Formerly we entertained a number of participants who seemed angry at everything all the time while now many of them seem absent and I am wondering if that's because of the general drop in activity

Blame it on the W.E.C. (Also called the G.E.C.) - everything else is.

Sorry Pook you'll have to spell 'em out for an old fart on the verge of senility

Formerly we entertained a number of participants who seemed angry at everything all the time while now many of them seem absent and I am wondering if that's because of the general drop in activity

Formally (nor formally but qua meaning) this is a weird sentence, Dale. It's more likely the other way around. If (just a supposition) there is a drop in activity, it might be the other way around; because the angry young men have left there might be a drop in activity. ( me no see it )

Can't have been that number of angry folk

Than the ones you're thinking of must have counted for five each.

I've had some angry at me, but thanks to the support of others
on the site, I won't let them drive me away now. I enjoy
this site and I learn a lot. If others don't then that is
their problem.

I don't mind the anger, but I do expect people to behave as adults and not personalize their wrath and/or use it to humiliate others. I see a great breadth of tolerance on this site, and that's one reason I like it so much. Flaming, whilst exciting, always claims at least one victim, and life's too short. JMHO. :0)

Nah it's just me being too cryptic.

I meant World Economic Crisis (Or is that Circus???)
(aka Global Economic Crisis)

Yes it does seem that our common love of words covers a multitude of diverse opinions on other matters.

There were times I felt it was personal, but later found out it is just this love of words
and their usage, not something directed at me personally, even in a PM. I appreciate this
very much.

Ok--I know I've been not reading posts for quite a while (this is my next-to-last category to catch up in--I'm leaving Q & A for last, fearing that I may need at least half a day for that one); would someone(s) please PM with specifics, because I am not recalling all that many angry posts in recent months?

Please do send me a PM and do NOT post them here. Please.
I would appreciate links to or quotes from (with author) specific posts.

Thanks.

Hi Jackie! I'm not sure what Dale was talking about, but I don't think it was anyone in specific, or any specific posts/PMs etc. In fact, he seemed to be saying that there is a dearth of those, quite the opposite of there being a problem. I simply put in my 2 cents. :0)

two you're quite right and incidentally if you'd enjoy further discussion on any subject whatever I am yours at dalehileman@me.com and evidently unconcerned who descries it

You too Jackie

Check the thread: Miscellaneous: Fool's gold.
And let's remember some of us may know much in the area
of linguistics, but any teacher who knows the material must
be patient with the students so they can learn. Some of us
on this site may be more knowledgeable than others, but that
means we must be patient with others. That is the way we
learn and grow. Lots of posters have left this site, because,
I believe, of the arrogance and crudity of others (open a thread and follow the discussion: see where it goes, and see where it stops.) This is
not a private site: we are all free to participate or leave
if we wish. But it is no one's right to drive others away.

Luke, I found the thread over in Weekly Themes, and posted there. Thank you for your input. Basically, two things really bother me in this setting: flat-out, unmistakable ugly behavior; and when someone has been told and told and told that something (s)he is doing is annoying (or worse), and has been asked and asked and asked to stop--and keeps on doing it anyway.

Very interesting. Especially the part about someone being
told and told and told that something is annoying. Just
like a spoiled child. Asked and asked and asked to stop
and keeps doing it. I don't want to guess, but I see
where you are going with this. Pathetic. Again, in a
classroom, I saw it all the time, so I can empathize with
you. It's a tough job you have.

O.K. But I hope not all of our bad qualities are to be confiscated here. I have no talent for sanctity. And I'd like to keep some toys too, Mr. Javan.

*****Alas Jackie I myself have repeatedly been so accused but after a couple decades at this sort of thing have concluded that somebody somewhere will object to almost anything not hewing precisely to protocol or custom. For instance, one fellow inveighs against my use of ******* to distinguish my reply while another says he doesn't mind at all but is all tied up in knots and experiencing stomach-twisting anguish where I don't use a dot to end a para

...somewhat deliniating the difference in reaction between the prescriptvist and the de-. I in fact had considered myself a pre-, suffering some distress for instance at the use of "drive" to describe a rom or a garage; or "venue" to mean causation. However why bother I finally decided, whereupon I turned in my credentials for those of a de-

Although I occasionally feign a pre- in order to provoke controversy, I am really a bad person

they were using drive as short for driveway.

Nor I, a saint, that is. But obviously Jackie has told some people to watch their P's and Q's and they
just continue to do as they please without regard to other's feeling.

Luke forgive me for asking and no affront intended but are you a girl

Contumacious: the word of the day might fit here

Contumacious a splendid type-3 thank you I shall have to remember it

Nope, Why?

Yes, Anu has a way of picking them. I love the sound of the word, just rolls off the tongue.

..as opposed to contumelious.

I have probably been the former; hopefully not the latter! Mercy, it's good to be discussing words again!

For some reason, I vaguely thought this word had something to do with swelling, but I guess not! :0)

Well I have noted oftentimes the gals take offense more easily