Pedants' Paradise

[jean]

You'd have to ask Edmund Spenser about that; the word are his (Cherubins as well!)

Or you could ask the OED, as I have just done:

"...The Latin form seraphin , which is found in many MSS. of the Vulgate, and is the source of all the forms used in English down to the 16th cent. (as well as of those in the Romanic languages), coincides with the Aramaic serāphīn , but it is very doubtful whether it is more than a scribal error or a euphonic alteration. Compare French séraphin (serafin , 12th cent.), Provençal serafi , Spanish serafin , Portuguese seraphim , Italian serafino (all masculine singular).

In the Latin liturgical passages from which the word first became widely known, it was probably originally apprehended correctly as a plural, and readers of the Latin Bible would be guided aright by the syntax of Isa. vi. 2; but there is evidence that ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’ were often supposed to be the names of two individual angels. From the 15th to the 18th cent. the English plural ending was often appended, but seraphin as a singular = ‘one of the seraphim’ does not appear in English till late in the 16th cent. (the form seraphim in this use not till the 17th cent.). After the introduction (perhaps by Milton) of the form seraph , the misuse of the plural forms in singular sense gradually became rare, and it is now obsolete."

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You'd have to ask Edmund Spenser about that; the word are his (Cherubins as well!)

Or you could ask the OED, as I have just done:

"...The Latin form seraphin , which is found in many MSS. of the Vulgate, and is the source of all the forms used in English down to the 16th cent. (as well as of those in the Romanic languages), coincides with the Aramaic serāphīn , but it is very doubtful whether it is more than a scribal error or a euphonic alteration. Compare French séraphin (serafin , 12th cent.), Provençal serafi , Spanish serafin , Portuguese seraphim , Italian serafino (all masculine singular).

In the Latin liturgical passages from which the word first became widely known, it was probably originally apprehended correctly as a plural, and readers of the Latin Bible would be guided aright by the syntax of Isa. vi. 2; but there is evidence that ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’ were often supposed to be the names of two individual angels. From the 15th to the 18th cent. the English plural ending was often appended, but seraphin as a singular = ‘one of the seraphim’ does not appear in English till late in the 16th cent. (the form seraphim in this use not till the 17th cent.). After the introduction (perhaps by Milton) of the form seraph , the misuse of the plural forms in singular sense gradually became rare, and it is now obsolete."

What a source of linguistic knowledge you are!

[Mal]

There should be more consistency in the use of capital letters in headings. You have "Pedants' Paradise", but then you have "BBC Maida Vale to close". Shouldn't that be "BBC Maida Vale to Close"? The following site suggests it should be:

https://capitalizemytitle.com/

Is there a title style defined for this forum?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is there a title style defined for this forum?

No - it is as variable and individual as the Forumistas themselves. Hosts are Hosts, and do not insist on a dress code - and anyone seeing my wardrobe would be much amused at the idea that I might ever be considered a "style definer".

[Bryn]

No - it is as variable and individual as the Forumistas themselves. Hosts are Hosts, and do not insist on a dress code - and anyone seeing my wardrobe would be much amused at the idea that I might ever be considered a "style definer".

Indeed. It is only in matters of grave importance that style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.

[Mal]

No - it is as variable and individual as the Forumistas themselves. Hosts are Hosts, and do not insist on a dress code...

Shouldn't that be, "Hosts are hosts..."? I'm not sure that "Forumistas" is a word. But, if it is, shouldn't it be "forumistas"? Rules are rules, so don’t ignore them:

https://www.news24.com/Archives/Witness/Rules-are-rules-so-dont-ignore-them-20150430

Notice, the title to this article follows "sentence case", as opposed to "title case". Sentence case involves capitalising the first letter of a sentence and nothing else as opposed to capitalising almost every first letter in title case. So the article is in line with:

https://capitalizemytitle.com/

"BBC Maida Vale to close" also uses sentence case, so is correct. But surely all titles should adopt the same style in this forum? Otherwise it's just pure anarchy. So "title case" or "sentence case"?

Great rule for golfing pedants:

"Royal and Ancient Rule Book ... Rule 1-3. Agreement to waive rules: Players must not agree to exclude the operation of any Rule or to waive any penalty incurred."

"Sam discovered that he had 15 clubs in his bag which is contrary to Rule 4-4a. Harry and Fred asked Sam to declare one of the clubs out of play, which he did. They decided between them that they would ignore the fact that Sam had played the first hole with too many clubs. The group finished their round and had forgotten about the incident on the second tee. Sam won the competition. They were sitting in the bar when Fred said that he felt uncomfortable with what happened with Sam. He felt that there could be a penalty. They reported the matter to the tournaments committee. The decision was that all three were disqualified because they agreed to waive a rule."

[Serial_Apologist]

There should be more consistency in the use of capital letters in headings. You have "Pedants' Paradise", but then you have "BBC Maida Vale to close". Shouldn't that be "BBC Maida Vale to Close"? The following site suggests it should be:

https://capitalizemytitle.com/

Is there a title style defined for this forum?

Capitals only for a book, film, music work title, I would have thought - not all headings.

[vinteuil]

.

... "capitalizemytitle" looks suspiciously American to me.

Some like to use upper case for proper nouns.

Some might wish to follow seventeenth Century Precedents and give upper Case Letters to all Nouns. It is an Affectation I have largely dropt, tho' inflict it on Relations and other Correspondents when in ill Humour.

others prefer the usage of mr cummings. me do this lots.


.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Shouldn't that be, "Hosts are hosts..."?

Yes, indeed it should.

I'm not sure that "Forumistas" is a word.

Well, it's not a nutmeg.

But, if it is, shouldn't it be "forumistas"?

No.

Rules are rules, so don’t ignore them.

Interesting.

[vinteuil]

... I'm not sure that "Forumistas" is a word.

.

http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/forumista_%28Neologismi%29/

.

[french frank]

Shouldn't that be, "Hosts are hosts..."?

I'm not sure about that. It depends what you're trying to say. I copied the word 'host' (can't remember whether it had a capital or not) from the BBC Messageboards, and I opted to capitalise it everywhere. But is a host the same as a Host? and if not, are Hosts hosts anyway?

[ahinton]

Capitals only for a book, film, music work title, I would have thought - not all headings.

So you're not a fundamentalist capitalist, then?...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm not sure about that. It depends what you're trying to say. I copied the word 'host' (can't remember whether it had a capital or not) from the BBC Messageboards, and I opted to capitalise it everywhere. But is a host the same as a Host? and if not, are Hosts hosts anyway?

As I understood the matter, "Hosts" refers to the specific Hosts of the Forum - who act as "hosts" on it (so, "(the) Hosts are hosts").

Similarly, "Forumistas" are contributors to this specific Forum, as opposed to "forumistas" who might contribute to (an)other, unspecified forum(s).

[verismissimo]

Shouldn't that be, "Hosts are hosts..."?

Capitalising of nouns arrived with the Hanoverians and took a while to subside.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Capitalising of nouns arrived with the Hanoverians and took a while to subside.

Indeed - but in the context of Mal's comment, my meaning (which is what he was quoting) is clearer in his suggested alteration. (Otherwise, it's just an obscure tautology, like "Brexit means Brexit"!)