Grammar that makes you cringe

[Wowbagger]

I didn't know that Sainsburies stocked cleaning products specifically for one's narsty.

[hellymedic]

I didn't know that Sainsburies stocked cleaning products specifically for one's narsty.

This is from a one time English teacher in a grammar pedants' thread.
(mutter grumble)

 

[citoyen]

!

[Mr Larrington]

"Customer facing" should require CNC machine tools, just like facing an engine block

[offcumden]

If 'ambient temperature' is that which surrounds us, then 'ambient cake' is clearly a seasonal phenomenon. 

There's no wonder so many subsequently resolve to go on New Year diets, given the ambient cake and mince pies. Certainly gets me that way.

[Wowbagger]

I didn't know that Sainsburies stocked cleaning products specifically for one's narsty.

This is from a one time English teacher in a grammar pedants' thread.
(mutter grumble)

 

Put it down to eyesight and decrepitude.

I was not an English teacher. I taught music. This is why I know so much about popular beat combo(e)s.

[rogerzilla]

Name all five members of One Direction, then!

(click to show/hide)

it's a trick question

[Wowbagger]

Are you USAnian, Roger?

[citoyen]

Name all five members of One Direction, then!

(click to show/hide)

it's a trick question

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

It's ok, I got the trick - there's the one with the hair who left so there are only four of them now. But was it Beaky or Tich? Who knows...

[T42]

"Who's".

[hubner]

Short for "who is", innit?!

[hubner]

I notice the word "on" is getting dropped or is used instead of "in".

Eg: "Will be released next Monday",

"The new series of Doctor Who starts Thursday 19th November".

"The supermarket on/in City Road".

[Wowbagger]

I have noticed a regional difference appertaining to the use of "on" or "in" for locations. Mrs. Wow, or example, who is from oop noorth, refers to something being "on" Lord Street, or Stanley Square, or Oswaldtwistle Terrace. I refer to buildings being "in" Acacia Gardens, Fotheringham Lane, or Frinton Boulevard.

Edit: I just checked the lyrics of the Muffin Man song. When I were a lad he always lived in Drury Lane. The website I found had him living on DL.

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/muffinman.html refers. But https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muffin_Man.

Second edit: just checked with Mrs. Wow, who thought the MM lived down Drury Lane. With hindsight this could be correct and my memory might be failing me. However, she agreed that we live in East Street, but that her mother always referred to people living on such-and-such a street.

[Tim Hall]

I have noticed a regional difference appertaining to the use of "on" or "in" for locations. Mrs. Wow, or example, who is from oop noorth, refers to something being "on" Lord Street, or Stanley Square, or Oswaldtwistle Terrace. I refer to buildings being "in" Acacia Gardens, Fotheringham Lane, or Frinton Boulevard.

Edit: I just checked the lyrics of the Muffin Man song. When I were a lad he always lived in Drury Lane. The website I found had him living on DL.

I think he lived down Dury Lane in my childhood.

[Wowbagger]

AS a matter of interest, Tim, are you a young enough whippersnapper to have missed Listen with Mother on the Home Service?  That was the source of me hearing that song, and I agree, down it was.

[Kim]

I notice the word "on" is getting dropped or is used instead of "in".

Eg: "Will be released next Monday",

"The new series of Doctor Who starts Thursday 19th November".

I think I've absorbed a non-existent grammar rule here...

"Will be released on Monday" and "Will be released next Monday" are both grammatically correct to me (but refer to different weeks^[1]).  "Will be released on next Monday" is, for some illogical reason, superfluous waffle.  I don't see why the 'next' (or a 'this') should preclude the need for 'on', but that's how I do it.

"Will be released Monday" is a abhorrent leftpondian version of "Will be released on Monday".

"The supermarket on/in City Road".

The supermarket is on (or perhaps off) the road.  If it were in the road, it would be blocking traffic^[2].  'On' meaning 'adjoining', I suppose.  And for completeness, I'd probably use 'next to' for a supermarket that was adjoining, but not accessible from, a given road.

I'd use 'in' for "The cafe in the park" or similar situations of genuine geographical enclosure.

Therefore "The cafe in Foobar Square" and "The cafe on Foobar Square" imply different physical things. (The former's in the middle, the latter around the edge.)


_{[1] We must have discussed the meaning of 'next' vs 'this' already.
[2] Double standard for buildings and vehicles here.}

[T42]

"Who's".

Short for "who is", innit?!

Certainly, as in "the man who is conk was bigger than his Henry Watson".

[Ian H]

How many Dr Whos are in Who's Who?

Or should that be 'Drs Who'?

[Tim Hall]

AS a matter of interest, Tim, are you a young enough whippersnapper to have missed Listen with Mother on the Home Service?  That was the source of me hearing that song, and I agree, down it was.

Despite my boyish good looks, I'm only a few years youger than you, so, yes, I remember clambering up on the dresser at a quarter to two to listen to the wireless. Mind you, wiki tells me the last episode of LWM was in 1982.

[jsabine]

AS a matter of interest, Tim, are you a young enough whippersnapper to have missed Listen with Mother on the Home Service?  That was the source of me hearing that song, and I agree, down it was.

Despite my boyish good looks, I'm only a few years youger than you, so, yes, I remember clambering up on the dresser at a quarter to two to listen to the wireless. Mind you, wiki tells me the last episode of LWM was in 1982.

I remember episodes of LWM, and I believe I am *considerably* younger than yow (well, than Wow anyway).

1982 fits, as we moved out of the house I associate with sitting comfortably (or not, as I was generally playing on the floor in the kitchen when it started) in 1980.

[jsabine]

I notice the word "on" is getting dropped or is used instead of "in".

Eg: "Will be released next Monday",

"The new series of Doctor Who starts Thursday 19th November".

I think I've absorbed a non-existent grammar rule here...

"Will be released on Monday" and "Will be released next Monday" are both grammatically correct to me (but refer to different weeks^[1]).  "Will be released on next Monday" is, for some illogical reason, superfluous waffle.  I don't see why the 'next' (or a 'this') should preclude the need for 'on', but that's how I do it.

"Will be released Monday" is a abhorrent leftpondian version of "Will be released on Monday".

"The supermarket on/in City Road".

The supermarket is on (or perhaps off) the road.  If it were in the road, it would be blocking traffic^[2].  'On' meaning 'adjoining', I suppose.  And for completeness, I'd probably use 'next to' for a supermarket that was adjoining, but not accessible from, a given road.

I'd use 'in' for "The cafe in the park" or similar situations of genuine geographical enclosure.

Therefore "The cafe in Foobar Square" and "The cafe on Foobar Square" imply different physical things. (The former's in the middle, the latter around the edge.)

Um, what Kim said.

She's said what I was going to, only done it more elegantly, and covered edge case examples that, though I hadn't thought of them, I completely agree with.

[hellymedic]

AS a matter of interest, Tim, are you a young enough whippersnapper to have missed Listen with Mother on the Home Service?  That was the source of me hearing that song, and I agree, down it was.

Despite my boyish good looks, I'm only a few years youger than you, so, yes, I remember clambering up on the dresser at a quarter to two to listen to the wireless. Mind you, wiki tells me the last episode of LWM was in 1982.

I remember episodes of LWM, and I believe I am *considerably* younger than yow (well, than Wow anyway).

1982 fits, as we moved out of the house I associate with sitting comfortably (or not, as I was generally playing on the floor in the kitchen when it started) in 1980.

Veering OT...
I have suggested to David's piano-playing friends that they really ought to play the Berceuse from Fauré's Dolly Suite for their forthcoming pre-Christmas do.
The lady who runs this outfit is a local piano teacher who was born in Poland, so missed LWM.

[Mr Larrington]

When I was a small Mr Larrington the Muffin Man just lived down the lane.  No name was specified.

Regarding the on/in business, for many years racing motor-ists were often said to be "on" their vehicles rather than "in" them.  I think this finally dies out with the anti-social measure introduced by Colin Chapman and slavishly copied by all the other constructors viz. Drivers Lying Down On The Job.

[T42]

AS a matter of interest, Tim, are you a young enough whippersnapper to have missed Listen with Mother on the Home Service?  That was the source of me hearing that song, and I agree, down it was.

Despite my boyish good looks, I'm only a few years youger than you, so, yes, I remember clambering up on the dresser at a quarter to two to listen to the wireless. Mind you, wiki tells me the last episode of LWM was in 1982.

I remember episodes of LWM, and I believe I am *considerably* younger than yow (well, than Wow anyway).

1982 fits, as we moved out of the house I associate with sitting comfortably (or not, as I was generally playing on the floor in the kitchen when it started) in 1980.

When the music stops, Daphne Oxenford will be here to tell you a story.

[drossall]

Regarding the on/in business...

When I started racing, our time-trialling, and in particular our courses, were "on" Cheshire. Just a shared idiom, I think.