Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

"Please pass slow" (on the backs os horse riders)...

[JFLL]

"Please pass slow" (on the backs os horse riders)...

This seems to be a similar usage (adjective for adverb) as the motorway sign 'Don't drive tired', which always seems odd to me, when with only four extra letters ('when' between 'drive' and 'tired') it could be made perfectly grammatical. The perpetrators don't seem to take into account the possibility of causing accidents by enraging old pedants like me and diverting our attention from the road!

[kernelbogey]

Water company vans round here carry the slogan 'Making Water Work', which I can't help mentally pronouncing with the emphasis on the first word, and thinking that in that case we'd do better without them altogether.

I suppose you've got some of that 'shirker' water in your area, not like that 'striver' water found elsewhere.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This seems to be a similar usage (adjective for adverb) as the motorway sign 'Don't drive tired', which always seems odd to me, when with only four extra letters ('when' between 'drive' and 'tired') it could be made perfectly grammatical. The perpetrators don't seem to take into account the possibility of causing accidents by enraging old pedants like me and diverting our attention from the road!

Exactly. And it isn't you being a pedant - just the perpetrators being incompetent.

[Nick Armstrong]

"Please pass slow" (on the backs of horse riders)...

I'd be inclined to get my passenger to open the side-window as we passed and greet the rider cheerfully with the phrase "Hello, slow"

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'd be inclined to get my passenger to open the side-window as we passed and greet the rider cheerfully with the phrase "Hello, slow"

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[teamsaint]

Er, a lot of horse riders round here have signs saying "Please pass slow and wide" !!

So rather you than me, Cali.....especially in shooting country.....

[Nick Armstrong]

Er, a lot of horse riders round here have signs saying "Please pass slow and wide" !!

So rather you than me, Cali.....especially in shooting country.....

Let me at 'em, let me at 'em!

'Wide' summons up all sorts of mental images of Thelwell-esque equestrian matrons...

[vinteuil]

... the word "slow" in the injunction "go slow" is an adverb.

I am not quite sure why Alpie has such an animus against what he perceives as words which he doesn't think are adverbs, but which are, being used as adverbs...

[teamsaint]

Let me at 'em, let me at 'em!

'Wide' summons up all sorts of mental images of Thelwell-esque equestrian matrons...

Well to you maybe.......

[french frank]

I am not quite sure why Alpie has such an animus against what he perceives as words which he doesn't think are adverbs, but which are, being used as adverbs...

And notwithstanding the fact that the flexibility of English gives us licence to turn (m)any words into whatever our ingenuity demands:

We green the country (adjective becomes verb)
We down a pint (adverb/ prep. becomes a verb)
'Go slow' like 'Take it easy' (adjective becomes adverb)

All right, I'm not keen on 'a big ask', or 'gifting a donation', but it's what English speakers say, and it's only because they take me by surprise by not being what I say. And what does 'by surprise' mean when it's at home? And how can a verbal expression be 'at home'? It's a nonsense, I say, a nonsense ...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... the word "slow" in the injunction "go slow" is an adverb.

I am not quite sure why Alpie has such an animus against what he perceives as words which he doesn't think are adverbs, but which are, being used as adverbs...

Because Alpie doesn't take the view that because people abuse the language, that's perfectly OK. Why bother learning to spell, to punctuate, to construct sentences if the LCD is going to do it anyway. It's rather like those who say it's OK to pirate CDs (oh no... I'm at it too... using a noun as a verb) because "everyone" does it. Or legalise drugs simply because people are going to take them anyway.

[vinteuil]

Because Alpie doesn't take the view that because people abuse the language, that's perfectly OK..

... ah, but why do you claim these other English speakers are "abusing the language"?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... ah, but why do you claim these other English speakers are "abusing the language"?

It all depends where you draw the line between sloppiness and evolution.