Play by ear/year?!

LovelyTom

which is it?! Play by ear or by year?

I've always said 'play it by year', but recently I had a discussion with some friends and it seems that we were 50/50 on the matter.

To me it seems that year makes more sense. I just don't see why you would want to play something by an ear.

Anyone like to give their opinions?

Kintarō Hattori

LovelyTom wrote: »

which is it?! Play by ear or by year?

I've always said 'play it by year', but recently I had a discussion with some friends and it seems that we were 50/50 on the matter.

To me it seems that year makes more sense. I just don't see why you would want to play something by an ear.

Anyone like to give their opinions?

It's play by ear, meaning to see how it goes. As you could listen, pay attention and then make a judgement.

It wasn't me!

Very definitely play by ear.

invincibleirish

Its play it by ear, how did you mistake it for year?

Photi

[harry hill] there's only one way to settle this..

FIGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTT!

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=%22play+it+by+year%22&word2=%22play+it++by+ear%22

[/harry hill]

LovelyTom

invincibleirish wrote: »

Its play it by ear, how did you mistake it for year?

I haven't the foggiest...:o Just one of those things i suppose. It does seem to make more sense to me:p

Google Fight got my back on this one!

Mossy Monk

invincibleirish wrote: »

Its play it by ear, how did you mistake it for year?

I did too.

LovelyTom

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I did too.

Don't admit to being wrong just yet Mossy Monk!

If Google fight tells the truth we may be correct!

Healio

Definitely "play it by ear" just one half of the city seems to add an extra letter every so often . . . . . . .

LovelyTom

Healio wrote: »

Definitely "play it by ear" just one half of the city seems to add an extra letter every so often . . . . . . .

which half would that be?

Dord

Play by ear.

5starpool

It'd take ages if you played it by year, much quicker to play it by ear, so that is why it is that

randylonghorn

Definitely "play it by ear" ... i.e. I will make my decision based on additional information as it becomes available (I hear about it)

the_syco

LovelyTom wrote: »

which is it?! Play by ear or by year?

I agree with Joe Robot that you should play it by ear to get the answer.

LovelyTom

Ye know, despite being corrected I really doubt I will ever say 'Play it by ear'.

invincibleirish

How about play it by rear?

LovelyTom

invincibleirish wrote: »

How about play it by rear?

And get funny looks?

Sure why not

randylonghorn

invincibleirish wrote: »

How about play it by rear?

Everyone to their own!

/casually reverses until arse is firmly against wall

Healio

randylonghorn wrote: »

/casually reverses until arse is firmly against wall

hahahahahahahahahahaha

flanum

say nothin till ye hear more..

let the hare sit..

but if its taken into a musical context, then it means not playing the tune by sheet music but by listening,copying and learning.

Pherekydes

How the fcuk could it be "play it by year"?

What are you going to do on your date tonight?
-I don't know. I'll just play it by year.


What meaning has 'year' in this scenario? None whatsoever.

It's most definitely 'play it by ear'. Southsiders probably add the 'y' just to sound different.

play it by year

Overheal

play it by ear. ie respond from what you hear; ad-lib conversation

antodeco

I dunno, I reckon Ill play it by ear as to what the answer is....oh wait...

Redpunto

hear hear

DanGerMus

It's a musical thing 'play it by ear' figureing what to do by listening to whats being played by the other musicians, this meaning has then been applied to a wide variety of situations meaning to figure it out as you go.

Play it by year is silly.

bluto63

Slow coach wrote: »

Southsiders probably add the 'y' just to sound different.

No we don't

It's play it by ear

LovelyTom

Slow coach wrote: »

Southsiders probably add the 'y' just to sound different.

play it by year

Well I'm a northsider and I say play be year, maybe it's not restricted to a particular area:p

Pherekydes

bluto63 wrote: »

No we don't

It's play it by ear

LovelyTom wrote: »

Well I'm a northsider and I say play be year, maybe it's not restricted to a particular area:p

I was just being facetious. It's an ignorance thing; nothing to do with geography.

zAbbo

Damn, I thought it was Play by Rear.

aidan_walsh

So its not "play it by beer" then?

Karoma

I thought this was a dragged up thread...

It's "play it by ear" (with all its musical connotations.)
Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.

50/50... how many friends? I am the Minister of Chlorine...

Sherifu

Play it by year doesn't make any sense.

Karoma

YOU don't make any sense.






Well, maybe you do, but, um, shut up! that's why.

Irish Halo

Slow coach wrote: »

play it by year

Urban Dictionary says it is a "common misphrasing"

I know there are some phrases which could be taken either way "could care less" Vs "Couldn't care less" etc but play it by year?

Karoma

Irish Halo wrote: »

I know there are some phrases which could be taken either way "could care less" Vs "Couldn't care less" ...

That shouldn't be taken either way; it's just that a large number of large idiots make the same mistake. bah!

Sherifu

Karoma wrote: »

YOU don't make any sense.






Well, maybe you do, but, um, shut up! that's why.

loev

Wertz

randylonghorn wrote: »

Definitely "play it by ear" ... i.e. I will make my decision based on additional information as it becomes available (I hear about it)

I'd disagree that that would be the "definition" of it...playing something by ear comes from the trait of a musician being able to play a tune by ear...ie. hear it, and then manage to play along to it without needing to read the music.
So "playing it by ear", is more like making it up as you go along and/or improvising.

How the OP got "year" from it confuses me...how the hell do you play something by year?

mental07

I was unsure for a long time about which one it was too. Easily done: say "play it by ear" and then "play it by year" in quick succession at the same speed and you'll be hard pushed to notice any difference in the way they are pronounced, no?

Davidius

You know I've never heard anybody say either of those and haven't a fecking clue what it even means.

is_that_so

Spelling is

play it by ear

but when you say it it sounds like this

playit byear

On account of adding an extra sound between vowels (y in this case) to make them slide into each other.

Ponster

Sherifu wrote: »

Play it by year doesn't make any sense.

I know. This thread is just baffling. How could anyone possible believe it to be "play it by year ?


From Encarta :

"play it by ear to improvise or adapt your response to a situation as it occurs rather than make plans in advance"

(decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation) "She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear"


Both my brother and I are musicians. He can hear a piece of music on the radio, pick up a guitar and play along to it once he's figured out the key, chords, etc. I couldn't do this for love nor money.

My brother has the ability to "play by ear" while I have to put up playing by reading music. I can't improvise as he can.

MooseJam

play it by ear, big lol at play it by year

WoollyRedHat

I thought it was play it by year. I don't want to conform!

Mr. CooL ICE

Once my armed forces overthrow the government in a coup t'état, I will then have to figure out how to make Ireland prosper. Think I'll just play it by fear for a while

Jog On Cnut

I always thought it was Play it By Year

Because I am in no rush to make a decision, and a year is a period of time in the future.

Even if it is play it by ear I'm not going change what I say now, I've been saying play it by year my whole life and no one has ever questioned it.

JavaBear

Play it by ear.

eejits

Earthhorse

Years ago (or ears ago, whatever) I used to think this was "play it by year", meaning, we'll take our time with this decision and see how things pan out.

The phrase is definitely "play it by ear" though meaning to listen to the music and play along rather than read it from the sheet.

Ponster

Jog On Cnut wrote: »

Even if it is play it by ear I'm not going change what I say now, I've been saying play it by year my whole life and no one has ever questioned it.

Naaa, they just laugh at you behind you back. It's much more satisfactory..

Caoimhín

Play it by EAR.
Originated from jazz/blues players in the US in the 1930's. When they were playing, ad'lib.... improvising, what ever you call it, they would say play it by ear.

Davidius

Seriously guys, are you sure you're not making this phrase up to confuse me?

Hrududu

How on earth does the OP think 'play it by year' makes sense?