Pedants' Paradise

[vinteuil]

... we seem selective when we choose to use the plural forms of other languages.

We adopt Latin plurals fairly often, Greek occasionally, Hebrew perhaps for cherub/cherubim and seraph/seraphim.

Occasionally I irritate my friends by using salaaq as the plural for saluqi and aswaaq for the plural of souq - and I think we shd encourage such multicultural usages...

[french frank]

... but couldn't the single issue still be the 'agenda' (singular feminine rather than neuter plural) if we see it as 'res agenda' with the 'res' understood, implied, omitted...

Not altogether happy with 'res agenda'. The neuter plural contains the idea of something like 'things' so the possible singular idea of 'res agenda' would suggest that one could substitute 'agendae' (understanding it to represent 'res agendae' pl.) for agenda.

[Nick Armstrong]

Occasionally I irritate my friends

[french frank]

My mind was boggling a little at the possible implications of this standalone headline in the Telegraph:

Iceland may have to give up its brand name, says Iceland

[Serial_Apologist]

My mind was boggling a little at the possible implications of this standalone headline in the Telegraph:

Iceland may have to give up its brand name, says Iceland

Anyone who was listening to the final gasps of this morning's Today will have learned from an expert in correct language usages that all this stuff about rules, such as split infinitives being non-admissable, and fewer rather than less, is all just a load of old nonsense. The impression with which I was left was that the only rules governing grammar, syntax and so on are that there are no rules.

No opposing pov was put forward - in all probability because there was "insufficient time".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Anyone who was listening to the final gasps of this morning's Today will have learned from an expert in correct language usages that all this stuff about rules, such as split infinitives being non-admissable, and fewer rather than less, is all just a load of old nonsense. The impression with which I was left was that the only rules governing grammar, syntax and so on are that there are no rules.

No opposing pov was put forward - in all probability because there was "insufficient time".

No doubt the "expert" will have spoken throughout with correct grammar.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On Wednesday, the weatherman told us it was the equinox. So what was it yesterday? Equinox Two ?

[jean]

Anyone who was listening to the final gasps of this morning's Today will have learned from an expert in correct language usages that all this stuff about rules, such as split infinitives being non-admissable...

Even Fowler didn't hold with that silly little 'rule', which was only invented because Latin infinitives are unsplittable, and English of course had to be as much like Latin as possible.

...and fewer rather than less

If we can manage with 'more' for both countables and uncountables, the distinction between 'fewer' (countables) and 'less (uncountables) can't really be necessary, can it?

.

[vinteuil]

... tho' there is praps a useful distinction between, say, - "less intelligent people" and "fewer intelligent people"? I accept that "more intelligent people" covers both number and quality.

If there was greater understanding of the concept of 'register' within languages - that certain styles, vocabularies, pronunciations are felt to be more appropriate within certain contexts - formal, informal, colloquial, etc - then there might be fewer - or less - hang-ups about 'correctness'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Even Fowler didn't hold with that silly little 'rule', which was only invented because Latin infinitives are unsplittable, and English of course had to be as much like Latin as possible.

So why don't people complain about split indicatives?

[kernelbogey]

On Wednesday, the weatherman told us it was the equinox. So what was it yesterday? Equinox Two ?

Given the title of this thread I can confidently announce that the equinox was on Thursday 22 September at 1521 BST.

[vinteuil]

Given the title of this thread I can confidently announce that the equinox was on Thursday 22 September at 1521 BST.

... but presumably only for those living on the Greenwich Meridian?

[jean]

If there was greater understanding of the concept of 'register' within languages - that certain styles, vocabularies, pronunciations are felt to be more appropriate within certain contexts - formal, informal, colloquial, etc - then there might be fewer - or less - hang-ups about 'correctness'.

That's a very good point.

I'm not at all sure where these split indicatives that nobody complains about fit in.

[kernelbogey]

When will 'a phenomena' be acceptable?...

I've noticed that 'phenomenon' is falling into desuetude , and a singular event is often described with the plural noun (e.g. 'this phenomena').

[kernelbogey]

... but presumably only for those living on the Greenwich Meridian?

Shurely 2021 in New York, etc? Must be the same moment on the earth's circuit of the sun, wherever on the planet...?