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Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#61 Post by Tetenterre » September 9th, 2011, 10:48 am

Latest post of the previous page:

Nick wrote:
Fia wrote: And as for 'get' and 'got' I remember an inspirational English teacher who told me there was nearly always a better word. And she was right :)
Indeed, Fia. Take note everyone. I will never get married. I may (conceivably) marry, or perhaps be married, but I won't "get" married.
I don't get it; couldan you expand, please. I must of gotten stupid. :laughter:

A couple of gems on R4 this morning. The first is the inevitable misplaced modifier:
New York is in a state of heightened alert for the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Sunday.

Then part of a weather summary (must have been intentional):
There will be an isolated shower in Wales today.

And there was I thinking that the Green party conference was in Sheffield...
Steve

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

Nick
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#62 Post by Nick » September 9th, 2011, 12:41 pm

animist wrote:And can you imagine the Gershwin song (which has spawned masses of others based on its chords) called "I Have Rhythm"?
How about "I Only Got Eyes For You"..... Sounds more like Arthur Mullard.

Well, blow me down! I looked for a You Tube clip for those who may not be familiar with him,and look what I found! Maybe I knew about it subconsciously. Spooky!

OTOH, does that destroy my analogy?

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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#63 Post by Tetenterre » September 9th, 2011, 2:57 pm

Of course, the epitome of this is Stan Freberg's version of "Old Man River".
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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Sel
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#64 Post by Sel » September 9th, 2011, 3:49 pm

Tetenterre wrote:Of course, the epitome of this is Stan Freberg's version of "Old Man River".
Good grief. I have not heard a reference to that hilarious number in years. Would you believe I burned an old Freberg LP to CD? I must hunt it down.
"The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge." Bertrand Russell

Nick
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#65 Post by Nick » September 9th, 2011, 6:45 pm

Tetenterre wrote:Of course, the epitome of this is Stan Freberg's version of "Old Man River".
:laughter: Quite so, TT.

And while looking at the clip, did you notice the Yiddish version....? :laughter:

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Val
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#66 Post by Val » September 9th, 2011, 7:47 pm

I too enjoyed this not having heard it for several years.

Can anyone find me the sketch by Morecambe and Wise with Morecambe selling the "Eenin stannard" ?

Lord Muck oGentry
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#67 Post by Lord Muck oGentry » September 11th, 2011, 12:59 am

Not fit for purpose
It has the virtue of telling the hearer what he needs to know about the speaker.

Least worst option
Remedial English is the least bad option.

Proactive good: reactive bad.
To every proaction there is an equal and opposite reaction. Or not.
What we can't say, we can't say and we can't whistle it either. — Frank Ramsey

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Alan H
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#68 Post by Alan H » September 11th, 2011, 1:35 am

Val wrote:I too enjoyed this not having heard it for several years.

Can anyone find me the sketch by Morecambe and Wise with Morecambe selling the "Eenin stannard" ?
You mean the Morny Stannit?
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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Val
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#69 Post by Val » September 11th, 2011, 11:26 pm

Thanks Alan H. that is the one. It shows how unreliable memory can be. I would have affirmed in court that it was the eenin stanna.

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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#70 Post by Tetenterre » September 15th, 2011, 4:30 pm

"I was younger when that photo was taken."

No shit, Sherlock!?!
Steve

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

jamesjones950
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#71 Post by jamesjones950 » September 15th, 2011, 6:09 pm

On The Weakest Link, Anne Robinson asks a contestant why they've voted someone as a weakest link.

"Why Fred?"

"He got two questions wrong."

Which is ALWAYS followed by me shouting at the TV, "No, he flippin' well didn't get two questions wrong. The questions were fine. It was the flippin' ANSWERS he got wrong, you ninny."

What I really cannot comprehend, is why this has never been picked up by the programme's producers, or even by Anne herself, who surely would welcome yet another opportunity to take the p out of the contestants.
a "New Atheist" for the last 55 years

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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#72 Post by Tetenterre » December 17th, 2011, 2:40 pm

Fia wrote: :pointlaugh:
And just how difficult is getting less and fewer correct?
Perhaps you should ask "The Surreal McCoy"? :laughter:

(Author of cartoon on p16 of the Jan/Feb 2012 New Humanist)
Steve

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

Lord Muck oGentry
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#73 Post by Lord Muck oGentry » January 3rd, 2012, 11:38 pm

It sends the wrong message, trotted out by politicians as a reason for not saying what is true and to the point.

It prompts the question why we can't send the right message by speaking plainly. The answer, I suspect, is that It sends the wrong message is a genteel variation of There's only one language these people understand. But that would make the speaker sound coarse. And we can't have that, can we?
What we can't say, we can't say and we can't whistle it either. — Frank Ramsey

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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#74 Post by Dave B » January 4th, 2012, 6:24 pm

Lord Muck oGentry wrote:It sends the wrong message, trotted out by politicians as a reason for not saying what is true and to the point.

It prompts the question why we can't send the right message by speaking plainly. The answer, I suspect, is that It sends the wrong message is a genteel variation of There's only one language these people understand. But that would make the speaker sound coarse. And we can't have that, can we?
I have always taken it as being a kind of political shorthand, "It sends the wrong message to allow benefit scroungers to get away with it." could be expanded into better English and be about twice as long - but with the "points per minute" a politician has to achieve in a speech of on the radio I think they are going to use all such ploys. So long as the public understand why not use the flexibility of English to its best advantage?
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

Nick
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#75 Post by Nick » January 4th, 2012, 6:32 pm

"Hard-working families, up and down the country...." A great favorite of Ed Milliband's. He once used it 4 times in 6 question to the PM in PMQ's. Grrr!

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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#76 Post by Dave B » January 4th, 2012, 6:43 pm

Nick wrote:"Hard-working families, up and down the country...." A great favorite of Ed Milliband's. He once used it 4 times in 6 question to the PM in PMQ's. Grrr!
I have to agree that the constant trotting out of the same phrase(s) over and again, especially in the same session, sounds as though the speaker has nothing new to offer (and that is oh-so-often true!)

Like the boss I had who acquired new words and then drove us mad with his constant use of them for a week of so. "Nugatory" was one of his favourites. Described him quite well . . .
"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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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#77 Post by Tetenterre » January 5th, 2012, 7:10 pm

"Gifted" instead of "gave" or "given". Anything given is a gift.

Nouns that come from adjectives that come from nouns, where the nouns mean the same. (e.g. Courage -> Courageous -> Courageousness)
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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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#78 Post by Alan H » January 6th, 2012, 1:14 am

Dave B wrote:Like the boss I had who acquired new words and then drove us mad with his constant use of them for a week of so. "Nugatory" was one of his favourites. Described him quite well . . .
I once was obliged to inform our HR Director the difference between a Principal Engineer and a Principle Engineer. Then there was my boss who claimed something was a 'mute point'...
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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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#79 Post by Tetenterre » January 6th, 2012, 9:19 am

Alan H wrote:Then there was my boss who claimed something was a 'mute point'...
To which you listened with "baited" breath, I presume?
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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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#80 Post by Dave B » January 6th, 2012, 9:28 am

Tetenterre wrote:
Alan H wrote:Then there was my boss who claimed something was a 'mute point'...
To which you listened with "baited" breath, I presume?
Y'know, I have heard that [phrase but can never remember having seen it written. Chances are I would have used "baited" myself (this reveals that I have just checked out the origin and meaning of the phrase - ain't the web a wonderful thing?!)

I think I have offered the following before, that boss I mentioned seemed to think it would be useful . . . I think he was serious!
Attachments
SYSTEM ENGINEERS INSTANT PHRASE GENERATOR.doc
(32 KiB) Downloaded 127 times
"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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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#81 Post by Tetenterre » January 6th, 2012, 4:20 pm

Dave B wrote:
Tetenterre wrote:I think I have offered the following before, that boss I mentioned seemed to think it would be useful . . . I think he was serious!
Well, I for one am more impressed with its heuristic isomorphic capability than with its reciprocal reciprocal obsolescence. (BTW, did you notice that isomorphic and regression each occur twice in the middle column?)
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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