Certain Words

crescendo69

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Languages do evolve, thus making clear meaning and grammer very difficult in certain instances. I think if one tries to use the latest, most fashionable expressions or word meanings, they are asking for some misunderstandings on the part of others who may not be as "hip" as they are. I loved the comical segment on the movie "airplane" when a white woman (is "white" ok?) who is trained in "jive" speak is called upon to interpret an injured "brotha's" statements.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone.
 

Long&Thick

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Ganja, whenever people use the word "skeet" I always think back to my childhood cartoon watching days. There was a show on called "Doug" and his best friend was Skeeter Valentine, who he always refered to Skeet as a nickname..makes me chuckle every time.:biggrin1:
 

ganja4me

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Ganja, whenever people use the word "skeet" I always think back to my childhood cartoon watching days. There was a show on called "Doug" and his best friend was Skeeter Valentine, who he always refered to Skeet as a nickname..makes me chuckle every time.:biggrin1:


I used to watch that show too.:smile: Skeeter was my favorite character.
 

ManlyBanisters

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While I'm at it, two american phrases that puzzle me(rather than annoy me) are "I could care less" and "writing"

It's not "I'm writing John", it's "I'm writing to John" I don't really see where the basis of that comes from. :tongue:

"Could care less", implies that you must care about it somewhat, for you to be able to care less about it - try "Couldn't care less". (Unless the phrase is entirely sarcastic, but I don't give people that much credit. :biggrin1:

"I could care less" is supposed to be a sarcastic question. As in "Is it possible for me to care less?" - maybe a bit overused and annoying because of that - but nothing worng with the meaning of it (when said as a question).


I don't get your problem with 'write' - consider this:
I write a letter to John​

I write John a letter​

I write John​
Certainly it is an Americanism (Canadianism too? not sure) that doesn't sit so well this side of the pond - but I get where it comes from.


The recently invented word that makes priority into a verb annoys me:

prioritize

Newscasters are always saying "road closures" rather than "road closings" here in the States. One looks for closure to an unpleasant situation while the newscaster reads the list of school closings for the public good.

Also over the last twenty years or so I've noticed the noun disrespect being used as a verb as in "you disrespected me".

Last I knew the proper term was "you've treated me with disrespect".

No doubt recent dicitionaries have pronounced "disrespect" to be a proper verb.:rolleyes:

I agree with you on 'disrespect' to a degree - but 'respect' is a perfectly good verb, so 'disrespect' is a logical follow-on in an evolving language.

I disagree on 'prioritize' - that has been in use since the 60's at least, not really recent at all, and I think it is a useful verb.

Also 'closure' has always been used in the way your news readers use it regarding roads - the psychoanalitical use of closure is the borrowing (from meaning 3 below).

clo·sure
n. 1. The act of closing or the state of being closed: closure of an incision.
2. Something that closes or shuts.
3. A bringing to an end; a conclusion: finally brought the project to closure.
4. See cloture.
5. The property of being mathematically closed.

tr.v. clo·sured, clo·sur·ing, clo·sures To cloture (a debate).
 

ManlyBanisters

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By that logic;
I deliver a package to John​
I deliver John a package​
I deliver John​
N'est pas?​


I've never delivered "a John", nor written one. :33:​

Don't make me get technical on your ass now No_S! :wink:

'deliver' is a Latinate verb - and while the form you use there ['I deliver John a package' (Dative Alternation)] has been accepted into modern speech the Dative alternation does not sit as well on Latinate verbs [I gave money to my son / I gave my son money verses I donated money to Oxfam / I donated Oxfam money - the second example for donate is not wrong per se - just more awkward sounding, compared to the first]. Therefore the truncation of the clause to leave out the object is more clumsy.

Further to that the verb 'write', certainly when used in context of person to person, implies 'a letter' (or these days maybe 'an email'). So, by dropping the object in 'I write John a letter' you are losing very little meaning. However 'deliver' does not have the same implications as the person delivering is only the agent of the delivery and not at all necessarily the originator. Nor is the object at all obvious, many things can be delivered. 'I delivered John a fridge / a message / a warning / a moose' - these objects cannot be supposed by the verb 'deliver' in the way that an email, or letter, can be supposed by the verb 'write'.