So, to complement the Word-geek thread, I'd like to ask what mistakes you find most annoying in the contemporary use of the English language.
I've already outed one - MATHS, not MATH (I'll fight you Americans to the death for this one). Here're some more:
- Their, there, they're.
- 'Could of' instead of 'could have'.
- Extraneous use of apostrophe's... (just like that).
- txtspk.
So, give me some more by which to be enraged.
I ask for merciless intolerance for anyone in this thread making spelling, grammatical or punctuative mistakes... and welcome the same personally!
I recently sat at a table with several English grad students when a vicious fight broke out:
According to the most recent edition MLA hand-book, each new paragraph must be indented to distinguish itself from the previous paragraph. However, the manual also requires that the first paragraph be indented. One student thought this was an outrage because, if it is the first paragraph, it doesn't need to be distinguished from the preceding paragraph. He was sticking to his guns, no matter how many times everyone else pointed out that it was the manual. Oh no, he insisted, the manual was wrong!
On a personal level, my older sister consistently misspells my son's name. It's not a crazy complicated or made up name, it's traditionally Irish and it's pretty phonetic. But she always changes the "o" in his name to an "e"; even if I have JUST written out his name, or she's commenting on a picture of him with his correctly spelled name right there. It drives me batty.
I like imitating speech, I s'pose I shouldn't, I just do it 'cause I like the sound of it.
I have caught myself making mistakes with their, there, they're.
I don't know when decimate lost its association with a loss of one in ten. It is annoying when a fire kills 95% of a town but why understate the misfortune by describing the town as being decimated?
Quote from: Scissorlegs on December 20, 2011, 02:18:07 PM
- Their, there, they're.
Also, theyr, thar and other variations.
Then and than comes to mind, although I can be guilty of messing those up myself on occasion.
Also, there is his versus he's...
Ooh, I suppose my list would be a long one, were I to really sit down and compile it.
Oh, man!, did I really spell bugbears wrong?!
Kill me now...
Quote from: Scissorlegs on December 20, 2011, 04:17:32 PM
Oh, man!, did I really spell bugbears wrong?!
Kill me now...
I must say I did wonder what a bugears was :D
IMO bugears was more fun. ;D
As a student of linguistic history I try not to hate any new developments. I don't always suceed.
I do feel very sad because most speakers have lost the feel for pronoun agreement unless the pronoun stands next to the noun. Even these days, no native speaker would say He spoke to I, but stick a small distraction in the middle and they'll happily come out with He spoke to my friend and I. OMFSM, have we sunk to this? Objectively, I know that the language has now lost so many grammatical agreements that speakers are bound to lose the feel for the few we have left But I don't like it. Take me back to the days when English had solid grammar you could chew on.
Oh, I'm also not a fan of the "American" spelling of things, i.e. "color" instead of "colour" that kind of thing.
Upon some googling, I've found a neat chart comparing UK/Canadian/American spelling.
It's large, though, so I'll post a link: http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm (http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm)
Quote from: OldGit on December 20, 2011, 04:40:01 PM
IMO bugears was more fun. ;D
As a student of linguistic history I try not to hate any new developments. I don't always suceed.
I do feel very sad because most speakers have lost the feel for pronoun agreement unless the pronoun stands next to the noun. Even these days, no native speaker would say He spoke to I, but stick a small distraction in the middle and they'll happily come out with He spoke to my friend and I. OMFSM, have we sunk to this? Objectively, I know that the language has now lost so many grammatical agreements that speakers are bound to lose the feel for the few we have left But I don't like it. Take me back to the days when English had solid grammar you could chew on.
My mum always used to correct us (used to always correct us???... corrected us always???) to say 'someone and
I', instead of 'me'. I continue to do this with my kids, but I fear it's just pissing in the wind because they're gonna be the odd ones out at school for talking properly.
I wonder what you, or anyone else thinks of the emergence of the jamaican twang that has come into common use, particularly in South and East London. I cannot bear to be spoken to in this lazy, pseudo-accent. I certainly will not accept this kind of disrespect around me in the work environment. But we are led to believe this is just another progression of regional accents. Am I just being curmugeonly or am I right to defend pronunciation of 't's and denounce a falsified accent?
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on December 20, 2011, 05:01:45 PM
Oh, I'm also not a fan of the "American" spelling of things, i.e. "color" instead of "colour" that kind of thing.
Upon some googling, I've found a neat chart comparing UK/Canadian/American spelling.
It's large, though, so I'll post a link: http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm (http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm)
Great chart (bookmarked it ;-)
I'm a big fan of differences, both in spelling and pronunciation. I think it gives color (or colour) to our expression of language.
(but some things are just wrong, like its, it's, and its' usage)
I understand that spelling differences have arisen as people migrated, but what about words like "aluminium" vs. "aluminum"?
There's a whole extra syllable in that one!
With indigenous dialects and languages disappearing on a regular basis thanks to globalization and the internet, will it be long before there is one common language? Should it be English? Or maybe Mandarin?
Esperanto anyone?
JoeActor
p.s. and don't get me started on "whom".
Quote
I understand that spelling differences have arisen as people migrated, but what about words like "aluminium" vs. "aluminum"?
There's a whole extra syllable in that one!
I think you'll find there's one missing... ;D
While spelling and grammar may differ, I think we should agree that there is no sense in English accents. I am blessed to have no accent at all having been born into the purest area of spoken English. So. Cal.
My proof: Listen to most all singers that sing in their native language of English (Brit/Aussie/U.S.). The pronunciation is almost the same. With the exception of thick Irish English, they all sing with what I call the So. Cal. English...that's to say, with no accent at all.
TIC.
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on December 20, 2011, 05:01:45 PM
Oh, I'm also not a fan of the "American" spelling of things, i.e. "color" instead of "colour" that kind of thing.
Yes, and then Microsoft Office defaults to American, Nek Minute we have Kiwis writing documents or putting up presentations in American, Zed's everywhere, but those U's, where'd they go?
Quote from: Stevil on December 20, 2011, 06:11:31 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on December 20, 2011, 05:01:45 PM
Oh, I'm also not a fan of the "American" spelling of things, i.e. "color" instead of "colour" that kind of thing.
Yes, and then Microsoft Office defaults to American, Nek Minute we have Kiwis writing documents or putting up presentations in American, Zed's everywhere, but those U's, where'd they go?
Yes! Curse those misleading red squigglies!
Quote from: Tank on December 20, 2011, 04:30:16 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on December 20, 2011, 04:17:32 PM
Oh, man!, did I really spell bugbears wrong?!
Kill me now...
I must say I did wonder what a bugears was :D
The Asmo did as well, but he found out that a bug-ear must be the same as... Well, a burr in the butt. ;D
Besides those already listed, there are a few that drive me nuts.
Loose and lose. This comes up a lot on the football boards that I read.
People who say "basically" too much. It either is or it isn't. Not basically.
"Whole 'nother". Of course they mean whole other, because it can't be shortened from whole another. That just makes no sense.
I try to be grammatically correct and use proper grammar and syntax, even in informal text messages.
Quote from: hismikeness on December 20, 2011, 07:22:04 PM
People who say "basically" too much.
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa174%2Fbrowneyed-girl%2Fsmilies%2520encyclopedia%2Fbad-behaviour%2520offend%2520offended%2520tease%2Foffended.gif&hash=3843d88067662bc6eccda1333434b513e1117df7)
I tend to just snicker to myself rather than being disgusted or outraged. Very, very few people are faultless in their spelling, usage, diction, punctuation and grammar. As for the erstwhile title of the thread, that can be seen as paying homage to the subtle meme which predicts that any writing which calls attention to faults or errors in grammar, punctuation or spelling shall never itself be impeccable.
Unique used to describe things that aren't unique. Confusing where and were (which I do, a lot). Writing Jones's instead of Jones'. Yes, I know the first one is currently considered correct but it looks like a snake's hiss being spelled out.
Quote from: Scissorlegs on December 20, 2011, 02:18:07 PM
I've already outed one - MATHS, not MATH (I'll fight you Americans to the death for this one).
No need to fight, but some phrases have just developed differently on the other side of the pond, and this is one of them. We speak American English, and that's how we say it here, so it's not an issue of right/wrong.
One of the ones that gets me is the improper use of "then" when "than" is appropriate (grammar still matters, even over here). "Five is greater
than four" is correct.
Also, people over-compensate on the use of "I", as in "John and I," so they use "I" when "me" is appropriate, such as when it is the object rather than the subject. "John and I went to the movies" is fine, but when they are the object instead of the subject, "They gave John and me money" is correct. Break it down into individual sentences: "They gave John money" + "They gave me money" = "They gave John and me money."
Quote from: Recusant on December 20, 2011, 09:36:52 PM
As for the erstwhile title of the thread, that can be seen as paying homage to the subtle meme which predicts that any writing which calls attention to faults or errors in grammar, punctuation or spelling shall never itself be impeccable.
^ :D
Ha, ha. You cleverly spotted the deliberate tease! :P
Redundant apostrophes.
Tomato's £1.50 per kilo
Will employee's please report to the staffroom at 10am
Please return the dumbell's to the rack's.
I've witnessed these travesties over the last 2 days.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!.... >:( ::)
The Blog of Unnecessary Quotes (http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com) seems to fit the theme of this thread.
This isn't a bugbear.
"As is my want" makes sense, a pretentious/stylish way to say it's what you wanted.
"As is my my wont" makes sense too, an extra pretentious/stylish way to say because that's how I do it.
Noun: wont - An established custom.
Quote from: Asmodean on December 20, 2011, 02:46:05 PM
Quote from: Scissorlegs on December 20, 2011, 02:18:07 PM
- Their, there, they're.
Also, theyr, thar and other variations.
Heh, I tend to use thar sometimes. Usually only in the intro forum and around friends when we're goofing off.
I have issues with commas. I always feel like I put too many in my writing, but if I leave them out it seems like I'm missing something. I also have issues with to and too. Never quite got the rule for using them.
It absolutely irritates me to no end when people use text chat. I have a friend who always texts me in chat speak and it takes forever to figure it out. It's a text, not a spy code >:(
Quote from: Budhorse4 on December 26, 2011, 12:08:06 AM
I also have issues with to and too. Never quite got the rule for using them.
Swede, right? To is
å or
til. Too is
også. That's Norwegian, but close enough :P
To has one "o" which seems a reasonable thing to do.
Too has "oo," which could be considered too much.
I saw this a few years ago and thought it was pretty good. I wish I knew where it came from so I could give them credit.
Five year phase-in plan for "EuroEnglish"
The European Commission have just announced an agreement whereby
English will be the official language of the EU, rather than German, which
was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, Her Majesty's
government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and
has accepted a five year phase in plan that would be known as "EuroEnglish".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will
make the sivil servants jump for joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour
of the "k". This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kan have 1 less
letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year, when the
troublesome "ph" will be replaced with the "f". This will make words like
"fotograf" 20% shorter.
In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always
ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horible mes of
the silent "e"s in the language is disgraseful, and they should go away.
By the 4th year, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th"
with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords
kontaining "ou" and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer
kombinations of leters. After zis fifz year, ve vil hav a realy sensibl
riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrivun vil find it
ezi to understand each ozer
ZE DREAM VIL FINALI KUM TRU!
Quote from: lomfs24 on December 26, 2011, 05:45:02 AM
I saw this a few years ago and thought it was pretty good. I wish I knew where it came from so I could give them credit.
Five year phase-in plan for "EuroEnglish"
The European Commission have just announced an agreement whereby
English will be the official language of the EU, rather than German, which
was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, Her Majesty's
government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and
has accepted a five year phase in plan that would be known as "EuroEnglish".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will
make the sivil servants jump for joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour
of the "k". This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kan have 1 less
letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year, when the
troublesome "ph" will be replaced with the "f". This will make words like
"fotograf" 20% shorter.
In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always
ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horible mes of
the silent "e"s in the language is disgraseful, and they should go away.
By the 4th year, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th"
with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords
kontaining "ou" and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer
kombinations of leters. After zis fifz year, ve vil hav a realy sensibl
riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrivun vil find it
ezi to understand each ozer
ZE DREAM VIL FINALI KUM TRU!
LOL :D
Still better than txt though.
I have one that I do constantly and after 10 years of trying to stop, it isn't going to happen.
"A whole nother"... UGH. A whole nother thing, a whole nother story, etc... It's awful.
^ I've never paid much attention to that, but now that I think about it, it doesn't really make much sense.
I think it's a weird mix of "another" and "a whole other"
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on December 26, 2011, 01:32:16 AM
To has one "o" which seems a reasonable thing to do.
Too has "oo," which could be considered too much.
I <3 you. This is exactly the sort of humor (humour?) that I love.
I have to admit that grammar and spelling aren't my biggest strengths - at least when I am writing in an informal setting such as on a message board or a personal email. I like to speak in my own "voice" which isn't always grammatically correct, and for some reason my work computer (yes, I often post from work) doesn't catch misspellings online. I could type everything out in a Word document before posting, but I'm purely too lazy. The funny part is that I'm actually pretty good at grammar and punctutation when I try. My husband is an English teacher, and when he was working on his Master's, I used to proof read all of his papers for him. But other than helping the hubs get the grades, I'm a lazy thing, so what you see is what you get.
Of course, now you've all exposed your soft underbellies to me. Now I know that errant apostrophes and incorrect "yours" will drive you all insane. So watch yourselves. Because some day, if you chance my wrath, I will drink a bottle of red wine and begin r@nt'in n l33t txtpk UnTILLL UR TR3MBlN' b4 M333333!!!!!'!
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
I <3 you.
Back when The Asmo was but a tiny lump of clay, it took him quite some time to figure out what people meant by "I less than three somebody". Seemed like an exercise in obviousness. When speaking of and to people of the same age, NOT being <3 someone would make one a fatass indeed...
Eventually, however, some chat service was kind enough to point out to The Asmo, that the "less than" and the "three" formed a heart, in the sideways way of smileys. The Asmo, however, still thinks the thing looks more like balls hanging out a hole in the pants. ???
Quote from: Asmodean on January 06, 2012, 06:14:20 PM
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
I <3 you.
Back when The Asmo was but a tiny lump of clay, it took him quite some time to figure out what people meant by "I less than three somebody". Seemed like an exercise in obviousness. When speaking of and to people of the same age, NOT being <3 someone would make one a fatass indeed...
Eventually, however, some chat service was kind enough to point out to The Asmo, that the "less than" and the "three" formed a heart, in the sideways way of smileys. The Asmo, however, still thinks the thing looks more like balls hanging out a hole in the pants. ???
So in your mind Ali said "I teabagged you"?
Quote from: Budhorse4 on January 06, 2012, 06:17:22 PM
So in your mind Ali said "I teabagged you"?
Well... Yes. ;D
Quote from: Asmodean on January 06, 2012, 06:23:12 PM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on January 06, 2012, 06:17:22 PM
So in your mind Ali said "I teabagged you"?
Well... Yes. ;D
That's totally what I meant. I teabag you, Magic Pudding. What is this other use of <3 that you speak of? ;D
The only one that ever really bothers me is using loose instead of lose. It just makes me cringe every time i see it, and I feel like it's the most misspelled word out there on teh interwebz.
It just makes me loose my mind every time I see it.
thankyou as one word
Quote from: Stevil on January 06, 2012, 08:37:54 PMthankyou as one word
I see that alot.
Another one that kind of bugs me is when someone writes, "[...] he thought to himself." Like he could think to anyone else.
Quote from: Davin on January 06, 2012, 08:49:41 PM
Quote from: Stevil on January 06, 2012, 08:37:54 PMthankyou as one word
I see that alot.
Another one that kind of bugs me is when someone writes, "[...] he thought to himself." Like he could think to anyone else.
Alot as one word
Quote from: Scissorlegs on January 06, 2012, 09:03:10 PM
Quote from: Davin on January 06, 2012, 08:49:41 PM
Quote from: Stevil on January 06, 2012, 08:37:54 PMthankyou as one word
I see that alot.
Another one that kind of bugs me is when someone writes, "[...] he thought to himself." Like he could think to anyone else.
Alot as one word
Exactly!
Quote from: Scissorlegs on January 06, 2012, 09:03:10 PM
Quote from: Davin on January 06, 2012, 08:49:41 PM
Quote from: Stevil on January 06, 2012, 08:37:54 PMthankyou as one word
I see that alot.
Another one that kind of bugs me is when someone writes, "[...] he thought to himself." Like he could think to anyone else.
Alot as one word
I remember a sign on the wall of my grade school classroom that said "A lot is two words." I remember thinking that essays in that class were going to be a breeze because three words would be more than a lot.
"hmmm...", I thought too myself, I could of... no, I should of basically written more in my last post. I definately could care less about all this, but if I write what I'm literally thinking, then, I might loose alot of your's interest and might just have to find a whole nother forum to post at. Their's just to many of you that basically decimate the entire forum posting about how you h8 the bugears that people write. I don't get it. Alot of my friend's and me are different backgrounds, and different colors, and different in many ways.... And there some of the best people I know, literally. I less than three every single one of them. So thankyou for listening. Its' something important to me, and I don't want all of you to loose sight of what's important.
<3
Quote from: Ihateyoumike on January 06, 2012, 09:20:59 PM"hmmm...", I thought too myself, I could of... no, I should of basically written more in my last post. I definately could care less about all this, but if I write what I'm literally thinking, then, I might loose alot of your's interest and might just have to find a whole nother forum to post at. Their's just to many of you that basically decimate the entire forum posting about how you h8 the bugears that people write. I don't get it. Alot of my friend's and me are different backgrounds, and different colors, and different in many ways.... And there some of the best people I know, literally. I less than three every single one of them. So thankyou for listening. Its' something important to me, and I don't want all of you to loose sight of what's important.
<3
:o ;D :D
Really, the only stuff that really bugs me, is when I make typos. ONe thing I do is to hold the shift key down for two instead one letters. I also tendto miss the space bar sometimes. Although I do enjoy it when I type teh word "the" as "teh" because it's funny. My biggest problem though, is that I tend to mix tenses in a single sentence that I wrote. Relax man, you're two tenses.
This thread has completely ruined sideways hearts for me
</3
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 07, 2012, 04:16:49 AM
This thread has completely ruined sideways hearts for me
</3
;D
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
Of course, now you've all exposed your soft underbellies to me. Now I know that errant apostrophes and incorrect "yours" will drive you all insane. So watch yourselves. Because some day, if you chance my wrath, I will drink a bottle of red wine and begin r@nt'in n l33t txtpk UnTILLL UR TR3MBlN' b4 M333333!!!!!'!
The scary/impressive thing is I think that says; Ranting in elite text speak until you're trembling before me!!!!
Quote from: Asmodean on January 06, 2012, 06:14:20 PM
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
I <3 you.
Back when The Asmo was but a tiny lump of clay, it took him quite some time to figure out what people meant by "I less than three somebody". Seemed like an exercise in obviousness. When speaking of and to people of the same age, NOT being <3 someone would make one a fatass indeed...
Eventually, however, some chat service was kind enough to point out to The Asmo, that the "less than" and the "three" formed a heart, in the sideways way of smileys. The Asmo, however, still thinks the thing looks more like balls hanging out a hole in the pants. ???
Agreed, the "I love you" or heart image '<3' threw me for longer than most.
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 06, 2012, 09:20:38 PM
I remember a sign on the wall of my grade school classroom that said "A lot is two words." I remember thinking that essays in that class were going to be a breeze because three words would be more than a lot.
Teachers can be so cruel sometimes :D
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 07, 2012, 04:16:49 AM
This thread has completely ruined sideways hearts for me
</3
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg143.imageshack.us%2Fimg143%2F4363%2Fssoq9.gif&hash=c8ec41881f567ed1c6f813d019db13e650c0a5d3)
Quote from: Tank on January 07, 2012, 05:01:52 AM
Agreed, the "I love you" or heart image '<3' threw me for longer than most.
Looks like tits to me.
Perhaps I have a problem.
I think I'll go make some toast, see what I can see.
I would rather be tea bagged by tits than testicles if I have a choice.
I do try to keep my expectations realistic, just a nice cup of tea made with proper leaves and without scrotum would be fine.
Sorry guys! :D
Some friends of mine started posting 143. Confused me so I had to ask. It was explained to me that it was an even more retarded way to say I love you. You see I has 1 letter love has 4 letters and you has 3. I think that if I am too much of a bother to spend a couple extra seconds to type I love you then don't bother saying it at all.
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 07, 2012, 07:36:18 AM
Some friends of mine started posting 143. Confused me so I had to ask. It was explained to me that it was an even more retarded way to say I love you. You see I has 1 letter love has 4 letters and you has 3. I think that if I am too much of a bother to spend a couple extra seconds to type I love you then don't bother saying it at all.
That is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. ::)
Quote from: Budhorse4 on January 07, 2012, 07:48:14 AM
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 07, 2012, 07:36:18 AM
Some friends of mine started posting 143. Confused me so I had to ask. It was explained to me that it was an even more retarded way to say I love you. You see I has 1 letter love has 4 letters and you has 3. I think that if I am too much of a bother to spend a couple extra seconds to type I love you then don't bother saying it at all.
That is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. ::)
Did your friend just invent this?
Quote from: Tank on January 07, 2012, 04:59:50 AM
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
Of course, now you've all exposed your soft underbellies to me. Now I know that errant apostrophes and incorrect "yours" will drive you all insane. So watch yourselves. Because some day, if you chance my wrath, I will drink a bottle of red wine and begin r@nt'in n l33t txtpk UnTILLL UR TR3MBlN' b4 M333333!!!!!'!
The scary/impressive thing is I think that says; Ranting in elite text speak until you're trembling before me!!!!
;)
Quote from: Ali on January 07, 2012, 03:31:19 PM
Quote from: Tank on January 07, 2012, 04:59:50 AM
Quote from: Ali on January 06, 2012, 06:07:21 PM
Of course, now you've all exposed your soft underbellies to me. Now I know that errant apostrophes and incorrect "yours" will drive you all insane. So watch yourselves. Because some day, if you chance my wrath, I will drink a bottle of red wine and begin r@nt'in n l33t txtpk UnTILLL UR TR3MBlN' b4 M333333!!!!!'!
The scary/impressive thing is I think that says; Ranting in elite text speak until you're trembling before me!!!!
;)
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F3057%2Fyipeesh7.gif&hash=0d60ef5d360fad8f5d8b5baa4ba35aa77de31725)
I am so stealing that frolicking smiley!
Did you ever raed the email aubot rrseecah form Cbaimgrde Usvirentiy aubot scarmelbd letetrs? Fncsiaitnag suftf! Aaplpntery, as long as you get the fsirt and last lterets ccreort, the rest of the wrod can be jmeubld, but stlil reldaabe...
Quote from: joeactor on January 07, 2012, 03:44:32 PM
Did you ever raed the email aubot rrseecah form Cbaimgrde Usvirentiy aubot scarmelbd letetrs? Fncsiaitnag suftf! Aaplpntery, as long as you get the fsirt and last lterets ccreort, the rest of the wrod can be jmeubld, but stlil reldaabe...
Extractry!
Quote from: joeactor on January 07, 2012, 03:44:32 PM
Did you ever raed the email aubot rrseecah form Cbaimgrde Usvirentiy aubot scarmelbd letetrs? Fncsiaitnag suftf! Aaplpntery, as long as you get the fsirt and last lterets ccreort, the rest of the wrod can be jmeubld, but stlil reldaabe...
Didn't even realize it was scrambled until I put my contacts in. :D
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 07, 2012, 03:21:31 PM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on January 07, 2012, 07:48:14 AM
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 07, 2012, 07:36:18 AM
Some friends of mine started posting 143. Confused me so I had to ask. It was explained to me that it was an even more retarded way to say I love you. You see I has 1 letter love has 4 letters and you has 3. I think that if I am too much of a bother to spend a couple extra seconds to type I love you then don't bother saying it at all.
That is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. ::)
Did your friend just invent this?
Apparently not because my wife knew what they were talking about.
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 07, 2012, 09:16:26 PM
Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on January 07, 2012, 03:21:31 PM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on January 07, 2012, 07:48:14 AM
Quote from: lomfs24 on January 07, 2012, 07:36:18 AM
Some friends of mine started posting 143. Confused me so I had to ask. It was explained to me that it was an even more retarded way to say I love you. You see I has 1 letter love has 4 letters and you has 3. I think that if I am too much of a bother to spend a couple extra seconds to type I love you then don't bother saying it at all.
That is about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. ::)
Did your friend just invent this?
Apparently not because my wife knew what they were talking about.
I seem to recall that is an old pager code (as in, if you wanted to page your girlfriend or boyfriend just to tell him/her that you love them.) The only other one I remember is 911 (which meant IMPORTANT! Call me back NOW!)
Am I dating myself to you young whippersnappers by admitting that I had a pager in high school? It was purple and sparkly.
OK, being interested in language and how it is used I was looking for a suitable thread and found this from way-back, so I decided to bump it.
In an item on the BBC tge interviewee wittered on for a minute with badly constructed sentences and the said, "You know what I'm saying to you?"
My immediate answer was, "No." However the interviewer had to be nore circumspect and ask questions to unravel the intent.
I understand that language changes over time but the irrelevant, "You know . . .", " I'm just saying . . .", "So . . ." and other utterance still gets on my tits!
The excessive conservatism Brits have over the language that not only they use.
Quote from: Arturo on June 01, 2018, 07:50:16 PM
The excessive conservatism Brits have over the language that not only they use.
I'd say that the British are at least as inventive with the language as anybody else who uses it. In fact, a respectable percentage of the differences between "American" and "British" are due to modifications British speakers have introduced over the years since Americans split from them, while Americans continue to use forms that have become archaic in Britain.
Quote from: Recusant on June 01, 2018, 10:24:15 PM
Quote from: Arturo on June 01, 2018, 07:50:16 PM
The excessive conservatism Brits have over the language that not only they use.
I'd say that the British are at least as inventive with the language as anybody else who uses it. In fact, a respectable percentage of the differences between "American" and "British" are due to modifications British speakers have introduced over the years since Americans split from them, while Americans continue to use forms that have become archaic in Britain.
So things like...I don't know, uh..."motherfucker", "fucking bitch", "shithead", all I can think of are swears at the moment. Some things I get when other people say them who are from the UK, but the context is sometimes lost so I go down a different road. My friend was half Irish and half British in high school so it's kind of with me because he lived across the street. But certain things I don't get. I think he would probably get it more than I would.
Quote from: Recusant on June 01, 2018, 10:24:15 PM
Quote from: Arturo on June 01, 2018, 07:50:16 PM
The excessive conservatism Brits have over the language that not only they use.
I'd say that the British are at least as inventive with the language as anybody else who uses it. In fact, a respectable percentage of the differences between "American" and "British" are due to modifications British speakers have introduced over the years since Americans split from them, while Americans continue to use forms that have become archaic in Britain.
Yes, still some 17th century words, uses and pronounciations slive in America, especially in the deeper country accents. The movie industry, TV and the Internrt smears things and now I find myself using American words. But that's OK, I use French, German, Italian, Grerk, Indian, Arabic and other words as well quite happily. Though I reist things like, "one point twenty five" and the illogical mm/dd/yyyy system (though yyyy/mm/dd has its uses).
Quote from: Arturo on June 01, 2018, 11:27:55 PMSo things like...I don't know, uh..."motherfucker", "fucking bitch", "shithead", all I can think of are swears at the moment.
No. I'll give you one example, and provide a link that you may find instructive. In the US, "flapjack" is synonymous with "pancake." That was one of the original meanings of the word in Britain, centuries ago. However in modern British English, a "flapjack" is what Americans would call an "oat bar" or a "granola bar."
"The Survival of Archaic English in the American Dialect" |
Out of This Century (https://outofthiscentury.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/the-survival-of-archaic-english-in-the-american-dialect/)
Note that in the quote from Mencken's
The American Language in the linked article, Mencken mentions "flapjack" as a word that has disappeared in Britain. It returned to British English around 1935 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapjack_(oat_bar)) (years after the first edition of Mencken's work appeared), referring to something that really has little to do with its original meaning.
Interesting read. Most of those words I never hear used and ice-cream was the most surprising to me.
An American doctor, during some experimental work I was involved in, told a nurse to, "Set it on that table", refering to an instrument, rather than "Put it on that table." I listened carefully to his English after that and asked him where he came from - New England. As I remrmber that is a hit-bed of such archaisms as "skillet" and "scallion", "frying pan" and "spring onion" in modern English English. - though the latter is also the modern American "green onions" I think.
So, yes, Arturo, American English can be more "conservative" than modern English English. But, just as we acquired words from our invaders and colonies then American acquires them from First Nation languages and immigrants. Then, through language drift, generates its own usages and phrases - as did England from 1000 years ago to the current date. And is still doing so.
It's just that, in every shorter time scale, there will be those who bemoan those changes. George Bernard Shaw (an Irishman!) said, "The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language." Actually the Irish are well accomplished in using language, possibly due to story telling and verbsl history being used, rather than "fixed" textbooks, there for much longer than in England. Oh, and Shaw moved to London at age 10.