BS: Language Pet Peeves

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 05:23 AM

Whether it is X Factor, or an obesity fitness programme or anything people are lumped together to train and go through their paces 'boot camp' I hate that.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: s&r
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 05:59 AM

Dissect and cervical with long 'i'sounds. Questionnaire and quarter with no 'w' sound (eg courter). Don't like the affectation of an otel, but like even less an hotel with the'h' aspirated.

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: s&r
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 06:08 AM

And 'he gave it to John and I'

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 06:24 AM

'ahead of' meaning 'before'!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Nigel
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 08:02 AM

"You know" and "know what I mean" make me cringe. If I know, why tell me, and if I don't know what you mean then I'll tell you.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Hrothgar
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 08:32 AM

Surplus prepositions (if anybody needs to know what a preposition is, PM me and I'll explain without telling anybody) as in "signed off on". What's wrong with "signed"?

Nigel, I am of the opinion that anybody who is being interviewed should be cut off after ten "y'know" (or "y'knows?") in the interview, or possibly after five in the one sentence.

I have counted up to ten in one long, rambling sentence, Usually they seem to be preceded by "um". It appears to be a disease amongst those of the football persuasions, especially soccer and rugby league.

Yes, I'm a snob.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 08:59 AM

Can I be frank? (meaning they can justify how rude they are going to be).

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jeanie
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 09:30 AM

I find this very irritating in TV and Radio interviews with members of the public:

"I'm married to Mary" - or "This is Bert Johnson, and you're married to Mary, is that right, Bert ?"

as if there is only ONE person called Mary in the whole world ! It should be: "My wife's name is Mary" or "...and your wife's name is Mary...."

Another pet peeve of mine is a pronunciation issue: the use of an open "ay" sound for the rounded "o" sound. I actually stopped listening to my local radio station because the travel reporter annoyed me so much with his pronunciation: "All clear on the M25 say far" (instead of "so far"). The presenter of a recent archaeology programme on TV did the same, and kept talking about "stanes" and "banes". This would be fine if the rest of the pronunciation was "heightened RP" (i.e. Noel Coward-type English), but these random rogue vowel sounds amongst otherwise standard RP really irritate.

Another annoying pronunication issue amongst broadcasters in particular: the use of "-in" as the ending of a word, instead of "-ing" when this is not part of their native dialect - i.e. the rest of their pronunciation is standard RP. Do they think it makes them sound relaxed and cool ?

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 10:19 AM

I think it was S&R who declared:

Don't like the affectation of an otel, but like even less an hotel with the'h' aspirated.

So is "a hostelry" or maybe "an 'ostelry" better than those?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Penny S.
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 10:36 AM

Putting "Without Prejudice" at the head of an offensive document intended to damage someone else. Only known one usage of it, and I don't know the correct meaning of the phrase.

Using the term "goodwill payment" of a payment from a debtor designed to cover a portion of expenditure by the group he was in debt to.

Same misuser of language in each case, and one who wouldn't, indeed didn't, recognise real goodwill when it was offered.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: s&r
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 10:45 AM

A Hostelry every time. The omission of the 'h' sound is a bizarre hangover from court pronunciation when French was the language of the court. Kestionnaire and onvelope are similar.

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,CrazyEddie
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 10:51 AM

Patsy's "Can I be frank?" brings to mind a Goons' sequence

Gridpype Thynne: "I'll I be Frank?"

Moriarty: "Yes, I'll be Gladys"

(Sound of Thynne slapping Moriaty across the face)

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:11 AM

Here are four expressions which deserve pet-peevehood. They are from a recent thread, but bear repeating.
========
picking his brains (what an ugly image)

diddley or diddley squat (Just act yourself what it really means.)

verbal diarrhea (I'm eating!)

anal, or anal retentive (meaning merely "More particular than I")

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:13 AM

I have to say that, at this particular moment in time, I can't think of any particular peeve's.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:18 AM

I lied. Do not say "albeit" within my earshot. And, yanks, there is no need whatever to say "London, England."

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:26 AM

One of the commonest modern horrors is saying "prior to" when you simply mean "before."

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:28 AM

liase

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:29 AM

I'm sure there's a London in Canada. And "albeit" is a perfectly proper word.

But people who say "Can I" when they mean "May I" are bad for my blood pressure.

And so are people who say "literally" when they mean the opposite.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:29 AM

pre-order

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:35 AM

"I'm sure there's a London in Canada."

Without wishing to sound imperialist, "London" on its own, to all sane people (except perhaps for those living in the vicinity of London, Canada), means London on the banks of the Thames. A qualifier would be needed for the Canadian one for most people who don't live in Canada, and even for some who do. Let common sense prevail.

"And "albeit" is a perfectly proper word."

In every circumstance it can be replaced by although, though or but. It is just pretentious. Literate people avoid it like the plague, as with clichés.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:39 AM

Unfortunately, Steve Wikipedia has:

London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor with a metropolitan area population of 457,720; the city proper had a population of 352,395 in the 2006 Canadian census. The estimated metro population in 2009 was 489,274.[2] It was named after the city of London in England.[3] London is the seat of Middlesex County, at the forks of the non-navigable Thames River, approximately halfway between Toronto, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. The City of London is a separated municipality, politically separate from Middlesex County, though it remains the official county seat.


Confused? You will be!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:41 AM

"Avoid like the plague"? perhaps...

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:42 AM

I was only going from what Richard said. Do they burn hospitals in London, Canada?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:46 AM

"Burn?" I meant "blow up."

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:52 AM

"One pence"

~Michael~

"One pee."

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:28 PM

"...'goal' spelling of 'jail' " (Foolestroupe - 03 Oct 10 - 06:27).

- the word is gaol. Pronounced the way it is spelled.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Penny S.
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:34 PM

"With respect", "With all due respect," "With the greatest respect," etc. You know that what follows is totally without it.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: s&r
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:38 PM

Pronounced as jail in my dictionary Kevin

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Howard Jones
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:43 PM

I am prepared to defend the use of "pee" for pence. It evolved quite spontaneously on decimalisation, when it became necessary to distinguish between "New Pence" (as they were then known) and the old penny, not just on paper but in speech. "One penny" was ambiguous, "one New Penny" a bit of a mouthful, so it became "one pee".

If "pence" was said in full, it was emphasised to make it clear it meant New Pence, whereas pre-decimal the emphasis was on the amount. So we lost the old contractions: "tuppence" (emphasis on the first syllable) signified 2d whereas "two pence" (with either equal emphasis or slightly more on "pence") meant 2p. Same with "thruppence". The "ha'penny" (1/2d) became "half-p"

Of course, in time people became used to the new coinage and there was less chance of confusion, but by then these usages had become established.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:44 PM

Pronounced the same way whichever spelling you prefer.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 01:57 PM

Half a pee

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 04:43 PM

'cop-speak'..."At this point in time the inebriated individual exited the vehicle"
I wonder if that is taught in police training?

(And I HEARD an announcer say on the radio, "This program was pre-recorded earlier.")

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 05:18 PM

A few years ago I heard a Beeb weathher forecaster on the telly say that at least the overnight rain had washed the humidity out of the air.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Joe_F
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 05:40 PM

All the following, not in themselves, but in their currently fashionable senses, which perhaps need not be specified: abuse, agenda, contradiction, define, denial, disorder, dysfunctional, excellence, existential, featured, feel, foundation, genocide, icon, identity, impact, incredible, international, issue, legacy, legendary, multicultural, narcissism, personality, potential, price tag, quality, reinvent, relatively, resolve, showcase, signature, total, who.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 05:58 PM

Hiccups rather than hiccoughs.

People who say 'I don't want to be rude/offend you/single you out but... because it always means they are about to be very rude, or offensive or pick on you for something. If you don't want to do it, don't do it!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: artbrooks
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 06:10 PM

'Decimate'. It means "reduce by ten percent". It is not a synonym for devastate. An army that has 10 soldiers in every hundred killed has been decimated. A city destroyed by an earthquake is devastated.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Bert
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 06:49 PM

'Decimalization' when they really mean centigesamalization (or however you spell it).

There IS no unit between the pound and the new penny. The term florin is obsolete.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 07:18 PM

Yeah Joe. "Existential": is it the most pretentious word of all? Or should we vote instead for "paradigm shift?"

"A city destroyed by an earthquake is devastated."

Indeed. But it is certainly not "razed to the ground" (or, even worse, "raised to the ground").

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 07:59 PM

"Half a pee"???

Man, you gotta see a doctor about that prostate!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 11:26 PM

As my frequent posts will show spelling is not a strong point of mine. That being said in the USA they intentionally spell words such as labour, harbour, honour, etc. incorrectly by dropping the silent "U". That is their right, I suppose, and I have no objection to that. What does piss me off though is when computer spell-checkers keep underlining these words when I spell them correctly! That's my rant on this! :-}

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 12:30 AM

asHphalt, pronounced that way.
Presently, when currently is meant.
I should have went,when gone is meant.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Songbob
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 12:56 AM

To illustrate a few of my pet peeves in spelling, may I say:

I would of told you that some folks are just loosers,
And the Internets filled with poor English users,
But noone ever said its easy
To express yourself as non-cheesy,
Without you become a language abuser.

Yeah, I know it's not much, but it's off the top of my head, so I couldn't be exhaustive in the listing.

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 04:04 AM

"....in the USA they intentionally spell words such as labour, harbour, honour, etc. incorrectly by dropping the silent "U". That is their right, I suppose, and I have no objection to that. What does piss me off though is when computer spell-checkers keep underlining these words when I spell them correctly!...."

Agreed, Sandy ~ tho your 'incorrectly' might be queried as a bit if a relativist term here?. And WHY does it do so when one has opted for the UK setting in the computer toolbar-menu? I mean, what is the use of having this option if it doesn't recognise this distinction?

This refers to the  system; is it the same with other computers? And, for info, the word 'recognise' in the last line of previous para has acquired a red line because I didn't type 'recognize' ~~ which I categorically decline to do, Mr Macintosh!}

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 06:42 AM

I tend not to defend many things American, but I have to speak up for American spelling. English may well have started here in England but many more non-English than English people speak English these days and a big majority use American-English spellings. It's typically quirky (and very honourable) of the Brits to hang on for dear life to their own way of spelling, but it's a bit Canute-like to berate the Yanks for their system, which (I hate to say) is often more logical than ours. But who wants logic to enter into it!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 07:50 AM

Steve ~~ If that was addressed to me or Sandy McLean, one of whose points I was developing, I would point out that neither of us was in any way 'berating' the American system; merely querying the logic of spellchecks which mark our own spelling [which I am sure you will agree at least remains a viable option] as incorrectly spelt when we have opted for the UnionJack rather than the OldGlory logo in the computer toolbar. That seems to be a piece of poor programing at  HQ to me! And an implied beratement on THEIR part of OUR perfectly acceptable system.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 08:00 AM

It wasn't directed at anyone. Just something I've occasionally mused over for some time.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 08:10 AM

Any automated telephone message especially the 'your call is important to us' aaaah!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Dáithí
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 09:19 AM

My current pet hate...

refute when they mean deny... and from journalists, usually1
D

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: GUEST,Songbob
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 04:34 PM

If I'm not mistaken, some software packages allow the user to choose 'British English' vs. 'American English' for their documents. But what I haven't seen so far is an Operating System with the same choices. Perhaps those choices are there when you install the damned thing, I don't know. In any case, you could type 'colour' in Word and have it right, but in a chat room (or on the Mudcat, for that matter) it gets flagged as incorrect.

Someone needs to invent a universal "universe setting," that applies language rules to all the content, no matter the source. Now that would be handy!

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 04:53 PM

I hate the phrase
ONE HUNDRED!"!!!