Originally posted by mangerton
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Pedants' Paradise
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Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View PostMany will be aware of my pedantry in insisting that Europe as a continent does not exist, being merely the western edge of Asia (sometimes called Eurasia). It is one of many misconceptions brought about by the limited knowledge of the world in the "cradle of civilisation" when the first reasonably accurate maps of the world were being drawn.
Another assumption that has gained acceptance, but has no scientific justification, is that the North Pole is at the top of the world, and the South Pole is at the bottom. But who says it is? It could just as easily be the other way round.
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Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View PostI'm not alone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uBcq1x7P34
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Originally posted by Sydney Grew View PostWe may then, confident of its illegitimacy, surrender the combination "octothorp(e)" to the outer darkness.
However, I'm sure Mr Grew would recommend sticking to the first edition of Fowler. In fact, there are many entries in 'Butterfield' which refer to N. American usage: I find them interesting to know and compare with British English (if that is not considered tautologous).It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
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Originally posted by french frank View Post(Btw, 'hapax legomenon' is a term of literary/textual criticism, not classics; and he pronounced it wrongly: he said 'hapax legonmenon')
(I'd probably have said 'wrong', though. I see the -ly as hypercorrection.)
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Originally posted by jean View Post(I'd probably have said 'wrong', though. I see the -ly as hypercorrection.)It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
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Originally posted by jean View Post
(I'd probably have said 'wrong', though. I see the -ly as hypercorrection.)
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Originally posted by jean View PostWrong is an adverb as well as an adjective. Oddly, people don't seem to have the same problem with right, which is also both adjective and adverb.
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Originally posted by jean View PostWrong is an adverb as well as an adjective. Oddly, people don't seem to have the same problem with right, which is also both adjective and adverb.
It may be a Liverpudlian expression to say 'You pronounced that wrong', but to me that is ambiguous: it doesn't necessarily imply wrong pronunciation, since 'pronounce' has more than one meaning ('To make a formal, considered, or authoritative statement or assertion; to declare a ruling, judgement, or opinion (on or upon a matter); to pass judgement), so it could mean 'you declared that to be a wrong/bad thing'; whereas 'wrong pronunciation' = to pronounce wrongly. In my opinion.
[PS Quinion uses the example 'to spell wrong', not 'to pronounce wrong', which doesn't carry the same ambiguity. I would still use wrongly, and I don't think that is unidiomatic. Or even formal. At least not in Bristol ]It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
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Originally posted by jean View PostOh what a put-down!It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
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