Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Lat-Literal]

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... and where on earth, lats, did you come across such a strornery utterance?


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Scowlsville.

(What does strornery mean? - I would have said Strornaway but one cannot be too careful)

[Lat-Literal]

.........oh I've just realised - it's your way of saying "extraordinary", isn't it.

Is it?

[vinteuil]

....
Is it?

... tistoo.

[Lat-Literal]

... tistoo.

So I was right.

So many channels!

(But not the one that thinks it right to give Rory only a sideways move)

[Serial_Apologist]

Serious cleavage.

As in "that strange man with the unhappy expression and a serious cleavage in his brain appears to have departed".

If it is true (as has often been averred*) that men think of sex every 10 seconds, one would assume that many men with unhappy expressions would not need to be strange...

*Not by me.

[alycidon]

Collective nouns such as ‘team’ being qualified by a plural verb - as in ‘the team have gone on holiday’. Everybody does this nowadays, including most journalists who should know better. Am I the only person left in the universe who understands that it should be has, and not, have?

[vinteuil]

.

... I think it is the Americans who insist that collective nouns be treated as singular : in British English they can (with some exceptions) be regarded as singular or plural.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/matching-verbs-to-collective-nouns

[alycidon]

.

... I think it is the Americans who insist that collective nouns be treated as singular : in British English they can (with some exceptions) be regarded as singular or plural.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/gr...llective-nouns

Well, I stand corrected, don’t I. Thank you for the link vinteuil, which puts it into perspective. Doesn’t mean that I like it, though. It will always grind my gears.

[Pabmusic]

Well, I stand corrected, don’t I. Thank you for the link vinteuil, which puts it into perspective. Doesn’t mean that I like it, though. It will always grind my gears.

There are some grammar guides that suggest you should distinguish between senses. Is the comment about the team as a whole? ("The team has been criticised for its approach"). Or is it more about the individual members? "(Members of) The team have spent the afternoon shopping".

[vinteuil]

There are some grammar guides that suggest you should distinguish between senses. Is the comment about the team as a whole? ("The team has been criticised for its approach"). Or is it more about the individual members? "(Members of) The team have spent the afternoon shopping".

'The Cabinet is united in its approach' as opposed to 'The Cabinet are divided as to how to proceed'.

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[Pabmusic]

'The Cabinet is united in its approach' as opposed to 'The Cabinet are divided as to how to proceed'.

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Indeed.

[Lat-Literal]

If it is true (as has often been averred*) that men think of sex every 10 seconds, one would assume that many men with unhappy expressions would not need to be strange...

*Not by me.

George Roper and Jack Duckworth were only in their 40s when totally avoiding the subject. The one who has stepped down is 54 - ditto the one who has been given the boot. In any case, I don't agree with the averring. If true, no one would be successful in business or at sport. There has been a lot of outrage about these matters. Peculiarity is closer to the mark.

[ahinton]

Indeed.

But at least "the Cabinet is - or are - divided as to how to proceed" with anything at all carries an element of honesty therewith, however flawed the grammar...

[Padraig]

But at least "the Cabinet is - or are - divided as to how to proceed" with anything at all carries an element of honesty therewith, however flawed the grammar...

Absolutely.

[teamsaint]

Ridership.

Apparently a word to describe those using public transport.
Could get pretty irritating.