation of exasperation or disdain over the explanation of something obvious
Source: The Editor's Blog—Spelling Interjections and Exclamations
(You needn’t tell me that is grammatical but quite formal.)
-
1Given at the duplicate. Please check for likely duplicates, to avoid bloat. Commented Nov 18 at 12:31
-
1Interestingly, the false antonym "no duh" means the exact same thing as "duh". Commented Nov 20 at 14:21
If you want to be critical, I'm sure there are many put-downs, among which "Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Another could be "Gee, thanks!" if said with a sarcastic tone.
Captain Obvious
(A sarcastic or disparaging name for) someone who makes an obvious or superfluous statement.
2022 Thanks captain obvious! Like we couldn't figure that out ourselves.
@BugAcer 21 March in twitter.com (accessed 22 Mar. 2022)
[OED online]
(humorous, usually derogatory or sarcastic) Someone who makes superfluous or obvious statements.
Thank you, Captain Obvious!
Wiktionary
If you are want something close to non-critical, perhaps
"That goes without saying"
goes without saying: (with non-personal subject) to be obvious or generally understood; to need no mention or explanation.
[OED online]
“You needn’t tell me that” is correct, but on the stern side. "I'm (well) aware of that (thank you)" is perhaps more common and tactful. (The two literal translations in your question are ungrammatical as written.)
-
How are the two literal translations in my question ungrammatical? Can you elaborate? How would you fix those? Thank you.– abcdCommented Nov 18 at 2:55
-
What do you mean by "on the stern side"? Do you mean grammatically it's too formal or the attitude's not nice? If it's kinda rude, then it does the job.– abcdCommented Nov 18 at 2:59
-
1@abcd We don't use the impersonal "it" here ("It doesn't need you...") but rather "You don't have to ..." or "You needn't..." // AmE uses needn't less frequently than BrE. // "You needn't tell me that" sounds formal and somewhat scolding in AmE. Commented Nov 18 at 3:47
-
-
'Thank you, Captain Obvious' given at the duplicate. Please check for likely duplicates, to avoid bloat. Commented Nov 18 at 12:32
“You don’t say” seems to fit the desired meaning and sentiment. When used ironically/sarcastically with flat or tetchy affect, perhaps raising your eyebrows or even rolling your eyes, it expresses irritation without being vulgar (though it is not polite). It also carries an implication that the other person stated something obvious (as opposed to something known to you specifically).
Note that it can also be used without irony to express genuine surprise.
"Ya/you think?" can be used to sarcastically question someone's statement about something that is very obvious to everyone present. It implies not that just you knew something already, but that it would be obvious to anyone.
As an example, suppose you're in a restaurant after closing time and the waitstaff starts to put chairs on the tables, turn the lights off, and vaccuum the floor. Your companion, who has been lingering over their meal, says "Oh, they want us to leave," - a reasonable response might be, "Ya think?".
answered Nov 20 at 16:30
-
No clue why this is downvoted, it's corroborated on this very site and elsewhere: english.stackexchange.com/questions/93487/… en.wiktionary.org/wiki/you_think Commented Nov 20 at 18:25
Teaching grandmother to suck eggs
It means to explain a task to someone who already knows how to do it, possibly better than the teacher. It's a trifle archaic but still current enough to be understood.
-
In my experience, this one is usually used the other way around as a sort of pre-emptive apology for what you're about to say. "I don't mean to teach you how to suck eggs, but <something you anticipate they may already know and might cause one of the other rebukes>" Commented Nov 20 at 8:16
-
Again in German there exist equivalents like "Teaching a fish to swim" or "teaching a bird to fly" (both considered to be unnecessary)– U. WindlCommented Nov 20 at 9:40
"I am aware (of that)..." It's polite unless said with a harsher tone.
If it's something that you know/believe but which might be controversial if said in the wider public, you might respond with
[You're] Preaching to the choir
