Board "Style book" and Grammar

Generali

michaels wrote: »

I always think I write in this style and then read back what I have written and even I can not understand the point I was trying to make

I thought it was just me!

julieq

Generali wrote: »

BTW, 'sheeple' is possibly the only word that really annoys me. It's arrogant and dismissive and is usually used without any obvious evidence that the poster has any reasonable right to take either position.

EG, The sheeple of course can't realise that [insert asset class] will fall/rise by [insert large percentage preferably less than 100 if talking about a fall] because the Daily Mail/Government/people fixing the [asset class] market lie to those suckers.

Oddly enough I was just thinking the same thing having been reading through the thread on net lending. I've never seen it used by anyone I'd exactly characterise as bright either, that's the irony.

andykn

tomterm8 wrote: »

Usage is always correct, even if it is ambiguous. If enough people use any phrase, that phrase is correct.

Er, if it's ambiguous, correct for which of the two or more possible meanings?

If I say I have a twink of bananas you may think twink means two and nicko33 may think it means three. You can't both be right.

ali-t

It's not a grammatical issue so much as just a word that makes me cringe - chillax, the most stupid word ever invented.

Generali

ali-t wrote: »

It's not a grammatical issue so much as just a word that makes me cringe - chillax, the most stupid word ever invented.

I find it quite fun. Ditto bromance.

Davesnave

I'd never heard of 'bromance' before, so I tried to imagine.....

I thought, perhaps it's where people, who'd otherwise not choose each other, are thrown together for a time and become attracted, such as on Big Brother.

I must get out more.

Generali

Davesnave wrote: »

I'd never heard of 'bromance' before, so I tried to imagine.....

I thought, perhaps it's where people, who'd otherwise not choose each other, are thrown together for a time and become attracted, such as on Big Brother.

I must get out more.

It's a couple of very close male friends who act like a couple but aren't. I used to have a friendship like that. My BiL does now.

tomterm8

andykn wrote: »

Er, if it's ambiguous, correct for which of the two or more possible meanings?

If I say I have a twink of bananas you may think twink means two and nicko33 may think it means three. You can't both be right.

Usage is always correct. A phrase that is ambiguous is always correct when used according to common usage, 'Red sky at night shepherds delight' is a highly ambiguous phrase, but most people know what it means. Take it to someone born in another country, and they will not know what it means. People born in Britain know its a prediction from before the industrial revolution, when a red sunset meant it would either be good weather the next day, or London was burning down. And, in those heady times before the marine acts, either case was good news for the shepherd who had just learned about insurance.

When language is used according to common usage, it is always correct.

StevieJ

Generali wrote: »

It's a couple of very close male friends who act like a couple but aren't. I used to have a friendship like that. My BiL does now.

That reminds me of that scene in the Family way when John Mills invites his best mate Billy on his honeymoon in Blackpool