Can I add 'unique' to that list of overused hyperbolies?
Pedantry and the state of written English.
- Thread starter Fab Foodie
- Start date
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Can I add 'unique' to that list of overused hyperbolies?
swee'pea99
Squire
"I literally died..."
Then again:
Icdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch atCmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr what oerdr the ltteres in aword are in, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer bein the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raedit whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raedervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? And tehy tlel you slpeling is ipmorantt!
Then again:
Icdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch atCmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr what oerdr the ltteres in aword are in, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer bein the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raedit whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raedervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? And tehy tlel you slpeling is ipmorantt!
And ultimate, which doesn't mean biggest or best but last. The ultimate xxx shouldn't be referring to the best xxx, it's the last one made. Sadly, that's a lost battle, I feel, as accepted custom drags it away from its roots.
I do have hope for derivatives as penultimate is still used to mean the last-but-one and "ultimately" is generally a synonym for "finally", although even that one is blurring with many people using it to mean "fundamentally".
Haitch
Flim Flormally
- Location
- Netherlands
A headline in the paper over here last week read: "India and Pakistan in ultimate cricket match". Not bad going for a semi-final.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Ah yes, the scale of 'uniqueness' ...
'Unique' - the only one of its kind.
'Very unique' - er, very much the only one of its kind?
'The most unique' - the greatest/ fastest/most expensive ... thing of all the one thing in the list!
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
+1
Exactly. I thought that I was the only one to have realised that we can only quickly rearrange the spelling using the first and last letter as a guide because the correct pattern is well established. We need standardised spelling before we can rely on the fact that there is a pattern.
OP
OP
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
If you're referring to my original post, I stated that I am the parent of a dyslexic, not dyslexic myself (or not knowingly).
I don't know what to say to be honest! So I'll swiftly move on.
Luckily, Rich, I do
. Mr Hippo's post illustrates perfectly exactly how little correlation there is between an obsession with correct or standard English and the quality of Having Something Worthwhile to Say. So (for example) GaryA remains an asset to the forum however many bizarre spelling variations on the word "bourgeoisie" he seems determined to come up with, whilst no amount of care that Mr Hippo might take with his spelling would redeem his almost entirely worthless contributions. Picking people up on their spelling and grammar is rude and imperious, so the only time it is justified is when one intends to be rude and imperious.
Moodyman
Legendary Member
Pedantry and the state of written English. Should it be a forum/general issue?
I sympathise with your exasperation Fab Foodie. But may people who post on here, me included, do so in between their work. They may be time constrained, avoiding the gazing eyes of their boss or simply trying to convey their point as succintly as possible.
In my line of work, I do written communications for and from senior management in a blue chip company. I would never consider speaking words like 'Gonna' or 'shoulda' let alone writing them down, but happily use them on CC.
I view Cycle Chat as a 'fun and friendly place' and whilst this isn't a licence to write in text message language, I think we shouldn't look down upon those who are less formal.
Though, I still get riled by the inappropriate use of double-negatives - I ain't no fool'.
I sympathise with your exasperation Fab Foodie. But may people who post on here, me included, do so in between their work. They may be time constrained, avoiding the gazing eyes of their boss or simply trying to convey their point as succintly as possible.
In my line of work, I do written communications for and from senior management in a blue chip company. I would never consider speaking words like 'Gonna' or 'shoulda' let alone writing them down, but happily use them on CC.
I view Cycle Chat as a 'fun and friendly place' and whilst this isn't a licence to write in text message language, I think we shouldn't look down upon those who are less formal.
Though, I still get riled by the inappropriate use of double-negatives - I ain't no fool'.
Though, I still get riled by the inappropriate use of double-negatives - I ain't no fool'.
I just don't get this. That seems to me an entirely appropriate use of a double negative.
Moodyman
Legendary Member
A double negative intended to be interpreted as a positive is the correct use. It's when folk use them to make a negative point.
To me, 'I ain't no fool' means 'I am a fool'. But it's often used to say 'I am no fool' which surely, is grammatically wrong.
wobbler
Active Member
- Location
- Wolverhampton
Well, as my old head master used to say.
"Woy cor yow spake propa"
Wow! Chrome red lined every word in that sentence. Don't worry I've added them all to it's dictionary.
I try to spell words properly, but I know I use the wrong ones most of the time. I really hate the words; Could and would, is there an easy way to remember which is which?
And while you are at it, is this ; the correct punctuation thingy, is it a semi-colon, or a whole colon, or what?
And I was taught not to start a sentence with the word "and". But I've done it twice now because it is easier than saying. "Another thing I want to know is".
I don't mind if anyone fancies a go at putting that lot into proper English. I was not in a hurry when I wrote it, it is just the way my brain thinks. Reading it back I know it does not sound right, I honestly don't know what to change to make it better.
Thanks in advance
Rich
"Woy cor yow spake propa"
Wow! Chrome red lined every word in that sentence. Don't worry I've added them all to it's dictionary.
I try to spell words properly, but I know I use the wrong ones most of the time. I really hate the words; Could and would, is there an easy way to remember which is which?
And while you are at it, is this ; the correct punctuation thingy, is it a semi-colon, or a whole colon, or what?
And I was taught not to start a sentence with the word "and". But I've done it twice now because it is easier than saying. "Another thing I want to know is".
I don't mind if anyone fancies a go at putting that lot into proper English. I was not in a hurry when I wrote it, it is just the way my brain thinks. Reading it back I know it does not sound right, I honestly don't know what to change to make it better.
Thanks in advance
Rich
