Pedants' Paradise

[kernelbogey]

Vaguely connected:
One snowy Sheffield evening, all our libraries received a faxed hand-written notice saying that due to the inclement weather, as many people as possible could leave early, leaving just a skeletal staff.

Btw, does anyone speak of 'clement' weather?

On Vatican Radio, perhaps?

[DracoM]

[Serial_Apologist]

Oh no it wont.

,,, for wont of a better explanation...

[Serial_Apologist]

I hadn't Herder that.

Try giving it a spin sometime.

[Serial_Apologist]

On Vatican Radio, perhaps?

On Just A Minute back in the good old days.

[Richard Tarleton]

Vaguely connected:
One snowy Sheffield evening, all our libraries received a faxed hand-written notice saying that due to the inclement weather, as many people as possible could leave early, leaving just a skeletal staff.

Btw, does anyone speak of 'clement' weather?

I'd perhaps have used "owing to" there - in an adverbial sense, linked to "leave"? Whereas the inclement weather was due to an incoming low pressure system (adjectival)?

And are a skeleton staff and a skeletal staff the same thing? Skeleton staff suggests to me a minimum staff, skeletal a very undernourished one....

[oddoneout]

Vaguely connected:
One snowy Sheffield evening, all our libraries received a faxed hand-written notice saying that due to the inclement weather, as many people as possible could leave early, leaving just a skeletal staff.

Btw, does anyone speak of 'clement' weather?

How were the skeletal staff selected, was there a mass weigh-in? I suppose such occasions are when it's useful to have a skeleton or two in the cupboard.

[Serial_Apologist]

How were the skeletal staff selected, was there a mass weigh-in? I suppose such occasions are when it's useful to have a skeleton or two in the cupboard.

This all reminds me of that wonderful "Civil Defense" sketch in "Beyond the Fringe", in which the Major, as played by Jonathan Miller (iirc) answers a question from the floor about normal services following Armaggedon: "Services should be back to normal pretty quickly after the event, but in all fairness it will needs be something in the nature of a skeleton service".

[Maclintick]

Btw, does anyone speak of 'clement' weather?

Perhaps those who are gruntled if they can venture forth, needing neither rainproof clothing or an umbrella...

[Pulcinella]

Perhaps those who are gruntled if they can venture forth, needing neither rainproof clothing or an umbrella...

With shevelled hair, presumably.

[LMcD]

With shevelled hair, presumably.

Doubtless doing their best to look couth.

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm quite plussed by this whole discussion

[Maclintick]

With shevelled hair, presumably.

Precisely -- one hopes such persons would present a spectacle both traught and sightly...

[kernelbogey]

Ladies and Gentlemen -
Let us continue to apostrophise on this thread!
And everywhere on this Forum!

[greenilex]

I do love being apostrophised, it’s the opposite of objectification.

Makes one feel like a goddess, if merely the dowager Olympian.