• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Cavalry

#81
I keep reading ads for used cars saying "new breaks" instead of brakes. I don't want to buy a newly broken car.
Ok , back to the hot water heater thing. Technically , two fingers is correct. There can really be no such thing as a "hot water heater. If the water's hot , it doesn't need to be heated again. If the water's cold , then it needs to be heated , however, often on blueprints for houses , the area where the water heater will be placed is designated with a circle with HWH written inside of it. I remember the water heater vs. hot water heater thing being discussed at great lengths in plumbing class. Because of the HWH use on blueprints , it was determined that "hot water heater" is an incorrect term , but acceptable.
WSSC Plumbing codes and enforcement class , level 4. 1974

Edit: I will add that if anyone in the class used the term "hot water heater" , they were quickly and soundly corrected by the class instructor.
 
#82
Killed_by_Death said:
Yes!
There are two basic things everyone should get down well to excel in society, language & mathematics.
If you're no good at math, then you should focus more on the language.
Click to expand...

More poor English. The first phrase is extremely confusing due to incorrect punctuation. There is also an expression used which is no better or worse than many of the terms and expressions criticized in this thread, the majority of which incidentally originated in African American slang. Is it possible one simply notices mistakes others make more than ones own, and that expressions one looks down on are simply those that come from a different region, generation, or culture?

That's what's interesting about these misery guts threads, ultimately they reveal more about what the posters accept as correct behavior as they do about the state of society.
 
#83
This thread was about mispronunciation of words, but has gone down the path of grammar and spelling. The point is that if it is spelled out right in front of your nose, you should be able, by the end of third grade mind you, to sound out the word and commit the correct pronunciation to memory for life. It is a skill that you should apply whenever you encounter a new word for your lifetime.

My example in the first post is a result of hearing people, that are educated and claim to be well read, pronounce it incorrectly. Since the cavalry is such an important part of American history, ... I just don't get it. It's akin to calling your constitution, the convolution. Two distinct and different things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MartinG1957
#85
Killed_by_Death said:
I think everyone understood me, except maybe you.
Click to expand...

Of course I understood you, just as you understood what the other people who used poor English meant to say. I don't correct people in other threads, I just wanted to make the point that we all do the things that we chide others for.

As a matter of fact I'd go as far as claiming we dislike precisely in others the things we dislike about ourselves, and those who constantly find fault with others are actually those who have the most difficulty accepting their own impulses and behaviour.

I'm the same way very often, but I try to avoid patterns of negative thought and to remember that I am no better than everyone else, and that I probably irritate others as much or more than they irritate me. It's a terrible habit to get into and it ends up a self-fulfilling prophecy, just as approaching others with a certain amount of generosity of spirit brings out the best in them.
 
#89
two fingers said:
Then/than KILLS ME on this forum.
Too/to isn't much better.

Redundancy (as well as unnecessary repetition ;)) gets me every time.

There's no such thing as a "hot water heater". There is no need to heat water that is already hot.

Is there any way to raise down a window? No? Then why is there a need to "raise up" one? If you raise something, it most certainly will be going up.

Another one that gets me as an electrician/electronics technician is "cut on the lights". How can you "cut on" anuthing? If one were to "cut" any circuit it would most definitely turn OFF that circuit. "Turn on" I can live with....kind of.

That being said, I love a good word play or pun. So if you are intentionally screwing with the language, I'm all for it.

It is disheartening to read some views on this topic here. When someone is called out for using no punctuation whatsoever (which is unbelievably common here), his response is usually "Whatever. Who cares? I'm just saving time and key strokes. Nobody cares anymore."

I hope that isn't true. And I can tell you that when I attend meetings at work I am often complimented on my ability to communicate succinctly, concisely, and correctly when using any form of email and/or paper correspondence. It does matter "out there in the real world". Even if you plan to open your own tattoo shop or bar, you will have to obtain licenses, permits and perhaps even loans. Communication will be the key to taking care of such business.

Learn your language..... whatever that language may be.
Click to expand...
Cutting on/off a circuit is a carry over from the very early days of electric usage when knife switches were common. Knives cut things; hence cut on/off; it's pretty much archaic now.

knife switch - Google Search
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: aborgman
#90
two fingers said:
Then/than KILLS ME on this forum.
Too/to isn't much better.

Redundancy (as well as unnecessary repetition ;)) gets me every time.

There's no such thing as a "hot water heater". There is no need to heat water that is already hot.

Is there any way to raise down a window? No? Then why is there a need to "raise up" one? If you raise something, it most certainly will be going up.

Another one that gets me as an electrician/electronics technician is "cut on the lights". How can you "cut on" anuthing? If one were to "cut" any circuit it would most definitely turn OFF that circuit. "Turn on" I can live with....kind of.

That being said, I love a good word play or pun. So if you are intentionally screwing with the language, I'm all for it.

It is disheartening to read some views on this topic here. When someone is called out for using no punctuation whatsoever (which is unbelievably common here), his response is usually "Whatever. Who cares? I'm just saving time and key strokes. Nobody cares anymore."

I hope that isn't true. And I can tell you that when I attend meetings at work I am often complimented on my ability to communicate succinctly, concisely, and correctly when using any form of email and/or paper correspondence. It does matter "out there in the real world". Even if you plan to open your own tattoo shop or bar, you will have to obtain licenses, permits and perhaps even loans. Communication will be the key to taking care of such business.

Learn your language..... whatever that language may be.
Click to expand...
I agree 100%. Here's something from the OP of a thread I started titled "Regarding spelling, punctuation, and grammar":


I agree that language is fluid - always has been, always will be. People casually posting in internet forums aren't going to be overly concerned with details. Typos happen. And sometimes folks intentionally use misspellings and bad grammar to emphasize how they feel. I've been known to do just that. For instance:

"Ahmo gits me summa dat!" (I'm going to get some of that!)

However...when "lose" is consistently misspelled "loose," "their," "there," and "they're" are constantly misused, and apostrophes are used to denote plural rather than possessive, I think there's a problem. And these are just a few examples.

Centuries ago, most people probably had little or no access to standard educational resources, so they probably spent a lot of time spelling phonetically, and most likely didn't know the proper punctuation and grammar of the time. The teaching of proper spelling, grammar and punctuation was most likely available to the privileged few. Today, we have all sorts of resources at our fingertips, not the least of which is the internet. The public education system could surely be improved, but one can still learn the basics. If you hand in a report or term paper to your teacher or professor, or submit a resume to a prospective employer, he or she is not going to say, "I can easily overlook the numerous misspellings and grammatical errors due to the fact that language is fluid." Current standards still apply.

I get that this is not nearly the most pressing issue in the world, but I think being in the habit of communicating properly in print is important.


In many instances, proper pronunciation is just as important. Not all conversation is casual; you're not always just hanging out with your friends.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 96tbird and two fingers
#91
FilterFunk said:
I agree 100%. Here's something from the OP of a thread I started titled "Regarding spelling, punctuation, and grammar":


I agree that language is fluid - always has been, always will be. People casually posting in internet forums aren't going to be overly concerned with details. Typos happen. And sometimes folks intentionally use misspellings and bad grammar to emphasize how they feel. I've been known to do just that. For instance:

"Ahmo gits me summa dat!" (I'm going to get some of that!)

However...when "lose" is consistently misspelled "loose," "their," "there," and "they're" are constantly misused, and apostrophes are used to denote plural rather than possessive, I think there's a problem. And these are just a few examples.

Centuries ago, most people probably had little or no access to standard educational resources, so they probably spent a lot of time spelling phonetically, and most likely didn't know the proper punctuation and grammar of the time. The teaching of proper spelling, grammar and punctuation was most likely available to the privileged few. Today, we have all sorts of resources at our fingertips, not the least of which is the internet. The public education system could surely be improved, but one can still learn the basics. If you hand in a report or term paper to your teacher or professor, or submit a resume to a prospective employer, he or she is not going to say, "I can easily overlook the numerous misspellings and grammatical errors due to the fact that language is fluid." Current standards still apply.

I get that this is not nearly the most pressing issue in the world, but I think being in the habit of communicating properly in print is important.


In many instances, proper pronunciation is just as important. Not all conversation is casual; you're not always just hanging out with your friends.
Click to expand...

I agree using language properly is important, as is avoiding common errors, especially these days with little excuse, due to spellcheck and the like.

But interestingly the idea of standardized spelling is a fairly recent one.
 
#92
One Drop said:
I agree using language properly is important, as is avoiding common errors, especially these days with little excuse, due to spellcheck and the like.

But interestingly the idea of standardized spelling is a fairly recent one.
Click to expand...

This may perhaps be the case in America old bean, not so in Great Britain!

Localised pronunciations and use of grammar have always been a fact; for example, the sentence "I agree using language properly is important, as is avoiding common errors, especially these days with little excuse, due to spellcheck and the like,"
contains issues which would be red-penned in a British school, however, they are no doubt perfectly acceptable in the writer's own locality.

Grammatical and dialectical norms may vary, however, blatant mispronunciation or misuse of words indicates laziness; IMHO of course.
:)
 
#94
One Drop said:
I agree using language properly is important, as is avoiding common errors, especially these days with little excuse, due to spellcheck and the like.

But interestingly the idea of standardized spelling is a fairly recent one.
Click to expand...

Recent. Given an adult human's capacity to learn, one century (for example) is quite long enough to result in a population that should be able to operate under a standard. The simple fact is that many simply REFUSE to learn; refuse to better themselves.

"Why is it so important?" they say. They write twenty plus word rebuttals on why it isn't critical to communication. If they spent that time paying attention, as adults, they could have, in that time, learned that rule and committed it to memory. Humans can learn THAT quickly.
 
Last edited:
#95
96tbird said:
Recent. Given an adult human's capacity to learn, one century (for example) is quite long enough to result in a population that should be able to operate under a standard. The simple fact is that many simply REFUSE to learn; refuse to better themselves.

"Why is it so important?" they say. They write twenty plus word rebuttals on why it isn't critical to communication. If they spent that time paying attention, as adults, they could have, in that time, learned that rule and committed it to memory. Humans can learn THAT quickly.
Click to expand...


Humans aren't smart. We think we are, but we're not. People still smoke cigarettes, for gods sake. What does that tell you?
 
#96
MartinG1957 said:
This may perhaps be the case in America old bean, not so in Great Britain!

Localised pronunciations and use of grammar have always been a fact; for example, the sentence "I agree using language properly is important, as is avoiding common errors, especially these days with little excuse, due to spellcheck and the like,"
contains issues which would be red-penned in a British school, however, they are no doubt perfectly acceptable in the writer's own locality.

Grammatical and dialectical norms may vary, however, blatant mispronunciation or misuse of words indicates laziness; IMHO of course.
:)
Click to expand...

I was only referring to spelling, not grammar or syntax. In Grest Britain standardized spelling probably only became expected during the Victorian era.

BTW I make no claims to writing properly, and the only reason I called out others here was due to the irony of complaining ungrammatically about others' use of language.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MartinG1957
#97
One Drop said:
I was only referring to spelling, not grammar or syntax. In Grest Britain standardized spelling probably only became expected during the Victorian era.

BTW I make no claims to writing properly, and the only reason I called out others here was due to the irony of complaining ungrammatically about others' use of language.
Click to expand...

I wasn't having a go! :) particularly as, given your stated location, English may possibly not be your first language, so absolutely no criticism of that intended and I agree with the irony you point out, but also that usage may differ in different regions.
I agree with the OP that misuse of words in the given contexts is, IMHO, laziness! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: One Drop

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back