Author Topic: Grammar that makes you cringe  (Read 835372 times)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1275 on: 13 January, 2011, 04:28:57 pm »
I wonder if my diced carrots have been dyed, they look a funny colour.
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Tigerrr

  • That England that was wont to conquer others Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1276 on: 13 January, 2011, 04:55:09 pm »
The dice is cast.  Man.
 Nuttin rong widat bro.
 
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1277 on: 13 January, 2011, 04:58:01 pm »
The die is cast iron or ally?

We all know what these words and phrases mean, sometimes it's best not to investigate the grammar and lexicology too deeply - or rather, it's fun and interesting to do, but frustrating and misleading if you do it with any intent of demonstrating right and wrong.
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Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1278 on: 14 January, 2011, 12:48:34 pm »
If you say "a dice", EVERYONE knows what you mean (but some people might stab you)
If you say "a die", noone will stab you, but some will wonder which meaning of die (or even dye) you intended.

It's always a gamble ...

Belvin and the Third Mathemagician managed to get it right.  I guess it's a crap-shoot...

(dies)
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citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1279 on: 14 January, 2011, 01:46:37 pm »
Quiz

I scored 20 out of 20, obviously.  :smug:

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1280 on: 16 January, 2011, 05:26:18 pm »
Quiz

I scored 20 out of 20, obviously.  :smug:

d.

Trying to confuse with similes in nr. 20, I see.
20/20.  :thumbsup:
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1281 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:22:38 pm »
20/20 here also.  I think they only taught us that stuff in lat.  Fancy a grown man saying hujus hujus hujus as if he were proud of it it is not english and do not make SENSE.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Salvatore

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1282 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:31:11 pm »
Quote from: melvin bragg
Now to the question of dice.  I discovered – too late – that you can say dice meaning one die.  I felt a bit of a clot saying die all the time, but Tom Morris, the producer, was quietly insistent. It turned out that all the contributors used dice for one die.  Tom had said he would produce a die, or a dice, for the introduction in order that I could roll it.   
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1283 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:34:15 pm »
Quiz

I scored 20 out of 20, obviously.  :smug:

d.

Trying to confuse with similes in nr. 20, I see.
20/20.  :thumbsup:

I was a member of a forum once. They tried to ban similes. Or something.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

HTFB

  • The Monkey and the Plywood Violin
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1284 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:36:37 pm »
Not especially helpful or mature

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1285 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:37:34 pm »
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

HTFB

  • The Monkey and the Plywood Violin
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1286 on: 17 January, 2011, 12:42:57 pm »
You are misattributing an ellipsis.

Anyway, smilies are an illusory association of images and words with a merely fictitious underlying reality. Idola fori, if you will.
Not especially helpful or mature

hellymedic

  • Just do it!

Wowbagger

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Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Zipperhead

  • The cyclist formerly known as Big Helga
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1289 on: 17 January, 2011, 05:21:27 pm »
Today I saw this:

The Duke of York became King George VI, coronated in 1937

Won't somebody think of the hamsters!

Giraffe

  • I brake for Giraffes
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1290 on: 17 January, 2011, 05:31:43 pm »
Now I could understand Edward VII becoming Corona Ted.
2x4: thick plank; 4x4: 2 of 'em.

iakobski

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1291 on: 17 January, 2011, 06:13:35 pm »
"A revenue inspection is about to commence throughout the train"

 :o

mattc

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1292 on: 17 January, 2011, 06:44:51 pm »
"A revenue inspection is about to commence throughout the train"

 :o
Did you declare any revenue?
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1293 on: 17 January, 2011, 08:09:49 pm »
Today I saw this:

The Duke of York became King George VI, coronated in 1937



Is that like being Tango'd?

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1294 on: 17 January, 2011, 08:53:25 pm »
Today I saw this:

The Duke of York became King George VI, coronated in 1937



::-) Everyone knows it should be crenellated.
Getting there...

mattc

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1295 on: 18 January, 2011, 10:26:03 am »
On R4 just now (from some 'expert'):

individuated


This MAY be a real word, but it certainly shouldn't be.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

HTFB

  • The Monkey and the Plywood Violin
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1296 on: 18 January, 2011, 10:51:01 am »
It's perfectly well-formed (Cicero uses "indiuiduus", says the Latin dictionary), and I can't think of another word that means "specify uniquely" or "distinguish from all others"---"pick out" is the best Anglo-Saxon, maybe.

E.g. If you pick out a ball of snot you thereby individuate it.
Not especially helpful or mature

mattc

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1297 on: 18 January, 2011, 10:56:07 am »
"pick out" seems a much better choice in your example. (i imagine single out would work in some cases)

There can't be many situations where specify uniquely is better than specify, but I suppose it's possible  :-\

On the radio, the context was personalised.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

HTFB

  • The Monkey and the Plywood Violin
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1298 on: 18 January, 2011, 11:59:11 am »
"Specify" doesn't mean what we want: going from the general to the specific is going from the genus to the species---it is a further step to go from the species to the individual.
Not especially helpful or mature

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #1299 on: 18 January, 2011, 04:46:38 pm »
Spelling, rather than grammar but Auntie should know better.
Antartic is a lorry, surely?
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