Preparedness for when

Karmacat

Slipping away from language briefly

I was catching up on Mary Beard's TV series about the Roman Empire, and episode 3 really struck me. She was at Hadrian's Wall, where part of a monument is written in Palmyrene - yep, of Palmyra, in Syria. An academic at Reading University has also analysed a lot of skeletons from Roman towns (not the countryside) and found that 20-30% were immigrants, from Germany, Poland and Syria. And the Roman bloke in charge of it all was from North Africa, I think it was Algeria.

I was really chuffed which is also a word with a language issue: not a chuff chuff (a steam train) but pleased as punch (who is a puppet prone to domestic violence :eek:) ...

Nargleblast

I am sure some Americans would be shocked to hear someone say they were just going out for a fag......or that they got to bed late last night but the postman knocked them up first thing.......faggots for tea, anyone?

(Translation in case mila is out there having hysterics.....fag is slang for cigarette. To knock someone up is to knock on the door whilst they were asleep, causing them to wake up. And a faggot is a bit like a spicy pork meatball usually served with gravy and vegetables.)

pineapple

Sorry about your loss Craigy. I have an old collie and dread that moment. But try to take some comfort that he was home and not on some vets table.
Re Americanisms I once had an American lodger and quickly realised we spoke a different language! But the thing that does my head in is the use of American spellings in the UK. You can have pages of forum discussion about the TV Licence and someone will even be referring to some official correspondence but still they spell it License. :mad:
Have seen Center a few times too. I know it's sad but I can't resist pointing out the error of their ways or asking if the poster is American. Such observations will sometimes get 'disappeared' as being off topic or trolling but I can't help myself.
Don't get me started on 'cup cake'......

pineapple

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

Morning all
so why wait until 10 mins before the deadline to decide you want to vote in it..

Last minute hitherto undecided/ambivalent peeps inspired to vote Remain by the imo rigged ITV 'debate'?
Hence the 48 hour deadline extension - purely in the interests of 'democracy' of course.

jk0

Have you guys noticed many English people now say 'outside of' instead of just 'outside'?

Also, why can no-one pronounce 'schedule' any more? (Everyone seems to say 'skedule').

[Deleted User]

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

You is norty MR BEDSIT!!! but very funny too!!

I'm remembering the story Jasper Carrot told, about a time he was visiting America, and was writing an outline for a script with a pencil.

He went into a shop (store to our American friends) and asked the person behind the counter for a rubber.

The person behind the counter asked "just one :huh: "

Jasper replied "Yes. I don't make that many mistakes." :rotfl:

nuatha

craigywv wrote: »

Lynn the prince of Belfast passed away last week

Though I'm sorry to read that he's passed, I'm pleased to read it was quick and surrounded by his family.

pineapple wrote: »

Re Americanisms I once had an American lodger and quickly realised we spoke a different language! But the thing that does my head in is the use of American spellings in the UK. You can have pages of forum discussion about the TV Licence and someone will even be referring to some official correspondence but still they spell it License. :mad:

Though I object to being accused of using Americanisms, when using correct English, realize, finalize, and organize spring to mind. Though it seems anything ize or yse is assumed to be a US spelling. (Really not helped as I have to use some American spellings professionally).

Strangely several of the expressions referred to above are still common dialect usage in the North East, (and often recorded in use well prior to either US TV or Services influences).

jk0

Ah, it's interesting to see old English still used in the colonies, isn't it?

I have an African friend who says: 'The weather is not very clement.'

He also calls underpants, 'drawers'.

monnagran

I feel I am fighting a one woman battle against (wait for it tablet) NEETHER and EETHER. I know you say EETHER but I say N EYE THER . Oh. Let's call the whole thing off.

Craigywv: all of us pet owners will be feeling your pain at losing your beloved dog. Mere words won't even come near to comfort you but so many of us have been in exactly your situation.
Have you read the 'Last Will and Testament of a Loved Dog'?
It may change your mind about having another dog. It did that to me and I am just waiting to have a home of my own again to take the plunge.

Re: car owners acknowledging each other just try driving a 1930's Austin Seven.
Everyone in the world has had one, had parents or grandparents who had one or some ancestor who had one. I had lots of parts given me that had moldered away in the back of various garages for years. The father of a child in my class brought me an exhaust system but took it away again as he said that the water pipe already in situ was much more "me". He particularly liked the threaded tap end sticking out at the back.
I was always acknowledged by every garage I passed on my journey to school every day. They waved cheerily, doubtless sighing with relief that I was safely passing them by. I had limped into all of them on occasions, belching forth smoke and flames. Driving is not nearly as much fun these days.

Referendum. Sighs heavily. I read that as well as the deadline for registering to vote being extended, many people living in Europe who aren't legally permitted to vote had already registered and had, in fact, already voted. Really?

x

GreyQueen

I spoke to an elections officer this aft and asked him how he was doing. He gave a brief, slightly-maniacal laugh with a hint of hysteria. I've never met the guy, we only talk on the phone because of my job, but he's always been the epitome of calm before, even in mid-election. I'm worried about him.

OK, so the deadline to register to vote gets extended by 48 hours which requires parliamentary legislation which may be applied retrospectively. Or it may not. So it may or may not be lawful. What does this mean for the other deadlines, such as postal vote registration for voters already on the electoral rolls, which was to have been 24 hours after the closure of registration-registration?

:mad: Who the flip knows?! The election office is updating the rest of us as fast as they know but they know burger all. The grubbyment is finagling as fast as they can, obviously convinced that the johnny-come-lately crowd are all going to be youngsters who will be voting Remain.

Pretty sick-making. It's causing chaos with councils across the land, screwing up ballot printing and mailouts. The faster the work is done, the more likely it is that errors will creep in.

I'd like to smack heads against walls. It's been a barstewarding week.

Note to those nits who crashed the website; you've been on airplanes, yes? And you know what happens when you've not checked in on time? The plane is still actually there, you could, still - in theory - get on it.

But it ain't happening. They should have been told tough and you miss out this time and don't be so bliddy dippy next time out.

*and breathe*