Completely unimportant language misuses that bug you

[Peelee]

Or to use 'football' for association football?

"Stop calling it soccer over here!" - People who started calling it soccer over there.

[Rockphed]

"Stop calling it soccer over here!" - People who started calling it soccer over there.

I'm reasonably certain that the "football" moniker was adopted from the French. I have no idea what the British got in exchange, but I hope it was worth it.

[Xuc Xac]

"Stop calling it soccer over here!" - People who started calling it soccer over there.

It's obviously a British word. No American would ever have abbreviated "association" to "socca" and then spelled it with an "-er" ending.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm reasonably certain that the "football" moniker was adopted from the French. I have no idea what the British got in exchange, but I hope it was worth it.

Considering how long we've been fighting and uh... that other word beginning with f, for so long that it was probably compensation for breaking our hearts, the evil bastards.

Spoiler: context

Show

I went out with a French girl a while back, did some stupid stuff, and she Brooke up with me. Without the decency to do it to my face, and knowing that I had stopped doing it.

What makes it worse was that the last straw was uploading a picture of her to Facebook.
Which I took down as soon as she asked me to I might add. Grumble grumble evil witch.

[Peelee]

Considering how long we've been fighting and uh... that other word beginning with f, for so long that it was probably compensation for breaking our hearts, the evil bastards.

That reminds me of high school. Benedictine monks, really cool people. Anyway, the biology teacher taught us about the three F's in nature - fighting, fleeing, and mating. Funny guy.

[Rockphed]

That reminds me of high school. Benedictine monks, really cool people. Anyway, the biology teacher taught us about the three F's in nature - fighting, fleeing, and mating. Funny guy.

I'm fairly certain it is the 4 F's. You forgot "feeding".

[Peelee]

I'm fairly certain it is the 4 F's. You forgot "feeding".

Eh, high school was a while ago and bio was never terribly interesting. But yeah, you're right.

[Aedilred]

Spoiler

Show

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country that consists of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

This is the standard definition but I have become increasingly sceptical about the use of the term "country" to define the internal divisions, not least because it doesn't seem consistent with general usage elsewhere (we don't refer to Sicily or Aragon or Brittany as "countries", for instance).

Spoiler: Waffle

Show

Really I think the most appropriate term might be "region", in practical terms. As countries or states the Kingdoms of England and Scotland were each abolished in 1707 and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801. Wales had been a part of the Kingdom of England for centuries previously. Northern Ireland is, I believe, legally a "province". If Wales is to be included on the basis of the largely titular Principality then I feel there is a strong argument that Cornwall should be too.

Nor are any of the four really "nations". There is no ethno-linguistic homogeneity in any of them, even excluding 20th-century immigration from consideration: each has at least two "native" languages ("native" in this instance taken as having been spoken in the region since the creation of the UK). Culturally the Lowlands probably have more in common with the English south than they do with the outer Isles or the Shetlands; Monmouthshire more in common with Gloucestershire than with Powys, and most of rural England more in common with rural Wales or Scotland than with London. (Ironically the most culturally consistent part of the UK might be NI, but then again, lol.)

But then I fear this might be one of the curses of this country, to endlessly debate its own nature rather than doing anything useful.

And let's not even get into the status of the overseas territories or the crown dependencies...

[Vinyadan]

This is the standard definition but I have become increasingly sceptical about the use of the term "country" to define the internal divisions, not least because it doesn't seem consistent with general usage elsewhere (we don't refer to Sicily or Aragon or Brittany as "countries", for instance).

Spoiler: Waffle

Show

Really I think the most appropriate term might be "region", in practical terms. As countries or states the Kingdoms of England and Scotland were each abolished in 1707 and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801. Wales had been a part of the Kingdom of England for centuries previously. Northern Ireland is, I believe, legally a "province". If Wales is to be included on the basis of the largely titular Principality then I feel there is a strong argument that Cornwall should be too.

Nor are any of the four really "nations". There is no ethno-linguistic homogeneity in any of them, even excluding 20th-century immigration from consideration: each has at least two "native" languages ("native" in this instance taken as having been spoken in the region since the creation of the UK). Culturally the Lowlands probably have more in common with the English south than they do with the outer Isles or the Shetlands; Monmouthshire more in common with Gloucestershire than with Powys, and most of rural England more in common with rural Wales or Scotland than with London. (Ironically the most culturally consistent part of the UK might be NI, but then again, lol.)

But then I fear this might be one of the curses of this country, to endlessly debate its own nature rather than doing anything useful.

And let's not even get into the status of the overseas territories or the crown dependencies...

Italy and France are there, they use "regions" for their main subdivisions. Personally, I don't worry too much about the words, because they really are just words, and they only mean what the laws say about them. So Germany has States, Italy and France have regions, Spain has autonomous communities and cities, Portugal has districts, Switzerland has Cantons, and so on. You see it especially in Germany, where some States have slightly fancier official names, such as "Free State of Bavaria", but they aren't due to any special rights. They simply chose to call it that way. But German States have far fewer powers than American States. I mean, sure, there is a historical process behind the names, but each of these processes are unique to the countries where they took place. So the regions of Italy and France, while representing an effort towards decentralization, probably pale compared to the autonomy of the regions of Belgium.

I think that the name "country" in the UK could have come from how they used to be different Kingdoms, and then had to be referred to by something else. "Commonwealth" and "State" both sound a lot like "self-governing", while the point was the opposite. "Country" did a good job back then, since it simply meant that the regions existed from a geographic point of view and had differences between each other (like law), and eschewed any political content. Nowadays, it definitely sounds odd. Plus there is the oddity of England, which is administered differently from the other countries.

[Bohandas]

Yeah I was gonna launch into a rant about it but that is very similar to calling a thread pointless. Plus Grammar Nazis are not generally well received, so I take pity. (I almost married an educational English major)

Worse than grammar nazis are the kind of prescriptivists who go in the oposite direction and insist on the use of niche terms that haven't been universally adopted yet, and/or insist that an extant term must be retired

[Bohandas]

This is the standard definition but I have become increasingly sceptical about the use of the term "country" to define the internal divisions, not least because it doesn't seem consistent with general usage elsewhere (we don't refer to Sicily or Aragon or Brittany as "countries", for instance).

Spoiler: Waffle

Show

Really I think the most appropriate term might be "region", in practical terms. As countries or states the Kingdoms of England and Scotland were each abolished in 1707 and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801. Wales had been a part of the Kingdom of England for centuries previously. Northern Ireland is, I believe, legally a "province". If Wales is to be included on the basis of the largely titular Principality then I feel there is a strong argument that Cornwall should be too.

Nor are any of the four really "nations". There is no ethno-linguistic homogeneity in any of them, even excluding 20th-century immigration from consideration: each has at least two "native" languages ("native" in this instance taken as having been spoken in the region since the creation of the UK). Culturally the Lowlands probably have more in common with the English south than they do with the outer Isles or the Shetlands; Monmouthshire more in common with Gloucestershire than with Powys, and most of rural England more in common with rural Wales or Scotland than with London. (Ironically the most culturally consistent part of the UK might be NI, but then again, lol.)

But then I fear this might be one of the curses of this country, to endlessly debate its own nature rather than doing anything useful.

I believe the correct term is "administrative division". This use of "country" is analogous to how the USA has similarly misused the word "state" to mean "administrative division"

[2D8HP]

I believe the correct term is "administrative division". This use of "country" is analogous to how the USA has similarly misused the word "state" to mean "administrative division"

U.K. = One "state", multiple "nations".

U.S.A. = One "nation", multiple "states".

Or something like that.

Also:

A U.K. Red Deer is a U.S.A. Elk, but a U.K. Elk is a U.S.A. Moose.

I think.

A Møøse once bit my sister... No realli! She was Karving her initials on the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink"

Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretti nasti.....

[AuthorGirl]

A Møøse once bit my sister... No realli! She was Karving her initials on the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink"

Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretti nasti.....

I've seen you do this gag before, and it's really confusing. Is it a reference that I'm not getting?

[2D8HP]

I've seen you do this gag before..

Nope.

Never.

Didn't happen.

Not once.

Okay, maybe.

...and it's really confusing. Is it a reference that I'm not getting?

It may possibly, kinda, sorta, well it is from the same wellspring of comedy that the dialog in panel 13 is
from.


Also a bit related is a certain polearm emporium

[Rynjin]

Probably already been mentioned but it drives me nuts when people say "nuke-ya-lerr".

I sincerely don't understand where this comes from.

New-clear I could understand, that fits with how the word is spelled in a somewhat logical way, but what part of "nuclear" suggests there's a "u" sound in between the "c" and "l"?

PLEASE STOP.

[AuthorGirl]

Nope.

Yup.

Never.

Lies.

Didn't happen.

Yes it did.

Not once.

Lies.

Okay, maybe.

There you go! I believe it's in the current Random Banter thread somewhere.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation

[Peelee]

Yup.



Lies.



Yes it did.



Lies.



There you go! I believe it's in the current Random Banter thread somewhere.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation

We apologise for the fault in the post. Those responsible have been*sacked.

[Bohandas]

I've seen you do this gag before, and it's really confusing. Is it a reference that I'm not getting?

I think it's from Monty Python

[2D8HP]

[...]thanks for the explanation

You're very welcome.

I think it's from Monty Python

Oh where's the sport in that?

[Bohandas]

It's obviously a British word. No American would ever have abbreviated "association" to "socca" and then spelled it with an "-er" ending.

But if it was truly British wouldn't it be "soccre"? They spell the "er" sound "-re" in England, at least when it's at the end of a word.

[Vinyadan]

Probably already been mentioned but it drives me nuts when people say "nuke-ya-lerr".

I sincerely don't understand where this comes from.

New-clear I could understand, that fits with how the word is spelled in a somewhat logical way, but what part of "nuclear" suggests there's a "u" sound in between the "c" and "l"?

PLEASE STOP.

SO that's where people writing nuculear come from...

[Aedilred]

But if it was truly British wouldn't it be "soccre"? They spell the "er" sound "-re" in England, at least when it's at the end of a word.

That's only when it's a French loanword. "-er" at the end of a word is very common.

[Anonymouswizard]

But if it was truly British wouldn't it be "soccre"? They spell the "er" sound "-re" in England, at least when it's at the end of a word.

Look, it's not our fault that you all forgot how to spell when you went over that ocean. Such as believing there's no 'u' sound in colour. It's like you forgot half the language as well, you lot all seem to be unable to remember the words pavement or courgette.

As a side note, my French ex (...alright, only ex) thought it was hilarious when I corrected her use of the word zucchini. She didn't realise that the English also call courgettes courgettes.

[Fiery Diamond]

Look, it's not our fault that you all forgot how to spell when you went over that ocean. Such as believing there's no 'u' sound in colour. It's like you forgot half the language as well, you lot all seem to be unable to remember the words pavement or courgette.

As a side note, my French ex (...alright, only ex) thought it was hilarious when I corrected her use of the word zucchini. She didn't realise that the English also call courgettes courgettes.

I'll admit to not knowing the second word (does it mean zucchini, as your second paragraph indicates?) but pavement is a perfectly common word here in the USA.

[Peelee]

Look, it's not our fault that you all forgot how to spell when you went over that ocean. Such as believing there's no 'u' sound in colour.l.

Nobody here doesn't believe theres no U sound in color. But you guys were the ones who said, "let's put the letter U in the part of the word that doesn't have the U sound."

[AuthorGirl]

Nobody here doesn't believe theres no U sound in color. But you guys were the ones who said, "let's put the letter U in the part of the word that doesn't have the U sound."

You're saying that you spell it "cullor"?

[Rockphed]

I'll admit to not knowing the second word (does it mean zucchini, as your second paragraph indicates?) but pavement is a perfectly common word here in the USA.

A quick internet search shows that courgette typically means zucchini. The two terms are of approximately the same age (1925 - 1930), one being borrowed from french the other from itallian.

A similar search shows that the British often use pavement to mean sidewalk, i.e. the raised, paved verge of a road where pedestrians typically walk. It would be as sensible to complain about the elevator/lift or jumper/sweater divide.

[georgie_leech]

You're saying that you spell it "cullor"?

...No, but that is a pretty apt demonstration of how it gets said. It really is the the combined sounds of "cull" and "or," at least around where I am.

[Peelee]

You're saying that you spell it "cullor"?

Not at all. But I'm also not the one ribbing about other dialects not having a U in it.

[georgie_leech]

Not at all. But I'm also not the one complaining* about other dialects not having a U in it.


*I know it's light hearted, I just can't think of a better word for it. And there is probably a better word for it.

I like the vaguely Brittish "ribbing."