Addie Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 There seems to be a trend to make longer, more complicated words. Years ago, if you were unlucky your house might be burgled, now it's burglarised, and soon, I predict, it will be burglarisationalised, not by a thieving little bollox , but by a burglarisational technician. Lots of words are changing their meanings too. At the moment we're having a general election here. I find myself cursing at the radio all day long. I'm glad I don't live in the US, where the elections seem to take years instead of weeks. 'Presently' now means at the moment or currently. 'In future' has given way to 'going forward'. We have developed a 'fiscal gap' and nobody knows what that means at all. I just saw the word "religiosity" on the Beeb website. When did the BBC go over to the dark side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l33tplaya Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 I just saw the word "religiosity" on the Beeb website. When did the BBC go over to the dark side? Fo' a second, I thought you meant "the beebs." How excruciating. I keep thinking he is a politician; he certainly behaves like one. I have to second what David said re absurdity of our primary process, especially this year. This year, we had the pope weighing on on *our* election process, and we had all sorts of name calling before any primary! And one front runner regularly insults some peeps, and it only increases his popularity. Another former front runner is spectacularly unqualified to hold any government office, and I wonder if I could be a great neurosurgeon because I really want to be one? Ooops, I meant violin builder. No wait! Maker. I want to be a great violin maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfjk Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 There are "scientists of all sorts on this forum! Where are lingueists? Languages are evolving all the time, except the dead ones. The natural word would not be "stringed" but "strung". A child who never heard tthe word would use "strung" as the past tense of the verb "string", or "brung" as the past tense of the word "bring". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Russell Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 It drives me demented. Lately, the news reporters seem to have forgotten the words girl , woman and ould one. Now they're all females. Likewise boys , men and ould lads are males. So the particular species is left to your imagination. Another one got my goat the other day. I heard a female describe the Mona Lisa as iconoclastic! In my view it barely makes iconic , and would be more or less unknown if he hadn't forgotten to put the eyebrows in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Ooops, I meant violin builder. No wait! Maker. I want to be a great violin maker. Luthieproliferateur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Option1 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 ... Ooops, I meant violin builder. No wait! Maker. I want to be a great violin maker. Puts a whole new twist on "going to meet your maker." Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Luthieproliferateur. Stringed instrument engineer. They tend to be high strung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not telling Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Oxford added another meaning for "literally" awhile back. Maybe if enough hayseeds say "acrossed" that will make it into the dictionary too, and I literally believe it's possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Word usage evolves....and it's not always a 'bad thing'. How many of us still say 'shall' or 'begat' or any of a host of 'outdated' words? But in the meantime...word misuse that irks me...'heighths' and 'boyses'.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janito Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Surely one would prefer "well-hung" to "well-hinged". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlesurgeon Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 One of my favorites when perusing the auction sites, and I am guessing it's probably correct usage, is "hammered dulcimer", probably made by a hammered dulcimer builder, uh, excuse me, maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrmac Posted February 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 One of my favorites when perusing the auction sites, and I am guessing it's probably correct usage, is "hammered dulcimer", probably made by a hammered dulcimer builder, uh, excuse me, maker. "Hammered dulcimer" is indeed correct usage, so named to distinguish it from a "lap dulcimer" also called "mountain dulcimer" which is a radically different instrument. Whether the makers are hammered, I have no idea ... the players IME sometimes look as though they are ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Oh, he's hammered, for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puckfandan Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 "Hope Bernie wins over there, seems to be the best they have on offer." Politicians that promise to take money from those who have earned it and give it to those who feel entitled to it, always do well in elections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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