BS: Language Pet Peeves

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 09 Jan 21 - 07:14 AM

From the publishers blurb for a book titled "Raparian Station":

"Riparian Station is an acid trip away from a universe ordered by God into the recesses of nihilism finding a surf film, good fishing, and meaning in being a one of in a chaotic universe rather than a step in a cycle."

I'm none the wiser.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 09 Jan 21 - 06:17 AM

"Raparian?" I can find no sensible reference to such an English adjective in any dictionary. Either you meant something else or you're induging in deliberate obscurantism...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 09 Jan 21 - 06:11 AM

What if AI-bolstered laptops went all wild west on us, terrorising the planet and indulging in mass repression of the people? Would that be dyslaptopia?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 09 Jan 21 - 01:23 AM

Laptopotomy? Sounds raparian...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Jan 21 - 07:10 AM

If you unfairly diss laptops in favour of iPads, does that make you a laptopist? Guilty of laptopism?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: BobL
Date: 08 Jan 21 - 02:06 AM

Surely someone would be laptopicised only if they had a laptopectomy?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 05:27 PM

Hmm. That's a small one you've got there, Nigel. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 05:05 PM

[Apologies for the double question mark. I wasn't being pretentious - just a wobbly thumb.]

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 05:03 PM

Is the whole process 'laptopicity'

And if gardeners are given laptops will that be 'laptopiary'??

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 03:25 PM

"Laptopisized": about 12" * 9" * 1"

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: meself
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 02:41 PM

I believe the term is, "laptopisized" (UK: "laptopicised").

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 11:24 AM

It's a bit puerile. Also, your apostrophe is in the wrong place there, Mr Superproofreader. :-)

I like the concept of an erstwhile laptopless child having being laptopised, Jos... or, I suppose, laptopized in USAville...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 10:47 AM

None of my language usages prevent me noticing *other's* mistakes, eh! I was a jolly good proofreader when I was a proofreader... Using language creatively [like accentuating the v in marvvy] is hardly error, anyway. What is wrong with Yum, may I ask?

I gather that the folks who make up the headlines, though, are not the same folks who write the articles, so letting the actual journalist/reporter/byline person know when the headline given their article makes them (the writer) look illiterate, is usually appreciated.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 10:47 AM

So would providing them with laptops be 'laptopisation' or 'laptopisition'?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 10:31 AM

Spotted a word on the BBC news website that I've never seen before, describing children from poorer backgrounds who don't have laptops at home for schoolwork as "laptopless." In light of this, I should like to propose a new noun to characterise laptopless people: they are in a state of laptoplessness. I did consider "laptoplessnessitudinousness," but I decided to go for concision, as ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 08:52 PM

"Besides, they could hire me to proofread and save themselves the embarrassment!"

Gosh, you'd be the very last person I'd hire as my proofreader, what with your yum, evvver, zucch and marvy nonsense (see recipes thread). I would prefer someone with a reasonable command of the kind of unaffected English wot we Brits tend to cherish...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: meself
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 12:27 PM

I've been rather surprised at the number of 'mechanical' and usage errors in the legal documents I've read since trump took over, particularly in documents produced by trumpian lawyers, for some reason. You would think it would be second-nature for any lawyer to proofread his own legal writing ... ?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 12:24 PM

This is why I post all those headlines that made some folks accuse me of quibbling. It is worse in a published source, to me too.

Besides, they could hire me to proofread and save themselves the embarrassment!

I often tell the reporter whose byline was mis-headlined. They are sometimes grateful.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 01:51 AM

One of my peeves is careless errors to be published. There is just now excuse for it.

For instance, I have seen in a newspaper: Wanted: On Sight Manager.

(site and sight are frequent offenders.)

And just now I read the filing by Orange tRump's lawyers petitioning the court to toss Mary Trump's lawsuit against the family, and here is:" "Plaintiff makes outlandish and incredulous accusations in her complaint,..."

Incredulous??

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 05 Jan 21 - 11:07 PM

Think of Monty Python's M. Creosote and his 'waffer-thin mint's.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 05 Jan 21 - 05:14 PM

For most of my life, 'wafer' has been pronounced 'wayfer' and I was happy with that. I had ice cream wafers, church Communion services used communion wafers, and anything sliced very thinly was 'wafer-thin'.
Then a few years ago, when I watched television cookery programmes, I started to hear Jamie Oliver talking about slicing food 'waffer-thin'. I laughed at him, thinking he had met the word when reading cookery books and just guessed at the pronunciation - and none of his friends had put him right. But now other people are doing it, cutting 'waffer-thin' slices.
Are churches now using communion 'waffers', as well? Are children buying ice cream 'waffers'?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Jan 21 - 05:55 AM

As likely as a duff bottle of Hirondelle, Doug, but touché anyway!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 05 Jan 21 - 05:02 AM

That's an easy one: there's no chance that your descendants will leave you money.

So, if your child is an adult who has established a separate, single person, household and remains unmarried and childless, what will happen to their estate if they die before you without leaving a will?

DC8

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: meself
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 08:56 PM

1926?? Isn't that back when everyone's English was perfect? Oh, dear - when, praytell, when was this Golden Age of grammatical fastidiousness?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Lighter
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 06:55 PM

Visalia (Calif.) Daily Times, Aug. 23, 1926, on the death of Robert Tod Lincoln:

"The passing, last week, of the last remaining direct ancestor--by the
name of Lincoln--of the great Civil war [sic] President occasioned modest mention in the telegraphic news of the country."

(With thanks to my colleague, Garson O'Toole.)

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 06:51 PM

That's an easy one: there's no chance that your descendants will leave you money.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 05:30 PM

Why are so many people unable to understand the difference between ancestors and descendants?
The latest edition of our local parish magazine has a page about the census, which will happen in March this year. It urges people to answer the questions truthfully because "in 2122 your answers will be available to your ancestors and they'll be using that information to try and understand how we lived our lives a hundred years in the past".

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Jan 21 - 01:26 PM

Chaotic neutral.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Jan 21 - 04:46 PM

Assistant (a D&D player): It's dangerous, but I don't know its 'alignment'.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jan 21 - 01:10 PM

Not so much a peeve, more an amusing and surprising find, in an email from Coopers of Stortford:

Purchase of Sharp Implements/Dangerous Goods:

When ordering a sharp implement/dangerous good you are....

(Steve's in a hardware shop):

Assistant: How may I help you, sir?

Steve (holding machete picked up from shelf): Can you tell me if this is a dangerous good?

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 29 Dec 20 - 12:08 PM

There is much confusion between 'a fascination with' and 'a fascination for' regarding who or what is fascinating and who is fascinated.

And I wish people wouldn't talk about laying and laying down when they mean lying and lying down.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 29 Dec 20 - 11:32 AM

"Enamoured with"

"Acquiesce to"

Two things to not do!

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 29 Dec 20 - 10:59 AM

Ah, yes, the department of redundancy department.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 03:18 PM

At least, in spite of saying 'donning on', he managed not to say 'PPE equipment'.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 03:13 PM

Jos:
As you're mentioning PPE. One of my peeves is the expression "PPE Equipment".
This is an example of RAS syndrome (Redundant acronym syndrome (syndrome)). Other examples are "ATM machine" and "TSB Bank".

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Lighter
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 02:43 PM

"Butt me" means "Give me a cigarette (a "butt," even if fresh).

If your smart phone is in your back pocket, you can inadvertently "butt-dial" a phone number.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 01:39 PM

Two more examples of garbled English on Radio 4 this morning.
I heard someone describing women as “having a most important place to play in being able to show a different type of leadership”. I really don’t think “place to play” meant an area set aside for them to play chess, or netball.
Then later in the same programme someone talked about “donning on PPE”. Well, Mr whoever-you-are: “donning” MEANS “putting on”.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 01:16 PM

Ok rethink: a butt is *with* the head but a head-butt is *to* a head.

Thus head-butt is *not* redundant. Unless misused as in He headbutted him in the stomach.

Gavem drip. I meant gavel drop but kinda like the typoes...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 01:11 PM

Ok, so is head-butt redundant? Seems so.

As a *verb* mask works for things other than faces (view masked by trees, etc). But as a noun, a mask covers the face, I maintain.

Jos, um, enjoy?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 12:48 PM

For Mrrzy: I now have a mental image of you trying to mask your belly button with a face mask.

For the Americans among you: Can you butt something/somebody with your butt?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 12:16 PM

I suppose it's a head-butt if you butt someone's head. I just looked up the incident in the 2006 World Cup Final in which Zidane "head-butted" Materazzi (after much earlier needling, Materazzi had pulled Zidane's shirt. Zidane told him that he'd give him his shirt later, to which Materazzi replied that he'd rather have his sister, hence the butt). However, the butt was to Materazzi's chest, in spite of which most reports stated that it had been a head-butt. So you may have a point there, Doug.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 10:39 AM

Headbutt / head-butt / head butt


In a street fight, can you butt your opponent with anything other than your head?

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Bill D
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 10:13 AM

Well.... some things can be 'masked' without referring to a physical object. In current context, 'face mask' is technically redundant, but it's not a big issue.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Dec 20 - 09:22 AM

Ok, question: is the phrase Face Mask redundant? I mean, if you cover your belly, it is not with a mask, is it?

No idea why this just occurred to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Jos
Date: 26 Dec 20 - 09:06 AM

Several times on BBC Radio news summaries yesterday I heard the Brexit described as acceptable 'as an option to' no deal.
I just wanted to shout at them.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Dec 20 - 06:56 AM

Talking about redundancies, a nice example that infests a lot of writing and broadcasting these days is "reaching a crescendo" or "building up to a crescendo" when a better word would be "climax." Like a lot of things, this has achieved common currency via ignorance, a bit like "disinterested," "epicentre" and "alternate." They are defended by dint of the fact that they ARE now in common use and have become standard English (in their degraded usages). We have to accept that, but not without a wrestling match...

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Dec 20 - 05:40 AM

I'll raze a glass to that.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: BobL
Date: 26 Dec 20 - 03:46 AM

Razed to the ground as opposed to raised to the heavens?

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Dec 20 - 09:03 PM

Historical or not, razed to the ground is illiterate nonsense. Claiming ancient usage doesn't cut it. It simply demonstrates that the ancients could be just as illiterate as we are.

Subject: RE: BS: Language Pet Peeves
From: Lighter
Date: 25 Dec 20 - 11:50 AM

OED has "raze to the ground" from 1574, and "razed to the earth" from 1523.

Historically "raze to the ground" is more common than simple "raze."

Emphasis and all, don't you know.