This discussion has been closed.
Posted by conductor (U2040502) on Thursday, 26th October 2006
I'm really sorry to be such a pedant, but in today's synopsis the spelling 'practicing' is used. There is no such word in English: it should be 'practising'.
Remember it is like 'advice' (noun) and 'advise' (verb).
Sorry again but my goat was got.
CR x
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by organists wife (U5330167) on Thursday, 26th October 2006
Hooray! This particular issue has been driving me mad.
I remember my schoolteacher telling me to: "take my advice and see the noun".
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by chinesewhitebedsock (U5822019) on Thursday, 26th October 2006
You obviously went to the same school as I did, Compassrose - or maybe everyone in the 60s was taught such useful ways of remembering tricky bits of grammar.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by any1 for tennis? (U4701076) on Thursday, 26th October 2006
Nothing wrong with being a pedant, Compassrose.
Thank you darlings.
Actually I don't remember learning this at school, though they were quite good on grammar etc. As a musician it's a word I come across a lot so I absorbed it somehow.
I also hate the way people say:-
'pacific' meaning 'specific'
and mixing up 'you and I' and 'you and me'.
try saying it without the other person
e.g.
"he told ME" -not "he told I"
and
"I went out" not "ME went out"
Corrected. You can sleep easy tonight, Compassrose.
Not to mention flaunt, flout and "the whole gambit"...
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by JennyDarling Long Gone (U250754) on Friday, 27th October 2006
Pedants arise, rejoice! Standards will be upheld!
I particularly hate "Bored of" instead of Bored with.
Not mention "What do you think TO this?" when it should be "What do you think OF this?"
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by Once-a-Ginge (U1486077) on Saturday, 28th October 2006
"Could of" instead of "could have" drives me mad. Can't they *hear* that it doesn't make sense?
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by youvedoneitnow (U6315347) on Saturday, 28th October 2006
It's using "refute" when "deny" is the right word (yes, even on Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú news) that really really really annoys me.
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by ExTAlistener (U3058291) on Saturday, 28th October 2006
On R4 you sometimes here in the same news bulletins "protest the verdict" and "protest his/her innocence" in close proximity.
Taken together it has to mean either in the first case that someone is advocating the correctness of a verdict or in the second that the accused person is taking issue with any idea that they are not guilty...
Corrected. You can sleep easy tonight, Compassrose.Â
Thank you, Mr Keri.
Perhaps there is an American on staff? I would not have noticed the spelling error because that's how we Yanks spell practicing with a C.
, in reply to message 7.
Posted by atishy, virgo intacta and unstuffed post changeover (U3927091) on Tuesday, 31st October 2006
Sekatery and parliment are two of my irritations, along with your pacific, Honeysuckle.
, in reply to message 16.
Posted by damsonjamqueen (U2828847) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006
atome (at home) is one of my hates.
Damson
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by rose madder (U4110856) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006
One battle that we have lost is the difference between few and less. All distinction between these two words seem to have completly disappeared, even among people who should know better. It really does annoy me!
, in reply to message 18.
Posted by atishy, virgo intacta and unstuffed post changeover (U3927091) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006
There's a small corner of the distinction here, Rose, we try!
Any fellow pedant want to talk about the loss of the question tag (, didn't they?....doesn't he?...wasn't it?), its replacement by the multi-purpose "right?" or the ghastly "innit?"?
My teeth are on edge and grating as I write...
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by springmaiden (U3676715) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006
A bit off course but I hate "If you will"[U.S] instead of "If you like". Sorry U.S. posters.
Pedant calling
Scroll on by
Quite a few phrases in the American language date back to the first settlers who took Shakespeare's English to the New World in the 17th century.
"If you will" is one example.
, in reply to message 22.
Posted by springmaiden (U3676715) on Wednesday, 1st November 2006
This might well be true but I still don't like it. It don't sit well in a modern context.
, in reply to message 23.
Posted by rose madder (U4110856) on Thursday, 2nd November 2006
I assume the "don't" is ironic?
I know someone who allways ends every sentence with an upward inflection as if they are asking a question. Too many Australian soaps!
, in reply to message 24.
Posted by springmaiden (U3676715) on Thursday, 2nd November 2006
Actually, in my part of the world, the dialect does go up at the end of quite a lot of sentences and always has done.
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by desperatehausfrau (U4496320) on Sunday, 5th November 2006
I hate '10 to the dozen', or something similar, when people have missed the point that those speaking quickly are trying to jam in more than 12 words to every dozen - not fewer!
Don't you mean "fewer and less" RM...?
One thing that does get me hopping mad is when they say on Radio 4 (of all places!) protest with the emphasis on the first syllable when it's used as a verb....
, in reply to message 27.
Posted by JennyDarling Long Gone (U250754) on Sunday, 5th November 2006
Not so much a grammar problem, but I hate it at Morrisons when the announcement girl speaks in a sing song voice. Up down up down up down etc. Puts me off buying whatever she is advocating!
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by Andmoreagain (U6190543) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
Very commonly used these days - "font of all knowledge" instead of "fount of all knowledge" - even on the Beeb. I don't know why I'm surprised actually, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú English having gorn the way of everything else. i.e. downhill.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by oldbutnotsad (U3645458) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
Slightly off kilter, but I particularly dislike those who cannot pronounce "h" as "aitch" and persist is saying "haych" - notably on R4
Lovely to find some other people who care about our language! I get very riled by the confusion between 'disinterested' and 'uninterested' - which is actually quite serious [give me a disinterested judge anytime I'm up in court, but defend me from an uninterested one!] Anybody else come across unfortunate men who have 'prostrate trouble'?! While around the theme, we also seem to have lost the distinction between 'floor' [indoors] and 'ground' [outside], not to mention the difference between 'prone' [or 'prostrate']and 'supine'. It sounds pedantic but in fact these sorts of confusions limit the flexibility and subtlety of the language.
Someone said, 'Off his own back' to me the other day. Surely it's 'off his own bat', isn't it? Cricketing metaphor and all that.
, in reply to message 32.
Posted by antiquelemonsqueezer (U5585422) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
The word 'decimate' has completely changed its meaning through misuse, from very specific (culling one in ten) to generalised carnage. A useful and unique single word for a concept completely lost.
, in reply to message 33.
Posted by JennyDarling Long Gone (U250754) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
I heard that "font of all knowledge" today, too, and thought I'd misheard, but obviously not.
And Haitch - I do so hate that!
I have a friend who says azzackly instead of exactly. Grr!
, in reply to message 33.
Posted by ExTAlistener (U3058291) on Wednesday, 15th November 2006
Similarly "a myriad" which specifically refers to the number £10,000 but is used to mean innumerable...
, in reply to message 33.
Posted by Dragonfly (U2223700) on Wednesday, 15th November 2006
ALS, other than when discussing Roman military punishments, I'm at a loss to think when I might want to use verb that means culling one in ten. A verb that means inflicting generalised carnage, however, is required quite a lot (and always has been).
Language changes. Words change their meaning all the time. We all have pet words we don't want to change, but they will. (How many people nowadays use 'nice' to mean fastidious?) Otherwise we would all still be speaking Proto-Indo-European or in a system of grunts.
Five and a half years of threads like this have almost cured me of pedantry, I think.
, in reply to message 36.
Posted by conductor (U2040502) on Wednesday, 15th November 2006
Calm down everyone.
It seems that a post about spelling, pronunciation or usage is like leaving an open jam pot in a meadow. Swarms!!!!!!
I had no idea what I was starting.
, in reply to message 36.
Posted by ExTAlistener (U3058291) on Thursday, 16th November 2006
Ah, df, but your supposed indifference to the niceties of verbal expression is contradicted by your own impeccable use of words, sentence structure and punctuation.
, in reply to message 38.
Posted by antiquelemonsqueezer (U5585422) on Thursday, 16th November 2006
Actually df you're right in connecting 'decimate'
with Roman military tactics but wrong in asserting its use stops there. Anyone writing about about German-occupied countries in the last war would have found it useful, as shooting one in ten was a recognised reprisal for an uppity village. There are lots of words and phrases for generalised carnage, we didn't need to ruin a specialised usage to appropriate another one. And if noting that fact makes me a pedant, so be it.
Sorry, ALS, I was a bit tetchy yesterday, on reflection. I genuinely didn't know that decimate had a more recent currency, so thanks for that.
Rick - thank you. I'm more inclined to credit my old-fashioned teachers (how lucky I was) than my pedantry, though!
Hallo, again, M. We don't seem to "meet" on many threads these days, but lovely to see you posting and thriving and tetchily, nay, with asperity, putting your admirable oar in. We pedants must stick together.
In case you've forgotten me, think Sarf-East Lunnon and Cheeseman's [RIP]
jx
Certainly haven't forgotten you, Jane! Some near neighbours are girding their loins for yet another campaign against Lewisham Council's umpteenth Grand Plan to re-vamp/revitalise/regenerate the town centre.
I wonder if Borchester Town Council is similarly fixated?
, in reply to message 34.
Posted by Andmoreagain (U6190543) on Thursday, 16th November 2006
Yes I hate Haitch too, and am reminded every time I ring our HR Department. Yes, they ALL say it wrong.
, in reply to message 43.
Posted by Kate McLaren etc (U2202067) on Friday, 17th November 2006
Errr...I am probably one of the most pedantic of pedants, being the daughter not only of immigrants, but also of a poet; and having done 2 (two) degrees in Classics.
However, "haitch" is a regional thing and perfectly acceptable when said by someone from the relevant region (Wales? PArts of Scotland? Not sure). In certain parts of Scotland it is pronounced "etch". I say "aitch", and expect people with accents simlar to mine to do the same, but don't object to haitch in the right place.
However, "mitigate against".....GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!
lots of irish friends pronounce it 'haitch'. and my mother used to. not irish though, a londoner.
, in reply to message 45.
Posted by beautyofbuttermere (U6537307) on Friday, 17th November 2006
The difference between "fewer" and "less" hasn't completely disappeared. After complaints from customers, M and S now have tills for "10 items or fewer"...
Plural verb with singular word is my absolute hate. The government are..... The committee are.... even Radio 4. Can't bear it. Call me old and grumpy because that's exactly what I am!
, in reply to message 47.
Posted by springmaiden (U3676715) on Friday, 17th November 2006
I must be a grump too then auntylaura.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Rollingintheclover (U6536272) on Friday, 17th November 2006
*Climbs atop soap box*
My bete noire is the misuse of the indefinite article: " ...an historic event..." "...an hotel..." Yes those at the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú I point an accusatory finger at you, really, you should know better at your age. Mr Fowler will be spinning in his grave.
, in reply to message 47.
Posted by ExTAlistener (U3058291) on Saturday, 18th November 2006
So we should therefore say "a lot of people is unhappy" rather than "a lot of people are unhappy"...?
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