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Pedants' corner

unique

(69 Posts)
Christinefrance Mon 02-Jan-17 17:35:21

Watched George Clarke in Amazing Spaces, he said of a house in Canada " It's very unique "
No George it's either unique or it isn't, there are no shades of this.

Wobblybits Sun 15-Jan-17 21:46:59

My DIL is the same her mother sent her to elocution to eradicate her North Lincolnshire dialect and replace it with BBC English, such a shame.

Elrel Sun 15-Jan-17 21:39:49

My mother disliked, despised, even, the local accent and went to great efforts to ensure that I didn't develop one. My father had one. I'll say no more, looking back it is painful to think about.

Wobblybits Sun 15-Jan-17 12:14:07

oops, no one will understand what I said as missed a comma after "I see,"

Wobblybits Sun 15-Jan-17 12:12:10

Elrel, the problem I see is that language can become a social divide rather than the common language that unites us. If some one speaks with a cockney, scouse , geordie or yokel accent etc, some people assume they are uneducated or ignorant.
Living in rural Essex I hear the local North essex accent dying, such a shame as it is singularly interesting.

Elrel Sat 14-Jan-17 16:47:53

Wobbly - the important thing is that people understand what you're saying IMHO! I don't see you having any problems there. I was taught 'opposite to' and 'different from' but don't judge people who say 'different to'.

Elrel Sat 14-Jan-17 16:39:58

Soon the narcissi and crocuses will be out! Ducks and runs!

Isabella1 Thu 12-Jan-17 19:59:20

"I notice the American word 'gotten' is creeping into use here"

Creeping back would be more accurate, it was British before America had been heard of. It's archaic now, but the form survives in other verbs e.g. forget/forgotten, beget/begotten…

Isabella1 Thu 12-Jan-17 19:39:47

Not just wrong but (inserts tongue in cheek) very wrong. "Octopus' is Greek and its plural is "Octopodes".

To discuss: "agenda/data/dice" singular or plural...?

Isabella1 Thu 12-Jan-17 19:31:15

Very unique - noooo. But almost unique is absolutely fine.

Christinefrance Sun 08-Jan-17 21:37:41

It's strange how some things grate on you and others don't. My grammar is far from perfect, I despair when reading things written by some of the younger generation. Hasten to add poor spelling and grammar are not confined to younger people.
I notice the American word 'gotten' is creeping into use here, it's awful.
I would like that T shirt too .

Jamesiesgran Sun 08-Jan-17 19:13:05

'F' instead of 'th'; 'impacted me/it/them'. It impacts on!!!
In general, using nouns as verbs......AAAAAHHHH!!!!!
I saw a t shirt bearing the legend' I am silently correcting your grammar' wish I had bought it!

absent Wed 04-Jan-17 18:28:28

Chris1603 On the other hand, "Bare with me" might turn out to be fun. grin

pollyperkins Wed 04-Jan-17 18:20:56

Myself instead of me seems to be on the increase as in 'send your application to myself'. IT'S REFLEXIVE!!!! Only use it if you are doing it (yourself). Another thing that drivs me mad and seems to be ubiquitous is using 'like' instead of "as if'. As in 'It looks like it's going to be a lovely day' on the weather forecast. Like should only be used if you are comparing something to a noun as in 'It looks like a dog', but not with a verb.I could go on but I'll stop there!

Chris1603 Wed 04-Jan-17 16:57:13

'Bear with me' hate it

Christinefrance Wed 04-Jan-17 08:43:23

A bit like forward planning Neversaydie. Anyone know of retrospective planning.
Another irritant is ' different to ' one should differ from and liken to.

absent Wed 04-Jan-17 00:46:52

Surely pre-planning is when you make lists of the lists that you are going to make to use for planning. smile

Neversaydie Tue 03-Jan-17 23:48:29

Octopussies surely absent(kidding)
Pre-planning anyone ?

paddyann Tue 03-Jan-17 23:05:01

I trust him 90% my friend used to say,...so you DONT trust him...yes she's say just not 100%......

absent Tue 03-Jan-17 18:59:53

I think it's perfectly acceptable to use an English plural form for a word that has long been adopted from Latin. Pedants can certainly say stadia for two of them, if they want to, but stadiums is equally okay. After all, nobody talks about two arenae – or do they? Of course, the root of stadium is actually Greek…

Which brings me octopi. That is just wrong and octopuses is perfectly acceptable and certainly more correct.

NannyMags Tue 03-Jan-17 18:30:44

Yes! marionk I agree I cannot stand the use of 110% used all the time on certain talent shows.

Nandalot Tue 03-Jan-17 18:12:02

Oh no! I've just checked our tin. It's going to drive me mad now.

Nanna58 Tue 03-Jan-17 17:41:51

My box of Xmas biscuits had written on it ' Fox's Fabulously Biscuits' . I drove my husband mad saying " it should just be fabulous, or fabulously rich or some other description " until he refused to get the box out if I was around!

TrishTopcat Tue 03-Jan-17 17:32:31

I think it's wonderful that we are all unique individuals - just like everyone else!

lujaha Tue 03-Jan-17 17:04:32

Laying down ?? Its lying down. Also " He/she was laid down", should be lying down as before. Arghhhhhh.....

Conni7 Tue 03-Jan-17 16:47:57

I agree with all these. We've been here before of course. Another annoying one is "myself" instead of "I" or "Me", as in "Myself and my friend are going out". What about: "The caller withheld their number"? What has happened to the third person singular?