[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Guite

To me the following sounds correct:
“Both Mr T and myself are wrong”.

In this instance you are wrong!

Thanks to others for giving the technical reasoning behind that. I could not have done, and I don't even find it easy to understand!

[Thad E Ginathom]

The latest horrible fad, which like all horrible language fads, is probably here to stay...

People "speaking to" things.

About, or for: not "to." Except for us nutters that do actually talk to inanimate objects.

[KrisTvpm]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The latest horrible fad...<snip>
People "speaking to" things.
About, or for: not "to." <snip>.

As in "talk to the hand" from good old Arnold's franchise !?

Another such usage (not a fad, rather typo) which really confuses is the usage of "common" instead of "c'mon" or "come on". Personally, have misinterpreted many a friend's such usage to mean something else.

One more - "btw" is generally used to abbreviate "by the way" AFAIK. But some often rather helpfully give the full-form in mails/chats as "between"!
Like "between, I've been thinking of going to this movie..." and so on.

Why do they have to do it?

[AltoLXI]

"SC says Bengaluru sewage water to be used for irritation". How very true !!!

Link

[Thad E Ginathom]

Another headline. From today's New Indian Express, an election story: The dye is cast.

I admit to having regular trouble with dying and dyeing, but at least I don't mix up dice and Holi!

[Thad E Ginathom]

There is hair splitting and there is nit picking. People do not pick hairs or split nits. But today I posted something "hair picking." I saw what I had done and requested the mods to edit, but this is a perfect example of how idioms get mixed up and language gets mangled into something meaningless.

I guess I've now spent too much time reading The Hindu!

[dailydriver]

Some may say that this post belongs to the Official Jokes thread. But having come across thousands of such jokers who roast the English language till its burnt black, I feel I should post it here; one can at least appreciate the gargantuan challenge that the teachers of English (specifically as second language) are up against, day in and day out!



Picture courtesy: WhatsApp

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

; one can at least appreciate the gargantuan challenge that the teachers of English (specifically as second language) are up against, day in and day out!

[u][/b] WhatsApp

I met one teacher in UP who was teaching the children "A is for Alephant", so I think the enormity of the gargantuanism faced is often their proudest work.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Gargantuan: a creature that lives in the jungle. In severe danger from habitat loss.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Gargantuan: a creature that lives in the jungle. In severe danger from habitat loss.

ORANGUTAN

ORANG = PERSON :: HUTAN = FOREST

(Also spelt orang-utan, orang utan, orangutang, and ourang-outang but never as GARGANTUAN )

This Malay/Indonesian word effectively means person of the forest. Orangutans are known to be highly intelligent primates; and equally elusive, preferring solitary existence.

Sadly, they are being edged put by persons living off the forests.

Source: Wikipedia

[Thad E Ginathom]

Orangutan. That's the one. I was close!

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I was close!

But not close enough .

Still, if not others, Sheridan would surely be happy to see you confused!

Sure, if I reprehend any thing in this world it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Some may say that this post belongs to the Official Jokes thread. But having come across thousands of such jokers who roast the English language till its burnt black, I feel I should post it here; one can at least appreciate the gargantuan challenge that the teachers of English (specifically as second language) are up against, day in and day out!......

I'm not sure if I'm drawing the right conclusion, but this looks like a deliberate attempt at humor - if so, I'd say it's a good job!

Folks from UP will remember the efforts of vernacular teachers in the state's interior while teaching youngsters how to spell English words ('knowledge', eg.) and how hysterically funny (but effective) these attempts often were!

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is one of the strengths of English, and the English-speaking mental process, that if I say that a Gargantuan is a thing that lives in a jungle, people just know that I mean Orangutan. And that it is a joke.

This is also one of the weaknesses of English. Some people will not get the joke, and will start talking about gargantuans in the forest. Especially people in sales and management meetings! And in a very short time, the word orangutan will be forgotten, and the word gargantuan will be the common usage. Which will then appear in dictionaries.

"Abbreviations," gentlement!

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by mayankk

I met one teacher in UP who was teaching the children "A is for Alephant"...

Originally Posted by shashanka

Folks from UP will remember the efforts of vernacular teachers in the state's interior while teaching youngsters...

It is a vicious circle.

Students who haven't learnt English properly grow up to become English teachers themselves. One can guess how effective they will be in their chosen task.

Below is an example; the WhatsApp status of an acquaintance - a man drawing nearly a six figure salary as a Lecturer.



Before someone pounces on me for being a grammar fanatic, let me let it known that this gentleman holds an MPhil degree - in ENGLISH!

PS: Please do not look at this post as an attempt at belittling someone; it is not. I am just trying to make sense of this Alephantine problem.