Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
The Italian for horrible is 'orribile'.
Admit your ignorance - things you've only just realised/learned
- Thread starter Blue Hills
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Bookmarked for 2035 when I will quote this as if it was today
- Location
- Glasgow
It takes you to the first page only if you haven't read the thread for a long time, even if you used to read it regularly.
Tbh, I had never heard of this before Colin's post.
I have worked with industrial espresso machines for many years, I have owned a few grinders at home, but never noticed any static electricity from them.
One day I'll Google the ins and outs of this
Indeed, also the Italian for horrid is orrido
I believe it all stems from Latin, but the Greeks will say Latin stems from Ancient Greek
Mad Doug Biker
I prefer animals to most people.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Next year will be the 250th anniversary of the U.S.
1776 - 2026
Brace yourself for a tsunami of Trumpisms.
1776 - 2026
Brace yourself for a tsunami of Trumpisms.
lazybloke
Ginger biscuits and cheddar
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Young upstarts. My preferred local pub is from the 1500s.
Toshiba Boy
N+1er
- Location
- By the beach, West Zummerzet
Absolutely.
I remember myself and my wife being on an open top bus tour of Manhattan, and the guide getting very excited because the "building ahead is over 125 years old!".
Our thatched cottage, we had at that time, was built in the 1620s ......
Everything is relative I suppose.
Punkawallah
Über Member
Opens late, or you only get there about 3pm?
Punkawallah
Über Member
The good news is that Mr Trump has apparently declared the official language of the U.S. to be ‘English’. Not ‘American English’, but ‘English’.
They’ve got some catching up to do.
They’ve got some catching up to do.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
The Founding Fathers very nearly chose German.
At a later point this was discussed again. Prompting one US senator to declare” If English was good enough for Jesus Christ it’s good enough for America”.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
On the subject of language I discovered recently - while disappearing down various rabbit holes on the web - that apparently some (specifically British) speakers use the phrase "A sight for sore eyes" in a negative context, as in: "That bench is a sight for sore eyes" meaning it looks like crap.
I've always understood it to mean something that you are relieved or happy to see, as in: "That bench is a sight for sore eyes" if, say, you've been walking a long way and are looking forward to a sit down. Seemingly that's the American usage.
But I have to say, I've never come across the supposed British interpretation of this phrase. I think people are getting confused with the term "eyesore" meaning something that looks like crap.
It's a bit of a weird phrase when you actually think about it.
I've always understood it to mean something that you are relieved or happy to see, as in: "That bench is a sight for sore eyes" if, say, you've been walking a long way and are looking forward to a sit down. Seemingly that's the American usage.
But I have to say, I've never come across the supposed British interpretation of this phrase. I think people are getting confused with the term "eyesore" meaning something that looks like crap.
It's a bit of a weird phrase when you actually think about it.
Last edited:
Jameshow
Veteran
I always thought I'd it negatively!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Strange. I went to Hansard, because that's a good place for this kind of thing.
Mostly it's been used to mean "a welcome sight", which is what I've always thought it meant.
I am rather relieved to find that the estimate of the cost of these committees is put at only £45,000 per annum It is a sight for sore eyes in these times to find any kind of estimate dealing with thousands of pounds instead of millions of pounds; Mr Kingsley Griffith 1939.
When I visited Esjberg and Thyboren a few weeks ago, the infrastructure, the closed-in fish market, was a sight for sore eyes. The fishermen bring in and unload their fish straight on to conveyor belts which carry it into the enclosed fish market. The result is better quality fish and better prices. Mr Michael Brown 1983
I thank you, Sir Desmond, for your expert chairmanship of this debate; it has been a sight for sore eyes. Perran Moon 2025
But on one occasion it was used to mean "a weird sight"
The hon. Gentleman would have been there as well. I do not know whether he would have been in a wet suit as well, but if so, the pair of us might have been a sight for sore eyes. Mr Hughes 1991
Punkawallah
Über Member
Had the vote at Philadelphia?
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I've never heard it used in that negative sense either.
I don't even think it that weird - A sight for sore eyes means it is a relief to see it. i.e. it relieves your sore eyes.
