IT is what it is. Swings and roundabouts. For all intents and purposes. These are just three phrases us Brits use on an everyday basis.
But what if we told you that you’ve probably been using one of them incorrectly your entire life?
Earlier this year, TikTok user Jordan Edwards explained how he would always confidently say “it swings and roundabouts” in conversation.
That is, until his mum started pointing out how it should actually be used.
In a viral video that’s racked up over 386,000 views, Jordan said: “I thought it meant you’re in a situation where there’s something good and bad. You know, it swings and roundabouts.
“But it’s not! And I’ve heard loads of people say it wrong now since she pointed it out.”
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According to the experts at Interesting Literature, the phrase should be reserved for describing “a situation in which different actions or options result in no eventual gain or loss.”
In other words, it’s another way of saying “it’s all much of a muchness”.
“I’d use it like this,” Jordan continued. “‘I was walking down the street the other day and there was a fiver on the floor.
“‘I picked it up and as I picked it up, my hand got dirty. It swings and roundabouts.’
“That’s not right!”
Unsurprisingly, we aren’t the only ones who have been left mind-blown by the revelation.
One replied: “I thought the same as you!”
Another added: “It’s more like you win some you lose some.
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“Going home from work one day then having to stay late the next.”
Meanwhile, a third wrote: “I’ve always used it in the same way you would say it is what it is.”
