Post by thread:[OT] For the pedants amonst us

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'[OT] For the pedants amonst us'
2005\08\22@190340 by Jinx

I prefer "there's-a-correct-way-to-do-it-so-why-not-do-it-that- way-in-the-first-place-ist" to "pendant" I don't know if the author was trying to be clever, but my immediate reaction was that there's no apostrophe in his name. Turns out it's Brians, not Brian. Although they could have made it Brians' Now, if only I could get news reporters/readers saying "ashfelt" for "asphalt". Not "asphelt", you note, which is something that happens in a crowded elevator, train or bus ====================================== http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/esl.html ====================================== And for no particular reason - 1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. 2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly 3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. 5. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. 6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high. 7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it. 8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. 9. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness. 10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.) 11. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating. 12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 13. Glibido: All talk and no action. 14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly 15. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web. 16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 17. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

2005\08\22@190811 by Jinx

> Now, if only I could get news reporters/readers saying "ashfelt" for > "asphalt" er, um STOP news reporters/readers saying "ashfelt"

2005\08\22@211904 by Howard Winter

Jinx, On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 11:07:14 +1200, Jinx wrote: > > Now, if only I could get news reporters/readers saying "ashfelt" for "asphalt" > > er, um > > STOP news reporters/readers saying "ashfelt" ROFL! I did wonder... but you're right, reporters and even newsreaders are getting really bad these days. Tautology is the thing that really gets up my goat (!) - especially on television and radio. A classic case is heard on traffic reports: "...going northbound" And that old favourite, taking an acronym and adding redundant words to it - the most outrageous one I heard was "...personal PIN number" !!! As if "PIN number" wasn't bad enough! Then there's the awful American habit of extending words that don't need it - "Transport" is a perfectly good noun on its own, and we should not give the addition of two extra syllables any supportation! :-) Cheers, Howard Winter St.Albans, England

2005\08\22@233551 by Jinx

> ROFL! I did wonder... but you're right, reporters and even > newsreaders are getting really bad these days > > Tautology is the thing that really gets up my goat (!) I heard two people on the radio say exactly that at the weekend My favourite is a wedding that "goes off without a hitch". So, the vicar didn't turn up ? (I was at a family wedding and my nephew rolled his teenage eyes at the poetry reading, to which I said "If you can't stand the Keats, stay out of the hitchin' ") There's always the ridiculous "meteoric rise" of course I've a friend on another list who is a very active pointer-outer. (He recently appeared on Close-up, NZers may have seen him). Always on the blower to the council, newspapers, Teletext, and especially newsrooms. Some of what he's pointed out does make you wonder whether reporters really think about what they're saying. Grammatically, factually etc. Often misleading or sensationalist too

2005\08\23@041957 by Alan B. Pearce

>Then there's the awful American habit of extending words >that don't need it - "Transport" is a perfectly good noun >on its own, and we should not give the addition of two >extra syllables any supportation! :-) A colleague I had many years ago in NZ had written in the margin of an American originated paper "gotten - shortened form of got".

2005\08\23@070230 by Russell McMahon

> >Then there's the awful American habit of extending words >>that don't need it - "Transport" is a perfectly good noun >>on its own, and we should not give the addition of two >>extra syllables any supportation! :-) There's one American verb that is 3 letters long, where people who speak English add another 3 letters on the end. It always jars when I hear it in the short version. What's worse, my children (24 & 26) insist that the US version is the correct version. Too much Sesame Street in a prior lifetime perhaps :-) What's the 6 letter English word that Americans shorten to 3 letters? (There may well be many such, but this one doesn't fit through my euphony filters). Russell McMahon A meagre clue is contained somewhere in the above.

2005\08\23@081018 by Howard Winter

Russell, On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 22:43:42 +1200, Russell McMahon wrote: > What's the 6 letter English word that Americans shorten to 3 letters? > (There may well be many such, but this one doesn't fit through my > euphony filters). Oh you are a tease! The only one that springs to mind is "fitted". Cheers, Howard Winter St.Albans, England

2005\08\23@082251 by Michael Rigby-Jones

>-----Original Message----- >From: spam_OUTpiclist-bouncesTakeThisOuTmit.edu [.....piclist-bouncesKILLspam@spam@mit.edu] >Sent: 23 August 2005 13:10 >To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. >Subject: Re: [OT] For the pedants amonst us > > >Russell, > >On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 22:43:42 +1200, Russell McMahon wrote: > >> What's the 6 letter English word that Americans shorten to 3 >letters? >> (There may well be many such, but this one doesn't fit through my >> euphony filters). > >Oh you are a tease! The only one that springs to mind is "fitted". 'fit' is a perfectly good verb, though Russel didn't mention which participle irked him so much ;) "I only fit that last week" Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

2005\08\24@090430 by John Ferrell

I am beginning to side with the French on this issue! Perhaps we do need a "language police". I see the word "pimp" used with increasing frequency in the printed media, but the meaning escapes me. I do understand the dictionary meaning but in the media they are not referring to one who markets prostitutes. John Ferrell http://DixieNC.US {Original Message removed}

2005\08\24@094852 by Lindy Mayfield

I think "pimp" means "to promote". But what were the two words Russell was talking about? Was the three letter one we make 6 got/gotten? What was the 6 letter one we shorten to 3? {Original Message removed}

2005\08\24@100101 by Lindy Mayfield

There is also the MTV show Pimp My Ride where they take a really beat up car to a shop in California that does specialty customizations. They like put an espresso machine or a makeup mirror in the trunk. So maybe also to pimp means "to make fancier; to add a lot of useless features and fluff". Maybe like: "Microsoft pimps Windows again..." {Original Message removed}

2005\08\24@100623 by Russell McMahon

>>> What's the 6 letter English word that Americans shorten to 3 > >>letters? >>> (There may well be many such, but this one doesn't fit through my >>> euphony filters). >>Oh you are a tease! The only one that springs to mind is "fitted". > 'fit' is a perfectly good verb, though Russel didn't mention which > participle irked him so much ;) > > "I only fit that last week" Ack. Euphony melt down. Yankee detection alert. Queen's English integrity breach. Armed troops to sect..... That's the one! > "I only fit that last week" In English that would read I only fitted that last week. Also eg "I tried it and it fitted". "He fitted into the group well." Proper usage allows: Will it fit? Yes, it will fit. Did it fit? Can you fit this in. It fitted in well. NOT: It fit in well. He fitted the tailpipe assembly. NOT: He fit the tailpipe assembly. Note - the following are OK: Did it fit? Yes, it fitted. Did he fit in? Yes, he fitted in well. No amount of protests will alter this. Fitted is English as she is spoke and writ. Fit, in the contexts where I have fitted, is something else. Not that there's anything (too :-) ) wrong with anything else. It's just that it's not English. Do the USAites have a class of trades-people called "fits and turns"? :-) RM

2005\08\24@101937 by Paul James E.

> > Do the USAites have a class of trades-people called "fits and turns"? > :-) Only in the sense that we sometimes throw FITS, and we take TURNS doing it. :-) Cheers, Jim RM > > > --

2005\08\24@102947 by Hazelwood Lyle

{Quote hidden}>Proper usage allows: > >Will it fit? >Yes, it will fit. >Did it fit? >Can you fit this in. > >It fitted in well. >NOT: It fit in well. > >He fitted the tailpipe assembly. >NOT: He fit the tailpipe assembly. > >Note - the following are OK: > > Did it fit? > Yes, it fitted. > > Did he fit in? > Yes, he fitted in well. Well, destruction of the language is something we Americans pride ourselves on. I have a few favorites of my own. One that has become big in the online world is "configurator".... Huh? If I had a fit about it at some time in the past, would that mean that I had been "fitted"?? If it happened while I was outdoors, wouldn't that be "outfitted"? What if it happened way back in the seventies? "retrofitted"? Sorry, I couldn't resist. :-) Lyle

2005\08\24@111724 by olin piclist

Russell McMahon wrote: > He fitted the tailpipe assembly. > NOT: He fit the tailpipe assembly. But Americans don't say the latter anyway. Only the English misuse the word "fit" (whether fitted or not) to mean "installed", "mounted", or "added on". ***************************************************************** Embed Inc, embedded system specialists in Littleton Massachusetts (978) 742-9014, http://www.embedinc.com

2005\08\24@115613 by Michael Rigby-Jones

>-----Original Message----- >From: piclist-bouncesKILLspammit.edu [.....piclist-bouncesKILLspam.....mit.edu] >Sent: 24 August 2005 16:18 >To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. >Subject: Re: [OT] For the pedants amonst us > > >Russell McMahon wrote: >> He fitted the tailpipe assembly. >> NOT: He fit the tailpipe assembly. > >But Americans don't say the latter anyway. Only the English >misuse the word "fit" (whether fitted or not) to mean >"installed", "mounted", or "added on". >From the (US based) dictionary.com: fit v. fit·ted, or fit fit·ted, fit·ting, fits v. tr. 8. To insert or adjust so as to be properly in place: fit a handle on a door. IMO 'Fit' is a perfectly acceptable generic verb covering "install", "mount" etc. Regards Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

2005\08\24@150353 by Gus Salavatore Calabrese

Languages will evolve. YOU cannot stop them. What is considered correct today, will be intrascobulated tomorrow. Ha ! AGSC

2005\08\24@163844 by John Ferrell

I will continue to avoid using "pimp" until I better understand the meaning. Mirriam-Webster & dictionary.com and I are behind the times. Kidna like the guy who couldn't quite get the difference in "hanging out" & "hanging it out". If you remember WKRP are you and old timer??? John Ferrell http://DixieNC.US ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lindy Mayfield" <EraseMELindy.Mayfieldspam_OUTTakeThisOuTssf.sas.com> To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclistspam_OUTmit.edu> Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:56 AM Subject: RE: [OT] For the pedants amonst us > There is also the MTV show Pimp My Ride where they take a really beat up > car to a shop in California that does specialty customizations. They like > put an espresso machine or a makeup mirror in the trunk. > > So maybe also to pimp means "to make fancier; to add a lot of useless > features and fluff". > > Maybe like: "Microsoft pimps Windows again..." > > {Original Message removed}

2005\08\24@183733 by Paul James E.

Ahh yes, WKRP in Cincinnati, Baby, if you've ever wondered Wondered whatever bacame of me I'm livin on the air in Cincinnati Cincinnati, WKRP I'm kinda tired of packin and unpackin town to town , up and down the dial maybe you and me were never meant to be just maybe think of me once in a while, I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati {Quote hidden}> I will continue to avoid using "pimp" until I better understand the > meaning. Mirriam-Webster & dictionary.com and I are behind the times. > > Kidna like the guy who couldn't quite get the difference in "hanging > out" & "hanging it out". If you remember WKRP are you and old timer??? > > John Ferrell > http://DixieNC.US > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lindy Mayfield" <@spam@Lindy.MayfieldKILLspamssf.sas.com> > To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <KILLspampiclistKILLspammit.edu> > Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:56 AM > Subject: RE: [OT] For the pedants amonst us > > >> There is also the MTV show Pimp My Ride where they take a really beat >> up car to a shop in California that does specialty customizations. >> They like put an espresso machine or a makeup mirror in the trunk. >> >> So maybe also to pimp means "to make fancier; to add a lot of useless >> features and fluff". >> >> Maybe like: "Microsoft pimps Windows again..." >> >> {Original Message removed}

2005\08\24@184355 by David Minkler

Gus Salavatore Calabrese wrote: > Languages will evolve. true > YOU cannot stop them. true, but we can all help people understand that they are not communicating what they think they are communicating (sometimes it helps to point out that what they are really communicating is their ignorance) > What is considered correct today, > will be intrascobulated tomorrow. What I meant by the words that I used does not change despite the fact that the meaning of the word has changed subsequent to my use of it. This is one of the things that motivated Webster to write his dictionary. He wanted to preserve the meanings of the words. > Ha ! > > AGSC

2005\08\24@185510 by Spehro Pefhany

At 03:48 PM 8/24/2005 -0700, you wrote: >Gus Salavatore Calabrese wrote: > >>Languages will evolve. > >true > >>YOU cannot stop them. > >true, but we can all help people understand that they are not >communicating what they think they are communicating (sometimes it helps >to point out that what they are really communicating is their ignorance) > >>What is considered correct today, >>will be intrascobulated tomorrow. > >What I meant by the words that I used does not change despite the fact >that the meaning of the word has changed subsequent to my use of it. >This is one of the things that motivated Webster to write his >dictionary. He wanted to preserve the meanings of the words. Webster was a prescriptivist, a particularly low form of life. ;-) Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" RemoveMEspeffTakeThisOuTinterlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com ->> Inexpensive test equipment & parts http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZspeff

2005\08\24@190426 by Jinx

> > "I only fit that last week" > > Ack. > Euphony melt down. > Yankee detection alert. > Queen's English integrity breach. > Armed troops to sect..... Oh dear, I think Russel just fitted

2005\08\24@190836 by William Chops Westfield

On Aug 24, 2005, at 1:39 PM, John Ferrell wrote: >> >> So maybe also to pimp means "to make fancier; to add a lot of useless >> features and fluff". >> >> Maybe like: "Microsoft pimps Windows again..." >> Hmm. How about "overly enthusiastic sleazy marketing/enhancement of a questionable product", much like what the traditional "pimp" would do with his "products." Thus "pimping up" a car with trim and lights and stuff, or the bells and whistles in microsoft software. Alas, a term clearly destined to describe much of american marketing and advertisement... BillW

2005\08\24@191958 by Jinx

> Thus "pimping up" a car with trim and lights and stuff, or the > bells and whistles in microsoft software. Gates is hardly B.Diddy, even if he wore everything from here http://www.pimphats.com/

2005\08\24@192849 by Russell McMahon

>> > "I only fit that last week" >> Ack. >> Euphony melt down. >> Yankee detection alert. >> Queen's English integrity breach. >> Armed troops to sect..... > Oh dear, I think Russel just fitted "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean different things." "The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all." Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carroll R :-) M

2005\08\24@203840 by Jinx

> Ahh yes, WKRP in Cincinnati, > > Baby, if you've ever wondered > Wondered whatever bacame of me For many many bonus points, what on earth are the closing lyrics ?

2005\08\25@000609 by Josh Koffman

According to http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=47 there are none - it's gibberish. I must admit, while I don't think I'll ever forget the opening theme, I can't for the life of me recall the closing theme. Josh -- A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams On 8/24/05, Jinx <spamBeGonejoecolquittspamBeGoneclear.net.nz> wrote: > > Ahh yes, WKRP in Cincinnati, > > > > Baby, if you've ever wondered > > Wondered whatever bacame of me > > For many many bonus points, what on earth are the > closing lyrics ?

2005\08\25@020442 by Jinx

> I must admit, while I don't think I'll ever forget the opening theme, > I can't for the life of me recall the closing theme. http://www.archer2000.net/wkrp/wkrp5.html

2005\08\25@040602 by Alan B. Pearce

>Languages will evolve. >YOU cannot stop them. >What is considered correct today, >will be intrascobulated tomorrow. There is a very interesting series being done by the BBC at present, on "language and how she is spoke" across Britain. It is looking at local dialects, words used, and how the influences of modern migration are changing the language.

2005\08\25@041125 by Alan B. Pearce

> > Ahh yes, WKRP in Cincinnati, > > > > Baby, if you've ever wondered > > Wondered whatever bacame of me > > For many many bonus points, what on earth are the > closing lyrics ? Why worry about the lyrics ... I just remember the receptionist at a certain record company in Avondale that was a customer of ours, who could have been a double for Loni Anderson in WKRP ...

2005\08\25@041420 by Alan B. Pearce

2005\08\25@091400 by Josh Koffman

On 8/25/05, Jinx <TakeThisOuTjoecolquittEraseMEspam_OUTclear.net.nz> wrote: > http://www.archer2000.net/wkrp/wkrp5.html Aaahhhh...now I remember! Thanks Joe! Josh -- A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams

2005\08\25@101659 by gacrowell

{Quote hidden}> -----Original Message----- > From: RemoveMEpiclist-bouncesTakeThisOuTmit.edu > [piclist-bouncesEraseME.....mit.edu] On Behalf Of Paul James E. > Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 6:37 AM > To: EraseMEpiclistmit.edu > Subject: Re: [OT] For the pedants amonst us > > > Ahh yes, WKRP in Cincinnati, > > Baby, if you've ever wondered > Wondered whatever bacame of me > I'm livin on the air in Cincinnati > Cincinnati, WKRP > > I'm kinda tired of packin and unpackin > town to town , up and down the dial > maybe you and me were never meant to be > just maybe think of me once in a while, > > I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati Booger

2005\08\27@062643 by Howard Winter

Olin, On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 11:18:04 -0400, Olin Lathrop wrote: > Russell McMahon wrote: > > He fitted the tailpipe assembly. > > NOT: He fit the tailpipe assembly. > > But Americans don't say the latter anyway. Only the English misuse the word > "fit" (whether fitted or not) to mean "installed", "mounted", or "added on". Since Russell said it, at the very least the New Zealanders say it too! When you call the language "American", you can say what you like about how it should be used. While it's still called "English", there's no way you can say that we misuse it! (What do the USAF call the job that's called "Aircraft Fitter" in the RAF?) Cheers, Howard Winter St.Albans, England

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