Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

Now changed to 'sprang'!

[AuntDaisy]

Now changed to 'sprang'!

Has Auntie reacted to vinteuil's comment? Please let it be so.

[LMcD]

My admiration for anybody who tries to learn English as a second language only increased when I read about the sad case of a highly-educated foreign businessman who, on his way home from an English-language evening class, was found sobbing in front of a newspaper hoarding in the West End that read 'Black And White Minstrel Show Pronounced Success!'

[AuntDaisy]

I struggled to read this BBC headline / click-bait "'Do it quickly': How to say no more in working life"



Is it "How to say 'no more' in working life" or "How to say 'no' more [often] in working life"?

Would "'Do it quickly': How to say no in working life" be clearer?

[french frank]

I struggled to read this BBC headline / click-bait "'Do it quickly': How to say no more in working life"



Is it "How to say 'no more' in working life" or "How to say 'no' more [often] in working life"?

Would "'Do it quickly': How to say no in working life" be clearer?

Is "Do it quickly" necessary if the 'How' is going to be explained in the programme? Alternatively: "How to say No (Do it quickly)" and then the programme wouldn't be needed?

[Pulcinella]

Is "Do it quickly" necessary if the 'How' is going to be explained in the programme? Alternatively: "How to say No (Do it quickly)" and then the programme wouldn't be needed?

At least it's not 'Do it fast'!

[LMcD]

I struggled to read this BBC headline / click-bait "'Do it quickly': How to say no more in working life"



Is it "How to say 'no more' in working life" or "How to say 'no' more [often] in working life"?

Would "'Do it quickly': How to say no in working life" be clearer?

I took it to mean 'Stop talking to your colleagues - starting tomorrow - or even right now!'.

[Pulcinella]

From today's Times:

A group teaching nine-year-olds that some children may not feel like “a boy or a girl” is sending its books to every primary school in Gillian Keegan’s constituency to protest sex education reforms.

Are they not protesting about (or against) the reforms?
I can protest my beliefs though.

[Serial_Apologist]

From today's Times:

A group teaching nine-year-olds that some children may not feel like “a boy or a girl” is sending its books to every primary school in Gillian Keegan’s constituency to protest sex education reforms.

Are they not protesting about (or against) the reforms?
I can protest my beliefs though.

All problems will be solved when under the govt's proposed new national service arrangements applicants will have the choice of joining the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides.

[Pulcinella]

I know it's the Guardian, but it's also John Crace, and I'd like to think that he's on top of his apostrophe use.

So it was a relief to discover that Vicky has not died or is not otherwise incapacitated. Well, not much. Either that or she sent a body double on to the Sunday morning politics’ shows to speak on behalf of the government and to show that – for an hour at least – she was right behind behind the Conservatives’ campaign to get re-elected.

We don't need an apostrophe after politics do we?
(I'm fully aware we should steer clear of politics on the forum, but this is a bit different!)

[french frank]

We don't need an apostrophe after politics do we?
(I'm fully aware we should steer clear of politics on the forum, but this is a bit different!)

A boys school describes a kind of school. A boys' school (Heaven help us!) denotes a school possessed by the boys. A politics show describes the kind of show (or programme). Maybe it was supposed to be 'politics' shows and the first single quote was omitted?

[LMcD]

All problems will be solved when under the govt's proposed new national service arrangements applicants will have the choice of joining the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides.

So ... boys will be able to join the Guides and girls the Scouts?

[oddoneout]

So ... boys will be able to join the Guides and girls the Scouts?

Only the latter(hence grandson and granddaughter both in junior Scout groups ) - the former has been voted on and still refused. Exceptions made I think for boys identifying as female.

[LMcD]

Only the latter(hence grandson and granddaughter both in junior Scout groups ) - the former has been voted on and still refused. Exceptions made I think for boys identifying as female.

This is not the world up in which I grew.

[Old Grumpy]

A boys school describes a kind of school. A boys' school (Heaven help us!) denotes a school possessed by the boys. A politics show describes the kind of show (or programme). Maybe it was supposed to be 'politics' shows and the first single quote was omitted?

A grocer writes:

Of course, everyone knows it should be boy's school and politic's show.