Pedants' Paradise

[Serial_Apologist]

Does a miniscule bit of caveat text appear at the bottom of the screen while the verbal is happening, as that could be a way round it - like the tiny asterisk and minute font exclusions clause(which effectively makes the unbeatable offer eminently unattractive when deciphered) that appears with prominent print special offer adverts.

I don't know; not knowing about that, it hadn't occurred to me - maybe I should check the next time either ad is showing, and see if I can spot it before it disappears off screen. Most ads try to cram so much "information" [] into their allotted time that sentences get out-jostled by succeeding sentences and the viewer ends up feeling winded. But doesn't this remind one of those apologies that would appear in small print in some tiny corner of an inside page after the newspaper in question has printed big headlined lies on the front page?

[french frank]

I've been puzzled by the increasing, obviously secular, use of the expression 'hail mary'. I now see the relevance of this American football term: "a long, typically unsuccessful pass made in a desperate attempt to score late in the game; a plan or project with little chance of success".

[LeMartinPecheur]

Why these days do people write 'til instead of till? Till is a word, not an abbreviation, that has been with us since Chaucer's time at least.

[Pulcinella]

Why these days do people write 'til instead of till? Till is a word, not an abbreviation, that has been with us since Chaucer's time at least.

Because they think it's a contraction of until?

[gurnemanz]

Why these days do people write 'til instead of till? Till is a word, not an abbreviation, that has been with us since Chaucer's time at least.

Must have come over with the Vikings. I'm not sure why English has one "l" for "until" and two for "till", but 'til is certainly nonsense. I remember on holiday in Norway coming across "til" all over the place. I don't know Norwegian and it seemed to mean "to". (Famous Grieg song, Til våren - To Spring). I checked online and on one site it stated that it has many meanings, "including to, until, for, by, with, at, of, through, as, and on" - clearly a very versatile preposition over there.

Not related, I suspect, to the first name as in Eulenspiegel or Fellner.

[Serial_Apologist]

Because they think it's a contraction of until?

Because someone's been at the till?

[cloughie]

Because someone's been at the till?

I own up to using ‘til as an abbreviation for until, does that make me a bad, semi-literate person. Overall Imprefer the word until to till which are very often interchangeable!

Signs outside shops which say ‘OPEN TILL LATE’ is surely a temptation to thieves!

[Serial_Apologist]

I own up to using ‘til as an abbreviation for until, does that make me a bad, semi-literate person. Overall Imprefer the word until to till which are very often interchangeable!

Signs outside shops which say ‘OPEN TILL LATE’ is surely a temptation to thieves!

[Leinster Lass]

I own up to using ‘til as an abbreviation for until, does that make me a bad, semi-literate person. Overall Imprefer the word until to till which are very often interchangeable!

Signs outside shops which say ‘OPEN TILL LATE’ is surely a temptation to thieves!

'You fool, Granville ... I said "put up a sign saying OPEN TILL 8"'

[french frank]

Headline from BBC news story: "Metal monolith found by helicopter crew in Utah desert"

This may be pedantry usque ad ultimum, but juxtaposing "metal" and "monolith" without quotation marks is infelicitous. I would accept "Metal 'monolith' found by helicopter crew in Utah desert" as at least an easily effected nod towards the etymological root.

[vinteuil]

.

... while I share your etymological discomfort with the use of monolith, I note that lithographs are now produced using metal or plastic plates* rather than limestone.




* and should I be worried that the dinner plates we use here are not made of silver?

.

[french frank]

.

... while I share your etymological discomfort with the use of monolith, I note that lithographs are now produced using metal or plastic plates* rather than limestone.

That's an even more interesting case. I note that 'monolith' and its adjectival form' monolithic' are used to designate a single solid mass of, e.g. concrete (in engineering) or having the quality of a single solid mass, so I would perhaps not have frowned (quite so severely) had monolith appeared without the accompanying 'metal'. Similarly, 'lithograph' used to denote the general process escapes censure (especially from people like me who were unaware of the substitutes for the original stone). I must read more about modern lithography.

[french frank]

I've just had a newsletter from a magazine editor expressing gratitude, in these times when newsagents have been closed, for my continuing subscription - now even more invaluable. I wonder whether to reply saying, Not at all re the subscription, but I don't think you can say 'more invaluable'.

Actually, the newsletter is from the marketing department, but has the editor's name at the bottom. I wouldn't want to get anyone sacked so perhaps I will let the matter rest

[kernelbogey]

I've just had a newsletter from a magazine editor expressing gratitude, in these times when newsagents have been closed, for my continuing subscription - now even more invaluable. I wonder whether to reply saying, Not at all re the subscription, but I don't think you can say 'more invaluable'.

Possibly a more unique usage?

[Bryn]

Possibly a more unique usage?

Possibly even uniquer?