Pedants' Paradise

[oddoneout]

This conjured up some slightly disturbing images

Wellington’s false teeth and wolf bones

The article clarifies the clumsy headline, but can't stop the wanderings of my mind...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/oct/08/wellingtons-false-teeth-and-wolf-bones-english-heritage-needs-help-to-record-vast-collection

As an aside I don't know if the lack of any mention of volunteers means that English Heritage doesn't use that avenue in its work or whether it was just an unfortunate omission on the part of the writer. At my former workplace the volunteer Collections Team is essential in monitoring condition and getting the items photographed and digitised for online research access, as the site has just the one curator who has no assistant staff.

[LMcD]

Many such staff are poorly as a result of doing the job...

Sorry, I should have said 'poorly paid staff'.

[oddoneout]

Perhaps poorly staff are all you need if you've been told that 'a job needs doing badly'.

Many such staff are poorly as a result of doing the job...

[LMcD]

I think a bit of competent editorial input might have been useful here.

from an article about Labour's nursery places plan.

Perhaps poorly staff are all you need if you've been told that 'a job needs doing badly'.

[Pulcinella]

From a letter in today's Sunday Times:

As for prime ministers, has anyone met a poor one?

I've not met one (thankfully) but there have certainly been many that haven't been very good.

Oh, you mean struggling for money (to buy suits and glasses)?

[kernelbogey]

'Government spending kick-started economic activity': I wonder why people still use this expression based on a way of starting a motorcycle that was overtaken by technology decades ago. It's an an odd survival. - IMVHO!

[Serial_Apologist]

I think a bit of competent editorial input might have been useful here.

from an article about Labour's nursery places plan.

[oddoneout]

I think a bit of competent editorial input might have been useful here.

With poorly paid staff hard to find and retain,

from an article about Labour's nursery places plan.

[Pulcinella]

.... there are regular complaints about the invasion of Americanisms : perhaps it is nice to note that the traffic is two-way -

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/sep/26/other-british-invasion-how-uk-language-conquered-the-us

.

I'm not too sure why this has been classified as Science, but I suppose it's because of the frequency of use app!

[smittims]

Hmm. well, the USA is a big place, and I don't think it's valid to generalise about 'Americans'. Some are very Anglophile , just as others are very Anglophobe.

[vinteuil]

.... there are regular complaints about the invasion of Americanisms : perhaps it is nice to note that the traffic is two-way -

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/sep/26/other-british-invasion-how-uk-language-conquered-the-us

.

[oddoneout]

Hacking also used to mean riding a horse on a road. I still wear what I call my hacking jacket.

'Side Hustle' was explained on Radio 4 as a job you do to pay your way while setting up a new business which, while it is your cherished dream, cannot yet be expected to yield a profit. It was used repeatedly in a programme without their explalining the meaning until the end. I think this was a device ot keep one listening.

Not just on a road - and these days ideally not!

as a verb, it describes the act of pleasure riding for light exercise

Used to be a common way to get to local equine events when transport wasn't so ubiquitous - and the roads not so busy and dangerous.

[smittims]

Hacking also used to mean riding a horse on a road. I still wear what I call my hacking jacket.

'Side Hustle' was explained on Radio 4 as a job you do to pay your way while setting up a new business which, while it is your cherished dream, cannot yet be expected to yield a profit. It was used repeatedly in a programme without their explalining the meaning until the end. I think this was a device ot keep one listening.

[LMcD]

Has replaced tips and/or tricks - with "of the trade" optional - but like you I have problems with "hack" as to me it conjures up something negative. Visions of an incompetent and damaging approach to a task, which might be warranted in extreme situations, but not where a good or improved outcome is wanted. Not helped by modern usage of hacking in relation to computers, which adds to the negative feel.

I would have assumed that a Money Hack was a fairly undistinguished financial journalist.

[kernelbogey]

....More generally 7.c. 2005–In extended use: any strategy, adaptation, or expedient solution adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way.

HTH :-).

I shall try to remember this meaning.

Many thanks, FF.