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perfect wagnerite
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« Reply #3045 on: 18:26:35, 22-09-2007 » |
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I am trying not to be depressed or cross. Not getting very far, I'm afraid.
Now - I think this is Grumpy Rant, but it could be Pedantry.
When did a "station" become a "train station"?
When did "fill in" (forms) become "fill out"?
When did people start writing "erm" instead of "um"?
When did "clever" turn into "smart"?
All these things, and many more I can't think of at the moment, irritate me every day.
"Train station" really, really annoys me. But not as much as the ubiquitous "like"  I also find the grumps setting in at "Advanced warning" - where did that extra "d" come from? But the thing that really gets me going is the automated Southern Trains announcements that begin "I am sorry [that your train is delayed/cancelled/too short etc...]. How can what is obviously a mechanical announcement system be sorry? How do the people at Southern Trains believe that what is obviously a computer offering fake feeling possibly be regarded as a courteous response to inconvenienced passengers? (I'd better stop here before the grump gets out of hand ....) |
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At every one of these [classical] concerts in England you will find rows of weary people who are there, not because they really like classical music, but because they think they ought to like it. (Shaw, Don Juan in Hell)
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Jonathan
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« Reply #3046 on: 18:35:17, 22-09-2007 » |
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I wish English people who pronounce "schedule" as if it contained a "k" would learn the error of their ways... |
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Best regards,
Jonathan
*********************************************
"as the housefly of destiny collides with the windscreen of fate..."
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martle
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« Reply #3047 on: 18:37:37, 22-09-2007 » |
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As Kingsley Amis said after ranting about the redundancy of the 'ly' in 'singlehandedly', ''Whatever nextly?''
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Green. Always green.
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Ian Pace
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« Reply #3048 on: 18:43:12, 22-09-2007 » |
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How about also the way that the traditional British two fingers up (dating all the way back to the Hundred Years' War, I believe - when the French would capture an English soldier, they would chop off two fingers, so holding up two fingers was a gesture of defiance) seems to be becoming replaced by the much more aggressive American-style middle finger up?
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'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
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Morticia
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« Reply #3049 on: 18:53:16, 22-09-2007 » |
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Firstly, "Can I get a ...." , ARGHHHHH, I hate it, drives me nuts. People only seem to use that expression when ordering food or coffee. I haven`t yet heard anyone say "Can I get a return ticket to East Croydon?". Mutter, grumble.
Secondly. the matter of `arse` or `ass`. Hmmm. I recently had a discussion about this with a Canadian friend. We were both in agreement that `arse` sounds more insulting than `ass`. `Asshole` somehow sounds less offensive than `arsehole`. On the other hand "You silly arse", for some strange reason, doesn`t sound very rude. Only today I used the expression `get his arse into gear` because it seemed right. Normally I don`t tend to use the word because it just sounds rather ugly. Ho hum.
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #3050 on: 19:19:41, 22-09-2007 » |
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But the thing that really gets me going is the automated Southern Trains announcements that begin "I am sorry [that your train is delayed/cancelled/too short etc...]. How can what is obviously a mechanical announcement system be sorry? How do the people at Southern Trains believe that what is obviously a computer offering fake feeling possibly be regarded as a courteous response to inconvenienced passengers?
What about "We are sorry for the delay"? How is it possible to pity a delay? They mean "We apologise for the delay". |
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eruanto
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« Reply #3051 on: 19:21:36, 22-09-2007 » |
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I haven`t yet heard anyone say "Can I get a return ticket to East Croydon?". Well, quite why any non-resident would want to go there anyway...  Coerced X-factor listening. Someone gets through - music played: celebratory earth-knows-what tripe. Someone gets the dump - music played: Theme from Enigma Variations. WHY?!?! |
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« Last Edit: 19:26:10, 22-09-2007 by eruanto »
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Ian Pace
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« Reply #3052 on: 19:24:59, 22-09-2007 » |
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Someone pointed out to me the other day that 'See you for now', which I often say, makes no sense at all.
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'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
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roslynmuse
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« Reply #3053 on: 19:29:34, 22-09-2007 » |
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Ian Pace
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« Reply #3054 on: 19:34:01, 22-09-2007 » |
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George's comment about an arse being necessarily cloven, reminded me of a puzzle I've often had about "cleave" and its derivatives. Cleavage, cleaving etc suggests splitting in two, but "let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth" suggests JOINING rather than splitting. I've never ever heard that one! Or am I being an ass? No, just an arse LMAO (and how would you give a full rendition of that one?  ) |
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'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #3055 on: 19:38:03, 22-09-2007 » |
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Cleavage, cleaving etc suggests splitting in two, but "let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth" suggests JOINING rather than splitting. Or am I being an ass?
The two cleaves are derived from two different Old English verbs. They aren't the same word - they only look the same and sound the same  . |
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Swan_Knight
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« Reply #3056 on: 19:42:15, 22-09-2007 » |
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I wouldn't worry about 'correcting' American English.
'American English' doesn't exist: true, there was an ill thought out (and unfinished - in fact, barely started) attempted by President Theodore Roosevelt to create American spellings for common use words in the early years of the 20th century. But this had its roots in ugly nationalist prejudice and an infantile desire to 'be different'.
I don't believe 'American English' should be recognised anywhere and I make no bones whatsoever about putting right anyone who mis-spells 'centre', 'night', 'through', 'colour', or 'rumour'.
And the same goes for people who put the month before the date. Whenever anyone refers to '9/11', I always ask them what's so special about the 9th of November.
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...so flatterten lachend die Locken....
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roslynmuse
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« Reply #3057 on: 19:58:55, 22-09-2007 » |
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Cleavage, cleaving etc suggests splitting in two, but "let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth" suggests JOINING rather than splitting. Or am I being an ass?
The two cleaves are derived from two different Old English verbs. They aren't the same word - they only look the same and sound the same .   Thank you Mary! I shall sleep on that! Ian - look at your Belshazzar's Feast (Walton, that is, not Handel ) |
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #3058 on: 20:08:51, 22-09-2007 » |
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In the Prayer Book marriage service there used to be something about "cleaving only unto her/him", I think. The sticky weed that I call "goosegrass" is sometimes called "cleavers", because it sticks to everything.  |
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Morticia
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« Reply #3059 on: 20:39:14, 22-09-2007 » |
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In the Prayer Book marriage service there used to be something about "cleaving only unto her/him", I think. The sticky weed that I call "goosegrass" is sometimes called "cleavers", because it sticks to everything. Ah, so that`s what it`s called, Mary. I get an itchy rash whenever I come into contact with it |
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