[Magdalen] Invites

Christopher Hart cervus51 at gmail.com
Mon Mar 14 01:59:14 UTC 2016


I think my pet language peeve is hearing even otherwise intelligent people
(even perhaps on NPR, but certainly on other networks) refer to a
particular class of persons as, for instance, ATTORNEY-GENERALS. Arrgh!
It's Attorneys-General, for crying out loud. The first word is the noun
which becomes plural. The second word is an adjective modifying the noun. I
suppose that very high ranking military lawyers might be Attorney Generals,
but that's not what is meant. There are other similar language
constructions which are amenable to the same error, but Attorney-General
seems to be the one most abused.

On Sun, Mar 13, 2016 at 9:21 PM, Stephanie <stefkagoil at hotmail.com> wrote:

> The one that drives me absolutely crazy is "graduated high school". It's
> "graduated FROM high school". Like nails on a chalkboard every time I hear
> it...
>
> Stephanie
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Magdalen <magdalen-bounces+stefkagoil=hotmail.com at herberthouse.org>
> on behalf of flyingfish224--- via Magdalen <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
> Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2016 3:16 PM
> To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
> Cc: flyingfish224 at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Invites
>
> Ok, this might seem picky:
>
> "Different THAN". Makes me go ape.  Different FROM, thank you very much.
>
> Renee
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Mar 13, 2016, at 3:57 PM, Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I have s local friend who does the opposite, i.e. uses "us" as a subject.
> >
> >> On Sunday, March 13, 2016, Molly Wolf <lupa at kos.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> I got into a major battle with the warden in my former parish over the
> >> compound "you and I" issue.  Despite my long career as editor and
> writer,
> >> she insisted on using the subject "you and I" as an object (which
> should be
> >> "you and me").  I tried the untangling rule (remove the other party) but
> >> she would have no part, insisting she was right.  This in a public
> document
> >> which I'd been asked to edit.
> >>
> >> I let her have her way in the end, but I was pretty disgusted.
> >>
> >> Molly
> >>
> >> The man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in
> no
> >> other way. -- Mark Twain
> >>
> >>>> On Mar 13, 2016, at 12:53 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com
> >>> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> What grates on me the most is "between you and I". Grrrrr.
> >>>
> >>> On Sun, Mar 13, 2016 at 12:40 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> >>> magdalen at herberthouse.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> In a message dated 3/13/2016 12:21:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> >>>> michaudme at gmail.com <javascript:;> writes:
> >>>>
> >>>> So-sha
> >>>>
> >>>> Each time she asked louder, as if I were  old&deaf.
> >>>>
> >>>> Wassya SOsha?
> >>>> Ya SOsha?
> >>>> YOUR SO-SHA  ???>>>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Maybe an African American teller?
> >>>>
> >>>> Anyway, the shorthand, "social" for Social Security in the USA
> >>>> is firmly entrenched.
> >>>>
> >>>> I am bothered more by obvious grammatical/spelling mistakes such
> >>>> as "Febuary" for February, the use of adjectives as adverbs, and
> >>>> the complete USA atrophy of "whom" in the direction of "who."
> >>>>
> >>>> But, as others are quick to put out, changes in the language are
> >>>> inevitable and cannot be stopped, much as we might like.
> >>>>
> >>>> After all, the USA is in the midst of a major language transformation
> >>>> with the "Northern Cities Vowel Shift" (Labov).  Who could have
> >>>> predicted that?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> David Strang.
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Christopher Hart
> >
> > List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
> > Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
> > Twitter: @cervus51
>



-- 

Christopher Hart

List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
Twitter: @cervus51


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