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a grammatical peccadillo/Mispronounciations MERGED

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TSKCoug

TSKCoug

Ambassador from the Cougar Nation in Gatorland
I just heard a term on a History channel program that has always driven me right up the wall "mass exodus". Has there ever been a small exodus? If something is truely an "exodus" isn't it by definition a movement of people on a massive scale? So "mass" is a totally redundant adjective. This linguistic diarrhea must stop!!!!:mad1: :mad1:
 
You don't want to get me started.

But, as I have started, an initial disclaimer: language, at least to me, is, primarily and generally, a means of effective communication. If your point is communicated effectively, then anything goes. I get bothered by two things: 1) mispronunciation of words due to affectation and some desire to sound smart and 2) misuse of words in inappropriate situations.

As to mispronunciation:

Divisive has a long second "I," using a short one is an affectation first perpetuated by europhilic newcasters.

Controversial should end in "shul," pronouncing then ending as "ee-ahl" is horrific. It was first done by stupid newscasters trying to sound smart and then copied by politicians and those in academia. Now it is prevelant. Do we say that bush is "pres-i-dent-ee-ahl?" Or that he is "spes-ee-uhl?" Stupid, stupid, stupid.

As to word usage:

There are way too many to list, but some of the more common ones:

The use of "irregardless" can be bothersome in situations where a better level of speech is expected.

Also, "momentarily" does not mean "soon." It means "for a moment." To do something soon would be to do something "presently." To do something now would be to do something "currently."
 
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kinch said:
Controversial should end in "shul," pronouncing then ending as "ee-ahl" is horrific. It was first done by stupid newscasters trying to sound smart and then copied by politicians and those in academia. Now it is prevelant. Do we say that bush is "pres-i-dent-ee-ahl?"...
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Prevelent: "prev-el-ee-ent"?:biggrin: (besides, the spelling police would write it "prevalent")

Irregardless, here in B. G., when the students leave on Christmas break, it is called the "Christmas exodus." I guess because Bowling Green's population is cut almost in half. An annual event.
I think maybe a mass exodus would be the whole city's population leaving. Of course, calling it the Christmas exodus is somewhat pretentious.
 
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kinch said:
Controversial should end in "shul," pronouncing then ending as "ee-ahl" is horrific. "
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Since this is a thread regarding proper language you need to change "then" to "the" in the above quote. I'm aware I'm just being an ass but you seem quite appalled by improper use of language so I'm hoping to keep you from being pissed at yourself. Also, if I made a grammatical error in this post please don't hesitate to emphatically correct me. :)
 
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Also, "momentarily" does not mean "soon." It means "for a moment." To do something soon would be to do something "presently." To do something now would be to do something "currently."
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Disagree, it can mean in a moment. Momentary does literally mean for a moment, like a momentary switch that makes contact when you press it, for a moment, your car horn, for example.






Main Entry: mo·men·tar·i·ly
Pronunciation: "mO-m&n-'ter-&-lE
Function: adverb
1 : for a moment
2 archaic : INSTANTLY
3 : at any moment : in a moment


Exodus, I think, literally means road out, so, I guess a single person could make an exodus as well as a million.
 
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There are two common mistakes that drive me crazy:

-The confusion of "your" vs. "you're". "That's you're book, right?" "Your going to be sorry."

-The misuse of an apostrophe and confusion of plural vs. possesive. "I'd like to go buy some book's at the store."
 
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NYBuckeye said:
Since this is a thread regarding proper language you need to change "then" to "the" in the above quote. I'm aware I'm just being an ass but you seem quite appalled by improper use of language so I'm hoping to keep you from being pissed at yourself. Also, if I made a grammatical error in this post please don't hesitate to emphatically correct me. :)
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Hmmm... did you intentionally leave out several commas so kinch could emphatically correct you? :)

I really should have stayed out of this thread, as I have very little time at the moment. I think I've already addressed most of my laundry list of poor grammar and usage complaints elsewhere anyway.
 
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PrincessPeach said:
Hmmm... did you intentionally leave out several commas so kinch could emphatically correct you? :)

I really should have stayed out of this thread, as I have very little time at the moment. I think I've already addressed most of my laundry list of poor grammar and usage complaints elsewhere anyway.
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Well, at least you know you could always address the issues again if it was really important.

:p

heh heh heh
 
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What we have here is the story of the changed meaning of words.
from wikipedia.

Origin:

The Septuagint designates the second book of the Pentateuch as "Exodus", meaning "departure" or "out-going".

So it could mean one or many. Hence a mass Exodus is an appropariate use .

The Latin translation adopted the name, which thence passed into other languages. As a result of the theme of the first half of the book, the term "an exodus" has come to mean a departure of a great number of people.

So what the term came to mean is something different from that intended by those who originally employed the word "exodus."
 
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