Granting I may not be fully au fait with the way our language is currently developing in the Americas, but would anyone care to comment on Mr. Wood's use of 'ingratiate' and 'reference' in an interview I was sent on his life post-LotR.

Explaining the plot of a forthcoming film:

>>After being kicked out of college, he goes to visit his sister in England whose brother-in-law is involved in this firm that is associated with or are fans of a specific team, and I get kind of ingratiated into that particular firm.<<

When asked about whether he felt he'd grown up during the making of LotR (bloody cheeky question if you ask me, but never mind):

>>It's difficult to articulate how I've changed. Other people around me would be better at referencing that.<<

http://entertainment.msn.com/celebs/article.aspx?news=152243


Bingley

I blame Don King. Or is it that I revere him? For having taken the language and shown total disdain for inflection and parts of speech, whilst nevertheless being tantalisingly close to intelligibility. I bet young Mr Wood has watched too many Mike Tyson pre-fights.

cheer

the sunshine warrior

Re: "I get kind of ingratiated into that firm ... Other people around me would be better at referencing that."

Considering Frodo's response to some other questions in that interview, notably the one below, I would argue that he displayed uncommon eloquence in coming up with that answer.

Wood: I actually did "Spy Kids" right after I finished "Eternal Sunshine." I went (to Texas) for a couple of days. It was like two days in Austin, and we filmed it. It was a blast.

Personally, I think Frodo was trying to ingratiate himself into the interviewer as an intellectual, and he thought it best to reference those around him for validation in this regard sooner than invite the interviewer to actually consult anyone. [A deft 'out' deserving of our regard, not our reproof, I would argue. But, then, a gnat is always rooting for the little guy.]

My guess is Frodo has had more experience ingratiating himself into star-struck groupies than he has had ingratiating himself into star-struck interviewers.

Conversational correctitude is not very important to a groupie.

It's not very important to a star-struck interviewer either. If his audience doesn't care, why should he?

He was just trying to use some words too big for him to handle. He probably just meant to say "integrated" and "replying to".

Dear Bingley: I would call this catachresis.I can tell what he means, but the words just don't fit properly. Yet many
idiots heard him and will copy him, alas.

Are you saying catachresis is catching, Bill? Or maybe that stupidity, like laughter, is infectious.

The world is full of copycats. (copycatachretics?)

>>I can tell what he means<<

I, for one, love a well turned odd usage. Without speaking to context, though, since I haven't read the interview, these are not examples of such. Frankly, I don't really know what he means but whatever he *may* mean is evidently of little consequence. I do have a problem, though, with lack of precision in speech and writing where the meaning is significant and it seems to me that that, whether intentionally contrived and deceptive or just plain sloppy, is epidemic.

I think jheem is right. He's just a youngster without a whole lot of eddicashun trying to sound big!

He's just a youngster without a whole lot of eddicashun trying to sound big!

Well said, Capfka.

He's a big star trying to live up to his image as a wise hobbit.

It's a tall order ... even for a hobbit.

I saw an interview with Donald Trump & his son, DT Jr., wherein Junior was asked how he felt about having been raised with such privilege. He replied talking about how great it was to have the ability to travel freely and have the opportunity for the best education, recognizing that most people don't have such opportunities. Then he said, "But at the same time there's a certain stigmata..."



Best education, my lily-white ass...

Maybe he's seen Gibson's "Passion" one too many times...

"But at the same time there's a certain stigmata..."

Yeah, I think it's the hair-doo.

Best education, my lily-white ass...

Hmmm. I think you rather hit the nail on the head. So to speak, of course.

- Doubting (always!) Thomas

You gotta love those pointed comments, doncha?

Now that I think about it--what's the difference between saying, "I ingratiated myself" and, "I got ingratiated"? Transitivity?

'I ingratiated myself' is right, and 'I got ingratiated' is wrong.

Bingley

what's the difference between saying, "I ingratiated myself" and, "I got ingratiated"?

If we held an ingratiation ceremony, you could get ingratiated, Jackie.

And I'd be happy to recommend you.

On second thought, maybe that's not such a great idea.

It could get you disingratiated before you become initiated.

words too big for him to handle
I can't help suspecting Mr.G.W.Bush of being instrumental in having (re-)started this trend..

Mr.G.W.Bush of being instrumental in having (re-)started this trend.

Yes, no argument there.

Mr.G.W.Bush of being instrumental in having (re-)started this trend

Or, at least, of having (re-)sensitized us to it.

Or, at least, of having (re-)sensitized us to it.

Is there a word for that phenomenon?

Yeah. Ignorance.

Ignorance.

Isn't it fun sneaking stuff past THEMns cause what they think we can't do?

I blame Don King. Or is it that I revere him?

Don King's elocution makes his hair stand on end.

It's too bad he can't fix his elocution as fast as he fixes his fights.

He has pretty much electrocuted elocution single-handedly with both fists flying.

If Don King could promote good english the same way he promotes his prize fights, his students wouldn't need a lawyer when they get hauled off to court.

They could beat the rap for themselves.

Don King promotes prize fights, but his fighters aren't the only ones who are taking a beating.

So is the english language.

If Don has anyone at ringside when this gets posted, I hope you will ring the warning bell.

I can take a dive as fast as anyone else, and Don won't have to pay me to hit the canvas.

Just kiddin', Don. My wings are clipped.

all those -re- words, make me think of, 'redefeat'.