Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

BBC news says that motorists in Nottingham are asked to use 'alternate' routes, to avoid the closure of part of the city centre. I have visions of them driving round repeatedly, using one route, then another.

One more day, one more Americanism What I have noticed is that they use rightfully as the opposite of, oh, wrongfully I expect. But where we would say rightly and wrongly. Like purposefully for purposely. As you say, alternate has a different meaning. Not sure how the Americans manage to understand what's being said when two different meanings are involved.

[smittims]

Maybe the tone of voice says it all, as in the difference between 'Uh-huh' which means 'yes' and 'U'uh' which means 'no'!

[french frank]

I was interested in Sunak's, apparently serious, use of the verb 'revolute' ("[Ukraine is] the startup nation, which helped spark names like PayPal, WhatsApp and revolute with a thriving tech sector" = to promote a revolution) which I'd never come across before.

Four examples only in the OED. The first two (1868 and 1890) both have the word in inverted commas as if it was then an ad hoc coinage, or nonce word. The somewhat more modern ones (1921 and 1985) seem to me to be purely humorous. DH Lawrence in 1921 wrote: 'I think Italy will not revolute or bolsh** any more.' An American novelist, Ed McClanahan, wrote: 'I rocked and I rolled. I ingested illicit substances. I revoluted.' Was Sunak reinventing the word? If so, wait for all the new examples - probably in the press.

** Additional thought: Three examples of 'to bolsh' vb, two from Lawrence, and all marked as 'humorous' by the OED.

[Bryn]

I was interested in Sunak's, apparently serious, use of the verb 'revolute' ("[Ukraine is] the startup nation, which helped spark names like PayPal, WhatsApp and revolute with a thriving tech sector" = to promote a revolution) which I'd never come across before.

Four examples only in the OED. The first two (1868 and 1890) both have the word in inverted commas as if it was then an ad hoc coinage, or nonce word. The somewhat more modern ones (1921 and 1985) seem to me to be purely humorous. DH Lawrence in 1921 wrote: 'I think Italy will not revolute or bolsh** any more.' An American novelist, Ed McClanahan, wrote: 'I rocked and I rolled. I ingested illicit substances. I revoluted.' Was Sunak reinventing the word? If so, wait for all the new examples - probably in the press.

** Additional thought: Three examples of 'to bolsh' vb, two from Lawrence, and all marked as 'humorous' by the OED.

Regarding Sunak's use of the word, I wonder whether there is some tenuous connection to "Revolut", founded by two UK citizens of, respectively, Russian and Ukranian ancestry. Not quite a bank, in that its customers are not covered by the protections of true banks.

[vinteuil]

I was interested in Sunak's, apparently serious, use of the verb 'revolute' ("[Ukraine is] the startup nation, which helped spark names like PayPal, WhatsApp and revolute with a thriving tech sector" = to promote a revolution) which I'd never come across before.

... I suspect (following Bryn's hint) what he said was -

""[Ukraine is] the startup nation - which helped spark names like PayPal, WhatsApp, and Revolut - with a thriving tech sector..."

.

[french frank]

Regarding Sunak's use of the word, I wonder whether there is some tenuous connection to "Revolut", founded by two UK citizens of, respectively, Russian and Ukranian ancestry. Not quite a bank, in that its customers are not covered by the protections of true banks.

Sunak would certainly be familiar with that! The OED article was last updated in 2010: I might notify them of this usage (though they took no notice of my fully referenced suggestion of 'batch' (as a ridge or watershed), common in several place names where I was brought up.

[french frank]

... I suspect (following Bryn's hint) what he said was -

""[Ukraine is] the startup nation - which helped spark names like PayPal, WhatsApp, and Revolut - with a thriving tech sector..."

.

By George, he's got it! I might not contact OED after all except to mention my good friend's suggestion, and that it was a journalistic error. I think it was on a 'Live' thread which may now be beyond recall.

[Bryn]

Revolut's misdoings are now being discussed on Radio 4 (You and yours).

[oddoneout]

Which reminds me, by a rather convoluted bit of brain activity, that recently I saw a young lad sporting a T-shirt with the words "Vanquish Fitness" emblazoned on the front. I was somewhat puzzled but thought it might be ironic. However it would appear that it is a brand of gym/sport related apparel. Still doesn't make sense to me though...

[vinteuil]

.

... on BBC news website : "Man guilty of murdering woman found dead in suitcase"

But who, we ponder, was in the suitcase - the man or the woman?




.

[Serial_Apologist]

.

... on BBC news website : "Man guilty of murdering woman found dead in suitcase"

But who, we ponder, was in the suitcase - the man or the woman?




.

A suitable case for treatment?

[oddoneout]

.

... on BBC news website : "Man guilty of murdering woman found dead in suitcase"

But who, we ponder, was in the suitcase - the man or the woman?




.

And if the man, who murdered him - or did he commit suicide in the suitcase?

[french frank]

And if the man, who murdered him - or did he commit suicide in the suitcase?

There must be case law to decide these questions.

[Pulcinella]

There must be case law to decide these questions.

Maybe they need to bring in the local attaché d'affaires.

[cria]

Clouseau is on the case. Cato is in it.