DGS49
Diamond Member
With nothing constructive to do this afternoon Im going to get a few language-type things off my chest. Unfortunately, I have to start with a sort of disclaimer. People who write dictionaries have an irritating tendency to normalize incorrect usages, non-words, and bad form, just because they are becoming common. For example, the word, copascetic was originally slang, meaning basically OK. Now its in some dictionaries as a proper word. So if I say something is improper or incorrect, it may still be possible to find some dictionary that defines a word or sanctions using a word incorrectly, in response to popular demand, so to speak. But if you want to speak properly, you will ignore all that.
Here is some of the stuff that drives me bonkers.
Quality is a NOUN, not an ADJECTIVE. The statement, This is truly a quality product, is nonsense, on steroids. It may be a high quality product or a low quality product or an excellent quality product or an inferior quality product. But it is definitely NOT a quality product. Calling it a quality product is like saying Manute Bol was a height basketball player.
Highly is a nonsense word. People use it because the word very seems so drab and they cant think of anything else to use. What is the opposite of highly? Lowly? This booger contains millions of highly complex micro-organisms. More so than if they were merely, very complex micro-organisms?
Two of the following statements make sense; one is nonsense.
(1) George is a highly qualified applicant.
(2) George is a very qualified applicant.
(3) George is an extremely qualified applicant.
Imply/Infer. Speakers and writers can IMPLY things; listeners and readers can INFER things. Dont use them interchangeably; its stupid.
Arent I? In their total revulsion at the word, aint some people revert to the expression, I am the prettiest fat girl at the dance, arent I? Unfortunately, the English language does NOT have an acceptable contraction for the two words, am I. But the word are is definitely plural, so if you are not a Siamese twin or dont have multiple personality disorder, you should never use the expression, arent I. It is better to say, I am the prettiest fat girl at the dance, am I not? Or just SFTU and hope nobody notices.
an historical occasion. I dont know where this came from. It is one of the most basic rules of pronunciation in English that the article a is used when followed by a consonant sound and an is used when followed by a vowel sound. Last time I checked, h was a consonant (though sometimes silent). Thus we say, a dog, and an asshole. But some people insist on using an in front of the word, historical. To me it sounds frightfully pompous.
Sportscasters will often say about a play that has recently occurred, If he catches that ball, the Ogres win. But he didnt catch the ball, did he? And you are talking about something that occurred in the past. Why are you using the present tense? Would it be too difficult to say, If he had caught that ball, the Ogres would have won? What is the benefit of mangling the English language and making a totally nonsensical statement? Did you save the effort of voicing three additional words? Is it more exciting?
Copy me on that memo. Copy me? You mean like, imprint a photographic likeness of your face on the memorandum? Or do you really mean, Please send me a copy of that fucking memorandum? How much time and effort is saved by this linguistic shortcut? Is it worth making yourself sound like a moron? Apparently so.
Thats all for now. I feel better.
Here is some of the stuff that drives me bonkers.
Quality is a NOUN, not an ADJECTIVE. The statement, This is truly a quality product, is nonsense, on steroids. It may be a high quality product or a low quality product or an excellent quality product or an inferior quality product. But it is definitely NOT a quality product. Calling it a quality product is like saying Manute Bol was a height basketball player.
Highly is a nonsense word. People use it because the word very seems so drab and they cant think of anything else to use. What is the opposite of highly? Lowly? This booger contains millions of highly complex micro-organisms. More so than if they were merely, very complex micro-organisms?
Two of the following statements make sense; one is nonsense.
(1) George is a highly qualified applicant.
(2) George is a very qualified applicant.
(3) George is an extremely qualified applicant.
Imply/Infer. Speakers and writers can IMPLY things; listeners and readers can INFER things. Dont use them interchangeably; its stupid.
Arent I? In their total revulsion at the word, aint some people revert to the expression, I am the prettiest fat girl at the dance, arent I? Unfortunately, the English language does NOT have an acceptable contraction for the two words, am I. But the word are is definitely plural, so if you are not a Siamese twin or dont have multiple personality disorder, you should never use the expression, arent I. It is better to say, I am the prettiest fat girl at the dance, am I not? Or just SFTU and hope nobody notices.
an historical occasion. I dont know where this came from. It is one of the most basic rules of pronunciation in English that the article a is used when followed by a consonant sound and an is used when followed by a vowel sound. Last time I checked, h was a consonant (though sometimes silent). Thus we say, a dog, and an asshole. But some people insist on using an in front of the word, historical. To me it sounds frightfully pompous.
Sportscasters will often say about a play that has recently occurred, If he catches that ball, the Ogres win. But he didnt catch the ball, did he? And you are talking about something that occurred in the past. Why are you using the present tense? Would it be too difficult to say, If he had caught that ball, the Ogres would have won? What is the benefit of mangling the English language and making a totally nonsensical statement? Did you save the effort of voicing three additional words? Is it more exciting?
Copy me on that memo. Copy me? You mean like, imprint a photographic likeness of your face on the memorandum? Or do you really mean, Please send me a copy of that fucking memorandum? How much time and effort is saved by this linguistic shortcut? Is it worth making yourself sound like a moron? Apparently so.
Thats all for now. I feel better.