What are your pet peeves re English usage?

Oh..McTag,
....First. What in the hell are you saying at the top of this page? Second, I have a little quiz on Letty's radio, that has the other's sumped, but she thinks you may be able to get it. Third, to you and other music lovers I started a new thtead in Music, called"On Funk & Soul".

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Quote:

When a person is speaking a quote, and just before the quote they say the phrase, Quote unquote, o-o-o-o..that really pisses I off.

Since language has structures that denote reported indirect speech, Booman, can you suggest a better way to denote that something is an actual quotation?

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Setanta wrote:

Then, if they put their hands up and the the two fingered "quote" gesture, one is hard pressed not to begin immediately choking them . . .

It's not at all hard to imagine, Set, that an animated fella like you would make use of an expansive repetoire of hand language and other body gestures in the spoken registers

What would be the difference between those and this "bad" one?

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Your imagination and its overheated, fervid visions, are a matter of indifference to me.

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booman2 wrote:

Oh..McTag,
....First. What in the hell are you saying at the top of this page? Second, I have a little quiz on Letty's radio, that has the other's sumped, but she thinks you may be able to get it. Third, to you and other music lovers I started a new thtead in Music, called"On Funk & Soul".

It is a cod-mixture of Yorkshire and Lancashire dialects. A bit of nonsense really, which is a subject I specialise in;

quote" Eyup, sithee, yon's reet enough" unquote

Eyup....Yorkshire for "look out" or "look there", an all-purpose exclamation

sithee...Lancashire for "look here" (literally "see thee")

yon's reet...Yorkshire for "that's right"

So the whole phrase was intended as a joke affirmation.

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Mornin', Jock . . . hows tricks?

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Mornin', Set. I'm as stiff as a board, because I was working in the garden yesterday, and the unaccustomed exercise seems to have made me sore all over. More in prospect today, so that should give me the chance to work it off.
Breakfast time here now, late as it's the Sabbath.

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McTag,
....Thank you for your endulgence, and a bigger thank you for inadvertantly giving an example to a question, put to me by:.....

Setanta,
.....Check the third line in his reply to me. It begins "quote "Eyup... that sentence about exactly how you state it. I say"about" because a real neit-picker would say, > "Quote, yada..yada..yada..endquote"< Hey it's about time we disagreed on some Twisted Evil

thing,

I was beginning to think, we might have been "separated at birth"

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McT, i'm up in the middle of my night, and have no one to thank but myself. I couldn't sleep well, and it seemed to get hotter and muggier. I got up to check the door--firmly closed. Back to bed, and i still couldn't sleep. Got up and checked the air conditioner--it was functioning normally. Finally, being resigned to not sleeping, i went into the kitchen . . . where i discovered the pan of water i had put on to boil hours ago, and which, fortunately, had not yet boiled dry.

I don't think so, Boo . . . i'm pretty sure my hair is much curlier than yours . . .

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BTW, My answer that was inadvertantly given br Mac was supposed to be given to JTT.

Setanta,
.....Hmmph!...since you want to go there, I know for sure, I have the deepest, and most evan natural tan.. Razz

..HAH!

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Me, i don't tan worth a damn . . . make a fine lobster if i spend the afternoon at the beach, though . . .

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Setanta wrote:

Your imagination and its overheated, fervid visions, are a matter of indifference to me.

Sounds like you're the overheated one, Set. Why do you have this strange aversion to the truth for those things that you're ignorant on? Seems highly incongruous given the rest of your postings.

I suspect you're afflicted with prickly heat. Here's a hint for you. It works for me and I live in steam bath city. Take as cold a shower as you can stand. Don't just rinse off; stay under it until you've cooled your core temp down.

You'll sleep like a baby, guarantee it!

To be more eco-friendly, fill the tub partially full with cold water, sit in it and use a small bucket to pour water over your substantial self. Smile

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JTT wrote:

Quote:
When a person is speaking a quote, and just before the quote they say the phrase, Quote unquote, o-o-o-o..that really pisses I off.

Since language has structures that denote reported indirect speech, Booman, can you suggest a better way to denote that something is an actual quotation?

There is a way of using "quote-unquote" that has little to do with delineating an actual quotation. Often it can used to register some skepticism toward, disbelief in, or disagreement with a generally accepted idea or household word. (He's a quote-unquote compassionate conservative.) For a single word or compact phrase, "so-called" works perfectly well.

My insignificant problem with the use of "quote-unquote" at the beginning of long quotations is that the "unquote" serves no real function. When I use it, I usually save the "unquote" for the end of the quote.

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So-called

soi-disant says more, but most folks would think it pretentious if you used the french phrase.
Self-proclaiming is less common.

It is necessary, and a very good skill to have, some do it naturally and without any discernable self-awareness or effort, to tailor language to the audience.

Of course, it can go badly wrong if ill-chosen.

Yo, homies, wassup?

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McTag wrote:

soi-disant says more, but most folks would think it pretentious if you used the french phrase.

Use of French phrase pretentious? Yes, but useful; is there a stealthier way of admitting ignorance than to say something has a certain je ne sais quoi?

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That phrase is like a conversational lubricant....or a bid to buy time for the speaker Smile

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JTT wrote:

Setanta wrote:
Your imagination and its overheated, fervid visions, are a matter of indifference to me.

Sounds like you're the overheated one . . . blah, blah, woof, woof . . .

You imagine something, and when i tell you of my indifference to your imaginings, you proceed to insult, which is about the only strong card you ever have in your hand. I reminded of the ranting fanatics of the religious threads who always assume those whom they dislike to be angry and hateful. You badly need to get some social skills--as it stands right now, you'd be poor company for a pit viper.

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Valpower wrote:

JTT wrote:
Quote:
When a person is speaking a quote, and just before the quote they say the phrase, Quote unquote, o-o-o-o..that really pisses I off.

Since language has structures that denote reported indirect speech, Booman, can you suggest a better way to denote that something is an actual quotation?

There is a way of using "quote-unquote" that has little to do with delineating an actual quotation. Often it can used to register some skepticism toward, disbelief in, or disagreement with a generally accepted idea or household word. (He's a quote-unquote compassionate conservative.) For a single word or compact phrase, "so-called" works perfectly well.

My insignificant problem with the use of "quote-unquote" at the beginning of long quotations is that the "unquote" serves no real function. When I use it, I usually save the "unquote" for the end of the quote.

Good point, Valpower. People are extremely inventive, some more than others, when it comes to language.

Here's something that you may not have been aware of. "quote unquote" was actually devised as an alternative to finger quotes by some folks who got tired of being throttled by Setanta.

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Setanta wrote:

JTT wrote:
Setanta wrote:
Your imagination and its overheated, fervid visions, are a matter of indifference to me.

Sounds like you're the overheated one . . . blah, blah, woof, woof . . .

You imagine something, and when i tell you of my indifference to your imaginings, you proceed to insult, which is about the only strong card you ever have in your hand. I reminded of the ranting fanatics of the religious threads who always assume those whom they dislike to be angry and hateful. You badly need to get some social skills--as it stands right now, you'd be poor company for a pit viper.

You assume that I don't like you. Big assumption, Set and a false one to boot. I do feel compelled though to point out that you're being a hypocrite. You tell me that I "proceed to insult" and then that's what you attempt.

I'me not bothered by it though because I know you're a cantankerous old fart, [that's part of why I like you so much] further exasperated by a lack of sleep and prickly heat. Did you try my hint?

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Yo Maccie T....Just chillin'...Good to see you in the hizouse, Bro' Cool

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What are your pet peeves re English usage?

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