Search found 2890 matches
- Wed Sep 30, 2015 11:24 pm
- Forum: Oh, and have you read...?
- Topic: 25 maps that illustrate the history of English
- Replies: 4
- Views: 16212
Re: 25 maps that illustrate the history of English
Just back from another jaunt to the SW, Erik. It was too cloudy to see you as we flew over. The back has almost recovered from the jolts on a beautifully scenic railroad that shall remain nameless. There were UK and US citizens on the coach or bus as some called it, and we had some amusing discussio...
- Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:55 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: Intersection, junction and crossroads
- Replies: 10
- Views: 12047
Re: Intersection, junction and crossroads
When is a T-junction not a T-junction?
Yes, it's a rare piece of language where the referent doesn't change, but the correct term (in the UK, at least) does depending on how you (physically or notionally) approach it. A deictic noun.
Yes, it's a rare piece of language where the referent doesn't change, but the correct term (in the UK, at least) does depending on how you (physically or notionally) approach it. A deictic noun.
- Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:04 am
- Forum: No, wait. Don't tell me
- Topic: Hold the line
- Replies: 4
- Views: 7290
Re: Hold the line
If one may segue to the fishing line. The likeable and knowledgeable tour guide / driver on our recent coach tour of Ireland mentioned the 'salmon of knowledge' early on in the tour, and said that he would tell us the story later. After six days (I think he was waiting, hoping that someone would fee...
- Tue May 05, 2015 11:29 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: How Australian is ruining the English language
- Replies: 9
- Views: 12229
Re: How Australian is ruining the English language
The Australian interrobang must be interesting. Not to mention uninverted commas.
- Sat May 02, 2015 10:34 pm
- Forum: Word Origins and Meanings
- Topic: What's this?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 13445
Re: What's this?
Obviously, somebody is required who can inject some sanity into proceedings here.
Sadly, Catherine says she's too busy.
Sadly, Catherine says she's too busy.
- Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:14 pm
- Forum: No, wait. Don't tell me
- Topic: Better ask harry Potter
- Replies: 6
- Views: 8527
Re: Better ask harry Potter
Obviously not as good as Hermione with spells.
- Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:49 pm
- Forum: No, wait. Don't tell me
- Topic: Pizza
- Replies: 6
- Views: 9528
Re: Pizza
Why am I imagining a man in a fez?
- Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:13 am
- Forum: Word Origins and Meanings
- Topic: hardly
- Replies: 9
- Views: 12465
Re: hardly
I've been toying with yellow birds is to other birds as slowly stopped is to never stopped . (??) Determiners, specifying the 'reference of the noun or noun phrase in the context' [Wikipedia] rather than further specifying attributes, are considered a different word class from adjectives nowadays. I...
- Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:17 am
- Forum: Word Origins and Meanings
- Topic: hardly
- Replies: 9
- Views: 12465
Re: hardly
This is not made easier by the fact that 'hard' in 'He stared hard at her for several seconds' is definitely a (flat) adverb, while 'hard' in 'a hard boiled egg' is adjectival, describing the resultative state of the egg rather than the manner of boiling (contrast a gently boiled egg). Also, the boi...
- Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:04 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: Keep the noise down
- Replies: 4
- Views: 5558
Re: Keep the noise down
@WoZ Some Brits might think your 'it' is referring to a kangaroo you want tying. Sport.
- Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:58 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: Sort out
- Replies: 5
- Views: 6797
Re: Sort out
Yes, context argues against the metaphorical sense of 'sort out'. 'Leave someone be' is almost archaic now. It's almost a separable transitive multi-word verb of the verb + verb variety. 'Make do" is an intransitive V + V MWV, and 'let go' a separable transitive (or intransitive) V + V MWV. Perhaps ...
- Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:41 am
- Forum: Word Origins and Meanings
- Topic: pasquinade
- Replies: 2
- Views: 7364
Re: pasquinade
I'm not sure whether I want to find a British politician I can use it on or not.
- Thu Jan 01, 2015 12:26 am
- Forum: Addicts' Corner
- Topic: New Year
- Replies: 3
- Views: 8218
Re: New Year
Yes, may your daffodils and leeks be bigger and better than ever.
- Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:20 am
- Forum: Miscellaneous
- Topic: Eggcorned
- Replies: 13
- Views: 28907
Re: Eggcorned
Sounds like gratuitous sacks.trolley wrote:Today, at work, one of my workers complained that I had "raped him over the coals". I feel horrible. I can't imagine how painful that must have been for him.
- Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:15 am
- Forum: Word Origins and Meanings
- Topic: a big girl's blouse
- Replies: 8
- Views: 14979
Re: a big girl's blouse
I always thought it had something to do with the fact that shirts in England when I was young had only three buttons at the top and blouses had buttons all the way down. Men's shirts on the continent had buttons all the way down and these were known as big girl's blouses That's fascinating, makes s...