Are they just using you like they do everybody else?

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Hi everybody.

I watched the film, 'The Rock' and I got this puzzling phrase.
General Hummel threatens to kill a civilian,
and Mason, intending to delay Hummel, volunteers to come to the general.

Here is their conversation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hummel: You're a long way from home, Captain.
How the hell are you involved in this?

Mason : I have a unique knowledge of this prison facility.
I was, uh... formerly a guest here.

Hummel : Did they bother to tell you who I am, why I'm doing this,
or are they just using you like they do everybody else?

Mason : All I know is you were big in Vietnam.
I saw the highlights on television.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The only unclear part for me is
'like they do everybody else' of what Hummel said.

Not knowing what 'do somebody' means,
I looked up the dictionary to find out that it seemingly means having sex,
which I don't really think fits in here.

What could he possibly mean by 'they DO everybody else'?

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In expressions like this, the verb "do" in its various forms refers to the preceding verb, and may be replaced by the appropriate form of that verb. Using do/does/did etc like this avoids the inelegant repetition of the verb.

Are they just using you like they do [use] everybody else?

Did my brother hit you like he does [hits] everybody else?

My sister broke her phone like she does [breaks] everything else she gets.

My cousin lied to me like he did [lied] to everybody else.

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@centrox,

Avoiding the inelegant repetition.
I find this tendency quite often in English.

As a S. Korean, I get to read articles about North Korea,
and I am often surprised by the way reporters describe the weird regime,
like, economically-failed country, a rogue regime, Pyung-yang and so on.

Americans instinctively hates repetition, I guess. Smile

Thank you so much, Centrox.

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@SMickey,

It's a matter of language, and not always of nationality. English-speakers avoid repetition of verbs, but will redundantly use them descriptively--it is fitting and proper that we should join. That come from an Anglo-Saxon (Old English) custom of emphasizing what is considered important.

Once again, it's a matter of the language--Centrox is not an American.

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@SMickey,

SMickey wrote:

Americans instinctively hates repetition, I guess.

I am not American.

1 Reply

@centrox,

Sorry for having jumped to a conclusion
and regarding you as an American.
Your impeccable English made me think that way.

1 Reply

@SMickey,

SMickey wrote:

Sorry for having jumped to a conclusion
and regarding you as an American.
Your impeccable English made me think that way.

You are joking, I think?

1 Reply

@centrox,

Not really. If you are not a native-speaker
that's quite surprising.

3 Replies

@SMickey,

SMickey wrote:

Not really. If you are not a native-speaker
that's quite surprising.

One thing you really, really need to understand is that not every native English speaker is American. I cannot emphasise too strongly how much offence you can cause if you carry on thinking that.

Are they just using you like they do everybody else?

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