For the love of language

[J Patrick]

…I’d love to riff on this topic but she who must be obeyed says it’s time to belly up to the table and scarf down some grub….so I gotta scoot….catch y’all down the road…

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

"Jamming" used to refer to musicians gathering to play music for the purpose of improvising. Oh, my gosh, now, if we like our boutique sneakers, "WE BE JAMMIN'."

Bob

This drove me crazy years ago as a person that started out from the old school blues world. People would use the term to get together to play music that didn't have a clue how to play blues.

[Mirosh]

Visiting an alternative farm/school in New England around 1970, I helped a few of the students dig a hole. At dinner one of the staff asked me "did you spell one another?" I was dumfounded and stammered I didn't know what that was. She explained: each works for a spell while the others wait their turn. In the midwest we'd call it "take turns."

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Mirosh

Visiting an alternative farm/school in New England around 1970, I helped a few of the students dig a hole. At dinner one of the staff asked me "did you spell one another?" I was dumfounded and stammered I didn't know what that was. She explained: each works for a spell while the others wait their turn. In the midwest we'd call it "take turns."

Hmmm...
Never heard that one. What part of New England? Maine? Vermont?

[Mirosh]

Probably Vermont, maybe New Hampshire. I was college age and she was probably in her 60s - and that was in 1970.

[Lkristians]

My Bad.
Thinking outside of the box.
No Problem.

[Acousticado]

This thread is sick.

[islandguitar]

Actually, I think it's wicked good!

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Actually, I think it's wicked good!

Then we agree.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by zcregle1

My sister has a Ph.D in American Lit and has a mug that says :

"I before E - unless you leisurely deceive eight overweight heirs to forfeit their sovereign conceits"

Not an instance of words having different meanings, but the incredibly inconsistent "rules" that comprise the English language

Well, the full rule is 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' but only if the sound is 'ee'

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

Then we agree.

No, it’s dope!

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

No, it’s dope!

No, it’s lit!

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by Mirosh

The problem with "relicked" is it most obviously means "licked again." Maybe "relic'd" would be less likely to require the reader to pause and reflect. "Relic" is so firmly established as a noun, to use it as a verb is a bit disconcerting at first - but it makes sense if you hear it spoken, and it could when written - if the spelling didn't bring additional confusion.

I'll take the double lick any day! 'Reliced' is linguistically deviant - that's why it grieves me so much!

[SCVJ]

I'm picky about use/misuse of language generally, but the one example here that drives me up the wall is the almost universal use of "hog" instead of mahogany! Mahogany is a pretty word, and not hard to spell or pronounce. Sometimes words are messed with for a reason - better understanding, or some other difficulty, but I just don't get it with this one. Also, I'm tired of the overuse of "pull the trigger" regarding a purchase.

I would say I'm getting crabby as I get older, but I've always had strong opinions on this sort of thing. One of the most interesting and well-remembered classes I had in college fifty years ago was Non-Standard American English.

End of complaint, but in proofreading this post I noticed four examples of the sort of thing the post is about - picky, up the wall, messed with, crabby. I didn't use those expressions on purpose, conversational English is just full of this sort of thing. I'm sure academics have a word for it.

[islandguitar]

How bout when you're in some difficulty, you are said to be: "up the creek without a paddle"!