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Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

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Tetenterre
Posts: 3244
Joined: March 13th, 2011, 11:36 am

Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#1 Post by Tetenterre » September 1st, 2011, 9:24 am

For a moment this morning, I believed that my responsibilities in this life had been reduced to only one. I have one of those neck pillow things and it is getting a bit dusty, so I looked t the washing instructions.The last sentence states: "Machine washing is the sole responsibility of the consumer." Then it dawned on me that I had no intention of consuming it.

Some other irritants:

"Meteoric rise": meteors do not rise, they fall.

"Quantum leap" to mean something large: a quantum leap takes place within the electron shell of an atom; anything larger is ionisation.

Anybody who says, "I'll give it 110%." You can't.

Reporters who say "obviously" about things that aren't obvious and "basically" (or "fundamentally") about things that are not basic (or fundamental).

There are more, but I'd better leave space for others.
Steve

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

thundril
Posts: 3607
Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#2 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 9:58 am

I enjoy waxing righteous about precisely wrong use of metaphor; particularly in cases of unthinking use of cliche.
A few years ago, in the early morning hours around the World-Service/Radio 4 switchover, I collected this wonderful pairing: A football manager admitted that 'On the field of play, on the other hand, we have given ourselves a mountain to climb. . " And on Farming Today, a representative of Welsh hill-farmers said he was " . . .seeking a level playing-field in Brussels."

thundril
Posts: 3607
Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#3 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 10:03 am

Tetenterre wrote: "Machine washing is the sole responsibility of the consumer."
If maching-washing your neck-rest really is your sole responsibility, you've got a very easy life!

petemster
Posts: 233
Joined: July 10th, 2007, 7:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#4 Post by petemster » September 1st, 2011, 1:42 pm

.

Nothing to do with grammar, just journalistic laziness or distortion, it really annoys me -

the use of the term, "The Lockerbie Bomber".

As far as I know, nobody bombed Lockerbie.

Don't try to explain it to me - just share in my irritation.

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getreal
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Joined: November 20th, 2008, 5:40 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#5 Post by getreal » September 1st, 2011, 3:40 pm

The use of "litterally" when anything but is meant.

Misuse of the posessive apostrophe by people who should know better (Why don't the Lands' End clothing company just accept they have made an error and change the apostrophe?)

Ending sentences with a preposition when it is clear, by the sound of the sentence, that you should not. The BBC are very guilty of this and it sounds so clunky. (I am aware that it is not always wrong to end a sentence with a preposition. I am talking about occassions when it is clearly poor sentence construction)

Misuse of apostrophy when it replaces missing letters. I mean, how easy does this have to be for people to understand?

I could go on, but, litterally my collars' getting a bit hot underneath.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.

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

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#6 Post by Nick » September 1st, 2011, 4:10 pm

"To be honest...." What are you usually? I lying scumbag?


I am also perhaps unreasonably irritated by the ugly word "got", as in "I got married to my girlfriend". What's wrong with "I married my girlfriend..." ?

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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#7 Post by Dave B » September 1st, 2011, 4:41 pm

Absolutely, chaps and chappeses, I entirely agree with you.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

thundril
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Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#8 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 4:45 pm

Dave B wrote:Absolutely, chaps and chappeses, I entirely agree with you.
Dave, you've hit the nail on the thumb! :wink:

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Tetenterre
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#9 Post by Tetenterre » September 1st, 2011, 5:03 pm

"I met with Charlie." Yes, well, if you met him, I wonder how you could have done it without him!
Steve

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

thundril
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Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#10 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 5:06 pm

'I stayed awake with Charlie'. Now you're talkin'! :D

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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#11 Post by Dave B » September 1st, 2011, 5:18 pm

In modern street speech, "Yer know wot I mean." Example, "Reggae, ennit, yer know wot I mean." Note the deliberate lack of a question mark, it usually seems more of a statement than an inquiry.

I have no real complaint about new words, new uses for words or even the verbalisation of nouns and the reverse of that, totally redundant speech seems to indicate a lack of vocabulary combined with a case of logorrhea.
"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

#12 Post by Tetenterre » September 1st, 2011, 5:59 pm

thundril wrote:'I stayed awake with Charlie'. Now you're talkin'! :D
:pointlaugh:
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

#13 Post by Alan H » September 1st, 2011, 6:20 pm

Quacks who use 'complimentary' instead of 'complementary'. You'd think they'd know what it was they did for a living - and it's far from free!

Edzard Ernst highlighted this on Twitter today.
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?

thundril
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Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#14 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 7:10 pm

"Darling, you look so well!"
"Gosh,thank you. Actually, now that you've said that, I do feel a lot better."
"No, really, darling, you look wonderful!"
"Do you know, I actually feel wonderful now!"

This is complimentary medicine in action. It does work, you know!

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

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#15 Post by Nick » September 1st, 2011, 7:44 pm

In a commercial for Fairy Liquid, mummy says to her son (who wants the plastic bttle to create a space-ship,) "Sorry, space-boy! It'll be light-years before it is finished!"

FFS! A light-year is a measure of distance, not time!

thundril
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Joined: July 4th, 2008, 5:02 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#16 Post by thundril » September 1st, 2011, 7:47 pm

But that advert, transmitted circa 1980 (?) is still radiating out from Earth.. . So when it catches up with the creatures who inspired the Smash advert. . . . .
"They peel them with their metal knives. . " :hilarity:

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Alan H
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#17 Post by Alan H » September 2nd, 2011, 12:52 am

thundril wrote:"Darling, you look so well!"
"Gosh,thank you. Actually, now that you've said that, I do feel a lot better."
"No, really, darling, you look wonderful!"
"Do you know, I actually feel wonderful now!"

This is complimentary medicine in action. It does work, you know!
:laughter:
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?

Joan
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Joined: January 2nd, 2010, 6:24 am

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#18 Post by Joan » September 2nd, 2011, 1:47 pm

I literally turned to stone, I felt like I could of died, but I decided to lay down until I felt good again. Later, Fred came and sat with my friend's and I, and soon he had took us home. Hopefully I'll get better at grammer soon......

Fia
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Joined: July 6th, 2007, 8:29 pm

Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#19 Post by Fia » September 2nd, 2011, 10:11 pm

:pointlaugh:
And just how difficult is getting less and fewer correct?

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Dave B
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Re: Grammer and phrases wot is irritating

#20 Post by Dave B » September 3rd, 2011, 9:34 am

Fia wrote: :pointlaugh:
And just how difficult is getting less and fewer correct?
Yes I agree, less people probably get this thing right than wrong.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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