Pedants' Paradise

[teamsaint]

The reason I ask is that I saw it used in an article in the Guardian today, describing splits in the cabinet.

Maybe a subtle , or not so subtle, way of emphasising the depth of , er, division ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg4mUAQb17Q

[Pabmusic]

When, using as a noun, would you use divide rather than division ?

In British English it's generally a social description - the North-South divide. In American English it's also geographic, refering to river basins and mountain ranges. The OED gives it as late medieval.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Tiny Tim

Am I the only one to feel very let down by Simon Callow in his much-repeated current trail: "God bless us everyone"?

Or should this be on Pronunciation Watch?

[french frank]

Am I the only one to feel very let down by Simon Callow in his much-repeated current trail: "God bless us everyone"?

Or should this be on Pronunciation Watch?

Definitely on Pronunciation Watch, if I understand correctly what you're implying (not having heard it).

[LeMartinPecheur]

Definitely on Pronunciation Watch, if I understand correctly what you're implying (not having heard it).

I felt this was the proper place because Callow seems to see no distinction in meaning between 'every one' and 'everyone', so Tiny Tim seems to be seeking the world's blessing on him and his household (with maybe a bit of help from God), rather than exhorting God directly.

Or is 'pedantry' restricted to written howlers, maybe a properly pedantic view?

[vinteuil]

.

... indeed Dickens even goes so far as to Capitalise :

'And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!'


.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Thanks vineuil!

With due deference to FF, maybe we need a new thread entitled "Misquotations, inc. mispronounced"?

[jean]

I felt this was the proper place because Callow seems to see no distinction in meaning between 'every one' and 'everyone', so Tiny Tim seems to be seeking the world's blessing on him and his household (with maybe a bit of help from God), rather than exhorting God directly.

It's a grammar mistake, isn't it?

The every one is really in apposition to us, rather than beig invoked along with God as the author of the hoped-for blessing.

Perhaps the shift has come about because nobody believes God is likely to do anything any more?

[vinteuil]

Perhaps the shift has come about because nobody believes God is likely to do anything any more?

... nice ambiguity - does the 'any more' qualify 'nobody believes' or 'God is likely to do anything'?

And did She do anything any time anyway?

.

[french frank]

I felt this was the proper place because Callow seems to see no distinction in meaning between 'every one' and 'everyone'

Yes, I will concede that point: meaning rather than pronunciation. I was not presuming to know what he meant

[LeMartinPecheur]

It's a grammar mistake, isn't it?

If you mean that Callow's mispronunciation is caused by his grammatical misreading, could be.

The every one is really in apposition to us, rather than being invoked along with God as the author of the hoped-for blessing.

Absolutely! (Though not of course ablative absolutely)

[Alain Maréchal]

A board member recently wrote "this sprung to mind". Should it be "sprang"? I intend no criticism of the member who wrote it, but ask for my information.

[LeMartinPecheur]

A board member recently wrote "this sprung to mind". Should it be "sprang"? I intend no criticism of the member who wrote it, but ask for my information.

AM: I spotted that too, but then wondered if English had moved on since I learnt (learned?) it, and I hadn't been paying proper attention

[LeMartinPecheur]

A board member recently wrote "this sprung to mind". Should it be "sprang"? I intend no criticism of the member who wrote it, but ask for my information.

Yep, seems things are slipping! This from Wiktionary:
Usage notes[edit]

• The past-tense forms sprang and sprung are both well attested historically. In modern usage, sprang is comparatively formal (and more often considered correct), sprung comparatively informal. The past participle, however, is overwhelmingly sprung; sprang as a past participle is attested, but is no longer in standard use.

My emphasis!