Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
On Fri, 3 Jan 2003, Theo L. McCorkle wrote: > There seems to be a lot of banter about the English language on this > list recently. The language is English whereever it is spoken around > the world, regardless of the nation. Within each english speaking > nation there are many many dialects. Each locality has its own way of > speaking and writing the language. This is the joy and frustration of > speeking a worldwide living language. For which I strongly recommend the following book: The Mother Tongue: English and how it got that way. Bill Bryson, Avon Books; ISBN: 0380715430 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380715430/qid=1041607133/sr=12-6/104-7965478-2572750?v=glance&s=books#product-details Educational, enriching and amusing. Dave
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
There seems to be a lot of banter about the English language on this list recently. The language is English whereever it is spoken around the world, regardless of the nation. Within each english speaking nation there are many many dialects. Each locality has its own way of speaking and writing the language. This is the joy and frustration of speeking a worldwide living language. If you a precise unchanging then become a Roman priest and speak Latin. Dave P wrote: On Thu, 2 Jan 2003, John G Hitchcock wrote: There's a lot of it [nu english] about. Wot about the new deity "Zalot", az in - Gee. Imagine being a Brit in Merka. After 4-5 years you start to pick up the US vowel sounds and start sounding Australian to the Merkins, and Merkin to the Brits. So, an Aussie joke for ya ;) What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can't wash your hands in a buffalo! (Go on, read it out loud ;) Dave
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
On Thu, 2 Jan 2003, John G Hitchcock wrote: > There's a lot of it [nu english] about. Wot about the new deity "Zalot", az > in - Gee. Imagine being a Brit in Merka. After 4-5 years you start to pick up the US vowel sounds and start sounding Australian to the Merkins, and Merkin to the Brits. So, an Aussie joke for ya ;) What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can't wash your hands in a buffalo! (Go on, read it out loud ;) Dave
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
Happy new year to all. There's a lot of it [nu english] about. Wot about the new deity "Zalot", az in - "Thank Zalot" And where can you get thick elss? 'Round here waiters are always saying - "Would you like any thin elss?" Quality Language! ;>) John in Wales
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
>Bushism to beat all: >"The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur" >(pronounced, I am sure, entrepenyouer) Oh you NAILED it :-) Phoebus
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
On Thu, 2 Jan 2003 at 11:14:46, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>) > >>> English was probably my worst subject at school ( but then I am a >>> Geordie (;-) ) however even I get annoyed at the way it gets abused ( my >>> biggest cringe is the use of uz instead of us ) but do we not have to >>> bear these abuses as they do become part of the language ( as it >>> changes ) > >My pet hate(s) are : > Mine is the loss of 'number', 'fewer' and so on. ie the incorrect: 'amount of people' 'less cars' and so on. It removes meaning in many cases. If you can count it - fewer, many, number etc if not - much, less etc Non-English speakers are still mainly correct. I don't mind language developing at all, as long as subtleties of meaning are kept. If the spoken language cannot express exact meaning, then maybe we cannot even _think_ the meaning. Hence the need for words like 'schadenfreude' Bushism to beat all: "The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur" (pronounced, I am sure, entrepenyouer) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
RE: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
>> English was probably my worst subject at school ( but then I am a >> Geordie (;-) ) however even I get annoyed at the way it gets abused ( my >> biggest cringe is the use of uz instead of us ) but do we not have to >> bear these abuses as they do become part of the language ( as it >> changes ) My pet hate(s) are : leverage (pronounced leh-ver-age and not as lee-ver-age !) instead of 'use'. What's the point ? Our MD is a total 'leverage' fan - he loves the word and uses (leverages ?) it at every opportunity whether sensible or not. We think he is a total 'merchant banker'. Incorrect usage of 'there' and 'their'. Incorrect usage of the apostrophe in 'its' - mind you, this is one of those numerous exceptions that abound in the English language. You know, all that 'I before E except .' stuff. 'Insure' instead of 'ensure' - however, to my horro, this now appears to be acceptable usage. And I really hate speling misteaks as well - but I can't complain due to having dyslexic fingers when typing - my brain appears to be thinking of the next word or words while my fingers are still typing the current one, and somewhere betwixt brain and keyboard, an error occurs. I get pretty good at using the backspace key ! Ah well, back to work. Cheers, Norman. PS. A Grenadian joke : How does Bob Marley like his doughnuts (donuts) ? Wi Jammin ! - Norman Dunbar Database/Unix administrator Lynx Financial Systems Ltd. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: 0113 289 6265 Fax: 0113 289 3146 URL: http://www.Lynx-FS.com - This email is intended only for the use of the addressees named above and may be confidential or legally privileged. If you are not an addressee you must not read it and must not use any information contained in it, nor copy it, nor inform any person other than Lynx Financial Systems or the addressees of its existence or contents. If you have received this email and are not a named addressee, please delete it and notify the Lynx Financial Systems IT Department on 0113 2892990.
Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations- now OT Engish
- Original Message - From: "Geoff Wicks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 1:27 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations > > > - Original Message - > From: "James Hunkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [ql-users] Happy celebrations > > > > >What is really embarrassing is when someone from England reminds us in > >the States just how bad our English is! > > I hate to say this, but many language experts believe USA English is more > "pure" than UK English in that it is more like the English spoken 200 years > ago. Careful now Geoff this could develop. something to consider ( this means I'm about to state something that I may or may not agree with ) English is a langauge that is evolving so who is to say which is the purer, English as it is today or as it was spoken 200 years past. English was probably my worst subject at school ( but then I am a Geordie (;-) ) however even I get annoyed at the way it gets abused ( my biggest cringe is the use of uz instead of us ) but do we not have to bear these abuses as they do become part of the language ( as it changes ) All the best - Bill > > Just to make this on-topic, this is just part of the Just Words! service. > > Seasons greetings, > Geoff Wicks.
