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The Things People Say (Or Write) That Make Me Chuckle
12 Answers
Much as I love hearing regional accents, the way we speak can distort our written language. I often see advertised for sale or free 'chester draws'. That can be explained because it can sound like that but what baffles me is 'free to good home - 32" television'.
Do you read anything that pops up regularly that is clearly wrong but understandable?
Do you read anything that pops up regularly that is clearly wrong but understandable?
Answers
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At one time the 'chester draws' ad would have annoyed me without giving it any thought, but recently I have met a few people who are dyslexic and I began to wonder if people who I think are poor spellers could have dyslexia, so now I'm not so quick to judge.
The other one about the TV?
I would just think it's from someone who has looked after it well and hopes it goes to someone else who will look after it.
The other one about the TV?
I would just think it's from someone who has looked after it well and hopes it goes to someone else who will look after it.
Barry //I see a lot of adverts offering free stuff to the 'needy not greedy'. I can see their point but wonder if they means test the applicants//
Believe it or not, there are people out there that will take anything that's free even though they don't need it. Sometimes they are greedy, sometimes they are hoarders.
This is a shame as it prevents people who actually need it but can't afford to buy it from getting these offers.
Believe it or not, there are people out there that will take anything that's free even though they don't need it. Sometimes they are greedy, sometimes they are hoarders.
This is a shame as it prevents people who actually need it but can't afford to buy it from getting these offers.
the way we speak can distort our written language
sorry but you've got that the wrong way round. People spoke for millennia before they wrote. It is the duty of writing to record speech, and if speech changes writing should adapt. It doesn't, of course, it still records 18th-century speech, which is why clerks are pronounced clarks. Sometimes it gets it plain wrong - nobody's ever pronounced debt with a B or island with an S, they were put there by clueless dictionary compilers.
Stick with your preferred pronunciation, even if it isn't the king's English, and let the printers catch up.
sorry but you've got that the wrong way round. People spoke for millennia before they wrote. It is the duty of writing to record speech, and if speech changes writing should adapt. It doesn't, of course, it still records 18th-century speech, which is why clerks are pronounced clarks. Sometimes it gets it plain wrong - nobody's ever pronounced debt with a B or island with an S, they were put there by clueless dictionary compilers.
Stick with your preferred pronunciation, even if it isn't the king's English, and let the printers catch up.
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