Pedants' Paradise

[oddoneout]

From the local rag's TV listings

Alice Roberts visits the excavation of one of Henry VIII's lost forts in Hull

So how many forts in Hull did he have?

[Serial_Apologist]

From the local rag's TV listings

So how many forts in Hull did he have?

"Alice Roberts visits Hull to see/witness/experience the excavation of one of Henry VIII's lost forts" would be more accurate. However it involves more words to read, and, as everybody knows, time is money.

[french frank]

"Alice Roberts visits Hull to see/witness/experience the excavation of one of Henry VIII's lost forts" would be more accurate. However it involves more words to read, and, as everybody knows, time is money.

Fewer words for '"Alice Roberts visits the Hull site of one of Henry VIII's lost forts" .

[smittims]

For me the troublesome word is 'lost'. Leave it out and it doesn't sound too ambiguous. I think it's there for the same reason that so many TV documentaries have the word 'secrets ' in the title. Theyre not 'secrets', just things not many people know about. The fort wasn't lost; it hadn't been mislaid; it didn't go anywhere. But it sounds more exciting than ' the remains of a fort no-one's bothered with until now'.

[Serial_Apologist]

For me the troublesome word is 'lost'. Leave it out and it doesn't sound too ambiguous. I think it's there for the same reason that so many TV documentaries have the word 'secrets ' in the title. Theyre not 'secrets', just things not many people know about. The fort wasn't lost; it hadn't been mislaid; it didn't go anywhere. But it sounds more exciting than ' the remains of a fort no-one's bothered with until now'.

Mind you, I'd visit Alice Roberts anytime.

[Pulcinella]

Not only the Grauniad that makes mistakes.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/martin-lewis-smart-metre-cost-b2614173.html

MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder Martin Lewis has issued a warning over smart metres, adding that “too many don’t work” and “word of mouth is often saying ‘don’t bother’”.

[Serial_Apologist]

I have just found out the meaning of "baby shower" - one of those expressions (is it recent?) that comes up occasionally (like, on a TV show), prompting one to go to the latest dictionary.

To be honest, I had assumed it to refer to the "breaking of waters" announcing the immediately impending arrival of said baby!


Oh yes - and twens are not people in their twenties, but twins, to a Glaswegian!

[smittims]

I think 'baby shower' is part of the Americanisation of English life, along with Halloween merchandise, which seems to have gone over the top this year. , and 'Christmas Eve boxes' which are for parents to silence the impatiience fo children who cannot wait for Christmas Day. And I hope no-one here is a fan of couples 'renewing' (i.e. restating in public) their marriage vows on their silver or golden anniversaries. For me that ranks with putting up your Xmas lights in November or wearing a poppy from October 1st. Do they still do that on BBC1? I haven't dared to look.

[Old Grumpy]

I have just found out the meaning of "baby shower" - one of those expressions (is it recent?) that comes up occasionally (like, on a TV show), prompting one to go to the latest dictionary.

To be honest, I had assumed it to refer to the "breaking of waters" announcing the immediately impending arrival of said baby!


Oh yes - and twens are not people in their twenties, but twins, to a Glaswegian!

As would not be more like twuns from a Glaswegian?

[Serial_Apologist]

I think 'baby shower' is part of the Americanisation of English life, along with Halloween merchandise, which seems to have gone over the top this year. , and 'Christmas Eve boxes' which are for parents to silence the impatiience fo children who cannot wait for Christmas Day. And I hope no-one here is a fan of couples 'renewing' (i.e. restating in public) their marriage vows on their silver or golden anniversaries. For me that ranks with putting up your Xmas lights in November or wearing a poppy from October 1st. Do they still do that on BBC1? I haven't dared to look.

Renew their vows???

[oddoneout]

The caption to an aerial picture of holiday park caravans affected by floodwater says they are submerged by floodwater, which to me implies they are underwater. But they are not - the water comes up to just below the decks around their exteriors, and evidently hasn't been any higher as all the items(furniture, plant pots etc) are still in place. Surely submerged isn't a difficult word to understand the meaning of? If drama was wanted perhaps the caption could have read "Floodwater inundates holiday park".