My supervisor was giving a talk where I took notes on every use of the words "literally" and "actually." I lost my notes (a full page that would probably get me fired if it found its way to my boss) but I wil never forget:
"I'm sorry Mrs. Suchandso cannot be here, she is literally under the weather."
I imagine a poor woman burried under rain and snow, but I'm sure that is not what he ment...
Ment? Burried? You should type slower or use the backspace key more often like I do
Cheers
meant
Thanks. Nothing to do with typing speed or backspacing, though. I seem to lack the ability to see when words are mispelled. Ment looked fine to me. If the spell check software doesn't flag it, my only hope is to have my wife proofread--and that just aint happening with AI posts.
When picking on someone for their use (or misuse) of words, however, I suppose it behooves me to be more careful...
edit: Crap! The spell check does flag "ment." I am out of excuses...
In building design the landing of the stairwell is intended to be a place of "refuge" for people that cannot get down the stairs. That way they can survive the fire until the firemen can rescue them. In a meeting my wife's boss, an architect, kept referring to it as the place of "refugee". My wife had vision of boat people being housed in stairwells.
I remember learning this for the first time in high school. It means to engage in circular reasoning, or to assume that the conditions are true, as in "He begs the question when he says all politicians are dishonest because to get elected politicians lie."
But recently, I'd say 90% of the times I've seen this phrase used to mean raises the question, as in "Obama's nomination begs the question: Will Americans elect a black president?"
But here's the odd thing: The wrong usage sounds better to me now. It begs the question, it asks the question, it demands the question.
I remember learning this for the first time in high school. It means to engage in circular reasoning, or to assume that the conditions are true, as in "He begs the question when he says all politicians are dishonest because to get elected politicians lie."
But recently, I'd say 90% of the times I've seen this phrase used to mean raises the question, as in "Obama's nomination begs the question: Will Americans elect a black president?"
But here's the odd thing: The wrong usage sounds better to me now. It begs the question, it asks the question, it demands the question.
I was that way about not splitting some infinitives (e.g. "to explain completely"). Now I'm used to it, I suppose.
I was that way about not splitting some infinitives (e.g. "to explain completely"). Now I'm used to it, I suppose.
I always took you for one of those hippie "language is always changing" types.
One that really bugs me no matter how many times I see it is treating data as a singular noun. "The data shows..." or "The data is..." Yech. But I think that's to the point of "acceptable usage" today.
I always took you for one of those hippie "language is always changing" types.
I am, for the most part. I like for words to be spelled correctly and for sentences to be punctuated correctly. In other words, while I accept that language is constantly changing, that isn't to say that there aren't any rules and we should just go watermelon sugar all over the place. I think that many times, people simply refuse to learn the rules (e.g. for apostrophes, for commas, for semi-colons), and then some of those people become teachers and tell students that you put a comma where you pause, that no one can remember the rule for the apostrophe, and that semi-colons are simply so complex that they should be avoided at all costs.
I mean, seriously, what is the difference between saying "I don't understand [basic element of English grammar" and saying "I just can't do addition"?
Quote:
One that really bugs me no matter how many times I see it is treating data as a singular noun. "The data shows..." or "The data is..." Yech. But I think that's to the point of "acceptable usage" today.
Yeah. I agree. But we should hold the line, BRussell! Fight the good fight for data and datum alike!!! CONSIDER ALL THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL WHO HAVE BEEN SO OFTEN MISLABELED! THINK OF THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL!
One thing that has bothered me is that the use of "they" as a singular pronoun in writing is considered by some as unacceptable. Using gender specific pronouns don't make sense in modern day writing due to the gender neutral language movement, but at the same time, avoiding gender specific terms using combinations like "him or her," "he/she," or "s/he," or pronouns like "one" or "an individual" are awkward and cumbersome. I'm definitely in favor of singular they.
One thing that has bothered me is that the use of "they" as a singular pronoun in writing is considered by some as unacceptable. Using gender specific pronouns doesn't make sense in modern day writing due to the gender neutral language movement, but at the same time, avoiding gender specific terms using combinations like "him or her," "he/she," or "s/he," or pronouns like "one" or "an individual" are awkward and cumbersome. I'm definitely in favor of singular they.
This is just one of those areas where English is weird. I blame the Romans. And the Germans. And the French. And the Norse. Basically, anyone who conquered England at some point. And that's just about everyone.
"Fewer" is for countable things, things that can be considered as a varying number of unit items, e.g. fewer cars, fewer dogs, fewer excuses.
"Less" is for non-integer quantities, things that you would measure not by counting particular items or units but by using a continuous scale, e.g. less water, less time, less patience.
Both words could be used for the same thing depending on whether conceptual individual units are considered or ignored, e.g. less salt vs. fewer grains of salt.
Comments
"I'm sorry Mrs. Suchandso cannot be here, she is literally under the weather."
I imagine a poor woman burried under rain and snow, but I'm sure that is not what he ment...
but I'm sure that is not what he ment...
Ment? Burried? You should type slower or use the backspace key more often like I do
Cheers
Ment? Burried? You should type slower or use the backspace key more often like I do
Cheers
meant
Thanks. Nothing to do with typing speed or backspacing, though. I seem to lack the ability to see when words are mispelled. Ment looked fine to me. If the spell check software doesn't flag it, my only hope is to have my wife proofread--and that just aint happening with AI posts.
When picking on someone for their use (or misuse) of words, however, I suppose it behooves me to be more careful...
edit: Crap! The spell check does flag "ment." I am out of excuses...
I remember learning this for the first time in high school. It means to engage in circular reasoning, or to assume that the conditions are true, as in "He begs the question when he says all politicians are dishonest because to get elected politicians lie."
But recently, I'd say 90% of the times I've seen this phrase used to mean raises the question, as in "Obama's nomination begs the question: Will Americans elect a black president?"
But here's the odd thing: The wrong usage sounds better to me now. It begs the question, it asks the question, it demands the question.
Begs the question.
I remember learning this for the first time in high school. It means to engage in circular reasoning, or to assume that the conditions are true, as in "He begs the question when he says all politicians are dishonest because to get elected politicians lie."
But recently, I'd say 90% of the times I've seen this phrase used to mean raises the question, as in "Obama's nomination begs the question: Will Americans elect a black president?"
But here's the odd thing: The wrong usage sounds better to me now. It begs the question, it asks the question, it demands the question.
I was that way about not splitting some infinitives (e.g. "to explain completely"). Now I'm used to it, I suppose.
I'm pretty calm. The sarcasm was just for added affect, I'm not actually angry or anything.
I think it's "effect" in this case.
I was that way about not splitting some infinitives (e.g. "to explain completely"). Now I'm used to it, I suppose.
I always took you for one of those hippie "language is always changing" types.
One that really bugs me no matter how many times I see it is treating data as a singular noun. "The data shows..." or "The data is..." Yech. But I think that's to the point of "acceptable usage" today.
I think it's "effect" in this case.
Unless he meant affect.
I always took you for one of those hippie "language is always changing" types.
I am, for the most part. I like for words to be spelled correctly and for sentences to be punctuated correctly. In other words, while I accept that language is constantly changing, that isn't to say that there aren't any rules and we should just go watermelon sugar all over the place. I think that many times, people simply refuse to learn the rules (e.g. for apostrophes, for commas, for semi-colons), and then some of those people become teachers and tell students that you put a comma where you pause, that no one can remember the rule for the apostrophe, and that semi-colons are simply so complex that they should be avoided at all costs.
I mean, seriously, what is the difference between saying "I don't understand [basic element of English grammar" and saying "I just can't do addition"?
One that really bugs me no matter how many times I see it is treating data as a singular noun. "The data shows..." or "The data is..." Yech. But I think that's to the point of "acceptable usage" today.
Yeah. I agree. But we should hold the line, BRussell! Fight the good fight for data and datum alike!!! CONSIDER ALL THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL WHO HAVE BEEN SO OFTEN MISLABELED! THINK OF THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL!
Unless he meant affect.
Spot on, Midwinter.
One thing that has bothered me is that the use of "they" as a singular pronoun in writing is considered by some as unacceptable. Using gender specific pronouns doesn't make sense in modern day writing due to the gender neutral language movement, but at the same time, avoiding gender specific terms using combinations like "him or her," "he/she," or "s/he," or pronouns like "one" or "an individual" are awkward and cumbersome. I'm definitely in favor of singular they.
This is just one of those areas where English is weird. I blame the Romans. And the Germans. And the French. And the Norse. Basically, anyone who conquered England at some point. And that's just about everyone.
It's not that good of a product
I wish you would have seen me
We will be taking off momentarily
There are less cars on the road than usual
I love these threads. Here are a few more:
It's not that good of a product
I wish you would have seen me
We will be taking off momentarily
There are less cars on the road than usual
What? I don't get how any of those are misused...?
What? I don't get how any of those are misused...?
It's not an awesome product
I wish you had seen me
We will be taking off soon
There are fewer cars on the road than usual
Same difference, but fewer sounds more refined.
*shrugs*
Also, who knows how to fucking conjugate "lie?"
I never got the less/fewer thing.
Same difference, but fewer sounds more refined.
"Fewer" is for countable things, things that can be considered as a varying number of unit items, e.g. fewer cars, fewer dogs, fewer excuses.
"Less" is for non-integer quantities, things that you would measure not by counting particular items or units but by using a continuous scale, e.g. less water, less time, less patience.
Both words could be used for the same thing depending on whether conceptual individual units are considered or ignored, e.g. less salt vs. fewer grains of salt.
I love these threads. Here are a few more:
It's not that good of a product
It's not that good a product. The "of" is what is wrong here.
Cheers