Pedants' Paradise

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've only just figured out () that anthropomorphisms are involved.

Isn't it that it should be "any increase ... is split" and "principal calculation"?

[Pulcinella]

Isn't it that it should be "any increase ... is split" and "principal calculation"?

Indeed those were my concerns.
Perhaps I should have given more of the 'principle' sentence, as there might indeed have been some sort of calculation of the principle behind doing something.

My partner, who works for an examination board, was once addressed in a letter from the board as a Principle Examiner: he wasn't exactly sure what his qualifications were for that particular role.


I'm not sure what SA's comment about anthropomorphisms relates to: lost on me, I'm afraid.

[Serial_Apologist]

Indeed those were my concerns.
Perhaps I should have given more of the 'principle' sentence, as there might indeed have been some sort of calculation of the principle behind doing something.

My partner, who works for an examination board, was once addressed in a letter from the board as a Principle Examiner: he wasn't exactly sure what his qualifications were for that particular role.


I'm not sure what SA's comment about anthropomorphisms relates to: lost on me, I'm afraid.

Oh, I see now.

(Can any sort of calculation assume? - is what I was trying to get at. An assumption can be made on the basis of a calculation, etc etc. Never mind...

[Pulcinella]

Oh, I see now.

(Can any sort of calculation assume? - is what I was trying to get at. An assumption can be made on the basis of a calculation, etc etc. Never mind...

I guess it could mean that there are actuarial assumptions underlying the calculation (how long we'll live being the prime one, presumably!).

But the full sentence is actually this:

The principle calculation assumes that the USS Retirement Income Builder will remain open to new and existing members, and that members will continue to accrue benefits, long into the future.

[Serial_Apologist]

I guess it could mean that there are actuarial assumptions underlying the calculation (how long we'll live being the prime one, presumably!).

But the full sentence is actually this:

The principle calculation assumes that the USS Retirement Income Builder will remain open to new and existing members, and that members will continue to accrue benefits, long into the future.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

"The USS Retirement Income Builder"? Was that the sister ship of the Enterprise?

[Serial_Apologist]

"The USS Retirement Income Builder"? Was that the sister ship of the Enterprise?

I'd imagine it's intended for those of us who think we've missed the boat!

[Pulcinella]

I'd imagine it's intended for those of us who think we've missed the boat!

I'm just glad that I took early retirement, and that my pension is guaranteed!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Very surprising blanket finish in today's London Marathon, as just announced on the R3 lunchtime news. Male A and female B (sorry, didn't catch their names) won "the men and women's wheelchair race".

Ahem!

[verismissimo]

I notice that since the millennium there are regular verbal references to years as, say, two thousand and nineteen. Should we be re-verbalising previous centuries as, say, one thousand and sixty six?

[LeMartinPecheur]

I notice that since the millennium there are regular verbal references to years as, say, two thousand and nineteen. Should we be re-verbalising previous centuries as, say, one thousand and sixty six?

If only we could know what is right, by reference to what they did after the last one

[Pulcinella]

I notice that since the millennium there are regular verbal references to years as, say, two thousand and nineteen. Should we be re-verbalising previous centuries as, say, one thousand and sixty six?

I imagine next year will be 20–20 (twenty twenty), though whether or not we'll all have perfect vision for the future will remain to be seen!

[LezLee]

I notice that since the millennium there are regular verbal references to years as, say, two thousand and nineteen. Should we be re-verbalising previous centuries as, say, one thousand and sixty six?

There doesn't seem to be a definite ruling on this, and I don't see how one could be imposed. You often hear them both used in the same programme and even in the same conversation. It's like different from/to/than which are all (sadly) correct in dictionaries now. Two thousand and... sounds so clumsy and odd in this day and age when the fashion seems to be for shortening everything (obvs).

[Bryn]

I imagine next year will be 20–20 (twenty twenty), though whether or not we'll all have perfect vision for the future will remain to be seen!

Agreed. I think next year will likely see a turning point in how the number of the year is commonly referred to in English-speaking countries.

[ardcarp]

I'm just glad that I took early retirement, and that my pension is guaranteed!

Just hope you're right, Pulcs. A guy that we know was an inspector in the Met, and was 'invalided out' with a pension at the age of forty having received a serious head injury in the Brixton riots. He has now sadly died, but around 2006 (I believe) the Home Office saw fit to reduce all police disability pensions, including his, at the stroke of a pen.

Another example. Teachers retire at the age of 60 with a full pension (provided they've clocked up the requisite number of years at the chalk face.) On reaching state retirement age they receive a letter from TP saying 'your pension will be reduced by £x as you are now in receipt of a State Retirement BENEFIT'.

So watch out! You really can't trust the b******s in government.