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Pedants' corner

For discussions related to education and educational institutions.
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thundril
Posts: 3607
Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#101 Post by thundril » January 27th, 2014, 7:24 pm

Latest post of the previous page:

A tad, Dave? What on earth is a tad? some Yankee slang import? Tsk!

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Dave B
Posts: 17809
Joined: May 17th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#102 Post by Dave B » January 27th, 2014, 7:43 pm

thundril wrote:A tad, Dave? What on earth is a tad? some Yankee slang import? Tsk!
:laughter: I am not enough of a pedant to refuse to embrace new words that I can use for effect.

It is always good to listen to that doyen of the English language, David Crystal. He is happy with words such as "texted" entering the language if they do a job that no other word does adequately. His own use of language often sounds more suitable to the pub than the university lecture room!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Boj8VYz ... w16XsaC6Fk
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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jaywhat
Posts: 15807
Joined: July 5th, 2007, 5:53 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#103 Post by jaywhat » January 28th, 2014, 11:00 am

I do not think it is even a tad pedantic to correct the criticism of the use of 'tad'.
According to the ODE it dates from the 19th century and denotes a small child perhaps originating from tadpole. The current usage dates from the 1940s.

Thanks to Ninny for my new Oxford Dictionary of English which she just won for completing Beelzebub - the Independent on Sunday crossword.

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Dave B
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Re: Pedants' corner

#104 Post by Dave B » January 28th, 2014, 2:01 pm

jaywhat wrote:I do not think it is even a tad pedantic to correct the criticism of the use of 'tad'.
According to the ODE it dates from the 19th century and denotes a small child perhaps originating from tadpole. The current usage dates from the 1940s.

Thanks to Ninny for my new Oxford Dictionary of English which she just won for completing Beelzebub - the Independent on Sunday crossword.
Is that a double negative, jaywhat? Are you saying, "It is correct to criticize the use of 'tad' "?

I have the ODE as well, bit old now though - best dictionary for its value I have found. Will admit hat I use "The Free Dictionary" when online, and http://www.etymonline.com/ for etymology. Would love a copy of the SOED, with all the historical stuff, but don't have the room (or the pocket) for it! Hmm, it is available on DVD but that's not the same as holding the book.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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jaywhat
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Joined: July 5th, 2007, 5:53 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#105 Post by jaywhat » January 28th, 2014, 4:06 pm

I was correcting the criticism. I admit I made it all a tad intricate.

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Dave B
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Joined: May 17th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#106 Post by Dave B » January 28th, 2014, 4:49 pm

jaywhat wrote:I was correcting the criticism. I admit I made it all a tad intricate.
Well, I am more than a tad grateful for your support, jaywhat. :D
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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Tetenterre
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Joined: March 13th, 2011, 11:36 am

Re: Pedants' corner

#107 Post by Tetenterre » January 28th, 2014, 10:35 pm

Huh? This thread had left me a tad baffled!

On the batphone, so expect weird autocorrect
Steve

Quantum Theory: The branch of science with which people who know absolutely sod all about quantum theory can explain anything.

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#108 Post by Alan H » January 28th, 2014, 10:48 pm

Tetenterre wrote:Huh? This thread had left me a tad baffled!
It's the spawn of the devil!
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
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Re: Pedants' corner

#109 Post by Alan H » March 24th, 2014, 2:37 pm

Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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jaywhat
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Re: Pedants' corner

#110 Post by jaywhat » March 24th, 2014, 4:43 pm

36% but quite heavily criticized

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Dave B
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Re: Pedants' corner

#111 Post by Dave B » March 24th, 2014, 4:54 pm

More tolerant than I thought, 60%

But my pedantry tends to be more for effect unless I am correcting something that needs to communicate information accurately. I used the expression, "favourite hates," once - an oxymoron but, somehow, expressing what I felt!
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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Tetenterre
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Joined: March 13th, 2011, 11:36 am

Re: Pedants' corner

#112 Post by Tetenterre » March 25th, 2014, 3:26 am

21% - I seem to be tolerant of informal neologisms.
Steve

Quantum Theory: The branch of science with which people who know absolutely sod all about quantum theory can explain anything.

lewist
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Joined: July 4th, 2007, 8:53 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#113 Post by lewist » March 25th, 2014, 5:48 pm

9% but those things were wrong and can't be allowed to pass. Why did I get as much as that? :angry:

I'm not a pedant. I'm an expert.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Pedants' corner

#114 Post by Nick » March 27th, 2014, 6:05 pm

lewist wrote:9% but those things were wrong and can't be allowed to pass. Why did I get as much as that? :angry:

I'm not a pedant. I'm an expert.
Ah, yes. Expert. An ex is a has-been and a spirt is a drip under pressure..... :exit:

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Dave B
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Joined: May 17th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Re: Pedants' corner

#115 Post by Dave B » March 27th, 2014, 8:19 pm

Ah, yes. Expert. An ex is a has-been and a spirt is a drip under pressure..... :exit:
I was going to be pedantic and say, "a spurt is a dip under pressure".

Then I Googled and found that "spirt" is a variation of "spurt", but probably an Americanism. Can we allow that?
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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