Grammar that makes you cringe

[Cudzoziemiec]

Available in Gold (orange), Violet (purple), Sapphire (blue) and Carbon (black)

Okay, it's not strictly grammar, but what the fuck is the point of using names for colours which need further description? Besides, it's not as if gold, violet, sapphire and carbon are unknown terms. Either call them fancy names or just orange, purple, etc, it's stupid to have a 'name' and a 'description'.

[madcow]

BBC, 'medal' is not a verb.

Its not entirely  the Beebs fault , this has been around a while and I think it was used at the last Olympics as well.
Lazy athletes patois moved into mainstream by the commentators picking it up from competitors and trainers possibly.
It sounds wrong to you (and me) but to others it sums up "the act or process of winning a championship or Olympic medal placing".
Winning sums up 1st place so how else would you summarise 1st ,  2nd and 3rd place in one word?

[mattc]

"to podium" has also been spotted out in the wild

[madcow]

A member of the British olympic team was heard, on the radio this morning, to speak of her potential disappointment if she 'fails to medal.' 

I knew I'd seen it somewhere before.  Allegedly a  Pendletonism.

[hellymedic]

New doctors start today. There's a #tipsfornewdocs Twitter hashtag. One suggestion:

<<newbies starting in the ED today: dont b cocky and try and get in the gd side of the nurses. can make ur time gr8 or hell>>

I don't have the heart to suggest writing unambiguous English and using short sentences...

[Gareth Rees]

BBC, 'medal' is not a verb.

The OED says:

medal, v. 1. trans. To decorate or honour with a medal; to confer a medal upon as a mark of distinction. Usu. in pass. 2. intr. U.S. Sport. To win a medal.

with citations for sense 1 from 1822 and for sense 2 from 1966.

[Peter]

BBC, 'medal' is not a verb.

The OED says:

medal, v. 1. trans. To decorate or honour with a medal; to confer a medal upon as a mark of distinction. Usu. in pass. 2. intr. U.S. Sport. To win a medal.

with citations for sense 1 from 1822 and for sense 2 from 1966.

It may be "correct" but it still makes me (like eck) cringe and is therefore fair game for this thread, which is not "Grammar that is wrong"!

[Gareth Rees]

It may be "correct" but it still makes me (like eck) cringe and is therefore fair game for this thread, which is not "Grammar that is wrong"!

But eck didn't write, "verbal medal makes me cringe" (which would be fine). He wrote "'medal' is not a verb".

[Peter]

Fair enough, Gareth, I didn't trace it back far enough.  I'm not trying to pick a fight and your "interventions" are always very informative, thanks!

[mattc]

It makes me cringe.

[Gareth Rees]

My message has always been: have confidence in your judgement! If you don't like a word, then say so. Don't make up a bogus linguistic justification for your opinion. (If you didn't like broccoli, which would be a better way of putting it: "I don't like broccoli" or "broccoli is not a food"?)

[eck]

It may be "correct" but it still makes me (like eck) cringe and is therefore fair game for this thread, which is not "Grammar that is wrong"!

But eck didn't write, "verbal medal makes me cringe" (which would be fine). He wrote "'medal' is not a verb".

Using 'podium' as a verb makes me cringe. 

[L CC]

Commentators make me cringe.

[drossall]

Our local station has posters announcing that:

"Most babies born in Hertfordshire are delivered by a University of Hertfordshire educated midwife."

I don't know whether to be more bothered that the whole county is covered by less than two midwives, or that a University wrote that.

[Auntie Helen]

This sign, which I pass every other day, is just wrong somehow - it's the two different uses of 'in'

[Ian H]

This sign, which I pass every other day, is just wrong somehow - it's the two different uses of 'in'

Being a considerate person, I would try not to block in their drive.

[Bledlow]

New doctors start today. There's a #tipsfornewdocs Twitter hashtag. One suggestion:

<<newbies starting in the ED today: dont b cocky and try and get in the gd side of the nurses. can make ur time gr8 or hell>>

I don't have the heart to suggest writing unambiguous English and using short sentences...

Yes. Replace ' and' with a full stop & you've saved yourself a little effort & made your meaning clear.

[hellymedic]

Maybe being cocky and getting in the good side of nurses was just what the doctor ordered...

[Zipperhead]

I've met some very nice doctors and nurses this afternoon, but whilst waiting for my appointment I saw this on the notice board:

We are breastfeeding welcome

[hellymedic]

I've met some very nice doctors and nurses this afternoon, but whilst waiting for my appointment I saw this on the notice board:

We are breastfeeding welcome

<Cringe>

[Cudzoziemiec]

BBC, 'medal' is not a verb.

Its not entirely  the Beebs fault , this has been around a while and I think it was used at the last Olympics as well.
Lazy athletes patois moved into mainstream by the commentators picking it up from competitors and trainers possibly.
It sounds wrong to you (and me) but to others it sums up "the act or process of winning a championship or Olympic medal placing".
Winning sums up 1st place so how else would you summarise 1st ,  2nd and 3rd place in one word?

Aren't you happy that Hoy and Wiggins have golded and Armitstead has silvered?

[red marley]

Aren't you happy that Hoy and Wiggins have golded and Armitstead has silvered?

Yup. And plenty will be happy that the beach volleyball teams have bronzed.

[Cudzoziemiec]

  Nice one!

[Peter]

Ooh, two in a row; am I allowed this?

Quote about a picture posted on a forum: Not great quality as I don't have my camera at the moment so had to take them on my phone.

What is that thing called on a phone that enables you to take photos?

More importantly, Takamines usually play well but that sound-hole rose is just too much for me.

[hellymedic]

'What do yo do to prevent your bike being one of the 26,000 stolen last year?'
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/what-do-you-do-to-prevent-your-bike-being-one-of-the-26000-stolen-last-year/

Get a Kryptonite for your Time Machine, maybe...