Pedants' Paradise

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  • french frank
    Administrator/Moderator
    • Feb 2007
    • 30232

    Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
    Too many subtexts compressed into that headline for it to make sense. I suppose Shakespeare could also be accused of this, sometimes?
    I think it was the 'held, killed, bailed' with 'bailed' tacked on the end. Plus if she was bailed she wasn't held. Just inelegant rather than incomprehensible. (Shakespeare more elegant and incomprehensible ).
    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

    Comment

    • kernelbogey
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 5735

      i sort of get what 'content' means in the new usage: anything - film clip, music, standup routine - which appears on a platform (e.g. YouTube). But does it denote something precise? I'm not sure it adds usefully to the language - but clearly seems well established.

      Comment

      • french frank
        Administrator/Moderator
        • Feb 2007
        • 30232

        Originally posted by french frank View Post
        I think it was the 'held, killed, bailed' with 'bailed' tacked on the end. Plus if she was bailed she wasn't held. Just inelegant rather than incomprehensible. (Shakespeare more elegant and incomprehensible ).
        Sometimes I swear the entire BBC looks in on this forum . Second headline now changed to: 'Woman bailed after fatal London house fire.'
        It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

        Comment

        • Padraig
          Full Member
          • Feb 2013
          • 4224

          What do you make of this BBC News headline?

          Omicron to hit NI 'like a tonne of bricks'

          Comment

          • french frank
            Administrator/Moderator
            • Feb 2007
            • 30232

            Originally posted by Padraig View Post
            What do you make of this BBC News headline?

            Omicron to hit NI 'like a tonne of bricks'
            I could say more, but won't
            It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

            Comment

            • Padraig
              Full Member
              • Feb 2013
              • 4224

              Originally posted by french frank View Post
              I could say more, but won't
              More bricks?

              Comment

              • french frank
                Administrator/Moderator
                • Feb 2007
                • 30232

                Originally posted by Padraig View Post
                More bricks?
                Imperial hundredweights of 'em!
                It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                Comment

                • Padraig
                  Full Member
                  • Feb 2013
                  • 4224

                  Originally posted by french frank View Post
                  Imperial hundredweights of 'em!
                  Of course. Didn't youse Get Bricks Done?

                  Comment

                  • french frank
                    Administrator/Moderator
                    • Feb 2007
                    • 30232

                    Originally posted by Padraig View Post
                    Of course. Didn't youse Get Bricks Done?
                    Not me, gov. It was the other bloke
                    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                    Comment

                    • HighlandDougie
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 3080

                      Originally posted by Padraig View Post
                      What do you make of this BBC News headline?

                      Omicron to hit NI 'like a tonne of bricks'
                      Nothing wrong with that - "tonne" is a metric tonne, i.e. 1,000kg so it's not one of those grating "principle" rather than "principal" errors. Or perhaps I am being too forgiving to the BBC and assuming a level of linguistic nous which may not actually exist.

                      Comment

                      • french frank
                        Administrator/Moderator
                        • Feb 2007
                        • 30232

                        Originally posted by HighlandDougie View Post
                        a metric tonne, i.e. 1,000kg so it's not one of those grating "principle" rather than "principal" errors
                        I was wondering how certains in NI might view it But only certains
                        It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                        Comment

                        • Padraig
                          Full Member
                          • Feb 2013
                          • 4224

                          Originally posted by french frank View Post
                          I was wondering how certains in NI might view it But only certains
                          You've got me there, f f.

                          But, regarding tonne vs ton, my thinking was that since the headline in question was reported speech, the speaker was using a standard idiom, which is 'a ton of bricks'. To report it as 'a tonne of bricks' is therefore (I need a word here) over correct, in other words, wrong.
                          There might be other aspects to this puzzle
                          Incertus.

                          Comment

                          • french frank
                            Administrator/Moderator
                            • Feb 2007
                            • 30232

                            Originally posted by Padraig View Post
                            You've got me there, f f.
                            I've PM'd you - to keep on the right side of the law.
                            It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                            Comment

                            • Padraig
                              Full Member
                              • Feb 2013
                              • 4224

                              Originally posted by french frank View Post
                              I've PM'd you - to keep on the right side of the law.

                              Comment

                              • oddoneout
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2015
                                • 9139

                                "Welsh government loans England 4m more Covid tests"
                                Not wishing to denigrate the generosity but surely they aren't expecting the tests will be handed back after use?
                                I'm assuming what is meant is a stock of tests on a kind of sale or return basis to smooth out England's supply problems - although given the shortfall I don't see many of them being unused.

                                Comment

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