Pedants' Paradise

[Pulcinella]

The Wall Street Journal in an editorial urged the resignation of the President, saying “It would give Mr Trump agency, a la Richard Nixon, over his own fate,”

This a la jumped out at me, Nixon being male. So I wonder, my knowledge of French being unequal to the question, whether you could write that in the original language. If so, has a word been historically elided with usage, such a la maniere de Richard Nixon?

(Sorry can't do accents.)

Chambers gives it as a contraction of à la mode de.

PS: ff got in first!

[kernelbogey]

Chambers gives it as a contraction of à la mode de.

PS: ff got in first!

Thanks, both! Thought I'd get the answer here!

[LezLee]

The Wall Street Journal in an editorial urged the resignation of the President, saying “It would give Mr Trump agency, a la Richard Nixon, over his own fate,”

This a la jumped out at me, Nixon being male. So I wonder, my knowledge of French being unequal to the question, whether you could write that in the original language. If so, has a word been historically elided with usage, such a la maniere de Richard Nixon?

(Sorry can't do accents.)

It annoys me and I always think if you're referring to a male it should be the male version - 'au'. I've never seen or heard 'au' in this context though, it sounds wrong and really weird.

[kernelbogey]

I may be mistaken - but I think I've heard 'au Jeremy Corbin'.

[Bryn]

I may be mistaken - but I think I've heard 'au Jeremy Corbin'.

You did indeed mishear. It was eau Jeremy Corbyn.

[Serial_Apologist]

Precociousness? Or precocity, as said by Donald Macleod just new in reference to the young Amy Beach's musical talents?

[french frank]

Precociousness? Or precocity, as said by Donald Macleod just new in reference to the young Amy Beach's musical talents?

WikiDiff says: precociousness is the condition of being precocious; while precocity is the state of being precocious.

I merely quote, but precociousness seems the more common.

And here's the difference between state and condition https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-di...-and-condition

[gurnemanz]

WikiDiff says: precociousness is the condition of being precocious; while precocity is the state of being precocious.

I merely quote, but precociousness seems the more common.

And here's the difference between state and condition https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-di...-and-condition

As elucidated there, the difference between the two seems to be a question of context, usage and collocation rather than any clearly distinguishable semantic criteria.

Main difference: state - one syllable, condition - three syllables.

[oddoneout]

Precarity seems to be increasingly favoured over precariousness, and I wonder if it is partly to do with being less cumbersome to say and write; the same could be said to apply to 'precocity' mentioned above?

[Serial_Apologist]

A question on this morning's Jeremy Vine Show (CH 5):

"What is the fastest anyone has swam across the English Chanel?"

SWUM, surely?

[french frank]

A question on this morning's Jeremy Vine Show (CH 5):

"What is the fastest anyone has swam across the English Chanel?"

SWUM, surely?

I swim, I have swum, I swam

On 'precarity', if it has become more common does that suggest it's especially used as a sociological term now: meaning economic precariousness or insecurity, on the edge of economic disaster, unable to pay bills, debt &c.? Precariousness for a physically dangerous position (on a cliff edge) or more generally risking discovery in some way.

[Serial_Apologist]

I swim, I have swum, I swam

OK, thanks! I was wondering if I was getting mixed up with SWING, SWUNG, etc.

On 'precarity', if it has become more common does that suggest it's especially used as a sociological term now: meaning economic precariousness or insecurity, on the edge of economic disaster, unable to pay bills, debt &c.? Precariousness for a physically dangerous position (on a cliff edge) or more generally risking discovery in some way.

That's useful and sounds sensible to me, thanks again!

[oddoneout]

A question on this morning's Jeremy Vine Show (CH 5):

"What is the fastest anyone has swam across the English Chanel?"

SWUM, surely?

Would that be Cocoa rather than Coco?

[oddoneout]

I swim, I have swum, I swam

On 'precarity', if it has become more common does that suggest it's especially used as a sociological term now: meaning economic precariousness or insecurity, on the edge of economic disaster, unable to pay bills, debt &c.? Precariousness for a physically dangerous position (on a cliff edge) or more generally risking discovery in some way.

Yes, economic precarity, crops up in articles about the low-waged and related matters.

[kernelbogey]

Would that be Cocoa rather than Coco?

That would depend on the pronunciation of the questioner on the show, no? I'm guessing that the clue is in the 'swam' .