Language & Grammar discussion
Grammar Central
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Euphemisms, Doublespeak, Jargon, Etc.
My winner for most irritating misuse of 2008 is "literally" to mean...well, honestly, I don't know what it's being used to mean, but it's being used a lot. Here's an example, heard on NPR yesterday "The neighborhoods of Gaza are very crowded. People live on top of each other. Literally." All day I've been trying to conjure an image of people literally living on top of each other, but so far I've had no success.
"Social networking." Is this redundant? Is there such a thing as anti-social networking? If so maybe I should sign up....
I am so tired of the term "tweaked". I had to turn in a list of students for some reason and it HAD to be by 3 pm TODAY. When I handed it in, I was told "don't worry, this list can be tweaked later." So ... why not just let me turn it in LATER?
It IS all the rage, esp. in schools. "Let's tweak this piece." I've already complained about "piece," too. Everything's a piece now (and I don't mean pie).
Quitcher bellyachin. It's part of her narrative.A few years agao it would have been a "puppy." "Let's finish this puppy and go hava a beer." "She's a sick puppy."
This, too, shall pass.
In England, thanks to the HORRIFIC Trinny and Susannah, puppies now mean breasts...."Just look at the size of THOSE puppies"!
Are those the ladies who do "What Not to Wear"? (so sorry if I slaughtered the laguage with that question!)
Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!Heeheeheee,.....snort! Puppy Love! Snoobies! Maybe he meant 'Snoopys' David!).
Yes Sarah....those ones....some of their advice is Ok ....I just can't bear them!
Yes Sarah....those ones....some of their advice is Ok ....I just can't bear them!
OK! Tweak! War means Peace?
Puppies are big and provide sufficient breastmilk?
Anti-social networking.
Living on top of each other , probably right and don't forget all the ammunitions covering them instead of blanket!! Well I just joined and Im enriching my vocabulary already, actually its providing me with much needed light entertainment
I'll see your Tolstoy and I'll raise you a Janet Evanovich, NE!
Mikki, I find this to be one of the best ways to brighten any day! Welcome and enjoy!
Mikki, I find this to be one of the best ways to brighten any day! Welcome and enjoy!
Sarah wrote: "I'll see your Tolstoy and I'll raise you a Janet Evanovich, NE!Mikki, I find this to be one of the best ways to brighten any day! Welcome and enjoy!"
Will do, Heres to better days!
I know I'm beating the proverbial dead horse, here, but the usage of "literally" is really starting to get to me.Case in point: on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer last night, someone said that Eric Holder's first task will be "to put the soul back into the Justice Department. Literally."
Anyone who can tell me what that activity might look like wins a prize!
Debbie, that would be "sole" into the Justice Department."Literally," of course, means "figuratively."
Maybe Debbie's right. Since the word was spoken, not written, I might have misheard. Maybe the suggestion WAS to put "the sole back into the justice department!"Debbie wrote: "Perhaps it would look like a kick in the ass!"
Here's another pet peeve: stakeholder. When did this become a mandatory word for anyone discussion decision-making?
I'll be a steakholder any day!
ANYTHING would get him further than: if not me, the worms . . . and other ill-conceived (albeit, as BunWat pointed out, annoyingly well-written) forms of persuasion: did an idiotic maiden actually fall for this? It's embarrassing: couldn't he even PRETEND to the nobler stuff? Hold on . . . maybe the object of his attention was a brilliant, sassy lady, meant to appreciate style and laugh at substance? That I could live with.
:) I wrote mine before I saw yours, BunWat: succinctly put! Maybe there's a reason we live 1/2 hour apart . . .
(sheepishly) I've no clue WHO you're talking about... nor do I recognize any of the "poetry." (/sheepishly)
Oh. I do know that poem. The word "vegetable" threw me. Guess I shouldn't take David on his word (especially if it's in a valued spot on the food pyramid).
Love it or hate it, the poem's message is spot-on. It's why Hawthorne wrote "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and why DeLeon comma Ponce wandered around Florida's swamps.
Love it or hate it, the poem's message is spot-on. It's why Hawthorne wrote "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and why DeLeon comma Ponce wandered around Florida's swamps.
Egad, it's been so long since I read it that I had to look it up. What's this? David wasn't kidding about Marvell eating his vegetables?
I'm posting it over in the Poesy Thread for dissection (or dessert, whatever).
I'm posting it over in the Poesy Thread for dissection (or dessert, whatever).
Actually, Marvell wrote the poem in a seedy inn, The Carping Dime. It was originally "To His Grey Mattress."Then his publisher told him to sex it up. You know how that is.







Reason 23 for dropping out of college and getting a job.