Pedants United
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Re: Pedants United
Yes, "z" is preferred by OED in -ize/ization words.
In general, OED reflects common usage, which is why they add current slang and also misuses of existing words. It is not their job, for example, to insist that "homophobia" literally means "fear of the same".
"I suppose you could say there are less dialects to deal with"
I would say there are fewer dialects.
In general, OED reflects common usage, which is why they add current slang and also misuses of existing words. It is not their job, for example, to insist that "homophobia" literally means "fear of the same".
"I suppose you could say there are less dialects to deal with"
I would say there are fewer dialects.
- MJMcCready
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Re: Pedants United
The AmE and BrE distinction suffers mostly from the following two; its over-simplified enormously given that in both cases the accepted model (The queen's English in BrE) is in a vast minority, and the multitude of variations in both is often overlooked completely; regional and historical developments are usually bypassed, amd as it stands, no one on the planet is daft enough to attempt to account for both Ame and Bre definitely. You could argue that the distinction between the two does help with spelling but little beyond that. oh btw, according to David Crystal, the accepted norm is that the accent in present day American English is exactly what cockney English was spoken with in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- MJMcCready
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Re: Pedants United
ha ha, yes fair point. And ENglish isn't inflectional anymore although, courtesy of Shakespeare mostly, we do have an annoyingly large amount of prefixs and suffixs, but that's much easier to manage.Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:04 amYes, "z" is preferred by OED in -ize/ization words.
In general, OED reflects common usage, which is why they add current slang and also misuses of existing words. It is not their job, for example, to insist that "homophobia" literally means "fear of the same".
"I suppose you could say there are less dialects to deal with"
I would say there are fewer dialects.
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Re: Pedants United
I think it is their job to point out that a phobia is a fear of something, not a hatred of it. Unless, of course, they believe that the traditional meaning has been extinguished, in which case they would be wrong.Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:04 amIt is not their job, for example, to insist that "homophobia" literally means "fear of the same".
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
- John Clarke
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Re: Pedants United
Another of my pet peeves. From a recent on-line Guardian story:
"Should Trump refuse to leave office, America could be plunged into a constitutional crisis and find itself in unchartered territory."
Territory they wouldn't have actually hired, eh? Given the choice, I wouldn't hire it myself.
"Should Trump refuse to leave office, America could be plunged into a constitutional crisis and find itself in unchartered territory."
Territory they wouldn't have actually hired, eh? Given the choice, I wouldn't hire it myself.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)
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Re: Pedants United
BBC News has a habit of stating that someone has been charged with or accused of alleged fraud. No - the person has been charged with or accused of fraud; alternatively, fraud has been alleged.
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Re: Pedants United
"I think it is their job to point out that a phobia is a fear of something, not a hatred of it."
Yes - I should have said that...
Yes - I should have said that...
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Re: Pedants United
I don't consider it pedantic to be intolerant of utter illiteracy.John Clarke wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:00 amAnother of my pet peeves. From a recent on-line Guardian story:
"Should Trump refuse to leave office, America could be plunged into a constitutional crisis and find itself in unchartered territory."
Territory they wouldn't have actually hired, eh? Given the choice, I wouldn't hire it myself.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
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Re: Pedants United
Can I point out my pet hate. Like. All these students being interviewed. Fresher's week is not how it was in my day. But all this 'like' being used, as a meaningless filler.
Just showing my age probably.
Just showing my age probably.
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Re: Pedants United
Another one is people saying, "Yes no". A cricket commentator was doing that recently. "Do you think X are well-placed here?" "Yeah no."
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Re: Pedants United
It kind of gets of gets on my nerves, like. And it gets on my nerves like, because it makes me feel very old like, because there is NO WAY I am ever going to speak like that, like never.
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Re: Pedants United
"It kind of gets of gets on my nerves, like. And it gets on my nerves like, because it makes me feel very old like, because there is NO WAY I am ever going to speak like that, like never."
You omitted frequent interjections of "know what I mean?"
You omitted frequent interjections of "know what I mean?"
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Re: Pedants United
Also, just heard it twice on Radio 5 Live, 'Do you know what...?'Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:17 pm"It kind of gets of gets on my nerves, like. And it gets on my nerves like, because it makes me feel very old like, because there is NO WAY I am ever going to speak like that, like never."
You omitted frequent interjections of "know what I mean?"
Can't be bothered to check, but I expect we have already had reference to 'Let me be clear...' and starting answers with 'So....'
- John Clarke
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Re: Pedants United
There's also "Look .... " as a preface to any statement, or answer to an unwelcome question. When Todd Muller was briefly leader of the opposition in NZ, we once counted 12 "looks" in a single three-minute TV interview with him.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)
Re: Pedants United
know what I mean Harry - been a while but Harry died and Frank has damage from boxing.
" x must score " gets on my wick - too many Radio 5 Live commentators.
" x must score " gets on my wick - too many Radio 5 Live commentators.