There are German and Italian Cafes. Not speaking or reading those languages, I'm not sure what goes on in them.

The intent of this thread is discussion of the English language, especially the differences between its many national dialects (Brrritish, 'Murrican, Canadian, Strine, Kiwi, what-have-you). I want it to remain lighthearted and NOT devolve into hateful name calling or the like.

Also, while I have long been tempted to start a thread for correcting the spelling and grammar of other posts, I will NOT let this thread become that either. I know that the people being corrected would not appreciate it.

Anyway, here's a little something to start off the discussion: http://www.dictionary.com/slideshows/common-mispronunciations#nuclear

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

How about Aluminium :-)

Language arts is a great thing, no matter the origin or dialect. I just don't like what social media technology is doing to it.

Sure, I may be a Luddite to some extent for not using a smart phone, but I haven't found a need for (what is for me) that trite method of communication. Social media can be fun, and I'm not against that, but so many people of all age groups seem to be using so many shortcuts in language, it's becoming like modern day hieroglyphics.

Social media, like Facebook, Twitter, etc. seems to be causing people to develop ADD style symptoms in the way they react and respond to interactions online. It makes me feel like we're going back a step in communication because of this type of social immediacy. A few words and some emoticons are taking the place of well constructed sentences.

It is what it is, and we move on, but I curmudgeonly don't like it.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Language arts is a great thing, no matter the origin or dialect. I just don't like what social media technology is doing to it.

Sure, I may be a Luddite to some extent for not using a smart phone, but I haven't found a need for (what is for me) that trite method of communication. Social media can be fun, and I'm not against that, but so many people of all age groups seem to be using so many shortcuts in language, it's becoming like modern day hieroglyphics.

Social media, like Facebook, Twitter, etc. seems to be causing people to develop ADD style symptoms in the way they react and respond to interactions online. It makes me feel like we're going back a step in communication because of this type of social immediacy. A few words and some emoticons are taking the place of well constructed sentences.

It is what it is, and we move on, but I curmudgeonly don't like it.

I largely agree with you, but I do have a smart phone. It's a great tool for many things besides social media, and even the social media itself can be useful under some circumstances. In the current political climate, however, I'm tending away from it.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

How about Aluminium :-)

Yes, that kind of thing is what this thread is about. Now get that second "i" out of there.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I do have a smart phone. It's a great tool for many things besides social media, and even the social media itself can be useful under some circumstances.

The mapping navigational ability that a Smart phone provides is cool, but other than that, I'm not interested, plus the cost of a smart phone just doesn't justify my need for it. I keep an $8 a month dumb phone in my car's glove compartment for emergencies.

Their was a fad a few years ago, called Speed Dating, and it was sort of an analogue version of today's virtual meetings online, but at least the speed dates were in person, and the talking was real, face to face. There's still nothing better than the spontaneity of speech in person.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Dating, it's one reason why I have a Cat.

Oh and I have a smart phone too, but then Mine is rooted, and firewalled, I did that Myself.

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

The very articulate people who post in Politics should join this thread; not for political reasons, but just to give some insight on how language affects everyone.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

How about Aluminium :-)

Yes, that kind of thing is what this thread is about. Now get that second "i" out of there.

Not a chance, do you propose taking the "i" out of potassium, sodium, and magnesium as well.

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The very articulate people who post in Politics should join this thread; not for political reasons, but just to give some insight on how language affects everyone.

I agree. lately all I have been hearing about is the wall. The wall to me means the one in Washington D.C. The one with 56,000 names on it. Not the wall I hear Trumpeted. (pun intended)
Hows that for words that affect people?

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[/quote]

Old James

Like like more substance in my colours and flavours for starters. :-D

I also prefer 4.5L in my gallon. ;-)

Cheers.

Like like more substance in my colours and flavours for starters. :-D

I also prefer 4.5L in my gallon. ;-)

Cheers.

Don't get me started on measurements.
Lets just say I think metric measurements are probably the best engineering and science. But for everyday usage I prefer Imperial, but will mix some times, like I might want a piece of wood 4" wide and 75 cm long.

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I'll stick with my landline and dumb phone (if the later ever gets turned on, but I do try to keep it charged just in case of emergencies).

Cheers.

I might want a piece of wood 4" wide and 75 cm long.

I think you mean a length of 4"x3" timber. 4" is the width, 3" is the depth, and as long as you want. These days it would be 2 metres of 100mm x 75mm unplanned, or slightly smaller planed. We used to buy them in 6 feet and 10 feet lengths, these days you get 2 metres or 6ft 6", or 3 metres at 9ft 9".

No I didn't. I meant a piece it of the timber I have in my hand of whatever thickness, 4 inches wide and 75 centimeters long.
And no matter what the metric sizes say you still buy 4 x 2, planed 4 x 2 never measured 4 x 2.
And my wood stockist sell 6', 8' and 10' lengths even though the advertised sizes are metric. Door sizes are still in multiples of 3", 610mm (24"), 686mm (27") 762mm (30") 838mm (33").

Sheets of ply, other wood based sheets, and plaster board (dry wall for our cousins) is mainly sold 8' x 4'.

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When I say 'somebody hit me over the head with a two by four.',
The exact dimensions are not relevant. The impact is.

Meow.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

No I didn't. I meant a piece it of the timber I have in my hand of whatever thickness, 4 inches wide and 75 centimeters long.
And no matter what the metric sizes say you still buy 4 x 2, planed 4 x 2 never measured 4 x 2.

Ok, if you meant a bit of four be two 4" wide and 2" thick, and 75cm long, why didn't you say so!!!!

Plywood sheets are usually 4ft x 2 ft (1220mm x 610 mm) or 8ft x 4 ft (2440mm x 1220mm) They don't seem to do 6ft x 3 ft these days.

If I wanted a piece of wood 4" wide I wouldn't be able to get it from a 4" x 2".

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When I say 'somebody hit me over the head with a two by four.',
The exact dimensions are not relevant. The impact is.

Meow.

roflmao

No I didn't. I meant a piece it of the timber I have in my hand of whatever thickness, 4 inches wide and 75 centimeters long.
And no matter what the metric sizes say you still buy 4 x 2, planed 4 x 2 never measured 4 x 2.

Ok, if you meant a bit of four be two 4" wide and 2" thick, and 75cm long, why didn't you say so!!!!

Plywood sheets are usually 4ft x 2 ft (1220mm x 610 mm) or 8ft x 4 ft (2440mm x 1220mm) They don't seem to do 6ft x 3 ft these days.

If I wanted a piece of wood 4" wide I wouldn't be able to get it from a 4" x 2".

Here for as long as I've been alive, it was the smaller dimension that was stated first, like 4x8 or 2x4.

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

Another 2 :-)

Either
Neither

Just thinking about inches and feet.
Why are not an inch called a thumb in english?

In many other European languages, the word for "inch" is the same as or derived from the word for "thumb", as a man's thumb is about an inch wide (and this was even sometimes used to define the inch). Examples include Afrikaans: duim; Catalan: polzada ("inch") and polze ("thumb"); Czech: palec; Danish and Norwegian: tomme ("inch") tommel ("thumb"); Dutch: duim; French: pouce; Hungarian: hüvelyk; Italian: pollice; Portuguese: polegada ("inch") and polegar ("thumb"); Slovak: palec; Spanish: pulgada ("inch") and pulgar ("thumb"); and Swedish: tum ("inch") and tumme ("thumb").