[Thad E Ginathom]

ha ha, "use case!" Where did that one spring from, one asks! It was hardly heard at all before my retirement from IT twelve years ago, but now everybody is waving their use cases. Probably leveraging them too!

This is waffle, and, in my not-so-humble opinion, not worthy of a site which is supposed to be about language usage:

For example, if I were to say, “I gave my daughter a kitten,”� you might think I decided out of the blue one day to bring home a kitten. But if I were to say, “I gifted my daughter a kitten,”� you would know the kitten was probably a gift for her birthday or some other gift-giving occasion. It’s a meaningful distinction—though, of course, I could always just say, “I gave my daughter a kitten for her birthday.”

you have proved yourself 100% dyed-in-the-wool British!

And of a certain age, I'm afraid. An age that says that we were taught some things and still consider them to matter. You may, of course, also (much like India, it seems) detect my place in the English caste system from the way I pronounce and use words (solidly upper-middle-class!). That's Brits for you!

[mayankk]

Rise for the queen, maybe?

[Thad E Ginathom]

The joke on people who actually think that is that some of what is truly American English used to be British English: the British English changed, but the American English didn't.

The Queen was 90 last week: happy birthday Queen!

[anupmathur]

Ha ha, that reminds me of the classic George Mikes line:
"It was decided almost two hundred years ago that English should be the language spoken in the United States. It is not known, however, why this decision has not been carried out". (How to Scrape Skies)

[Thad E Ginathom]

I love George Mikes!

[amitoj]

Seriously? Not even headlines are proof read anymore?


http://www.business-standard.com/art...1300999_1.html

[noopster]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Seriously? Not even headlines are proof read anymore?
Attachment 1506932

http://www.business-standard.com/art...1300999_1.html

That could be numerology!!

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by noopster

That could be numerology!!

"Numberlogistics"

Yes, that's what a deceased numerologist called his "science". He used to advertise his services in the local cable TV channel with the tagline 'leading Numberlogist'

[mallumowgli]

Here is another example of using 'then' in place of 'than'

NDTV headline on the main page : Travelogue: It's Easier To Go To The Moon Then To Cross The Central America Border http://www.ndtv.com/

The link doesn't show the title, though
http://auto.ndtv.com/glaadventure/vi...rom=home-prime

But then headline bloopers are a norm with NDTV

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Here is another example of using 'then' in place of 'than'

NDTV headline on the main page : Travelogue: It's Easier To Go To The Moon Then To Cross The Central America Border http://www.ndtv.com/

The link doesn't show the title, though
http://auto.ndtv.com/glaadventure/vi...rom=home-prime

But then headline bloopers are a norm with NDTV

Maybe its a shortcut that they are indicating?(Still missing an "and" somewhere).
Or a route with a better visual space. You've got to go via the moon before crossing the Central American border. Its quicker, and the view is fantastic!

[Thad E Ginathom]

That is so wrong that I'd think it was a typo, rather than a mistake. Do people really mistake than/then?

And another thing...

The use of than without any qualifier. Than does not mean more than. Without some other word[s] to tell us more, less, whatever, it is absolutely meaningless.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by mayankk

You've got to go via the moon before crossing the Central American border. Its quicker, and the view is fantastic! [/i]

Lol - maybe Richard Branson would be interested!!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Do people really mistake than/then?

Don't know (not sure ) whether it is a mistake or ignorance, there are many instances of people using than in place of then in this forum itself. It is almost as if 'than' is not in their dictionary at all!!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That is so wrong that I'd think it was a typo, rather than a mistake. Do people really mistake than/then?
....

Do people really mistake break/brake?
Of course they do. Just as much as than/then.
Whether it was a 'mistake' or a 'typo' Indians will insist it was a typo!
Even incorrect grammar is called 'typo' here!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Do people really mistake break/brake

Indeed. I do! But they both sound identical.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

.... But they both sound identical.

Haha, then and than sound identical to those that use them incorrectly. Think about it.