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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:33 pm
by johnallg
Teaching your kids the intricacies of English is always a fun adventure in dislogic (hows that one!).
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:06 pm
by wayang
This example may be kinda unique, but it's one of the only ones I haven't dismembered...
My Balinese friend frequently uses the phrase "in the between"...and I defy anyone to explain why there's anything wrong with it.
All that aside, if I never hear the word 'awesome' again, it'll be...well...pleasantly satisfying...
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:07 am
by jps
In our local newspaper once, a writer used the phrase "possibly imminent"!
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:32 am
by jingle_jangle
Was it a possibly eminent writer? Possibly even an impossibly eminent literary personality!
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:38 am
by eatswodo
If it was in the local newspaper, it was probably written by a 'pundant'.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 4:40 am
by jingle_jangle
Business terms that give me the business:
"User-friendly" when applied to things that are anything but.
"Value-added". I can't tell you how many business presentations I've sat through that use this one.
"Team", and individual "associates" (whatever happened to "employee"?
Annual report jargon:
"Bozo Clownsuits, Inc., released its 2004 annual report to shareholders today emphasizing the company's focus on sound strategy, steady execution and highlighting the company's leading efforts in economic development and community initiatives in its service areas."
Huh?
For some more language fun, look at LSSU's banished words list:
http://www.lssu.edu/banished/complete_list.php
Also:
http://www.clichesite.com/index.asp
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:41 am
by lyle_from_minneapolis
"A whole nother."
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:48 am
by beatlefreak
A whole nuther whut?
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:01 am
by lyle_from_minneapolis
I was listening to an "expert" something-or-other on NPR say, "That's a whole nother issue..."
And I cringed.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:34 am
by johnallg
How about the stores that call you a guest?! I don't charge my guests when they come to visit.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:03 pm
by admin
Curmudge, how about the term "Active weather?" What is inactive weather?
Our language is evolving to great heights. I still find it amusing to hear of an "entrance system", instead of a front door. Also, why consult when you can "out source."
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:22 pm
by lyle_from_minneapolis
We used to have lunch, but now we do lunch.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:24 pm
by eatswodo
Simple, Peter - consulting allows you to maximize your upside potential, while outsourcing simply subverts the dominant paradigm.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:25 pm
by jingle_jangle
Another pet curmudgeonly peeve in spoken English:
"Actually..."
Then there's the situation (comes up weekly at least)in which a student comes up to me for instructions on how to accomplish task A or B.
I carefully and in great detail explain the steps required to get the desired result.
Half-way through, I notice student NOT taking notes. I think: Wow! photographic memory! (NOT!)
When I'm finished explaining, the student says:
"Really?"
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:12 pm
by nukebass
Nukular bothers me, but I guess that's obvious (maybe I should change my screen name to NucBass). It comes from nucleus and I don't remember hearing anybody ever say, "nukulus."
English doesn't make any sense anyway. Every rule has an exception. Oh, and I always get except and accept wrong (well, not always, but it takes a minute to figure it out). I once went to a restaurant with a sign on the door stating, "We no longer except checks."
I also don't like it when people write insure instead of ensure. That's probably the most common written error I see.