SteveShaw wrote:...... And gimme strength to put up with such nonsenses as "alternate," which Americans seem addicted to using when they really mean "alternative."
.......
Steve, I think that some of these Americans operate in an "either/or and no other options" paradigm and therefore they use "alternate" because they don't really mean "alternative" because there can be more than two alternatives whereas alternate is the second of only two options. I think its due to their electrical engineering predisposition on account of Benjamin Franklin.
But then, Americans are the ones that most use "irregardless" when they mean "regardless" not realising that the morpheme "ir" actually negates the "regardless" with the result that the two negatives ("ir' and "less") render the whole thing positive. In other words, from an electrical engineering point of view, "irregardless" actually means "with regard".
SteveShaw wrote:...... And gimme strength to put up with such nonsenses as "alternate," which Americans seem addicted to using when they really mean "alternative."
.......
Steve, I think that some of these Americans operate in an "either/or and no other options" paradigm and therefore they use "alternate" because they don't really mean "alternative" because there can be more than two alternatives whereas alternate is the second of only two options. I think its due to their electrical engineering predisposition on account of Benjamin Franklin.
But then, Americans are the ones that most use "irregardless" when they mean "regardless" not realising that the morpheme "ir" actually negates the "regardless" with the result that the two negatives ("ir' and "less") render the whole thing positive. In other words, from an electrical engineering point of view, "irregardless" actually means "with regard".
Excellently-put, my man. I'm indebted to a chap called Larry Trask, an American, who wrote a book called "Mind The Gaffe." He manages, in a short tome, to crystallise for me what would otherwise be my inchoate rage at the wanton misuse of our beautiful language. Why must people insist on trying to write such complicated English, which inevitably and invariably results in all these inane trippings-up, when they could, with far greater effect, resort to the kind of monosyllabilicity that I hold so dear?
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
sbfluter wrote:I think some Americans shy away from politically charged terms like "Alternative."
It's a perfectly good word. If its recently-acquired political connotations grate, you could consider "different" or "other" as alternatives. "Alternate" has a completely different meaning, kind of "on and off," as in "every other" ("We have a session every other Tuesday/we have sessions on alternate Tuesdays" sort of thing). You can't just substitute one for the other as they mean entirely different things. You can't talk about "alternate tunings" for your guitar. You should be saying "alternative tunings," or modified, or altered, or different...
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
SteveShaw wrote:........
resort to the kind of monosyllabilicity that I hold so dear?
Whilst we may be agreeing on some points I cannot BUT disagree with you here if you are implying that English is a monosyllabic language. A monosyllabic language is a language in which every syllable is a morpheme. English is not such a language.
SteveShaw wrote: You can't talk about "alternate tunings" for your guitar. You should be saying "alternative tunings," or modified, or altered, or different...
"Ironic" is horribly misused. If anyone uses this in a dodgy context, ask them what they mean. They won't be able to tell you. They were just trying to be clever, but you had them sussed all right! And anyone who uses the expression "begs the question" when they mean "raises the question" deserves to be hanged, drawn and quartered for their sheer pomposity and risible misuse of English.
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
SteveShaw wrote:........
resort to the kind of monosyllabilicity that I hold so dear?
Whilst we may be agreeing on some points I cannot BUT disagree with you here if you are implying that English is a monosyllabic language. A monosyllabic language is a language in which every syllable is a morpheme. English is not such a language.
I was being ironic.
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
SteveShaw wrote:"Ironic" is horribly misused. If anyone uses this in a dodgy context, ask them what they mean. They won't be able to tell you. They were just trying to be clever, but you had them sussed all right! And anyone who uses the expression "begs the question" when they mean "raises the question" deserves to be hanged, drawn and quartered for their sheer pomposity and risible misuse of English.
Pomposity. Now there is a horribly underused word. It begs for more usage and should be mandatory in everyone's vocabulary.
SteveShaw wrote:"Ironic" is horribly misused. If anyone uses this in a dodgy context, ask them what they mean. They won't be able to tell you. They were just trying to be clever, but you had them sussed all right! And anyone who uses the expression "begs the question" when they mean "raises the question" deserves to be hanged, drawn and quartered for their sheer pomposity and risible misuse of English.
I would so personally love to teach every single person in the world the meaning and the correct pronounciation of "ironic." By force if I have to. My best friend pronounces it "er-ronic" and think it means "sad-funny." He's a truly wonderful person but he got the worst education imaginable. He sure does know how to fish though. He could pull a large mouth bass out of a glass of water.
Rose tint my world. Keep me safe from my trouble and pain. 白飞梦
SteveShaw wrote:Never trust a man who uses the word "paradigm" for example (alternatively, challenge him as to its meaning. He won't be able to tell you - guaranteed!)
Rubbish. Everyone knows that a paradigm is the Gestalt of a Weltanschauung.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician
SteveShaw wrote:Never trust a man who uses the word "paradigm" for example (alternatively, challenge him as to its meaning. He won't be able to tell you - guaranteed!)
Rubbish. Everyone knows that a paradigm is the Gestalt of a Weltanschauung.
I bet you can't say that three times fast!
Redwolf
...agus déanfaidh mé do mholadh ar an gcruit a Dhia, a Dhia liom!
"Alternate" has a completely different meaning, kind of "on and off," as in "every other" ("We have a session every other Tuesday/we have sessions on alternate Tuesdays" sort of thing). You can't just substitute one for the other as they mean entirely different things. You can't talk about "alternate tunings" for your guitar. You should be saying "alternative tunings," or modified, or altered, or different...
