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What would the barrister say ‘you mean an Americano with milk?
If it got as far as the courtroom maybe. Not convinced that's proportionate over hot drink naming though.
My choice came up immediately in this thread but would also agree with:
Ramp Up
Hubby
Why is ‘ We need less people’ the only incorrect combination we do hear? We never hear the other three incorrect combinations
If I were to say "I've seen Star Wars fewer than five times" then its opposite should be "I've seen Star Wars at fewest five times". Then there's the use of "less" for weights and measures despite them being countable nouns.
I prefer to use "fewer" but recognise that it's riddled with inconsistency, to the point that it's ridiculous to argue that it's a grammatical rule people are getting wrong.
“Pre-planned”
Is a word, the past tense, or plan in advance. Do you get wound up by prearranged, or premeditated?
"I've preplanned all my cycling activity for the coming year".
If you say “side hustle” you’re dead to me.
Amen brother.
And may I add, anyone not in the building trade who uses the phrase "levelling up".
Still can't believe the Tories have named a Gov't dept for it...
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-levelling-up-housing-and-communities
It is LITERALLY like something out of The Thick of It.
@creakingdoor I probly only understood about 50% of the words in your post. Is there a key somewhere please? 🙂
An issue is not necessarily a problem but may become one
<sad ex project manager>
An Issue is usually a Risk that's became actual (Man...) or started out as actual ie was never potential...
</sad ex project manager>
Or the less irritating version
I think this is the nub though isn't it? Both are perfectly acceptable grammar. I like that language can wind up both the grammar pedant and the grumpy old man equally.
please can I have
We were always taught 'please may I...'
IIRC, 'can' is about ability, 'may' is about permission...
I'd say it's just stylistic. Both are fine, one is perhaps a touch more polite.
nickc
Is a word, the past tense, or plan in advance. Do you get wound up by prearranged, or premeditated?
“I’ve preplanned all my cycling activity for the coming year”.
"I have planned all my cycling activity for the coming year." What's wrong with that? How does it differ in meaning from your sentence? Surely "in advance" is implicit in the meaning of "plan" - that is, to make arrangements about the future.
"prearranged" - definitely annoying. I have arranged to see my dentist. Why would I also need to prearrange to see him?
Humpty Dumpty
When I use a word.....
http://www.literaturepage.com/read/throughthelookingglass-54.html
But what do people mean when they use the word boutique?
Do they mean shop?
Do they think it's a swear word?
Pull the trigger.
"Steed" when referring to a bike.
We were always taught ‘please may I…’
IIRC, ‘can’ is about ability, ‘may’ is about permission…
It's a bit like "fewer" above, it's just kinda fallen into disuse. When asked "can I have...?" my English teacher used to reply "you can, but you may not."
There's an autism-friendly café near me. Maybe I should open a grammar-pedant café? Somewhere you can stop by and grab a lunchtime panino.
Shame this has devolved into a tedious grammar pedantry thread.
I have to do that for a living so I don't particularly want everyone else to get it right, or I'll be out of a job.
And it's a slippery slope, you start with "less" and "fewer" and the next thing you know you're getting irate about "that" being used instead of "which".
Let's keep some persepctive, eh?
do people think boutique means chic?
What’s wrong with that? How does it differ in meaning from your sentence?
1. There's nothing wrong with it. 2. preplan is just a word for saying "planning in advance".
You're essentially complaining that English has words that mean slightly different things. that's not a fault or an error, that's a good thing.
The spurious less/fewer thing distinction keeps coming round. Fwiw I use them "correctly" from habit but it really is an invented rule, randomly adopted and promulgated for the last 200 years but ignored by most people as something that will never add to comprehension.
Some of the more algorithmically inclined may like there to be fixed rules for correct usage, but the briefest study would show language constantly changes. There was no fixed point in the past (1930s English public school?) when everyone got everything right. Anyway, I give you:
oftentimes
😟
something that will never add to comprehension.
However, for professional purposes, it just makes copy more readable and satisfying when it's correct.
WGAS what people use on internet forums on in work emails though?
persepctive
Grammar not spelling thankfully 😛
lunchtime panino
Definitely going off piste (uuughhh) if we're starting on Itiddlyiti grammar...
Grammar not spelling thankfully
I'm off duty when I'm on here.
😉
A new one on me, but a message this morning from DPD about a delivery that prob won't happen today took me to a Web page that said "There's a problem at our sortation facility"
Really? Same as 'Depot', I'm guessing. Congratulations on being both obtuse and uninformative in just 8 words.
when it’s correct.
The fewer/less thing is just a shibboleth. I've yet to hear someone announce that they've seen a film "at fewest ten times"
Aye but but... One person's shibboleth is another's red rag, OCD inducing catalyst...
We are pregnant.
No you're not. She may be; you're just an accessory before the fact. Allegedly.
the next thing you know you’re getting irate about “that” being used instead of “which”.
You know, I never quite worked that one out.
The fewer/less thing is just a shibboleth. I’ve yet to hear someone announce that they’ve seen a film “at fewest ten times”
Well it's context dependent.
In that context it's unnecessary, but in the context of a medical article (as that's what I'm working on today), it's better to use fewer where appropriate.
I believe I saw you saying something about more word options being a good thing just up there?
Go-to. As in ‘but my go-to would be a 4% ish American style Pale Ale’. What’s wrong with FAVOURITE ffs? 🤬
Depends. Is it your daily driver?
the next thing you know you’re getting irate about “that” being used instead of “which”.
You know, I never quite worked that one out.
It's easy to remember with reference to this non-joke:
"Why does a copy editor never starve in the desert?"
"Because of the sand that is there"
I’m off duty when I’m on here.
So it's OK outwith work? 😉
in the context of a medical article (as that’s what I’m working on today), it’s better to use fewer where appropriate.
Let's see an example of what you mean or I'll doubt you have one that's not just a matter of style. Somewhere 'less' creates ambiguity 'fewer' doesn't? I'll happily stand corrected but find it hard to picture what this could be.
I think given the heartache going on in the garmin thread right now, PSA should probably be a banned TLA…
Somewhere ‘less’ creates ambiguity ‘fewer’ doesn’t?
I think of this as the difference between continuous and discrete variables. Discrete variables, with integer values, correspond to having fewer. Continuous variables, which do not need to be integer, correspond to having less. People come as integers - so you can have fewer people at your Downing Street Christmas party (2.5 people doesn't make much sense in that context). Having less people would suggest that you are measuring the quantity of attendees by mass or volume. I don't worry much about the distinction in every day life, but if I'm writing an article for publication it makes a difference.
the heartache going on in the garmin thread right now,
oooh thanks! Worth a PSA in fact. Though there's only so much of an emotional roller coaster of that degree of intensity that i can take. It's the sensation of hope that does for people, and so sad to see it slowly die...
I had a boss in mod who took a weird stance about my use of outwith in reports. He even grabbed a dictionary to prove its wasn't an acceptable word. Only to find it is. I suggested its use was outwith his experience. I left soon after.
It's still a horrible word.
jam-bo
Full Member
I think given the heartache going on in the garmin thread right now, PSA should probably be a banned TLA…
Is that not a TWA? 🤪🤪🤪
I had a boss in mod who took a weird stance about my use of outwith in reports. He even grabbed a dictionary to prove its wasn’t an acceptable word. Only to find it is. I suggested its use was outwith his experience. I left soon after.
As with the example of using the past tense on the previous page (the cat wants fed, my bike needs cleaned) the use of 'outwith' is also very Scottish. As an Englishman living in Scotland I do spot quite a few things we would consider odd being fairly common up here.
Trivialisation of things - ooh have a little drinky type comments
Exaggeration and trying to make things sound edgy when they are just mediocre, mostly its just biking not an extreme sport
Basically passing things off to sound cool e.g. spendy - this just says to me humble brag I'm considerably richer that you
Missing out "to be" or similar "needs oiled" no "needs to be oiled"
Schoolnight - as in "not on a schoolnight" when the person doesn't go to school, doesn't work in a school and doesn't even have children at school.
or even go to night school.
Like a Boss - yearns to be in charge of anyone or anything
Shits and Giggles - lack of bowel control is never a good choice
I will have you know that.. - No, you really won't
I'm starting to go off "can get in the sea"
My dentist has a sign on the door saying “No entry without a pre-booked appointment.”
I nearly cancelled mine.
That does convey useful meaning. The "pre" presumably applies to "prior to you getting here and reading this notice", ie appointments for immediate consultations are not possible.