Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
#18064 02/02/01 04:39 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1
K
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
K
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1
increased usage by media; acceptable?


#18065 02/02/01 05:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20
G
stranger
Offline
stranger
G
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20
No.

In anything even remotely formal, I'd be horrified. Maybe in play scripts or other forms that are trying to approximate speech, but sheesh...you gotta (!) draw the line somewhere...gs


#18066 02/02/01 07:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear Kingfisher: I am also fed up with "wannabe".wwh


#18067 02/02/01 07:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
B
old hand
Offline
old hand
B
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
Unfortunately, what the media decides to allow as "acceptable" becomes so. Yuck.


#18068 02/02/01 11:37 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
I'm gonna hafta stratein yew ot here...ya gotta no dat if it's sompin you feel strong nuf about yer gonna wanna make yer voice herd 'n stop that it's too late to change or my vote don't count crap....Yern'Merican aintcha?

Disclaimer - although I have no accent (not actually possible) there are plenty of people I know that speak as I have typed and arranged those words. There is no other way to get the whole picture (as I told the story) and "no other way" for them to communicate...

Claimer - I wrode the "L" into the Loop yesterday, and the recorded announcement clearly stated that we were approaching the Harold Washington LIBARY)! I'll bet money I could get them to change that!

#18069 02/04/01 05:58 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
N
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
When has modern written English (post Samuel J) ever resembled its spoken counterpart? I mean, when a "knight" really was a "kn-icht" things were ducky. Even Pepys must have been doing alright. But, nowa daiz? Hey, who cares as long as the spell-checker (saving Aenigma), works and I can add my own idiosyncratic spellings to the list!


#18070 02/04/01 06:27 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
I truly believe that these three words are approaching the designation of "contractions", which is exactly where "modern" American language seeks to "re-assemble" it's spoken counterpart, and should be allowed to continue to develop as American, not as English. (don't make me say it again) When lines are drawn, quite often it is viewed as a challenge to cross (as I know someone will to my using the word "exactly"). It may be more accurate to say, "draw all the lines you want, we ain't payin attention." The "media" is notorious for that.


#18071 02/05/01 12:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
N
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
In reply to:

should be allowed to continue to develop as American, not as English


The French, at least, already do consider American and English (British) two different languages (dialects?). Books translated into French are noted on the title page as having been "translated from the English (anglais)" or "from the American."

I don't think it has to do with "drawing lines," only with the normal development of languages.


#18072 02/05/01 10:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
At the risk of horrifying the onlookers, isn't attempting to establishing a normal process of language development "drawing lines" or "establishing roads to follow"?(eg. limiting the development of language to that which passes (through channels) to become part of a dictionary (certainly not limited to this example)). Possibly a change in formal syntactical theory is in order to go with the new words (perhaps not), however, the masses of people will drive, the few will read tire tracks...


#18073 02/06/01 10:52 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
N
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
N
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
I'd normally (writing colloquial dialogue) write 'going to' and say 'gonna' (actually [g@n@] with schwa), so there's no reason to make the spelling fit the pronunciation.

I'd use an alternative spelling where it was something I didn't normally contract: I use 'isn't it?' as a tag, so if I made a character say 'innit?' I'd have to write it that way.

I'm quite tempted to write 'hafta' because 'have to' just doesn't look right, and I've come across genuine cases where they contrast. Making up an example: 'the next thing I have to do'.


Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,602
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 157 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,725
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,933
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5