Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

It's a rather odd phrase though, isn't it? Perhaps they were thinking of illi autem sunt in pace...

In America it seems they say 'Lying in Repose' (different from lying in state).

[jean]

There was a lot of talk yesterday about how people are avoiding statins because they have an unfounded fear that the drug will cause unpleasant or dangerous side-effects.

The discussion called this the nocebo effect. But surely that's something a bit different?

[french frank]

There was a lot of talk yesterday about how people are avoiding statins because they have an unfounded fear that the drug will cause unpleasant or dangerous side-effects.

The discussion called this the nocebo effect. But surely that's something a bit different?

After glancing (over)quickly at the article, yes, it seems to be quite different. One would imply that people taking statins and reading about the possible side-effects have something of a tendency to suffer those very side effects through a psychological expectation that it will harm them. That's not the same as not taking the medication, in case something …

Is that what you meant?

[oddoneout]

There was a lot of talk yesterday about how people are avoiding statins because they have an unfounded fear that the drug will cause unpleasant or dangerous side-effects.

The discussion called this the nocebo effect. But surely that's something a bit different?

As I understand it the nocebo effect is a strange twist on the placebo effect - and yes I suppose it could be 'explained' by the power of suggestion as ff mentions below - as it's bad effects from taking an inert/dummy pill rather than the 'live' one. It's perhaps not exactly the same as it relates to the worsening of a condition(the opposite of the placebo improving it) rather than developing new problems from side effects.
I would question the use of 'unfounded' in jean's post, as that would imply that there are no side effects at all, ever, from statins. As that is not the case then patients' fears do have some foundation; whether they are justified is a different matter.

[jean]

After glancing (over)quickly at the article, yes, it seems to be quite different. One would imply that people taking statins and reading about the possible side-effects have something of a tendency to suffer those very side effects through a psychological expectation that it will harm them. That's not the same as not taking the medication, in case something …

Is that what you meant?

Yes, that's it exactly. (Etymologically considered, placebo = 'I shall please'; nocebo = 'I shall harm'.

As for my use of unfounded, that was my version of rthe reports - me, I wouldn't let a statin anywhere near me.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes, that's it exactly. (Etymologically considered, placebo = 'I shall please'; nocebo = 'I shall harm'.

As for my use of unfounded, that was my version of rthe reports - me, I wouldn't let a statin anywhere near me.

I might not be writing this to you now, were it not for the statin I've taken daily since the heart attack I had just under 3 years ago! The question currently arising seems to be, is one enough?

[jean]

Heart attack, or statin?

[Serial_Apologist]

Heart attack, or statin?

Both!

[vinteuil]

.

... as we know, 'their' is a long-establisht way in English of expressing a singular gender-neutral genitive 'her or his'.

I am pleased to see that 'The Times' now uses 'them' as a way of expressing a singular gender-neutral accusative 'her or him' - with reference to Macron's plans for his government should he be elected -

. "He has already decided on the prime minister, whom he would appoint upon taking office next weekend, but would not name them."





.

[jean]

Certainly, attempts to avoid their as a gender-neutral pronoun can lead to such nonsense as this:

One may as well ban attack ballet companies because of the possible danger in the occupation of someone breaking one's toes?

[Sir Velo]

Well I suppose if one stands too close to a pirouetting ballet dancer, one's toes might get broken!

[vinteuil]

.


... a program (or programme) specially (or especially) designed to warm (or chill) the cockles of Ein: Alpensinf:'s heart - (and what, pray, are the 'cockles' of your heart?) -

Radio 4, Saturday 20 May at 10:30 hrs -

"Americanize! Why the Americanisation of English is a Good Thing" Susie Dent considers whether turns of phrase or idiosyncratic spellings leaking from American English into the native version of the language is really a bad thing - .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Re Americanisation, when I read Gone With The Wind, I was quite surprised by the lack of Americanisms within it, apart from a few spellings. On reading Alexandra Ripley's authorised sequel, Scarlett, it was almost perverse in its grating grammar. Otherwise, it was well worth reading - rather better than the sensationalised TV version that followed.

English is possibly the most misspelt major language in the world. That isn't because English speakers are necessarily stupid, but because spellings are so perverse. Pick up a Spanish (or Italian) text and it's possible for anyone who has learnt the basic phonetics of the language(s) to read it fluently and fairly accurately, without even being able to understand it.

The English Spelling Society would like to do something about this, in the absence of anything like the French 'Academie Francaise', but made a diplomatic howler by saying the British should adopt American spellings. They seemed to have gone very quiet over this suggestion, but surely there's scope for considering spelling reform to get us away from the mentality of pounds and ounces/ pounds, shillings and pence?

[jean]

Radio 4, Saturday 20 May at 10:30 hrs -

"Americanize! Why the Americanisation of English is a Good Thing" Susie Dent considers whether turns of phrase or idiosyncratic spellings leaking from American English into the native version of the language is really a bad thing -

I was sorry she didn't point out in her Radio Times article that 'American' spellings like color and honor were the result of Noah Webster's bypassing spellings derived from French and going straight for the original Latin.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I bet that was really high on Noah's list of priorities.