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March
Mar 2, 2019 0:00:00 GMT
Post by Little Jack Horner on Mar 2, 2019 0:00:00 GMT
In a few seconds, St David’s day will be over so I have just managed a post.
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March
Mar 2, 2019 2:04:08 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 2, 2019 2:04:08 GMT
At work I frequently take issue with the following terms on two bases: 1. the confusion between noun and verb form of pairs A and B and, 2. extra syllables that seem unnecessary in example C. There are similarly bothersome words that don’t immediately come to mind (because I’m not at work, I suppose).
Pair A preventive – adjective preventative – noun (but frequently used, particularly in US English, as an adjective)
Pair B speciality – noun specialty – adjective (but frequently used, particularly in US English, as a noun)
Pair C orient – verb orientate – verb (typically US form; why the extra syllable?)
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March
Mar 7, 2019 21:27:25 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 7, 2019 21:27:25 GMT
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March
Mar 7, 2019 21:49:52 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 7, 2019 21:49:52 GMT
Oh, Aunty! 50 square-acre-islandRegardless of the island’s (or anything else’s) shape, acre is a measure of area – of any shape; the square is redundant, surely. And there’s a misplaced hyphen. Aunty, if you don’t get your act together, the sky will surely fall.
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March
Mar 8, 2019 16:14:29 GMT
Post by Little Jack Horner on Mar 8, 2019 16:14:29 GMT
50 square-acre-island
I am glad to see this solecism has now disappeared so all is not lost.
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March
Mar 8, 2019 22:35:08 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 8, 2019 22:35:08 GMT
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March
Mar 15, 2019 21:59:12 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 15, 2019 21:59:12 GMT
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March
Mar 16, 2019 8:59:16 GMT
Post by Little Jack Horner on Mar 16, 2019 8:59:16 GMT
And I was hoping that on this forum at least I could escape Brexit ☹️☹️‼️‼️
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March
Mar 16, 2019 9:40:19 GMT
Post by Dave Miller on Mar 16, 2019 9:40:19 GMT
Brescape?
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March
Mar 17, 2019 7:34:20 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 17, 2019 7:34:20 GMT
The quarter-Irishman in me wishes all a good Paddy's Day.
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March
Mar 22, 2019 14:49:57 GMT
Post by Little Jack Horner on Mar 22, 2019 14:49:57 GMT
I have mentioned my daughter’s gift to me of a general knowledge crossword puzzle book. Have I mentioned my discovery in this of the word rouelle which is apparently an archaic term for the space between a bed and the wall? I wouldn’t have thought such a word is needed but it led me to wonder if there are any other such unneeded words? There is defenestration which, except when I Googled the word, I have only seen used in relation to an incident at Prague Castle in the 17th century so it is probably as archaic as rouelle.
Any others, please?
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March
Mar 22, 2019 19:27:19 GMT
Post by Dave Miller on Mar 22, 2019 19:27:19 GMT
I feel obliged to move my bed, so that one side is near the wall and I can find a reason to use the word!
In looking it up, I found it mentioned only in the Urban Dictionary and without etymology. However ... I found much more under “ruelle”, where also the derivation becomes more obvious: from French “rue”, street, to “ruelle”, narrow alley.
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March
Mar 22, 2019 19:40:24 GMT
Post by Twoddle on Mar 22, 2019 19:40:24 GMT
I shall use "rouelle" to the Contessa tonight, casually, and then express astonishment at her ignorance of a word that's in such common parlance.
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March
Mar 23, 2019 1:49:35 GMT
Post by Little Jack Horner on Mar 23, 2019 1:49:35 GMT
Sackcloth snd ashes time. Dave is quite correct. It should have been ruelle in my post. It still sems to be a redundant word.
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March
Mar 23, 2019 8:34:07 GMT
Post by Verbivore on Mar 23, 2019 8:34:07 GMT
[...] There is defenestration which [...] I have only seen used in relation to an incident at Prague Castle in the 17th century so it is probably as archaic as rouelle. Any others, please? R(o)uelle is new to me. Thanks – a day is not wasted when I expand my lexicon. :-) I seem to recall first encountering defenestration in high-school history: the French Revolution, or was it the destruction of England's monasteries (?). My next remembered use of the word was when, as a member of the university student union committee of management (1977), I was one of the lefties turfed out of the union office – via the first-floor * windows – during a coup d'état. The right-wing invaders / usurpers chanted "Defenstrate! Defenestrate!" as they rounded us up and ejected us, carrying on like misprogrammed daleks. As a survivor of defenestration I wish to vouch for the word's validity. LOL * first-floor = US second floor. PS: A sprained ankle was the limit of my injuries.
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