Pedants' Paradise

[Sir Velo]

Signs round here (happen, Yorkshire): Warning. Free range children!

That sign is rapidly becoming obsolete as the prospect of seeing children playing outside anywhere is a thing of the past.

[LMcD]

That sign is rapidly becoming obsolete as the prospect of seeing children playing outside anywhere is a thing of the past.

... and replaced by one asking parents - well, those who insist on driving their children to and from school - NOT TO IDLE.

[cat]

That sign is rapidly becoming obsolete as the prospect of seeing children playing outside anywhere is a thing of the past.

Surely the more unlikely it is to encounter children playing outside, the greater the need for such a sign? This is why you might occasionally see a sign on a dual carriageway warning of pedestrians crossing ahead, but you don't see those signs everywhere in town centres.

[oddoneout]

"calcifying my view..." I've seen this a couple of times recently to mean strengthen - but why? Yes, something that's calcified is hardened but I still think it's an odd choice. Such is the world of modern "journalism" that I have no doubt it will spread as the desire to sound a little different over-rides the small step of looking up a meaning.

[cat]

"calcifying my view..." I've seen this a couple of times recently to mean strengthen - but why? Yes, something that's calcified is hardened but I still think it's an odd choice. Such is the world of modern "journalism" that I have no doubt it will spread as the desire to sound a little different over-rides the small step of looking up a meaning.

It could be a better word to use than "strengthen" if you mean "make less amenable to change".

A "strong" view is perhaps one held passionately or earnestly, not necessarily with strong roots.

This is how languages evolves. If there was nothing to be gained in sometimes using "calcifying" instead of "strengthening", then it wouldn't catch on.

[Serial_Apologist]

Surely the more unlikely it is to encounter children playing outside, the greater the need for such a sign? This is why you might occasionally see a sign on a dual carriageway warning of pedestrians crossing ahead, but you don't see those signs everywhere in town centres.

One such sign might read "CONGEALED ENTRANCE AHEAD"!

[cat]

Various local NHS organizations are posting on social media inviting people to "pre-book" their booster appointments.

Dictionaries ridiculously tell me that a pre-booking is a booking made in advance, that a booking is a reservation made in advance, and that a reservation is something that has been booked in advance.

I could understand if "pre-booking" had come to mean a tentative, unconfirmed booking, a way of holding the booking slot until an actual booking was made. However that's not what people are using it for: "pre-book" is simply used in place of "book" and I can't see why.

[Bryn]

Various local NHS organizations are posting on social media inviting people to "pre-book" their booster appointments.

Dictionaries ridiculously tell me that a pre-booking is a booking made in advance, that a booking is a reservation made in advance, and that a reservation is something that has been booked in advance.

I could understand if "pre-booking" had come to mean a tentative, unconfirmed booking, a way of holding the booking slot until an actual booking was made. However that's not what people are using it for: "pre-book" is simply used in place of "book" and I can't see why.

I can see a use for "re-book" where a standard date is set, before which the general public may not book but those with certain privileges, possibly associated with membership of a support group, may book ahead of heat date. A similar rationale applies to "pre-order" with regard to CDs.

[kernelbogey]

I can see a use for "re-book" where a standard date is set, before which the general public may not book but those with certain privileges, possibly associated with membership of a support group, may book ahead of heat date. A similar rationale applies to "pre-order" with regard to CDs.

A cookery writer once wrote that she had never succeeded in 'pre-heating' her oven, only ever heating it.

[oddoneout]

Various local NHS organizations are posting on social media inviting people to "pre-book" their booster appointments.

Dictionaries ridiculously tell me that a pre-booking is a booking made in advance, that a booking is a reservation made in advance, and that a reservation is something that has been booked in advance.

I could understand if "pre-booking" had come to mean a tentative, unconfirmed booking, a way of holding the booking slot until an actual booking was made. However that's not what people are using it for: "pre-book" is simply used in place of "book" and I can't see why.

My understanding is it's to do with not being able to book appointments unless or until you have reached whatever qualifying date/age /cohort, which didn't matter too much if appointments were then available as soon as that point was reached, but wasn't the case for a great many folk. The pre-booking set-up means that you can book an appointment ahead (within certain limits) in readiness for the date on which you qualify. I'm not sure how well it's working out in practice,as when the 5 month booking interval was first announced I tried several times to go through the online system to get a slot at a walk-in centre in town I'd just found out about, but was ruled out at almost the first question as I hadn't (surprise surprise) reached the 6 month since 2nd jab qualifier. Possibly the old story of government announcing changes ahead of having allowed the system to update and enable them. I'll try again next week when I will have more than reached the relevant interval.
So it's a booking made in advance of the date you would otherwise be allowed to do. Clumsy - and has led to a great deal of confusion, and added unpleasantness for those on the front line having to explain it.
I assume part of the rationale is to be able to ensure vaccine supplies in good time - it gives a longer lead time.

[oddoneout]

A cookery writer once wrote that she had never succeeded in 'pre-heating' her oven, only ever heating it.

True - but for some recipes you need to have the oven at the right temperature as soon as the dish goes in so getting it up to heat ahead of time - pre-heating - makes sense as a term to my way of thinking. What these days doesn't make sense is that there doesn't seem to have been any revision of the times involved nor that it's not always necessary with oven technology having moved on somewhat since the 1930s...

[Serial_Apologist]

True - but for some recipes you need to have the oven at the right temperature as soon as the dish goes in so getting it up to heat ahead of time - pre-heating - makes sense as a term to my way of thinking. What these days doesn't make sense is that there doesn't seem to have been any revision of the times involved nor that it's not always necessary with oven technology having moved on somewhat since the 1930s...

Food manufacturers would have to take account of lapsed technology, my own cooker being a prime example.

[kernelbogey]

True - but for some recipes you need to have the oven at the right temperature as soon as the dish goes in so getting it up to heat ahead of time - pre-heating - makes sense as a term to my way of thinking. What these days doesn't make sense is that there doesn't seem to have been any revision of the times involved nor that it's not always necessary with oven technology having moved on somewhat since the 1930s...

So, two alternative instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2) Heat the oven to 175 degrees C.

Is (1) any clearer than (2)?

[oddoneout]

So, two alternative instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2) Heat the oven to 175 degrees C.

Is (1) any clearer than (2)?

Dunno, but when I'm copying out or passing on recipes I just put the oven temp, not least because the preparation stages will take different lengths of time according to ability, familiarity, how the work is planned, so saying to put it on as the first step isn't necessarily helpful. - and could be seen as expensive and environmentally undesirable...
Your example has reminded me that now a single temperature is the norm, whereas many of my recipes have 2 (C and F), many have a gas setting rather than temperature for gas ovens, and some even have suggestions for the likes of solid fuel appliances (a Farmers Weekly collection from 1920s to WW2).

[Padraig]

So, two alternative instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.
2) Heat the oven to 175 degrees C.

Is (1) any clearer than (2)?

(1) is clearer than (2).

(1) is more a warning not to start cooking until the temperature is reached, e.g, a raising agent will fail if baking starts too soon. That's my experience, but please yourself.