Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[LMcD]

Disturbing that such an august source uses the dubious "attendee" for someone who attends. The suffix "ee", based on the French past participle ending, denotes having the verb done to you, as in "employee" as against "employer", some one who does the employing. Likewise, "payee", "interviewee" etc. A person cannot be attended. "Standee" is an even worse aberration of this type.

PS I thought Alum referred to a rather good actor (may be spelt differently).

Roger and out!

[cloughie]

Disturbing that such an august source uses the dubious "attendee" for someone who attends. The suffix "ee", based on the French past participle ending, denotes having the verb done to you, as in "employee" as against "employer", some one who does the employing. Likewise, "payee", "interviewee" etc. A person cannot be attended. "Standee" is an even worse aberration of this type.

PS I thought Alum referred to a rather good actor (may be spelt differently).

Alum is a colourless astringent compound which is a hydrated double sulphate of aluminium and potassium, used in solution in dyeing and tanning.

[Pulcinella]

Alum is a colourless astringent compound which is a hydrated double sulphate of aluminium and potassium, used in solution in dyeing and tanning.

Indeed, which is where I started from in message #5710.

[cloughie]

Indeed, which is where I started from in message #5710.

I should have read it more carefully, Pulc. By the way any progress with you choir re rehearsals?

[Pulcinella]

I should have read it more carefully, Pulc. By the way any progress with you choir re rehearsals?

At our committee meeting on 13 Sep, we abandoned all thoughts of getting together before January, and even that might be wishful thinking now, if a maximum of 6 is imposed on the number of people allowed to gather together for such an indoor activity. I'm not sure if exemptions apply to cathedral choirs etc (if there's a professional/amateur distinction).
We have a Zoom AGM scheduled for 15 October, and are going ahead with a further couple of commissions (sponsored by my partner, and in collaboration with the music department here at the University of York), which we might get to perform in March 2022 together with the one postponed from last March: settings of words by William Penn often read at Quaker funerals (my partner, who is a Quaker, read them at my sister's).

PS: I've sent you the text in a PM.

[Rolmill]

At our committee meeting on 13 Sep, we abandoned all thoughts of getting together before January, and even that might be wishful thinking now, if a maximum of 6 is imposed on the number of people allowed to gather together for such an indoor activity. I'm not sure if exemptions apply to cathedral choirs etc (if there's a professional/amateur distinction).

There isn't a maximum of 6 currently, as the new rules have not changed the guidance from a week or so ago. Organised amateur music groups rehearsing in a Covid-secure environment and applying appropriate risk assessed mitigations are still permitted, so long as the separate constituent 'groups' (which in this context are likely to be individuals and/or couples) don't mingle at any point before, during or after the rehearsal. Here is the link to government guidance updated yesterday evening - section 3.18 of the FAQs deals with amateur music groups.

Hope this helps, though I appreciate that individual groups may still (and entirely understandably) prefer to be cautious, based on their particular structure and membership.

And the rules seem to change on a weekly basis, so however much planning and risk assessing you do it could end up in the bin tomorrow!

Sorry, off thread...

[Pulcinella]

...

Sorry, off thread...

But useful; thanks!

[cloughie]

But useful; thanks!

Indeed so - I assume mingling is the official term for social undistancing!

[kernelbogey]

"standee" in notices on buses, regarding the limit on the number of passengers permitted to stand, always annoyed me.

Certainly grammatcally incorrect, according to Gurnemanz's 5717, but arguably the standing is being done to them by inadequate service provision....

[cloughie]

Certainly grammatcally incorrect, according to Gurnemanz's 5717, but arguably the standing is being done to them by inadequate service provision....

Standee wrt buses takes me back to the late 50s when in Sheffield the route 31 to Lower Walkley and because of a low bridge used a couple of single deckers which to carry more passengers were designed with fewer seats and called Standees!

sheffield transport bus no 223

https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=11062

And 222

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/123729411026?chn=ps

[LMcD]

Certainly grammatcally incorrect, according to Gurnemanz's 5717, but arguably the standing is being done to them by inadequate service provision....

Perhaps 'standees' of the kind used in the fashion industry - since at least 1933 according to the Motion Picture Herald - could be used to populate empty sports stadia?

[french frank]

Certainly grammatcally incorrect, according to Gurnemanz's 5717, but arguably the standing is being done to them by inadequate service provision....

To say nothing of the now common type: "I was stood in the bus (holding on for dear life) when …

[Bryn]

To say nothing of the now common type: "I was stood in the bus (holding on for dear life) when …

Such talk has no standing, as for as I am concerned.

[gurnemanz]

To say nothing of the now common type: "I was stood in the bus (holding on for dear life) when …

I've never greatly objected to that. A close colleague and fellow linguist for many years used it all the time. Admittedly, he was from the North of Enlgand where I think it is standard colloquial usage. I also don't mind "We were sat in the pub ..."

[Pulcinella]

I've never greatly objected to that. A close colleague and fellow linguist for many years used it all the time. Admittedly, he was from the North of Enlgand where I think it is standard colloquial usage. I also don't mind "We were sat in the pub ..."

But would you mind being stood up in the pub?