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Author Topic: Correct use of the English Language  (Read 66697 times)

essex2visuvesi

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #100 on: December 13, 2015, 11:42:05 pm »

But then again is "English" not a bastardisation of several other languages?
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Martin [Admin]

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #101 on: December 14, 2015, 09:10:34 pm »

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Nemo

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #102 on: December 14, 2015, 10:18:44 pm »

What about 'The vast majority'! Is not a majority just that?    Is this phrase not an example of the worst possible use of the incorrectness of the language we speak? Yet it is in use constantly, particularly in the media,  by those who should know better - and that includes the well-educated.  O0
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #103 on: December 14, 2015, 10:27:04 pm »

Well, you could have a small majority so why not a large or even a vast one? The latter implies a very high majority which obviously has more impact than perhaps 51%.

One of the phrases I hate the most is 'going forward' - seem to see or hear it all the time these days.

Colin
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inertia

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #104 on: December 14, 2015, 11:35:48 pm »

the worst possible use of the incorrectness of the language we speak

"¿Qué?"
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derekwarner

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #105 on: December 14, 2015, 11:51:28 pm »

 >>:-(...& Colin says......   ''One of the phrases I hate the most is 'going forward"

Must agree Colin......[moving forward or going forward] .....have you ever noticed that when the phrase is used...the speaker always appears to be rambling on about ...

1. intangible ideas...[or and that the speaker is speaking with FORK tongue]
2. that they [themselves] are the only one's with a vision to progress......[onward or in a forward manner]
3. by their implication.....are suggesting the balance of society [that's  %) you & me {I & us...or them & me }] are dimwits and in reverse gear..............

Derek
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Capt Podge

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #106 on: December 15, 2015, 12:14:38 am »

One of the most irritating terms in use today - the word "quintessential" (meaning "typical").
 
Irritating news reader? watch Fiona Bruce, swivelling her head from side to side in just about every other sentence. >>:-(
(perhaps this is to disguise the fact that she is reading from an autocue)
 
Regards,
 
Ray.
 
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #107 on: December 15, 2015, 02:25:10 am »

Now the topic is getting interesting as we are nearing the realm of Political correctness.

The outcome shall empower us all. {-) {-) {-) {-)

Yassou, it is all Greek to me, as the majority, be it vast or such, of the English language, comes from the Greek, French and Latin languages. {-) {-) {-).

The topic reminds me of the feminists, etc who will not take their spouses Surname and insist on keeping their maiden surname, <*< <*< or hyphenating their name, not realising it is their fathers name they are fighting to keep, it not their own name. {-) {-) {-) {-)
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grendel

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #108 on: December 15, 2015, 12:18:57 pm »

not to forget the Germanic roots and Viking heritage
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essex2visuvesi

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #109 on: December 15, 2015, 02:17:21 pm »

>>:-( ...& Colin says......   ''One of the phrases I hate the most is 'going forward"

Must agree Colin......[moving forward or going forward] .....have you ever noticed that when the phrase is used...the speaker always appears to be rambling on about ...

1. intangible ideas...[or and that the speaker is speaking with FORK tongue]
2. that they [themselves] are the only one's with a vision to progress......[onward or in a forward manner]
3. by their implication.....are suggesting the balance of society [that's  %) you & me {I & us...or them & me }] are dimwits and in reverse gear..............

Derek


4. Trying to cover up their own ineptitude as a "jumping off point" that "we can all learn from"
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Perkasaman2

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #110 on: December 15, 2015, 04:53:24 pm »

"In the next several days".................. AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
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DavieTait

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #111 on: December 15, 2015, 05:42:40 pm »

Try Doric... we've got words from Norway/Sweden/Denmark(those damn pesky Vikings lol ) , Germany , France , Dutch , Jewish (Buba meaning Grandfather is from Hebrew and is a common word up in the Black Isle area ) and quite a lot of local words not found anywhere else ( also means there's the coast or Fisher Doric and the country or Teuchter Doric which have different words for the same thing within a few miles of each other.... )

Then within the different communities there are different words for the same thing yet again ( normally between major harbours like Fraserburgh to Peterhead to Aberdeen all different for various bits and bobs especially around a fishing boat or even the way you name the different sizes of fish... )
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Nemo

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #112 on: December 15, 2015, 06:53:29 pm »

the worst possible use of the incorrectness of the language we speak
"¿Qué?"/quote]

I wondered who would notice it! :}  It was DONALD!  :-))
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Nemo

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #113 on: December 15, 2015, 06:56:31 pm »

One of the most irritating terms in use today - the word "quintessential" (meaning "typical").
 
Irritating news reader? watch Fiona Bruce, swivelling her head from side to side in just about every other sentence. >>:-(
(perhaps this is to disguise the fact that she is reading from an autocue)
 
Regards,
 
Ray.

I was hoping no-one would mention that awful woman - another concertina-player. Prince Philip certainly put her in her place during her interview.
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Capt Podge

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #114 on: December 15, 2015, 07:19:45 pm »

Here's another one in regular use: various different, or different varieties.
 
If there are various items in a box, this infers that they are different! >>:-(
 
....and another one: almost exactly the same. It's either almost the same or exactly the same - it cannot be both.
 
Thinking back to schooldays, we were instructed in "the 3 R's" i.e. Reading Writing and Arithmetic, yet only 1 of those begins with the letter R.  %%
 
So much for Education then.
 
Regards,
 
Ray.
 
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #115 on: December 15, 2015, 09:07:31 pm »

Come on Ray, don't show your ignorance, it's Reading, Riting and Rithmetic {-) {-)


Peter.
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SailorGreg

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #116 on: December 15, 2015, 09:07:52 pm »

Well, when I went to school I learnt Reading, Riting and Rithmetic.  ;)

A thread like this is always a hostage to fortune.  If you are going to criticise you need to make sure you are scrupulously correct!  Some of the posts need some gentle editing.  %)

The failing that always disappoints me is the incorrect use of the apostrophe. In particular the abbreviation it's when the writer means its.  Even a magazine like Model Boats is a serial offender.  Why? It's not difficult is it?  "It's a shame when a boat sinks on its maiden voyage."  Get it?  Good.  :-)

Greg

Peter Fitness

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #117 on: December 15, 2015, 09:21:18 pm »

That's one of my pet hates too, Greg, as well as adding an apostrophe to a plural, such as "boat's", "banana's" etc, etc. An apostrophe either indicates a missing letter - "it's" for it is, "where's" for where is, or the possessive - "Bob's boat" or "Paul's car". Simple.


Peter.
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davidm1945

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #118 on: December 15, 2015, 09:48:39 pm »

That's one of my pet hates too, Greg, as well as adding an apostrophe to a plural, such as "boat's", "banana's" etc, etc. An apostrophe either indicates a missing letter - "it's" for it is, "where's" for where is, or the possessive - "Bob's boat" or "Paul's car". Simple.


Peter.

What complicates things is that "its" is the possessive of "it", as in "the car has lost its wheel", so people think "possessive so must have an apostrophe" - the exception that proves the rule.....

A shop sign close to us is "Sallys Flower's" - sigh!

Dave.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #119 on: December 15, 2015, 09:54:01 pm »

'Even a magazine like Model Boats is a serial offender.  Why? It's not difficult is it?  "It's a shame when a boat sinks on its maiden voyage."  Get it?  Good.'

You've probably not had the pleasure of editing a model boating magazine then! Whilst it goes without saying that the content is usually excellent and the contributors competent to superb model boat builders, I'm afraid that the quality of the written material can vary enormously. Some is pretty much grammatically perfect but quite a lot can be badly wanting, requiring correction of grammar, spelling, punctuation and even structure. (plus the author might have got his facts wrong!). So you go through the article correcting everything you can find and read it again only to find a batch of typos and things like repeated phrases you have missed. So you edit again. But now you are on the slippery slope, as after about five readings, you see what you expect to see and still miss the odd typos and omitted or incorrectly used apostrophes. By now you are heartily sick of the thing.

If it was The Times then there would be a sub editor to look at it as well but it is Model Boats and there is only you. I have resorted to getting my Wife to proof read the really difficult ones but there is a limit to which you can employ this correction of last resort. (She ALWAYS finds something).

Oh, and did I mention deadlines?

Anyhow, you get it just right and off it goes to the designer. The low res proofs come back and. s*d it, you've missed a couple of mistakes or a photo caption isn't quite right. Designer corrects these and off it goes to the printers, absolutely perfect at last - until you open up the printed copy and.....

If you can do better then fame (but certainly not a fortune) awaits you.

Colin
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davidm1945

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #120 on: December 15, 2015, 10:08:36 pm »

I wrote criticising a self-published book on Kindle because of the large number of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors in what was a good story.
I thought "I must get this right" or else I shall look a real numpty, so I read and reread it about six times, uploaded it to Amazon, reread it online and... I had written "then then"!  Doh... :embarrassed:

Dave.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #121 on: December 15, 2015, 10:16:58 pm »

Your own articles or text are always the worst because you only see what you think you have written. ALWAYS get an independent check on anything important.

Another nightmare I experienced with the Model Boat Specials was when reproducing 'golden oldies' from magazines originally published before some of us were born. You cannot use photocopies due to the different formats in the old days and often poor quality original physical material. So I put them through an optical character recognition program which was generally brilliant but which required an enormous amount of correction to what came out the other end. The things the program did with imperial fractions had to be seen to be believed. It was not just correcting the text but also making sure that the dimensions were in fact also still correct.

Colin
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #122 on: December 15, 2015, 10:46:58 pm »

Your own articles or text are always the worst because you only see what you think you have written. ALWAYS get an independent check on anything important. :-)) :-))

Colin

Yes in another life, I always had the typist check and correct everything I wrote.
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #123 on: December 16, 2015, 09:27:32 am »

Yes in another life, I always had the typist check and correct everything I wrote.
Who checked what the typist had typed?  In pre word processor days I was bitten a time or two by the efforts of the typing pool that documents had to go through.  Since a minor correction involved retyping the entire thing, you often found extra flips of the singer appeared in later versions.
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davidm1945

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Re: Correct use of the English Language
« Reply #124 on: December 16, 2015, 11:42:46 am »

you often found extra flips of the singer appeared in later versions.


Flippin' Tom Jones or flippin' Shirley Bassey....?    I love Spoonerisms!


Dave.
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