Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[french frank]

I dont think The Thing is the same as A Thing, though

[Bryn]

I dont think The Thing is the same as A Thing, though

No, indeed!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Language is what people use. Even Latin had a colloquial form - and if it hadn't, they'd still be speaking Latin over a large part of Europe. With the coming of the internet and social media, people are to a greater extent writing down what they hear and what they ordinarily say. In 'real life' the French are far less fussy about their accents when they're writing quickly. Usage: things wear out.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/informal-pronouns/

We're probably somewhere between those two extremes, aren't we? As has been pointed out, many of the grammatical 'rules' of English were imposed by Oxbridge educated Victorians. They are what we, older people, learnt at school; but those weren't the rules observed in the past, and a loosening in current times is irreversible. We are not Victorians.



Languages can support different registers, depending on the purpose for which it's being used.

This book is interesting.

[french frank]

This book is interesting.

And you can borrow it for an hour on the Internet Archive!

"He shows how the processes of destruction and creation are continuously in operation, generating new words, new structures, and new meanings."

A few years ago I picked up a small volume entitled: How to Talk Correctly, by 'Professor Duncan' (always up for a bit of self-improvement, me). It's undated, but I'd say Late Victorian. Even you, Alpie , would blench at some of the strictures.

[vinteuil]

.

... a small volume entitled: How to Talk Correctly, by 'Professor Duncan' (always up for a bit of self-improvement, me). It's undated, but I'd say Late Victorian.

... 1877, apparently.

.

[french frank]

... 1877, apparently.

Thank you, monsieur. I couldn't be bothered to go to the BL catalogue to see if they gave a date.

[Pulcinella]

A use that's new to me, the second (North American) one here, seen in an article from a local estate agent, and one I fear we'll hear more of (apologies if I'm behind the times):

staging
/ˈsteɪdʒɪŋ/

noun
1.
the method of presenting a play or other dramatic performance.
"the quality of staging and design"
2.
NORTH AMERICAN
the activity or practice of styling and furnishing a property for sale in such a way as to enhance its attractiveness to potential buyers.
"home staging has become a huge trend in the real estate industry"

[oddoneout]

A use that's new to me, the second (North American) one here, seen in an article from a local estate agent, and one I fear we'll hear more of (apologies if I'm behind the times):

staging
/ˈsteɪdʒɪŋ/

noun
1.
the method of presenting a play or other dramatic performance.
"the quality of staging and design"
2.
NORTH AMERICAN
the activity or practice of styling and furnishing a property for sale in such a way as to enhance its attractiveness to potential buyers.
"home staging has become a huge trend in the real estate industry"

Yup it's already arrived, actually been around for some time at the upper levels of house transactions, with businesses established to carry it out, and now seeping down into common parlance at the lower levels. A form of it, although not originally called that, has also been around for a long time in the business of misleading punters, oops sorry 'selling a lifestyle', on new housing developments.

[LezLee]

'Staging' has been around for many years. Doesn't bother me unduly! People do it for a living.

[Nick Armstrong]

“... vibrato in singing, a style which can illicit polarised reactions...” (- from the blurb for Service’s bletherfest today)

Mind you, it often sounds criminal to me...

[jayne lee wilson]

“... vibrato in singing, a style which can illicit polarised reactions...” (- from the blurb for Service’s bletherfest today)

Mind you, it often sounds criminal to me...

In the RT I'd simply take it as a typo or mistransliteration for "elicit"....? Autocorrect/complete. "Computer says...."
So stay cool.

Merely described as "visceral" here.....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000205s

A stylistic technique or application....... it can be used excessively, well or badly....

[Nick Armstrong]

Are you quite sure they didn't say "elicit"....?

Quite sure: I was copying typed blurb

[jayne lee wilson]

Quite sure: I was copying typed blurb

My post above now modified....

[Bryn]

“... vibrato in singing, a style which can illicit polarised reactions...” (- from the blurb for Service’s bletherfest today)

Mind you, it often sounds criminal to me...

Sheridan would have been proud of it.

[Keraulophone]

“...across the weekend”

... as in “other football matches across the weekend”, courtesy of R4 Sports reports. ‘Across’, according to the dictionary and previous usage, ought to refer to place, distance or orientation. “Across the BBC” is almost as annoying IMV, though not as bad. “During the weekend” correctly applies the temporal dimension.

Bonus fact: Acros, Fujifilm’s moody monochrome film emulsion, is still manufactured and simulated on many of its digital cameras.