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Pedants' corner

Now, this might just be me......

(64 Posts)
phoenix Thu 20-Apr-17 18:52:39

And if it is, feel free to say so (as if you wouldn't!)

I think that we have all seen the badly worded or spelled small ads, for example "chest of draws" or even "Black boys duffle coat" shock

But this was in an article in this week's North Devon Journal, under the heading "Photo ban handed to train traveller" :

"A court imposed the unusual ban after Edwin White took 3,000 photographs of mainly women on his mobile phone while on train journeys over a 10 month period"

Mainly women? What, they weren't entirely women? Just sort of partly women? Which parts?

OK, it's just me, isn't it.......blush

Galen Thu 20-Apr-17 19:22:31

No!

merlotgran Thu 20-Apr-17 19:27:04

I had to look twice. I thought you said 3,000 manly women.

phoenix Thu 20-Apr-17 19:40:48

Perhaps they were, merlot they might have had beards, which could qualify them as "manly", but if they had bosons and vulvas as well, then I suppose they would be "mainly" women confused

Ana Thu 20-Apr-17 19:45:14

But neither he nor the reporter could possibly have examined all 3,000 women to see whether they had vulvas, surely?

(And aren't bosons something to do with ships...?)

phoenix Thu 20-Apr-17 19:47:21

Oh no, not the dreaded bosons again! confusedblush

merlotgran Thu 20-Apr-17 19:48:11

Surely they would have been Volvos?

Ana Thu 20-Apr-17 19:49:43

Don't worry Phoenix, I missed the 'l' out of public on another thread not long ago...blush

Ana Thu 20-Apr-17 19:50:48

If they all had Volvos, what were they doing on a train? grin

merlotgran Thu 20-Apr-17 19:51:53

Bison??

phoenix Thu 20-Apr-17 19:57:58

Damn auto thingy!

I sent an email today to a student coming from Italy, when I looked at it later, it had changed to "if you are coming in to stagnate.." heaven knows what he must have thought until I re sent it in the correct version "If you are coming in to Stansted"

Katek Thu 20-Apr-17 21:46:05

Was that a Higgs Boson Phoenix? grin

Luckygirl Thu 20-Apr-17 22:03:27

Funny you should say this phoenix - the first school I went to was a CofE school run by nuns. It was all girls, except in the kindergarten, where there were also boys. The nuns used to advertise the school in the local paper as "School for girls with small boys part."

JackyB Thu 20-Apr-17 22:26:56

grin Who's going to pick me up off the floor? I'm having hysterics here.

Menopaws Thu 20-Apr-17 22:54:06

How many bisons can you fit in a Volvo?

MawBroon Thu 20-Apr-17 23:19:50

I am in danger of waking not only DH but also the dog, sniggering (me, not the dog) at these!

Marydoll Thu 20-Apr-17 23:37:07

Oh how I love these posts. I am definitely a pedant.? It's so good to know I am not alone.

Hopehope Fri 21-Apr-17 00:04:47

Funny, although I am more concerned about what he was doing, Manly, mainly or otherwise. what a perv!

phoenix Fri 21-Apr-17 00:30:23

Thank you for the responses, must make sure I double check posts, as I have trouble with bosoms/bosons/bosuns before! (in posts, not in real life, it would be a bit worrying if I had experienced problems with nautical persons, breasts, although come to think of it I have, also not entirely sure what bosons are, apart from much valued things when combined with Higgs)

I would contact the paper in question, but I think by the time I had explained the error, I may have lost the will to live.

cwasin Sat 22-Apr-17 09:47:20

Still laughing out loud. I love Gransnet.

grandMattie Sat 22-Apr-17 09:55:21

Oh! Thank you! I have been feeling rather "fraggle" as my DS puts it and this has made me laugh out loud!

I too have a Volvo and some bosons/bisons but have yet to be photographed by said person. Perhaps I don't travel by train enough [3 x a year or so!!!grin]

Elegran Sat 22-Apr-17 10:33:24

For some reason I have remembered an old old joke "What is the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can't wash your dishes in a buffalo."

barbaralynne Sat 22-Apr-17 10:45:18

Oh please don't stop yet. This is the most hilarious thread that I have read yet! Thank you all for such a great larf.!

Jayem Sat 22-Apr-17 11:02:33

I have a very literate mind and no sense of humour, so I have been told!. Meaning I take things literally! So, in that case Elegran, how do you wash your dishes in a bison, never mind a buffalo!!

00mam00 Sat 22-Apr-17 11:13:17

Jayem, try Chinese whispers.

I am dislexic and love auto correct, it comes up with the most comical interpretations of my attempts at spelling. Sometimes neither of us can get it right and I have to try a different word altogether.