a language peeve
#76
Thread Starter
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,135
Likes: 6,360
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I'm not a bigot. I love inarticulate people, too. Well, some of them. Anyway, I'm a nerdy pedantic wordsmith.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#77
Drops small screws


Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,608
Likes: 9
From: NYC Metro Area
Bikes: Soma Grand Randonneur, modified Xootr Swift, Trek 1000SL with broken brifter from running it into a hotel porte-cochère
#79
Drops small screws


Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,608
Likes: 9
From: NYC Metro Area
Bikes: Soma Grand Randonneur, modified Xootr Swift, Trek 1000SL with broken brifter from running it into a hotel porte-cochère
Fuchsia = pink
Coiffure = hairdo, usually female
Plus a nod to "derailleur" with the extra "e."
A neologism, but one not sans fundament.
We now return to your regularly scheduled geekery, already in progress.
Coiffure = hairdo, usually female
Plus a nod to "derailleur" with the extra "e."
A neologism, but one not sans fundament.
We now return to your regularly scheduled geekery, already in progress.
#80
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,798
Likes: 1
From: Highland Park, NJ, USA
Bikes: "Hildy", a Novara Randonee touring bike; a 16-speed Bike Friday Tikit; and a Specialized Stumpjumper frame-based built-up MTB, now serving as the kid-carrier, grocery-getter.
How can a thread be off-topic when it was never on? Love this thread!
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Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
#82
Goathead Magnet
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 673
Likes: 11
From: Albuquerque, NM
Bikes: Surly LHT, Cannondale Caffeine F3
It's a great word, to be sure, but please leave your fundament in your cycling shorts, and out of the conversation. Well, unless it's those Michelangelo shorts in the Spandex-bashing thread. 
(For those unfamiliar, see Merriam-Webster's definition.)

(For those unfamiliar, see Merriam-Webster's definition.)
#83
perpetually frazzled

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,469
Likes: 9
From: Linton, IN
Bikes: 1977 Bridgestone Kabuki Super Speed; 1979 Raleigh Professional; 1983 Raleigh Rapide mixte; 1974 Peugeot UO-8; 1993 Univega Activa Trail; 1972 Raleigh Sports; 1967 Phillips; 1981 Schwinn World Tourist; 1976 Schwinn LeTour mixte; 1964 Western Flyer
POSTED
NO PARKING
Violators will be towed at your expense!
At MY expense? hmm...
#85
Infamous Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 24,360
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi
You'd think this thread would have been over right here, with perhaps a closing DOH! by the OP...but nooooooooooooo....
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
#86
Thread Starter
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,135
Likes: 6,360
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Oh, I forgot to provide my "D'oh!" or mea culpa for my error in my opening post. Sorry about that. But clearly, these language peeves are entertaining to a few of us. I predict this thread won't die for a long time.
Long live the language peeve thread!
Long live the language peeve thread!
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#87
Infamous Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 24,360
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi
I hereby commute your sentence.
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
#88
Thread Starter
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,135
Likes: 6,360
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#89
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: Snohomish, WA
Bikes: Ridley Fenix Disc '15, Centurion Ironman '86, Raleigh Team '90, Bianchi Nyala '93
Oh, I love stupid work signs.
At parking lot entrance: "Smoking Prohibited. Smoking in designated areas, only." Which is it?
"Excellence Everyday!" (or at least every day that they're not coming up with slogans.)
At parking lot entrance: "Smoking Prohibited. Smoking in designated areas, only." Which is it?
"Excellence Everyday!" (or at least every day that they're not coming up with slogans.)
#92
I should of let this thread pass without comment, but there are a few things that bother me when reading forums even though I try not to let them. One of which is the third word in this post.
It does disturb me more when the level of discourse falls more than it does when the level of grammar falls.
I do find myself giving more weight to the opinions of those who can compose reasonable messages, which may or may not be to my benefit. After all, there may be a "Rain Man" among us that doesn't communicate well, but can tell us almost intuitively what the ideal bicycle or equipment configuration is for a given commuting scenario. Definitely 32 spokes 3 crossed with XT hubs...
It does disturb me more when the level of discourse falls more than it does when the level of grammar falls.
I do find myself giving more weight to the opinions of those who can compose reasonable messages, which may or may not be to my benefit. After all, there may be a "Rain Man" among us that doesn't communicate well, but can tell us almost intuitively what the ideal bicycle or equipment configuration is for a given commuting scenario. Definitely 32 spokes 3 crossed with XT hubs...
#93
Infamous Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 24,360
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi
Ah speak 'merkin, dangit. Yer either wiff me or agin me.
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
#95
Drops small screws


Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,608
Likes: 9
From: NYC Metro Area
Bikes: Soma Grand Randonneur, modified Xootr Swift, Trek 1000SL with broken brifter from running it into a hotel porte-cochère
It's nice to see Chipcom occasionally retract his clause.
#97
put our Heads Together

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,155
Likes: 1
From: southeast pennsylvania
Bikes: a mountain bike with a cargo box on the back and aero bars on the front. an old well-worn dahon folding bike
Technology has killed grammar, syntax, spelling and vocabulary.
Oh, and what looks like an error in grammar, syntax, or spelling to one person may look like difference of dialect to an actual linguist. Anyone here wanna own up to being an "extreme prescriptivist"? (see below)

Originally Posted by wikipedia
However, description and prescription can appear to be in conflict when stronger statements are made on either side. When an extreme prescriptivist wishes to condemn a very commonly used language phenomenon as solecism or barbarism or simply as vulgar, the evidence of description may testify to the acceptability of the form. This would be the case if someone wished to argue that ain't should not even be used in colloquial spoken English. Prescriptive statements will sometimes be heard which suggest that a word is inherently ugly; a descriptive approach will deny the meaningfulness of this judgment. In such instances of controversy, most linguists fall heavily on the descriptive side of the argument, accepting forms as correct or acceptable when they achieve general currency.
Raise ur hand if ur grammer n spelling r grate wen u comunicate whith a computor but u can't write propperly in english!
#98
Infamous Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 24,360
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi
^^^ some people actually know the difference between proper grammar, usage and syntax used in programming and formal communications/prose, and the lazy shorthand used in applications like e-mail, chat, instant messaging, usenet, BB and discussion forums. They are usually the people who can also walk and chew gum.
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
#99
However, this is one that makes me wonder. What does the speaker/writer think the phrase means? I know there are phrases I have not known the meaning of, and have researched. There are books written on obscure phrases in daily use. But some of these don't even make syntactical sense.
There are a few of these phonetic "homonyms" that just make no sense if you slow down and try to figure out what they mean.
"I should of known," versus "I should've known."
"Every once and a while," versus "every once in a while."
There are others as well that are just not coming to mind.
I think I broke the punctuation rules in presenting my examples.
#100
Now that I have read this far now I have to mention a few of my peeves, I usually keep them to myself. When folk's use big words to describe things instead of little words, the little words would work just as well. And when forum member's don't proofread, people just type what comes into there head.






