| Pagina's in het onderwerp: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > | Coronavirus is wrecking the English language De persoon die dit onderwerp geplaatst heeft: Tom in London
|
|---|
| Irony of ironies | Mar 25, 2020 |
The first time I ever posted in this forum – some anodyne little message about reviving the ProZ Facebook group – I received a gruff response from the instigator of this very thread.
It was at that point that a wise colleague within the ProZ.com mothership said to me: "I see you've been tominlondonned."
Surely the verb to end all verbs?
| | | | MollyRose 
United States
Local time: 11:54
English to Spanish
+ ...
Right. I gave the two examples because I think it would be two words in either case. Joining them as "anymore" seems strange to me and I don't know why they would be together in any context.
| | | | MollyRose
United States
Local time: 11:54
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Ha, ha, Mervyn! | Mar 25, 2020 |
"So I thought to myself, Better not write any more anymore. No more, I resolved. Then again, it would never occur to me to write "nomore". Gofigure."
My sentiments exactly. Except that I am not resolved to combine the two words yet.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:54
Lid 2009
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Determiner and adverb. | Mar 25, 2020 |
MollyRose wrote:
Right. I gave the two examples because I think it would be two words in either case. Joining them as "anymore" seems strange to me and I don't know why they would be together in any context.
According to the source below it's correct as one word only when functioning as adverb in US English:
Especially in American English, any more, as an adverb, can be written as one word, anymore:
He doesn’t cycle anymore.
Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/any-more-or-anymore
| | |
|
|
|
I really hope Tom does not stop posting on the forum. He contributes interesting discussion topics, and we can accommodate all sorts of opinions here, especially in such stressful times.
[Edited at 2020-03-25 22:02 GMT]
| | | | MollyRose
United States
Local time: 11:54
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Thanks, Lingua | Mar 25, 2020 |
So as an adverb it can be written either way. Yippee! I won´t correct anybody's "anymore" any more, but I can still write "any more" if I so desire (for the sake of not ending a sentence with a preposion--if I want to).
Rules are good, to avoid chaos and facilitate understanding, but sometimes they get in the way.
| | | | | The notion that anything is gained by fixing a language in a groove is cherished only by pedants | Mar 25, 2020 |
Language is a living thing owned by the sum of its users.
It's a work in progress Tom, and there ain't no proper way, just that which comes over as authentic.
Social distancing is an extremely useful verb at the moment, so embrace it. I believe the alternative is to 'keep a distance of one dead relative stretched out on the ground between you and others', which is maybe not the way 2 go.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:54
Lid 2009
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Also odd situation in world history. | Mar 25, 2020 |
We are experiencing a thing that will surely be in history school books in year 3056 and they will describe what we were doing as "social distancing" as the term was used while it was happening (no re-coining in 3056, won't be possible as it must be described with the term used at that particular moment in history).
Odd situation = a slightly odd term. Where is the problem?
| | |
|
|
|
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Echoing Elizabeth ... | Mar 26, 2020 |
... I've agreed, and I agree. Don't stop posting, Tom. I'm serious. You think I'm wrong sometimes and you think I'm a stirrer, and I think you're wrong sometimes and I think you're a stirrer, but if we all think the same, then nobody thinks too much. So let's all think and think and think, and then think again, and maybe all our thinks will lead to a big, useful think to think our way out of this.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, that "think" should be a "thought", but ... See more ... I've agreed, and I agree. Don't stop posting, Tom. I'm serious. You think I'm wrong sometimes and you think I'm a stirrer, and I think you're wrong sometimes and I think you're a stirrer, but if we all think the same, then nobody thinks too much. So let's all think and think and think, and then think again, and maybe all our thinks will lead to a big, useful think to think our way out of this.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, that "think" should be a "thought", but think about this: if we put all our thinks down here, then I think that all the time you're thinking about what I think and all the time I'm thinking about what you think, we don't think about other nasty things we could be thinking about in these difficult times. I think I've made my thoughts clear. We'd better think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vet6AHmq3_s
And get that cat on duty again. All this lying around on the bed all day isn't going to help.
[Edited at 2020-03-26 15:14 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | There's always room for a new verb | Mar 26, 2020 |
Not sure whether it would be "to mervyn" or "to henderson".
Either way, what would be the dictionary definition?
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:54
Lid 2009
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Deep insights. | Mar 26, 2020 |
Andrew Morris wrote:
Not sure whether it would be "to mervyn" or "to henderson".
Either way, what would be the dictionary definition?
You need very deep insights into something to provide a definition. We only know our Mervyn's forum personality, not enough data. LOL
to mervyn, v.intrs.
to be playful with words with an original sense of humor
There's a reason I chose it be an intransitive verb. Can't share details.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
Well, that’s a toughie, Andrew. The verb is actually “to mervynhenderson”. Like the other one, it takes an extra N in the participle, mervynhendersonned, in order to maintain the more open O sound, naturally. Unlike "to harveyweinstein", which simply changes to "harveyweinsteined" because the vowel sound would not change anyway, as in “My boss knew I was totally dependent on this job, and so he harveyweinsteined me on a constant basis for years.”
There are many other examp... See more Well, that’s a toughie, Andrew. The verb is actually “to mervynhenderson”. Like the other one, it takes an extra N in the participle, mervynhendersonned, in order to maintain the more open O sound, naturally. Unlike "to harveyweinstein", which simply changes to "harveyweinsteined" because the vowel sound would not change anyway, as in “My boss knew I was totally dependent on this job, and so he harveyweinsteined me on a constant basis for years.”
There are many other examples: “Do you know, he could tell me what time it is, and I wouldn’t believe him, he’s donaldtrumped me so much.”
Or: “I think my wife’s going nuts. She lies down in the aisle at the cinema and does her yoga during the film, she smears garlic and lemon juice over my toast, and says she’s going to get some jade eggs for her uterus. It’s like she’s been gwynethpaltrowed or something.”
As for the definition of “to mervynhenderson” – it means to pursue excellence, to take the serious seriously and take the unserious unseriously, to do unto others as one would have them do unto oneself, and aspire to live and love comfortably and get away with it.” It’s complicated.
[Edited at 2020-03-26 12:46 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| A stray vowel? | Mar 26, 2020 |
Love that definition. And totally agree on the double "n".
But surely "unto others"?
"Onto" others sounds rather uncomfortable.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 17:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Oh, all right then | Mar 26, 2020 |
I've edited it now to "unto". Anything for that pursoot of excellence I mentioned earlier.
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 17:54
French to English
MollyRose wrote:
I don't know of any case where the two words joined would be grammatically correct. Wouldn't it have to be describing a noun? Or maybe they decided to join the two words in the U.S. and not in the U.K.? Anybody know?
I first noticed North Americans writing "anymore" and decided it must be an Americanism. But Word now underlines "any more" and tells me it should be one word even though I have everything tuned to British spelling. This is like the -isation/-ization thing all over again. (I learned at school that either spelling was possible, then Word tells me the z version is only used in the US not in the UK.)
I'm all for language evolving, and have no problems with any of the stuff that TiL rants about here, but it does bug me that some guy in Seattle gets to decide how I'm supposed to write in British English.
| | | | | Pagina's in het onderwerp: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Coronavirus is wrecking the English language | Pastey | Your smart companion app
Pastey is an innovative desktop application that bridges the gap between human expertise and artificial intelligence. With intuitive keyboard shortcuts, Pastey transforms your source text into AI-powered draft translations.
Find out more » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
