rpn Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Sorry, Scout, but when I read your use of bail for bale, I thought of pot calling the kettle black, or how the mighty have fallen. You really made me laugh.
Kenngo1969 Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 There was a front-page, above-the-fold headline in my small, semi-weekly, hometown newspaper (You know, the same one that called me a "mentally ill man" in a headline ) a few years ago about how county officials felt "slided" by the governor. (Personally, I was relieved: I'm not quite sure how one feels "slided," but I am sure that it's better than feeling slighted.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 Your smiley may mean that you know you've incorrectly used that phrase. However, for the uninitiated: http://www.logicallyfallacious.com/index.php/logical-fallacies/61-begging-the-question P.S.: Oh. And the answer to your question is, "Because he is a wordsmith extraordinaire!" Oh! I love it, thank you Scott and Ken for this wonderful new word. As a fan of etymology I think this is my new favourite word origin.I first encountered the concept of the mondegreen years ago in a bookstore where I saw the title Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly. The book was a collection of misheard lyrics from Christmas songs, accompanied by cartoons to illustrate them. With "deck the halls with Buddy Holly," there was a cartoon showing several effigies of the 1950s rock and roll pioneer, complete with big, black-framed eyeglasses, being hung on the walls of a room decorated for Christmas. A memorable one was from "We Wish You a Merry Christmas": "Oh, bring us some frigging pudding." The drawing showed people at a table, utensils in their hands and big frowns and scowls on their faces. That was in the days before the Internet. With the advent of the worldwide web, I learned that such things have a name, mondegreen, and if you Google that word, you can find several assortments of mondegreens, some of them profane but many of them apt to make you weep with laughter.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 I'm tickled by that one Scott, brilliant. Anyone who refuses to correct themselves after we so generously and considerately point out their error now also have a name: A MumpsimusHaving encountered a mumpsimus on this very board, I'm delighted now to have a word in my vocabulary to denote such an individual. By the way, with my son having been called to serve a mission in Sweden, the land where I myself served, I have been brushing up on the language. I am reminded that the Swedish word for vocabulary can be literally translated as "word storehouse." I really like that!
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 True. But even Scott was recently caught misusing a well-used idiom when he wrote "tow the line" rather than "TOE the line." To err is human...Yes, that's true. I cheerfully accepted the correction though. I was not a mumpsimus.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 I used begs the question once on this board and Daniel Peterson corrected me. I researched it and now use raises the question. Where was I introduced to the incorrect begs the question? One of my professors at BYU. Dat sed, we shudnt be two criticle uv dose postars who's langwij skils our knot up too parr.I have had to correct my colleagues' misuse of begs the question before. On one occasion such a misuse occurred on a back-page editorial of the Church News. Fortunately, I caught it on a proof page before it made it into print.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) For the most part, I, too, love this post, Scott. However, it should be remembered that one bales hay, while one may post bail in order to get out of jail himself, or to bail someone else out of jail. (The way I remember the difference is the "ai" diphthong which is common to both bail and jail.) Shall we start a companion thread about incorrectly-used homophones? (Don't worry, though: I doubt misuse of homophones is a serious crime for which substantial bail would be required. If you happen to be arrested, I will be happy to start a Gofundme account to raise money to bail you out. ) Perhaps we could even start another companion thread about how many Utahans ( ) cannot pronounce diphthongs correctly. Often, they traverse the "trell" that leads to their "mellbox" in order to check their "mell." And let's not talk about the ice-like balls that sometimes form in severe weather conditions and fall from the sky: many Utahans ( ) say that this substance/phenomenon is Hell! (If we were to "bail" you out, would we be "belling" you out, instead? ) P.S.: Their, their, Scott: You're not the first person to use homophones incorrectly on this board. (Insert winky smiley here; exceeded the emoticon limit!)Oops. Edited to add: (Insert winky smiley here; exceeded the emoticon limit!) That's another reason for me not to like the new format changes on this board. I had to delete one of the emoticons in my quote from you in order to use an emoticon of my own. Edited July 25, 2015 by Scott Lloyd
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 There was a front-page, above-the-fold headline in my small, semi-weekly, hometown newspaper (You know, the same one that called me a "mentally ill man" in a headline ) a few years ago about how county officials felt "slided" by the governor. (Personally, I was relieved: I'm not quite sure how one feels "slided," but I am sure that it's better than feeling slighted. By the way, did you know that hometown newspaper of which you speak was owned (maybe still is) by the family of the late Elder Loren C. Dunn of the Seventy? I went over to his office to interview him on one occasion, and he wanted to spend the first several minutes talking shop with me.
strappinglad Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 No, but perhaps we might give it a rest for awhile! I am always being automatically prompted to put a space after every comma and period so now I have a habit of putting a space between every thing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it !!
Thinking Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Which discipline is/was this erroneous professor a professor of? (Just curious. ) That was too long ago for my 52 year old brain to remember.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 I am always being automatically prompted to put a space after every comma and period so now I have a habit of putting a space between every thing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it !!Actually, there are two different terms, <a while> and <awhile>, with a slight difference in meaning, and I don't agree that strappinglad was incorrect in his usage. See here:http://www.gingersoftware.com/english-online/spelling-book/confusing-words/a-while-awhile
ERayR Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 I always said "cut and dried", so ...I like them, the idioms.I always like to tweak them a little tho'. such as 'rare as hounds teeth'. That one usually gets one comment.dc That one should be 'rare as hens teeth'. Hounds have teeth, hens do not.
Calm Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 That's another reason for me not to like the new format changes on this board. I had to delete one of the emoticons in my quote from you in order to use an emoticon of my own.Naw, that is an old format problem as well...Unless my use of the zombie emoticon occurred more recent than I remember.
Kenngo1969 Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 I am always being automatically prompted to put a space after every comma and period so now I have a habit of putting a space between every thing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it !!I simply wanted to make you a ware of the miss take, that's all!
Kenngo1969 Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Oops. Edited to add: That's another reason for me not to like the new format changes on this board. I had to delete one of the emoticons in my quote from you in order to use an emoticon of my own.All in good fun, Scott: one logophile to another! (Thanks for taking my gentle ribbing in the spirit in which it was intended!)
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 Naw, that is an old format problem as well...Unless my use of the zombie emoticon occurred more recent than I remember.It's just that it has never come up before in my experience. Of course, Kenngo does tend to use a profusion of emoticons in his posts.
Kenngo1969 Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 By the way, did you know that hometown newspaper of which you speak was owned (maybe still is) by the family of the late Elder Loren C. Dunn of the Seventy? I went over to his office to interview him on one occasion, and he wanted to spend the first several minutes talking shop with me.Yes, I was dimly aware of the family connection. (Does that mean that poking fun at my hometown newspaper comes perilously close to speaking evil of the Lord's anointed? ) I should note that the Dunns, along with most everyone they have hired over the years, have done a lot with comparatively little (at least in terms of resources), journalistically speaking. Despite my penchant for occasionally poking fun at the Transcript-Bulletin, the publication quite routinely wins Utah Press Association and other awards. Many communities (any community?) of comparable size would/should envy what the Transcript-Bulletin has been able to do and the solid reputation it has established. Heck, I don't even think less of The Daily Universe for running the headline about the Quorum of the Twelve Apostates. No one in the journalism business should be more humble than a copy editor (Copy editor? Why do we need a copy editor? We have SpellCheck and GrammarCheck!). Heaven knows I've made my share of mistakes, both in my own writing and in allowing mistakes in others' writing which I was responsible for catching and correcting to slip into print. 2
Kenngo1969 Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) It's just that it has never come up before in my experience. Of course, Kenngo does tend to use a profusion of emoticons in his posts.Profusion ... that means "a lot," right? If someone were to accuse me of overusing emoticons ... Come to think of it, Bill Reel actually has ... I'd have to plead guilty. However, there is a method to my madness, as it were: it's much more difficult to convey tone using mere words in a medium like this. While, although we've never met, I think you know me well enough to pick up on my tone even when I eschew emoticons, if that were not the case, I wouldn't want you to get the impression from, for example, my earlier posts in this thread, that I was simply being some sort of Grammar/Spelling Nazi. I wouldn't want anyone to take offense when it isn't warranted. Many, if not most, of my observations are intended to be taken with a good dose of humor; or at least, if my interlocutor and I disagree, I wouldn't want to foment any ill will between us. Edited July 25, 2015 by Kenngo1969
strappinglad Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Wait a minute. From the OP , would it not be true that if hay was cut and dried, it logically follows that the hay is cut and dry ? Then again , it depends on the definition of ' dry ' . Also, from the ' could care less' vs ' could not care less' debate , I think the ' could not care less ' is not true because you could care less, otherwise you would not even bother to make the remark about caring. OK , now my head is starting to hurt .
Jeanne Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Yes, I was dimly aware of the family connection. (Does that mean that poking fun at my hometown newspaper comes perilously close to speaking evil of the Lord's anointed? ) I should note that the Dunns, along with most everyone they have hired over the years, have done a lot with comparatively little (at least in terms of resources), journalistically speaking. Despite my penchant for occasionally poking fun at the Transcript-Bulletin, the publication quite routinely wins Utah Press Association and other awards. Many communities (any community?) of comparable size would/should envy what the Transcript-Bulletin has been able to do and the solid reputation it has established. Heck, I don't even think less of The Daily Universe for running the headline about the Quorum of the Twelve Apostates. No one in the journalism business should be more humble than a copy editor (Copy editor? Why do we need a copy editor? We have SpellCheck and GrammarCheck!). Heaven knows I've made my share of mistakes, both in my own writing and in allowing mistakes in others' writing which I was responsible for catching and correcting to slip into print.Know this paper and the Dunn family Went to school with a lot of them..and their wives.
Garden Girl Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 Wait a minute. From the OP , would it not be true that if hay was cut and dried, it logically follows that the hay is cut and dry ? Then again , it depends on the definition of ' dry ' .Also, from the ' could care less' vs ' could not care less' debate , I think the ' could not care less ' is not true because you could care less, otherwise you would not even bother to make the remark about caring.OK , now my head is starting to hurt . No... Mine! Yikes! GG
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 Wait a minute. From the OP , would it not be true that if hay was cut and dried, it logically follows that the hay is cut and dry ? Then again , it depends on the definition of ' dry ' . Consider this: Cutting and drying are both actions that are exerted upon a crop to convert it into hay. After this has taken place, the crop is regarded as having been "cut and dried." If it is said to be "dried," that implies that something has been done to the crop to put it in that dry state. Saying something is or has been "dried," implies that it was not always dry but that it has had something done to it to make it so. If we simply say it is dry, it could have been dry from the beginning without having had something done to it to make it that way, as was done with the hay. Moreover, that expression traditionally was "cut and dried." It has only been in recent times that I've begun to see it expressed as "cut and dry," probably by people who have no awareness of the expression's relationship to and derivation from the process of hay making. Also, from the ' could care less' vs ' could not care less' debate , I think the ' could not care less ' is not true because you could care less, otherwise you would not even bother to make the remark about caring. "Could not care less" is a hyperbolic expression indicating you care so little about a thing that your degree of caring could not be any lower than it already is. "Could care less" does not make sense in terms of what you are trying to express -- that you are scarcely concerned at all about something. If you say you "could care less" about it, that might mean that you care a great deal about it -- which is the opposite of what you are trying to say in using that expression.
Scott Lloyd Posted July 25, 2015 Author Posted July 25, 2015 No... Mine! Yikes! GGStrappinglad is overthinking it and getting off on the wrong track in the process.
strappinglad Posted July 26, 2015 Posted July 26, 2015 Strappinglad is overthinking it and getting off on the wrong track in the process. Actually I am just having fun as part of my birthday celebrations.
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