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Post by Verbivore on Jan 26, 2020 20:40:25 GMT
Whether schools should ban slang words surely depends on the context. For formal homework essays, students need to avoid slang if only because it is unacceptable in many work situations and students need to understand and use appropriate register when communicating. I can’t think of anything to add. LJH: That reminded me of a primary-school occasion. The headmaster called me out for using broke down in an essay when referring to a car that, in Rolls-Royce terms, "failed to proceed". He regarded broke down as slang. It took me some time to come to terms with that because I had no idea however else one might describe a car that wouldn't go.
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Post by Dave Miller on Jan 26, 2020 21:08:09 GMT
I thought “broke down” was the posh way to say “conked out”!
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 27, 2020 8:08:09 GMT
I thought “broke down” was the posh way to say “conked out”! I too, Dave. But I suppose the really posh term is "failed to proceed", as that's what it says in the Rolls-Royce handbook. "Should the Rolls-Royce fail to proceed … ." Apparently one was to call the RR service centre or dealer, who would arrange a discreet pickup or repair. It was verboten to open the bonnet in public. Of course now that even chavs (bogans in Oz) can drive Royces public bonnet-liftings are more likely – even if just to brag of the technology thereunder.
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 27, 2020 12:03:18 GMT
A bit of standup (not usually my style of entertainment) dealing with mondegreens. Light and silly, but language related. Mondegreens of a kind from my childhood, in those pre-television, pre-record-sleeve (for me) days: Perric Homo (Perry Como) and Victor Moan (Vic Damone).
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 27, 2020 22:31:19 GMT
Reading the news this morning, I learned a new word: phillumenist – match collector. One more word that I'll perhaps never use, but one more word nonetheless.
Does anyone know a one-word term for a car collector (apart from fool)?
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Jan 28, 2020 7:12:54 GMT
I have been browsing around YouTube and have found this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYlVJlmjLEcIt is worth a quick look and, amongst the usual dross in the comments appended, there are a few interesting thoughts such as the absence in English of distinguishing “we” meaning “my friends and I” from “you with whom I am talking and me”. Also, the absence of a word for “my left your right” and “my right your left”. Also different words for a mother's siblings and a father's siblings and a means of distinguishing male and female cousins. And several languages have two words for “yes” meaning agreement or contradiction.
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 28, 2020 10:41:36 GMT
Another interesting video from Tom Scott – one my favourite YouTubers – which I had seen previously. Tom is an academically trained linguist, so language is a not uncommon topic of his diverse videos.
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Jan 28, 2020 13:42:36 GMT
Peter Kay’s mondegreens routine is wonderful. A famous one is: “Gladly, the cross-eyed bear” instead of “gladly the cross I’d bear”. I think it originates from a hymn called "Keep Thou My Way, Oh Lord” with words by Fanny Crosby
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 29, 2020 22:03:30 GMT
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Post by Verbivore on Jan 30, 2020 6:52:48 GMT
Poor old 'decimate' is abused yet again. "The bushfires of December and January are estimated to have decimated Kangaroo Island’s koala population by up to 90 per cent." Rather than decimated, perhaps in this instance the koalas were novemgintaed (novemgintated?).
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Post by Twoddle on Jan 31, 2020 23:13:08 GMT
That's it, then. I'm no longer a citizen of the European Union, thanks to the ill-considered actions of those who know no better. Damn!
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Post by Little Jack Horner on Jan 31, 2020 23:28:16 GMT
I “celebrated” our departure from the European Union by playing Ode to Joy at maximum volume. ☹️☹️☹️
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Post by Verbivore on Feb 1, 2020 8:35:20 GMT
Twod and LJH: As an Antipodean colonial viewing from afar I have no opinion on the Brexit hoo-haa, though I do like the Ode to Joy at maximum volume. Having somewhat catholic tastes in music I also am fond of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance marches as well as Aussie-American Percy Grainger's arrangement of Country Gardens, though not the Rolf Harris parody of it (see video from 2:06 for reference to the "Common Market") – and that was even before he disgraced himself.
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