News:

Use a VPN to stream games Safely and Securely 🔒
A Virtual Private Network can also allow you to
watch games Not being broadcast in the UK For
more Information and how to Sign Up go to
https://go.nordvpn.net/SH4FE

Main Menu


When did

Started by H4usuallysitting, June 07, 2019, 07:49:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Holders

Quote from: RaySmith on June 11, 2019, 01:40:37 AM
Quote from: Fulham1959 on June 10, 2019, 12:53:25 PM
'Immersive' experiences (probably 'curated' just for you).  These are over-used rather than wrong. 

'Passionate', 'existential', 'evidence-based' :  all over-used, and I'm not entirely sure what 'existential' means.

'Amazing', 'awesome' :  both mean 'quite good'. 

" . . . and much, much, more" means, "We have listed everything and there is nothing else".

"Yeah, no" is often used in responses by sportspeople when being interviewed.

I've also noticed that 'question mark' is used in spoken reports, etc., when the word should be 'question'

Language is fascinating !

I think of 'existential' with a type of philosophy, Existentialism, associated with the post-war era, and the 50's, with the likes of John - Paul Sartre sitting in Parisian  cafes  drinking coffee and talking about individual freedom and the meaning of life, while smoking  strong fags, but today it just seems to mean 'existing'. An existential threat is just an existing threat, I think.

Nothing to do with Existentialist philosophy anyway, I don't think, which has confused me, and jars with me a bit.

But, as you say language is fascinating, and evolves all the time.

The tendency today seems to be to use a lot of flowery words, as you say, when simple language  would convey your meaning far more clearly. I prefer prefer straightforward, precise language. Why use existential if you just mean that something exists, for example?


I've understood an existential threat to mean a fundamental threat to the existence of something. E.g. climate change is an existential threat to the polar ice-caps.
Non sumus statione ferriviaria

RaySmith

Why not just say a threat to their continuing existence?

Holders

Quote from: RaySmith on June 11, 2019, 10:20:09 AM
Why not just say a threat to their continuing existence?

Less words?
Non sumus statione ferriviaria


Fulham1959


Holders

Non sumus statione ferriviaria

abfg

People saying yourself or myself as a polite version of me or you. They mean different things!!


ALG01

the oft used
revert back
should just be
revert
because revert back is a double negative

kiwian

You are not wrong.
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true?

LittleErn

#48
Quote from: Holders on June 08, 2019, 11:13:18 AM
Quote from: bobbo on June 07, 2019, 08:04:32 PM
I'm with you mate. I can only say we probably said an say things our parents thought the same,
Classic example my daughter , lived in OZ for 23 years now and on the deli counter sham asks can I get some cheese , prawns etc , not can I have.
VERY ANNOYING.

Precisely, like beginning replies with "so", instead of "well". That's crept in over the last few years as well and I even hear adults saying it.

Agreed wholeheartedly - to me it is condescending, as if what is about to be said follows automatically and must be self-evident. If you need time to gather your thoughts say "Well...".


Holders

Quote from: LittleErn on June 12, 2019, 11:17:26 AM
Quote from: Holders on June 08, 2019, 11:13:18 AM
Quote from: bobbo on June 07, 2019, 08:04:32 PM
I'm with you mate. I can only say we probably said an say things our parents thought the same,
Classic example my daughter , lived in OZ for 23 years now and on the deli counter sham asks can I get some cheese , prawns etc , not can I have.
VERY ANNOYING.

Precisely, like beginning replies with "so", instead of "well". That's crept in over the last few years as well and I even hear adults saying it.

Agreed wholeheartedly - to me it is condescending, as if what is about to be said follows automatically and must be self-evident. If you need time to gather your thoughts say "Well...".


Indeed.

I even saw a serious written piece today that even began with "so".
Non sumus statione ferriviaria

Fulham1959

Quote from: Holders on June 12, 2019, 11:34:34 AM
Quote from: LittleErn on June 12, 2019, 11:17:26 AM
Quote from: Holders on June 08, 2019, 11:13:18 AM
Quote from: bobbo on June 07, 2019, 08:04:32 PM
I'm with you mate. I can only say we probably said an say things our parents thought the same,
Classic example my daughter , lived in OZ for 23 years now and on the deli counter sham asks can I get some cheese , prawns etc , not can I have.
VERY ANNOYING.

Precisely, like beginning replies with "so", instead of "well". That's crept in over the last few years as well and I even hear adults saying it.

Agreed wholeheartedly - to me it is condescending, as if what is about to be said follows automatically and must be self-evident. If you need time to gather your thoughts say "Well...".


Indeed.

I even saw a serious written piece today that even began with "so".

That's a double 'even' !

There could be a great variation on the old Hughie Green Yes/No game :  the person would get gonged-out if they started a reply with "so".

I long to hear a radio interviewer say, "Before I ask any questions, could I please ask you not to start any of your replies with the word "so" ?

Fulham1959

Quote from: ALG01 on June 11, 2019, 10:42:31 PM
the oft used
revert back
should just be
revert
because revert back is a double negative

Not a double-negative.  It's 'tautology' or, as my English teacher called it, 'redundancy' :  "a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words".

Another example is "return it back" when "return" would suffice.  Actually, it's a combination of "return" and "take-it-back", so maybe not pure tautology.


Jims Dentist

We've smashed it------------AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

abfg

Quote from: LittleErn on June 12, 2019, 11:17:26 AM
Quote from: Holders on June 08, 2019, 11:13:18 AM
Quote from: bobbo on June 07, 2019, 08:04:32 PM
I'm with you mate. I can only say we probably said an say things our parents thought the same,
Classic example my daughter , lived in OZ for 23 years now and on the deli counter sham asks can I get some cheese , prawns etc , not can I have.
VERY ANNOYING.

Precisely, like beginning replies with "so", instead of "well". That's crept in over the last few years as well and I even hear adults saying it.

Agreed wholeheartedly - to me it is condescending, as if what is about to be said follows automatically and must be self-evident. If you need time to gather your thoughts say "Well...".

I was told I was condescending once. That means talking down to people.

Woolly Mammoth

Quote from: abfg on June 12, 2019, 07:34:41 PM
Quote from: LittleErn on June 12, 2019, 11:17:26 AM
Quote from: Holders on June 08, 2019, 11:13:18 AM
Quote from: bobbo on June 07, 2019, 08:04:32 PM
I'm with you mate. I can only say we probably said an say things our parents thought the same,
Classic example my daughter , lived in OZ for 23 years now and on the deli counter sham asks can I get some cheese , prawns etc , not can I have.
VERY ANNOYING.

Precisely, like beginning replies with "so", instead of "well". That's crept in over the last few years as well and I even hear adults saying it.

Agreed wholeheartedly - to me it is condescending, as if what is about to be said follows automatically and must be self-evident. If you need time to gather your thoughts say "Well...".

I was told I was condescending once. That means talking down to people.

My boss once told me I intimidate my co-workers, so I stared at him until he apologised.
Its not the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man.  🐘

Never forget your Roots.