Pedants' Paradise

[smittims]

Ah, yes, thanks,the famous actor Sir Anne Jones (as it was usually pronounced on Radio 4 ) .

It's a good job I can read, or I'd think there was another Radio 4 person called 'Smear Ahmed' (recte Samira Ahmed). .

[Pulcinella]

There was a TV serial about this person some years ago, I recall. As with so many TV dramas, I was deterred from watchg it by inthe repeated trailer. I often wonder when calcluating the cost of producing and broadcasting trailers,whether they think about the net effect on potential viewers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentleman_Jack_%28TV_series%29

[smittims]

There was a TV serial about this person some years ago, I recall. As with so many TV dramas, I was deterred from watchg it by inthe repeated trailer. I often wonder when calcluating the cost of producing and broadcasting trailers,whether they think about the net effect on potential viewers.

[Pulcinella]

York Press does it again:

On March 30, the Holy Trinity Church in Goodramgate will mark the anniversary of Anne Lister and Ann Walker attending the church together before starting their lives as a couple.

For those unfamiliar with their story, Anne Lister, often referred to as the 'first modern lesbian', documented her life in a detailed diary, which has since become famous.

On March 30, 1834, Anne Lister and Ann Walker took Holy Communion together at the church to celebrate their commitment to living as a married couple.

To commemorate this historic event, visitors are invited to meet some of the church-goers who knew Anne during her lifetime.

Like me, you might just wonder how this can be.
But hang on a minute:

These characters, all mentioned in her diaries and believed to have been at Holy Communion alongside Anne and Ann in 1834, will be played by actors in period dress.

[Serial_Apologist]

'Alice Roberts has railed her way around Egypt and the Ottoman empire....' - Guardian.
Not a happy phrasing, IMV.

Alice has permanent wayed...?

[oddoneout]

'Alice Roberts has railed her way around Egypt and the Ottoman empire....' - Guardian.
Not a happy phrasing, IMV.

Indeed. Sounds more applicable to someone like Gordon Ramsey?

[kernelbogey]

'Alice Roberts has railed her way around Egypt and the Ottoman empire....' - Guardian.
Not a happy phrasing, IMV.

[Old Grumpy]

Hmmm...


...there seem to be several possibilities

[Serial_Apologist]

To answer your questions:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/13/sam-jones-us-influencer-baby-wombat-stolen-from-mother-ntwnfb

Disappointingly it was an adult who did the snatching; a baby human and a baby wombat tussle would have provided a rather different outcome I suspect.

A "joey" used to mean something else, where I came from.

[oddoneout]

?? Is it trying to say that there is a US influencer who influences other like-minded snatchers of baby wombats? Or merely that there is a particular US influencer who once or regularly snatched or snatches a baby wombat or several baby wombats?

To answer your questions:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/13/sam-jones-us-influencer-baby-wombat-stolen-from-mother-ntwnfb

Disappointingly it was an adult who did the snatching; a baby human and a baby wombat tussle would have provided a rather different outcome I suspect.

[french frank]

How young is too young to be an online influencer?

Baby wombat-snatching US influencer

Poor placement of hyphens is a bit of a bugbear of mine and does often lead to silly outcomes, sometimes the opposite of what was intended, but this I thought should have been too obvious to be allowed to stand. Evidently not.

?? Is it trying to say that there is a US influencer who influences other like-minded snatchers of baby wombats? Or merely that there is a particular US influencer who once or regularly snatched or snatches a baby wombat or several baby wombats?

[oddoneout]

How young is too young to be an online influencer?

Baby wombat-snatching US influencer

Poor placement of hyphens is a bit of a bugbear of mine and does often lead to silly outcomes, sometimes the opposite of what was intended, but this I thought should have been too obvious to be allowed to stand. Evidently not.

[Pulcinella]

Or, with reference to the original source of irritation, 'select from the options below'. Looking again at your suggestion perhaps gives the clue to why the 'below' version arose, since it is in effect the same construction - 'above/below options' rather than 'options above/below', so in due course will seem as normal as 'above options', although that isn't one I favour.

Agreed: I'd use 'options above'.

[oddoneout]

What about ‘please select from the above options’? That seems fairly normal.

Or, with reference to the original source of irritation, 'select from the options below'. Looking again at your suggestion perhaps gives the clue to why the 'below' version arose, since it is in effect the same construction - 'above/below options' rather than 'options above/below', so in due course will seem as normal as 'above options', although that isn't one I favour.

[Sir Velo]

‘Then you should say what you mean,’ the March Hare went on. ‘I do,’ Alice hastily replied; ‘at least—at least I mean what I say—that's the same thing, you know.’ ‘Not the same thing a bit!’ said the Hatter. ‘Why, you might just as well say that “I see what I eat” is the same thing as “I eat what I see!” ’