English Language - what "Does your head in" ??

[Audax67]

Squozen is apparently venerable:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

And that's in British English. US English is a bit different:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

[kylecycler]

Squozen is apparently venerable:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

And that's in British English. US English is a bit different:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

That's a great resource - never seen it before. It's a shame the word fell into disuse although it seems to be rallying, especially over there.

I have Chrome set to UK English, the default being US English. I could try setting it back to see what difference it makes to the spellcheck but it was such a faff altering it before that I'd rather not as I've forgotten how I did it.

It's funny how what sounds 'right', though, is often just what we're used to, and vice versa - to pick up on Bmblbzzz's perfectly logical and justifiable observation re. 'squozen' and 'frozen'...

"After bucking a severe headwind most of the way in temperatures below zero, the group ended the run absolutely freezed..." It sounds wrong because it is, but if it wasn't, maybe it wouldn't.

[Audax67]

People using us when it should be we. Nobody (well, Englísh-speakers in their right mind, that is) would say "what us have to do is..." but they would happily say "what us cyclists have to do is...". Do they think it sounds Tory, or what? Inverted grammatical snobbery?

It's utterly wrong.

[Audax67]

Squozen is apparently venerable:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

And that's in British English. US English is a bit different:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... en%3B%2Cc0

That's a great resource - never seen it before. It's a shame the word fell into disuse although it seems to be rallying, especially over there.

I have Chrome set to UK English, the default being US English. I could try setting it back to see what difference it makes to the spellcheck but it was such a faff altering it before that I'd rather not as I've forgotten how I did it.

It's funny how what sounds 'right', though, is often just what we're used to, and vice versa - to pick up on Bmblbzzz's perfectly logical and justifiable observation re. 'squozen' and 'frozen'...

"After bucking a severe headwind most of the way in temperatures below zero, the group ended the run absolutely freezed..." It sounds wrong because it is, but if it wasn't, maybe it wouldn't.

Aye, but logic and language don't mix well. I used to think that since the French for power was pouvoir the French for shower would be shouvoir. Well, not really but you get the idea.

Funnily enough, the French for shower is douche, and calling some person or persons an horrible shower isn't that far from calling them douches.

[Mike Sales]

"Committed"

As in, "This government is committed to increasing cycling."
or "The Acme Company is committed to cutting our use of plastics."

Meaning, "we have no real plan to do this, but we want to sound good."

[Cyril Haearn]

Fortunately the EU is -committed- to phasing out Palm oil by 2030, Plus One!

[Audax67]

"Committed"

As in, "This government is committed to increasing cycling."
or "The Acme Company is committed to cutting our use of plastics."

Meaning, "we have no real plan to do this, but we want to sound good."

"The leaders of this government have been committed" - deafening cheers erupt from JOG to LE.

[Mick F]

Is a word spelled or spelt as the past tense?

The verb:

I spell
You spell
He spells
She spells
They spell

I spelt
You spelt
We spelt
We have spelt

Correct?

[Yvonned]

Yes Mick, that’s right as far as I’m aware. I do know that spelled is an acceptable alternative.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd say spelled is the more common spelling. Ngrams agrees:
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... lt%3B%2Cc0

Of course it's impossible to know how many of those "spelts" refer to spelling and how many to cereal, but in any case, both are correct.

[DaveReading]

Yes Mick, that’s right as far as I’m aware. I do know that spelled is an acceptable alternative.

A number of English verbs have alternative past participles, both equally correct. "Dreamed" and "dreamt" is another example.

[Audax67]

Yes Mick, that’s right as far as I’m aware. I do know that spelled is an acceptable alternative.

A number of English verbs have alternative past participles, both equally correct. "Dreamed" and "dreamt" is another example.

There's probably a regional bias, each form being inherited from a different dialect. Remember that test in the NYT a month or two back? It was entitled British/Irish but it covers pretty well the whole UK + Ireland.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... -quiz.html

[Mick F]

A number of English verbs have alternative past participles, both equally correct. "Dreamed" and "dreamt" is another example.

I see Dreamed and Dreamt as having different meanings.

Last night I dreamed ............................ and I dreamt that I was eating peppermints, and when I awoke, all the buttons were gone from my pyjamas.

[thirdcrank]

I'd recommend the fourth edition of Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage. A steal at £17.40 from Amazon.
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More an irritation than doing my head in is the use of circumlocutions to say they packaging is only suitable for landfill. eg Not currently recycled. It's bad enough when PLC's do this but the the Co-op says "Not yet recycled" and that's an ethical organisation.

[cotterpins]

"As it 'Appens,' . . . As wot happens?

"What's the strength!" . . . of what?

Oiy, trunk out! . . . Why not say don't be nosy?