Pedants' Paradise

[jean]

It's the difference between being in a corner, and hanging around outside one.

I'm not really sure though why being made to sit on a naughty step should be more PC than being made to stand in a corner - possibly a little more comfortable?

[Pulcinella]

.

... and what / who were the 'corner-boys' in Flann O'Brien?

"Relevant excerpt from the Press: A number of men, stated to be labourers, was arraigned before Mr Lamphall in the District Court yesterday morning on charges of riotous assembly and malicious damage. Accused were described by Superintendent Clohessy as a gang of corner-boys whose horseplay in the streets was the curse of the Ringsend district [. . .] On the occasion of the last escapade, two windows were broken in a tram-car the property of the Dublin United Tramway Company."

[ At Swim-Two-Birds ]

Is this a deliberate intention in the book to point out the stupidity of over-correction (possibly by a well-meaning subeditor at the newspaper thinking that the 'singular' a number needed the singular verb was arraigned)?
I wonder which particular number was rioting and causing damage.
(Not sure that 'over-correction' is the right word here!)

[ahinton]

Is this a deliberate intention in the book to point out the stupidity of over-correction (possibly by a well-meaning subeditor at the newspaper thinking that the 'singular' a number needed the singular verb was arraigned)?
I wonder which particular number was rioting and causing damage.
(Not sure that 'over-correction' is the right word here!)

Indeed - and the longer the clause between "a number" and the singular verb, the more supererogatory the "correction" might seem. However, the best way around this would surely have been to put "A number" in the corner and rewrite it as "Several men, stated to be labourers, were arraigned...", thereby side-stepping (if not actually naughty-stepping) the issue altogether.

[Pulcinella]

Indeed - and the longer the clause between "a number" and the singular verb, the more supererogatory the "correction" might seem. However, the best way around this would surely have been to put "A number" in the corner and rewrite it as "Several men, stated to be labourers, were arraigned...", thereby side-stepping (if not actually naughty-stepping) the issue altogether.

[vinteuil]

.


... brave people, trying to improve on Flann O'Brien's style

[Pulcinella]

.


... brave people, trying to improve on Flann O'Brien's style

Not at all, vints; merely commenting on what I felt pretty sure was his clever emulation of the newspaper article.

[Padraig]

Be that as it may -

'When we were kids on the corner of the street
We were rough and ready guys
But O how we could harmonise'

and

Jack was a good boy, as he himself said from the corner.

Just sticking up for corner boys and repudiating naughty steps.

OK?

[Nick Armstrong]

"The Apostrophiser"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39459831

[teamsaint]

"The Apostrophiser"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39459831

A few years ago, Mrs TS, (an educator she might call herself if she was 25 and had a facebook account) attended a course on some aspect or other of teaching grammar.

The course was taught apparently by a gentle and kind , and grammatically rigorous canadian lady.
At one point in the proceedings, the course leader asked if anybody ever approached business owners or managers to point out grammatical errors in their signage. After the hands had gone up, and verbal responses heard, the candian lady responded with what I guess was a slightly sad, but very understanding phrase .............." They're not grateful.........are they ?"

It's one of those phrases that we have adopted into our household language.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

"The Apostrophiser"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39459831

This is really great.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

We all eat food.
Bread, corn flakes, butter, nuts, cheese, meat, fish, fruit, vegetables.
It's all food.

My cat eats cat food.
My neighbour's dog eats dog food.
Once I had a budgerigar which ate bird food.
Some people refer to lettuce as "rabbit food.

So, please can someone tell me why, when cattle are given food (other than grass), they call it "FEED"?

"Feed" is a verb.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Because it is "fed" to them? (Although, if so, why domestic cattle are singled out for this usage remains puzzling.)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Because it is "fed" to them? (Although, if so, why domestic cattle are singled out for this usage remains puzzling.)

I think it's used for most domestic farm animals from sheep upwards, but not for domestic pets.

[greenilex]

Consulting the Oxford Etymological Dictionary, I find that the Aryan root *pat is postulated, which gave rise to Greek patesthai , the verb "to feed".

If this is correct one can see a relationship with pasture.

The Old Teutonic root is fodjan, and the Old English root foda.

There is an example of the use of feed (noun) from late 16th c. The first use of food is 1610.

My guess is that the agricultural word is an older usage than the general one.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Consulting the Oxford Etymological Dictionary, I find that the Aryan root *pat is postulated, which gave rise to Greek patesthai , the verb "to feed".

If this is correct one can see a relationship with pasture.

The Old Teutonic root is fodjan, and the Old English root foda.

There is an example of the use of feed (noun) from late 16th c. The first use of food is 1610.

My guess is that the agricultural word is an older usage than the general one.