Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Serial_Apologist]

... well, it's preparation for a world of halves and halve-nots, innit.

Tho' they're more used to haves and have-yachts



coat on hook




.

[french frank]

I've seen the word "anent" used here on the forum - I didn't know what anent meant, never having encountered it before.

I believe I may be guilty Goes back to my years working in a Scottish university (as in 'committee anent students'), alongside such Scotticisms as 'outwith'. And 'snib'. And 'puckle hoosie'. And 'it's a sair trachle'.

[vinteuil]

I've seen the word "anent" used here on the forum - I didn't know what anent meant, never having encountered it before.

... in Modern English Usage [1927] HW Fowler has a good rant about the use of anent -

"anent, apart from its use in Scotch law-courts, where it is in place, is chiefly met with in letters to the press ; that is, it is a favourite with unpractised writers who, on their holiday excursions into print, like to show that they possess gala attire... "

I think he likes thereanent even less

[french frank]

... in Modern English Usage [1927] HW Fowler has a good rant about the use of anent -

"anent, apart from its use in Scotch law-courts, where it is in place ,[/B]

I think it is (or was) Scottish administrative rather than confined to the law-courts. Looking through an old university calendar, I find "Committee Anent the Chaplaincy", "Committee Anent the Television Service"; also somewhat dated, going with such departments as Natural Philosophy for Physics or Humanity for Latin.

[Nick Armstrong]

"anent, apart from its use in Scotch law-courts, where it is in place, is chiefly met with in letters to the press ; that is, it is a favourite with unpractised writers who, on their holiday excursions into print, like to show that they possess gala attire... "

[HighlandDougie]

I believe I may be guilty Goes back to my years working in a Scottish university (as in 'committee anent students'), alongside such Scotticisms as 'outwith'. And 'snib'. And 'puckle hoosie'. And 'it's a sair trachle'.

Hmm, having worked in "Scotch" universities for a good part of my career (Manchester was a bit of an aberration), I would guess that the only part of Scotland where someone might come out with a quaint phrase like "puckle hoosie" is Aberdeen - definitely not Glasgow. But I do plead guilty to using, 'outwith', 'snib' and, if TOH is whining about something, 'Oh, life is such a sair fecht'. But definitely not, 'anent'. I'm with Fowler on that one.

[french frank]

I would guess that the only part of Scotland where someone might come out with a quaint phrase like "puckle hoosie" is Aberdeen

Well guessed! Scotland is another country, having so many more ancient universities than England - they do things differently there.

From the Aberdeen Calendar 1978-79 (in the Auld Toon cafe they speak of nothing else):



I should add that in my day the bajans still wore red togas.

[Serial_Apologist]

"We need to be more with the times".

Mentioned on Radio 4 this morning, frequently used in condemnation of those of us who "fail" to "keep up with the times".

I am linking this in particular with another item of discussion on TV this morning, which, typically, pushed the case for getting rid of cash entirely and going for a "cashless society". But what, if anything beyond clumsy rhetoric extolling unquestioning compliance, does this phrase actually mean when unpicked?

[LMcD]

'Pre-big-match-build-up'.

[french frank]

But what, if anything beyond clumsy rhetoric extolling unquestioning compliance, does this phrase actually mean when unpicked?

Just a meaningless new coinage.

[LMcD]

'England and Scotland set for key Euros clash' might perhaps be more newsworthy if 'set' were replaced by 'hopelessly unprepared'.

[kernelbogey]

'Sekatry' now common on BBC for secretary (four syllables).

(Arguably for Pronunciation Watch thread - but it really sets my teeth on edge atm.)

[Bryn]

'Sekatry' now common on BBC for secretary (four syllables).

(Arguably for Pronunciation Watch thread - but it really sets my teeth on edge atm.)

There's a long histry of such concatenisations. Many have commented on this. Have a look in the libry

[LMcD]

I wince when somebody says we're in 'unchartered [sic] waters'.

[oddoneout]

I wince when somebody says we're in 'unchartered [sic] waters'.

It's becoming popular, using unchartered instead of uncharted, presumably due to the modern day cut and paste approach to reporting and writing which removes the step of checking that the correct term is being used. I tend to laugh when I hear it because the subject matter is never such as would lend itself to the chartering process.