The vagaries of the English language

[LongLine]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

"Already gots mine"

""you gots to gets some too"

 

[Bigperch]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

My dad taught me proper English by example, and also by pointing out errors in the local fish wrapper.

The grammar of the average news writer these days would have gotten me a verbal slap-down at the supper table.

Brilliance is great, but is of little use without:
1. Good language, to communicate both inward and outward.
2. Mathematics, the study of organization and relationships.

Given reasonable intelligence, good grammar and vocabulary, and a good handle on mathematics, any other discipline is easily acquired as needed.

Very good post, Sir. Truth-packed, and bulging at the seams.

Here's one I thought of as a kid.
A skinny kid calls a fat kid "fatty".
A fat kid calls a skinny kid "skinny".
If fatty means someone has lots of fat then skinny should mean someone has lots of skin. No?
If someone has lots of skin, they probably do so because they've a lot of fat that needs covering, right?
Therefore, contrary to to popular belief, skinny and fatty are synonyms rather than antonyms

 

[dlngr]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

It?s a good thing many don?t have to spell when they speak because there?s a rite way and then a not-so-write way:

There playing with they?re toys over their.
Huh? I can?t here you over hear.
Soul is good for your sole.
You?re not aloud to read allowed in the library.
I don?t believe you eight all ate of them.
The golfer yelled four as he swung his fore iron.
I never heard a groan man grown like that.
You can use an ore, sail, oar a paddle to move your boat.
The quarterback through the ball right threw the receiver?s arms.
Wood you burn would to heat your home?
A little ail will cure whatever ales you.
Eye got something in my I.
Ewe should get your kids to help yew.
The made came and maid the beds.
Did you sea the waves on the see?
They had to way anchor before they got under weigh.
The knows always nose.
Know, I didn?t no that.
Awl you need is a sharp all to mark the wood.
She couldn?t bare to bear it all in public.
Due do predicted bad whether, they didn?t know weather to fish the lake or the bay.
Do you beet the beats before you cook them?
They red the read book as the wind blue the blew house down.
Dew you blink when you due it?
I don?t like to mall my way through shoppers at the maul.
Roe, rho, roe your boat?

Tom B.
(LongLine)

That's to many lines too me two read.

 

[Gromulin]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

To paraphrase Sir Winston:

America and England; two countries divided by a common language.

 

[Thad]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

If one of a horde of mice is a mouse, and one of a gaggle of geese is a goose, then why is it not a herd of meese rather than moose?

Why is it a herd of deer and a single deer, just as look at those elk and that elk?

If more than one rat are rats, then why is more than one calf, calves?

If I have half of something, is it becaused another that used to have a whole halved it?

 

[LongLine]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Buy the way, did you by that boat bye the tackle shop?

Got'ta git out while the gitting's good..

 

[LongLine]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Never herd of a heard of cows. Always thought it was a heard of cattle.

 

[adamjr]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Very good post, Sir. Truth-packed, and bulging at the seams.

Here's one I thought of as a kid.
A skinny kid calls a fat kid "fatty".
A fat kid calls a skinny kid "skinny".
If fatty means someone has lots of fat then skinny should mean someone has lots of skin. No?
If someone has lots of skin, they probably do so because they've a lot of fat that needs covering, right?
Therefore, contrary to to popular belief, skinny and fatty are synonyms rather than antonyms

My english teachers would have given me a verbal slap for using the word "lots" and correct me to use "a lot."

 

[ezmobee]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

A lot of people on hear saw that "brought" a new boat and they only "gave" $800 for it. I've seen the brought thing enough times that it can't always be a typo.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Back to boats, around here we see questions about "gunnels" and "billage pumps." I was on a fishing boat with a stranger who kept talking about his "billage pump" and all I could think about was "village idiot."
I also see "trailor" a lot. At least limit it to use with a sail boat: a motorboat owner is a boater but a sailboat owner is a sailor, so he is entitled to the mistake?
And if you have a "wench" on your boat or trailer, don't let your wife catch you--either using one or calling her one!
"Stripers" belong in the water and "strippers" on the land. Do not confuse these when describing your recreational activities.

Now we have to give folks around here a pass for typo's; Lord knows I make enough of them, but I am having a hard time getting over the question about a good boat for tubbing. Can't say if the guy admitting to having a pee brain meant that.
(Pea green soup)

 

[Av8nBill]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

OK, how come "slow UP" and "slow DOWN" mean the same thing?

 

[Av8nBill]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

If you raise a barn without a permit, will the city make you raze it?

 

[Bigperch]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

OK, how come "slow UP" and "slow DOWN" mean the same thing?

You cut down a tree, then you cut it up.

Explain that to someone trying to learn English lol.

Ones that always get me in for sale ads is how people don't know when to use "sale" and when to use "sell". Never looked them up to verify but they have different meanings and I don't think they're interchangeable. See people choosing the wrong one a lot (I mean, lots and lots and lots )

 

[j_martin]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Explain that to someone trying to learn English lol.

Throw in idioms, and it really gets wild for these poor immigrants.

For instance, "I stopped smoking cold turkey."

So what are you smoking now, ham?

 

[foodfisher]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

You people=y'all,youse guys, youuns.

 

[LongLine]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Did you see that sale boat for sail at the marina?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: The vagaries of the English language

How about boats with an aluminum "haul" instead of "hull"? See that a lot and it's not a typo.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: The vagaries of the English language

here' another that grates on me: a cubby cabin.

 

[dlngr]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

But,butt,cubby cabins are great!

 

[LongLine]

Re: The vagaries of the English language

Have you red the sign on the read billbored or are you just board with those things?