Advice / Advise

Oh yes !!

Could not agree more

Absolutely. So irritating. As is loose, lose.

And license/licence.

And practise/practice.

Will errant posters read and learn?

Loose/lose is now a lost cause!

The problem with practice/practise licence/license is that in American English, as far as I can see, they always use 'C', regardless. So it has probably permeated everyday spelling that way.

Along the lines of program - in the UK in the early days of computer programming it was only used in relation to computers, now program seems to have replaced programme because that's the US spelling. No big deal - it would be useless to protest!

I shall continue to protest. I have managed to lose one earring because it worked loose. I practised as a solicitor and apparently practice makes perfect. I am licensed to drive and in possession of a valid licence. I would be useless at computer programming but I do enjoy certain television programmes.

as so often (more often than not...) i agree with you GSM.
an allied one is the widespread uk use of drivers license.
i am in uk and i have a driving licence.

As do I. 😊

Don’t they teach “c the noun and s the verb” anymore? So easy to remember!

effect/affect is another one. So people use 'impact' instead of 'affect'. But impact means to 'pack tightly.'.. 😠

I'm also sick of 'battling' instead of 'fighting' Battle is a noun, not a bl**dy verb.

GrannySomerset

Don’t they teach “c the noun and s the verb” anymore? So easy to remember!

TBH, I think that the teaching of spelling has been so bad over the past few decades that even teachers don't know the difference.

MaizieD

GrannySomerset

Don’t they teach “c the noun and s the verb” anymore? So easy to remember!

TBH, I think that the teaching of spelling has been so bad over the past few decades that even teachers don't know the difference.

I think you are right MaizieD. When I was a teaching assistant I had to bite my tongue many times.

‘Half’ instead of ‘halve’ is the latest - as witnessed from both host (Ross Kemp) and contestants on that high brow show, The Bridge of Lies, which I’m watching, obviously….. he’s always warning them not to get questions wrong because they’ll ‘half’ their money.

Specific and pacific make me laugh. I shouldn’t really I know but I do find it hard to keep a straight face.

MaizieD

GrannySomerset

Don’t they teach “c the noun and s the verb” anymore? So easy to remember!

TBH, I think that the teaching of spelling has been so bad over the past few decades that even teachers don't know the difference.

You've got me thinking, Maizie.
As a parent & grandparent, I see little difference in my children and grandchildren's learning 10 spellings, 30 years apart. But learning ten spellings out of context doesn't address the problems raised here. I wasn't a secondary English teacher, but I assume these things are learned through reading - here are the words in context.
Certainly in my final school before retirement, all teachers played a part with encouraging reading, not least with the DEAR (drop everything and read) initiative.

What about the disappearance of the difference between "uninterested" and "disinterested"? "Dis…" seems to be being used increasingly when "un-" is meant, and they both have specific meanings of their own.

Aargh! Must remember to use Preview Message when I'm trying to be clever with punctuation. Should be "un…" not "un-". Call myself a pedant??

And the latest information about data/datum. According to the FT we should accept that data must be used as a singular noun. General usage has been like that for a while, but I mind being told that I must do so.

Wheniwasyourage

What about the disappearance of the difference between "uninterested" and "disinterested"? "Dis…" seems to be being used increasingly when "un-" is meant, and they both have specific meanings of their own.

I find that one very irritating too.

Does anyone else have an issue with 'gifting' instead of 'giving'?

i wonder if the gifting term has morphed from tax exempt gifts ?

Maybe some of us can’t be so perfect!!

My mother always said “No such word as ‘can’t’”. We can if we so choose.