Words that get on your nerves

Discussion in 'The Muppet Show' started by Star gaze Lily, Mar 19, 2024.

  1. DiggersJo

    DiggersJo Head Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2024
    Messages:
    1,014
    Location:
    West Yorkshire....
    Ratings:
    +1,581
    I doubt it is either of the above, certainly not the last, lack of education perhaps? Personally with me it could be old age fog or just too much vino! I had to read twice what you had written as I did not notice it the first time around. To be honest my first reaction is why is "no" not quoted or in bold! Ha! We all have our foibles .
     
  2. Liriodendron

    Liriodendron Keen Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2024
    Messages:
    302
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Retired gardener
    Location:
    East Clare, Ireland
    Ratings:
    +1,103
    My maternal grandmother was born in the East End of London but brought up in Thaxted, Essex. She had a lovely soft Essex accent, very unlike the "Essex babe" accents heard on TV these days.

    I'm trying to be less of a pedant about English usage since reading about the history of some of the words and expressions which used to make me hot under the collar. Apologies to other GW refugees, who will have heard this before... David Crystal's excellent book "The story of English in 100 words" has caused me to shut up about the difference between "uninterested" and "disinterested". I would use "disinterested" to mean impartial or unbiased, and "uninterested" to mean indifferent, not having interest in something, and got grumpy when the words were used interchangeably. However... when the words first appeared in the 18th century, they had the opposite meaning. Uninterested meant impartial, and disinterested meant having no interest in something. Within a few years, though, each had established the opposite meaning. That changed again by 1750, so that either word could be used for either meaning. It was Dr Johnson who tried to separate them for his dictionary, giving each the meaning which I'd use today...
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Escarpment

      Escarpment Super Gardener

      Joined:
      Mar 14, 2024
      Messages:
      612
      Gender:
      Female
      Location:
      Somerset
      Ratings:
      +2,449
      It's from "The Simpsons". It's "I don't know" said without closing your lips at all!
       
      • Informative Informative x 2
      • Ben Cotto

        Ben Cotto Apprentice Gardener

        Joined:
        Jun 12, 2020
        Messages:
        2
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired
        Location:
        Rutland
        Ratings:
        +1
        @Liriodendron , I’ve read some of David Crystal’s books. I find him … well, annoying comes to mind.
         
      • Dovefromabove

        Dovefromabove Head Gardener

        Joined:
        Mar 13, 2024
        Messages:
        1,030
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Central Norfolk
        Ratings:
        +2,584
        Last edited: Jun 9, 2024
      • Liriodendron

        Liriodendron Keen Gardener

        Joined:
        Mar 13, 2024
        Messages:
        302
        Gender:
        Female
        Occupation:
        Retired gardener
        Location:
        East Clare, Ireland
        Ratings:
        +1,103
        It's a good thing we're all different, @Ben Cotto . I find David Crystal's books fascinating...
         
      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

        Joined:
        Jul 3, 2006
        Messages:
        63,663
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired - Last Century!!!
        Location:
        Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
        Ratings:
        +124,228
        I sometimes use old words, long words or unusual words just to be awkward but that's because I'm a grumpy old man! :old:

        It works very well if I'm writing complaints to officials or companies. :whistle: :heehee:

        What I do find distracting is the use of a space at the end of a sentence and before the punctuation mark. This is becoming more common and I don't know whether it is influenced by 'autocomplete' on computers where it always adds the space and people now just copy that method. I understand that in French it is the standard way of completing sentences but I don't think that would be the cause of it happening here.

        The other practice that seems to have been adopted now is just one space between sentences and not two. That doesn't bother me (much) but my editor used to get very annoyed about it.

        To quote from a website on correct English "Question marks go at the end of sentences that are questions. As with full stops you do not put a space before a question mark, but you do need at least one space after one (two spaces for purists)".

        He also used to insist on double spacing lines so that he had enough room to put some of the peculiar editing marks above the words or phrases.
         
        • Agree Agree x 2
        • Like Like x 1
        • lolimac

          lolimac Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Feb 4, 2019
          Messages:
          1,529
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          East Riding of Yorkshire
          Ratings:
          +5,091
          'THINK'.....
          I have no problem with the word when used correctly but what's all this 'everythinK',SomethinK,anythinK? I've even heard news reporters say it:gaah:
           
          • Agree Agree x 1
          • Funny Funny x 1
          • BB3

            BB3 Gardener

            Joined:
            Mar 13, 2024
            Messages:
            885
            Gender:
            Female
            Occupation:
            A bit of gardening
            Location:
            London
            Ratings:
            +1,638
            45456-matted.jpg
             
            • Funny Funny x 4
            • Plantminded

              Plantminded Head Gardener

              Joined:
              Mar 13, 2024
              Messages:
              1,116
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired
              Location:
              Wirral
              Ratings:
              +3,672
              Shouldn’t that be ‘everyFinK, someFink, anyFinK’ @lolimac? :biggrin:
               
              • Funny Funny x 2
              • Agree Agree x 1
              • Liriodendron

                Liriodendron Keen Gardener

                Joined:
                Mar 13, 2024
                Messages:
                302
                Gender:
                Female
                Occupation:
                Retired gardener
                Location:
                East Clare, Ireland
                Ratings:
                +1,103
                My computer put a space after @Ben Cotto in my post above, @shiney , before the full stop. And now it's put one after your name, before the comma... I share your distress! :sad:
                 
                • Like Like x 1
                • Agree Agree x 1
                • Friendly Friendly x 1
                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                  Joined:
                  Jul 3, 2006
                  Messages:
                  63,663
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired - Last Century!!!
                  Location:
                  Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                  Ratings:
                  +124,228
                  • Like Like x 1
                  • Funny Funny x 1
                  • lolimac

                    lolimac Total Gardener

                    Joined:
                    Feb 4, 2019
                    Messages:
                    1,529
                    Gender:
                    Female
                    Location:
                    East Riding of Yorkshire
                    Ratings:
                    +5,091
                    Whoa don't get me started on that one @Plantminded :biggrin:
                     
                    • Funny Funny x 2
                    • CanadianLori

                      CanadianLori Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Sep 20, 2015
                      Messages:
                      9,964
                      Occupation:
                      Battle Axe
                      Location:
                      Oakville, Ontario, Canada Zone 5A
                      Ratings:
                      +31,948
                      I haven't had/taken the time to go back all of the posts so I hope these aren't duplicates.

                      Let me axe you a question.... what are they going to do with the newcular waste?
                       
                      • Funny Funny x 3
                      • Like Like x 1
                      • Agree Agree x 1
                      • fairygirl

                        fairygirl Total Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Oct 3, 2020
                        Messages:
                        2,707
                        Occupation:
                        retired
                        Location:
                        west central Scotland
                        Ratings:
                        +5,853
                        'Co parenting'
                        Sigh.....

                        With you on that newcular one @CanadianLori :frown:
                         
                        • Agree Agree x 4
                        Loading...

                        Share This Page

                        1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                          By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                          Dismiss Notice