Magnarc,

I didn't find your words a "pedantic rant" at all. Your offering was clear, concise and partickly [sic] accurate of today's shortcomings in communication.

The lack of communication skills these days amount to misunderstanding of what is being conveyed. Quite often you hear "I didn't mean it like that" which only proves that the person did not get their point across effectively.

Whether you agree or disagree with the statement or comment made, it is required that you understand what is conveyed.

I encourage you to remain pedantic (in your own eyes), it makes your statements very clear as opposed to reading and scratching ones head to what the point really was or was it (there or their) intention to etc. etc.

Cheers and compliments of the season to you and yours.

-- Edited by Nomad246 on Thursday 20th of December 2012 09:34:39 PM

As an ex-pedant I mourn the loss of my language skills... for some reason to do with aging I just cant find the right word sometimes. Its got me into "hot water" more than once. And I've come to understand and sympathise with those who make those mistakes through lack of education or whatever, saying "but thats not what I meant".
Thanks for your beautiful words Magnarc and Jon and Nomad246... Merry christmas to you all!

Magnarc wrote:

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Hello Folks,

I write to mourn the denigration of the English language. Over the last twenty years or so I have witnessed the appalling misuse of  the language by politicians, ( no surprise there!), TV commentators, Presenters etc. It does not take very long for this misuse to permeate down through the community. Let me illustrate a few instances of this abuse. Words ending in "larly, ie; particularly, suddenly become partickly etc.. Then there is the the tendency to add 'ality to words . Ms Gillard please note, the words are "going to" not gunna.

Last but not least is a particular annoyance to me folks, it is not necessary to substitute "absolutely" for the simple word, yes. Why use two or more syllables when you only need one???? Ok I am a pedantic old fart, and I realise that language is fluid and changing, I only have one request, if you are going to maul the English language, pleas wait until I am no around to hear it! Having had my rant I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a not too boozy New Year.

Regards,

Magnarc.

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 You might also consider proof reading posts prior sending!

No e in please, not around, not no around. I also hate absolutely and basically, and the teenages favorite, like. Am I being pedantic? But hey, no one is perfect.

Merry Christmas.

Dick.

Santa wrote:

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Absolutely was frequently used about 10 years ago, thankfully we don't hear it as much nowadays.

The most overused and irritating words we hear now are (incredible, amazing and awesome) in the past these were powerful descriptors, seldom used because few things meet the criteria the words convey.

Now they are used to describe everything from a cup of coffee to a new phone, where to from here when these words become dated.  

What about the word Legend?Nowadays if anybody does anything slightly different they are"Legends".Anyway youse lot ava mary crismaz an a appy nu yer.

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I agree with the original sentiments of Magnarc...I must sya the the word 'absolutely' is still one of the most used words today, guess what? The politicians are the worst offenders. I hang my head in frustration everytime I hear one of them interviewed.

What say we formulate a petition to the pollies that states..."From this day on we hereby declare the following expressions in answers, 'The reality is' and 'Absolutely' to be totally out of order and are therefore, now banned".

I walked past a hairdressers yesterday & out the front was a sign saying you could get your hair streightened.

Nomad246 wrote:

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Magnarc,

I didn't find your words a "pedantic rant" at all. Your offering was clear, concise and partickly [sic] accurate of todays shortcommings in communication.

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 How about putting an apostrophe in "today's" and only one 'm' in "shortcomings".  Don't invent new words.

Cheers & Merry Christmas.

Neil

Delta18 wrote:

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Nomad246 wrote:

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Magnarc,

I didn't find your words a "pedantic rant" at all. Your offering was clear, concise and partickly [sic] accurate of todays shortcommings in communication.

---

 How about putting an apostrophe in "today's" and only one 'm' in "shortcomings".  Don't invent new words.

Cheers & Merry Christmas.

Neil

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 Read an article the other day that claimed in this day and age apotrophes are optional.

Gerty Dancer wrote:

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Can we also ban the words "an horrific"?

Also, Orstayia.Ostrawya.Some newsreaders are shocking with their pronunciation of Australia.

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In my opinion the worst word at the moment is "basically."

As someone who had an education that included English Expression and English Literature, I cringe when I hear the way our language is mangled. The latest are the misuse of:

disinterested

fulsome praise

12 items or less

chronic pain

ultimate

noisome

 

The only thing I was slightly good at school was English. I do enjoy it but woe, I am far from perfect.

But I do get annoyed with everthing being converted to everythink. Its like fingernails down a blackboard to me.

 

The human mind is amazing as the below text shows. A few of these did the rounds on the email for a while so at the end of the day, we still get it.

 

Oh please don't anyone ask me to count.  

Eonverye taht can raed tihs rsaie yuor hnad..

Only great minds can read this
This is weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dsenot mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

 

I have to agree with all that has been written before me. I am pedantic when it comes to grammar and language, not that I profess to be an English Scholar by any means. I am so over the written word as a text format, and then some even speak like it. If I see a profile or letter with many spelling mistakes or no grammar I will not read it. Pedantic I may be, however I feel it is just commonsense, something that is so lacking in today's society.

While on holidays with the teenage grandchildren, the word "like" was banned from being used. Grumpy Grandy, maybe, but like it just drove me to drink like, and like I did not like it at all like. I had the kids thinking of other words they could use or maybe just leave it off the sentence altogether. It was amazing how after a day I hardly heard the word at all. It was lovely.

There is my rant for the day, so everyone have yourselves a Very Merry Christmas and wonderfully fulfilling New Year.

Sharon.

I just have to say I seem to be using the word just a lot lately. I just wish I could stop this habit.

And dont forget the saying that was consistantly said by Mel ( x factor) Do you  know what? Sounds worse with accent.

Dick.