Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Pabmusic]

When choosing which sausages to have for breakfast, I always go for the German varieties.


It's the Bratwurst option.

Indeed. But if you enjoy reading the paper at breakfast, while eating a sausage, you might like the lieswurst.

[Bryn]

Indeed. But if you enjoy reading the paper at breakfast, while eating a sausage, you might like the lieswurst.

Feeling a bit on the naughty side, it's weisswurst und sauerkraut for me

[french frank]

Feeling a bit on the naughty side, it's weisswurst und sauerkraut for me

Where's the 'up arrow' when you need it?

But, to be controversial: I've always disliked the recent use of 'eclectic' and 'left-field' which - whatever their exact meanings - have too often become no more than smug terms of approval. Unlike 'purists' and 'traditionalists' which are currently out of favour

[vinteuil]

... I've always disliked the recent use of ....:

.. a pedant raises an eyebrow.

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[Pulcinella]

.. a pedant raises an eyebrow.

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Surely ok in the sense of 'I've disliked it ever since it came into use'?

[french frank]

Surely ok in the sense of 'I've disliked it ever since it came into use'?

I would always have thought so An Early Music enthusiast might consider 200 years ago as 'recent'.

[vinteuil]

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... but simpler and better, surely, to say "I dislike the recent use of... "

Starting a sentence "I have always... " leads the reader/hearer to assume that you mean you have "always" done this, whereas this is not the case : you have only done this since a recent moment in time.

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[Pulcinella]

I would always have thought so An Early Music enthusiast might consider 200 years ago as 'recent'.

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... but simpler and better, surely, to say "I dislike the recent use of... "

Starting a sentence "I have always... " leads the reader/hearer to assume that you mean you have "always" done this, whereas this is not the case : you have only done this since a recent moment in time.

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I was merely being a bit mischievous, in the spirit in which ff responded.

PS: On the DSCH Piano quintet BaL thread, our learned friend Caliban has just written:
I've always thought the opening directly reminiscent of DSCH's 24 in style - hence of course the link back to JSB

Even before he first heard the piece, to be truly pedantic?

[french frank]

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... but simpler and better, surely, to say "I dislike the recent use of... "

Starting a sentence "I have always... " leads the reader/hearer to assume that you mean you have "always" done this, whereas this is not the case : you have only done this since a recent moment in time.

.

This is 'Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge', Monsieur Vinteuil. Might I direct you to Pedants' Paradise where I would willingly acknowledge the justice of your objection

[vinteuil]

This is 'Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge', Monsieur Vinteuil. Might I direct you to Pedants' Paradise where I would willingly acknowledge the justice of your objection

... most instructive, thank you : I had not previously encountered the emoticon used by Fr: Fr: in her #4809.

I discover it denotes 'nerd'.

Ca'n't discern which of us it might apply to...




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[Serial_Apologist]

I ordered some German sausages some time ago for delivery to our local store, but when I last enquired when they would arrive, I was told that, because of Brexit, the rest of my order had arrived but the wurst was yet to come.

When I was in Germany, I only agreed to try Brockwurst after being given assurances that they were not made from badger meat.

[LMcD]

There's obviously a knack to ensuring that one is served the correct German sausage.

[Serial_Apologist]

There's obviously a knack to ensuring that one is served the correct German sausage.

Probably a knacker's yard - hopefully legally established in practice!

[Bryn]

Where's the 'up arrow' when you need it? . . .

I would point out that it is now nearly 47 years since I last had weisswurst, possibly, in retrospect, my worst vice.

[vinteuil]

Another phrase prompted by you-know-what:

Least worst option.

It grates with me. Not sure why: Is it that worst (like "unique") doesn't strictly allow any qualification?

Least bad option, perhaps?

... "least worst" seems to be growing in popularity :

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=least%20bad%2C%20least%20worst%2Cleast%20negative&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cleast%20bad%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cleast%20worst%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cleast%20negative%3B%2Cc0#t1%3B%2Cleast%20bad%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cleast%20worst%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cleast%20negative%3B%2Cc0

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