h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think echomikeromeo's post sums up everything I've always thought - or said on here.

<>

Oh yes - I had this problem continually when my children were at school. One teacher in particular often corrected things that were right. (I am English and live in Germany and my children are bilingual.) A friend of mine (Scottish and in the same situation - and she actually teaches English) would often challenge him. But this man is such a good teacher that we accepted these slipups, knowing that the children knew the right English anyway, and were getting a lot from being taught by him - more learning discipline and respect for themselves than actual knowledge.

<>

Where change in a language (specifically English) has evolved due to an awkward construction being ironed out, or simple evolution, then OK. But when a change creeps in which is grammatically nonsense, it shouldn't be accepted. But you still can't stop it. We've lived with !ain't! for centuries, and everyone knows a double negative is, whichever way you look at it, a positive, but everyone knows what is meant.

Do any other languages have "wrong" usages like this which are still accepted in everyday language? They most probably do.

<>

Good point. Dialects are a very important part of the history of languages and how we speak. Efforts to write everything down in a uniform way can only be artificial really.

A muticultural language will evolve from a multicultural society.
English language is as variable as the weather and is subject to a lingual equivalent of climate change. Look no further than the BBC and the newspapers for examples of changing attitudes and standards.
The main objective of langauge is to communicate. What you may call 'Functional English' today will more than likely become the 'Traditional English' of tomorrow.
The lingual form of Global Warming will surely evolve to a situation where the 'Traditional English' of the day will be recognised as the the Universal language of communication and understanding.

Traveller in Time trying to figure out where this thread does belong
"With the current subject I would expect it on < A2660087 >

It occurs to me functional English would be something like 'it is half twelve' where traditional English would dictate it is 'half past eleven' ?

It is one of the differences between how I learned to use this language and what I see being used. "

I feel a bit of sorrow for the French Children. They will never know the joy of eating a "hotdog".

One word still has not made it legitimately. Ain't! The Oxford while telling us what it stands for says it is not to be used, period. My Encarta says it is nonstandard. This nonword has been around longer how many generations? Still hasn't made it. My question, why does it have to be an abreviation of anything? Why can it not be it's own word? It ain't hurting anybody.

I like it because of my lack of education I don't have to worry which to say, am not, is not, are not, have not, or are not. It can be short, sweet and to the point. "We ain't got none." (Since ain't ain't a word there is no conflict usage of double negatives.) Now my more proper wife would say ---- whoops --- I think I blew another one --- more proper? Okay I'll try again. My proper wife would say. "We have none of those items."

My wife of many years, (and counting down), says there is no such word as golfing. My Oxford completely ignores it. Encarta includes it with golf and does not say it is nonstandard.

Irregardless (ignored by my UK Oxford, nonstandard in my worldly Encarta as it is a double-negative word.) I got to go. My wife is up and I don't want her eating something until she has her blood taken for testing.

Yes - the American habit of making vowles out of nouns is becoming more widespread, but as someone said - thats just the way English is.

Thats why words like Verandah are in the English language - a work crops up that fills a niche and bang - its in, regardless of original language.

English being such a barstard language means its a living language - change or die.

I'm assuming that was a mistype...thus I am going to 'correction' your error...we 'verb' nouns...

Like 'interface'? I really had to try not to laugh when my 50-something history teacher said he was going to 'interface' with the slide projector. It was so unlike him.

Vowel nouns Yes thanks

Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend
Preview is your friend

The French for 'hotdog' is 'hotdog', so French children do indeed eat 'hotdogs'...

I may kiss you on the Verandah
But your lips will do fine.

What would the lips do if you kissed anywhere else ?

In the Canadian parliament, Pierre Trudeau once described (then) opposition leader, Brian Mulroney as 'Un mangeur d'hotdogs'. Both were native French speakers (after a fashion). At the time it was quipped that under Quebec ('scuse the missing accent) linguistic purity laws, he should have said 'Un mangeur de chiens chauds.'

...Anyway...back on topic. There's a nice example of a grammatical shibboleth that was once standard English: The Grocer's Apostrophe. In the first half of the 19thC, plurals were rendered as apostrophe-s by the educated classes. Certainly Jane Austen did so, and if it was good enough for her...

Canadian French people say 'chien chaud', officially at least, while French French people say 'hotdog'.

>>>
The French for 'hotdog' is 'hotdog', so French children do indeed eat 'hotdogs'...
>>>


Hey thanks, I swan that I read it somewhere that that was one of them outlawed words. But that was mite while back and with the onset of senility I may have gotten it wrong. I was remembering it that the food was a frandfurter or something like that and American words like HotDog was non. But ifen you say they say hot dogs, well then hot ziggity hot dog.

But regardless, it is the French that outlawed the use of "B**tard" words that would destroy the purity of the language? If not, then I really am losing it. But I do feel sorry for any country that can't accept change to their language.

I mean, "the round metal cylinder with people inside" just don't cut it with "Rocket Ship."

And speaking of hot dogs, it was Ricky Nelson that used those words as an expression of joy for several years.

yes...but the Canadians also say things like icy and rubber...

>>>big round cylinder with people inside<<
...well...that definately would lead to an interesting conversation between a rocket scientists and a submarine engineer...

Finally we Americanos are catching up to the rest of the world. I do not know if this classified as anything to do with language but as of yesterday or today when I give my telephone number I will no long give it as 4-419-123-4567 but it now is 1.419.123.4567.

Now, if we can only learn to metrisize, i.e., learn the metric way of weights and measures.

*stares off into the distance is a deamy hopeful sort of way*

France didn't outlaw words like 'hotdog', 'cool' etc, how can you outlaw a word? But TPTB are trying to pursuade people to use French versions where they exist. Problem is, French people in general think speaking English is 'tres cool', so I doubt it'll work.

<>

<>

What next? Are you going to want us to use commas as decimal marks?