words you want the writers to work into their story

[captcalhoun]

if you start regulating the language and claiming that one or other way of speaking or writing is inherently wrong, you know where you end up? France that's where. a country which is trying to ban - amongst others - email, blog, post-box, wi-fi, podcast, coach (as in sports coachs) because they're English and not French. they want people to use the corresponding French terminology... it's ludicrous...

plus, it'd never work in English since all English is bastardised French, Latin, Greek, German and christ-knows-what-else...

 

[BrotherBenny]

Should we change the title thread to English pedantries?

I'd like to see the word gibbous in a work of straight literature. The only person I've read who uses such terms is Terry Pratchett.

Though he has also coined such phrases as "events are eventuating" though whether anyone else is likely to use it is a point for another discussion.

 

[Trent Roman]

So it's a mistake for copyeditors to insist on book-perfect grammar in the dialogue of fictional characters.

Absolutely. One can argue to what degree fiction is beholden to cleave to real life, but I'd hope we're past the point of considering fiction a didactic exercise, like some kind of etiquette manual for the masses.

if you start regulating the language and claiming that one or other way of speaking or writing is inherently wrong, you know where you end up? France that's where. a country which is trying to ban - amongst others - email, blog, post-box, wi-fi, podcast, coach (as in sports coachs) because they're English and not French. they want people to use the corresponding French terminology... it's ludicrous...

It's not France alone. I've worked for the provincial ministries here in Québec, and they're very hardcore about employees using the 'proper' (i.e. plucked from thin air) French terminology for the technology related terms that have entered into use recently; so courriel instead of e-mail, téléchargement instead of downloading, etc. This, despite the fact that as far as I know, government employees and nationalists are the only people to actually use such terms. Everybody else simply adopted the English words, albeit with a French pronounciation (and sometimes conjugation, which is always funny to listen to), a long time ago.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Wowbagger]

I would like to see someone wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend, "The angels have the phone box!"

I suppose that's more of a reference than a word I'd like to see used, but meh.

 

[Christopher]

I'd like to see the word gibbous in a work of straight literature. The only person I've read who uses such terms is Terry Pratchett.

Here ya go:

http://www.bartleby.com/1000/5.html

H.G. Wells (1866–1946). The Time Machine. 1898.

Chapter V.

‘AS I stood there musing over this too perfect triumph of man, the full moon, yellow and gibbous, came up out of an overflow of silver light in the north-east.

 

[BrotherBenny]

I've read that and I didn't remember seeing that in there. It's been a few years and I don't have an eidetic memory, so I suppose that's ok.

 

[Biggshow]

A friend of mine, Amy Gardner, worked as a writing intern on the last six episodes of VOY. She was always trying to get the writers to work monkeyweasle into the script. It never happened.

I would like someone to bag, get bitten by, or mutate into a monkeyweasle.

Thank you.

And BTW, Cicero, Christopher? You're both pretty. Settle down.

 

[wew]

I'd just like to see "plethora". At my brother's wedding, a group of us wanted to go out for dinner after the reception and the hotel clerk note that a pllethora of restuarants were located around exit 16. Hadn't heard that in a while.

In regards to grammar, I'd just like to see some of my students write properly. One person writes like he speaks, unfortunately he speaks in a stilted manner and it is horrible to read.

I've also had problems with equating mathematical rules to grammar; their two different subjects.

 

[TGTheodore]

In regards to grammar, I'd just like to see some of my students write properly. I've also had problems with equating mathematical rules to grammar; their two different subjects.

Anyone? Anyone?

--Ted

 

[Biggshow]

It's too easy, isn't it?

 

[JAG]

sometimes the jokes write themselves.

 

[wew]

Guess when I've been up for 20 some hours I shouldn't be trying to type.

 

[TGTheodore]

Guess when I've been up for 20 some hours I shouldn't be trying to type.

I've been there hundreds of times. Couldn't resist, though.

--Ted

 

[trampledamage]

Guess when I've been up for 20 some hours I shouldn't be trying to type.

I've been there hundreds of times. Couldn't resist, though.

--Ted

Which is reason number one why I never criticise anyone else's spelling or grammar on the internet, because you can lay all the money in the world on the bet that I'll make a mistake in that one post!

 

[SpeedRacer]

Rootin'-tootin' and "ass dumpling" would be pretty awesome.

 

[Cicero]

I'd have suggested evanesce or evanescence, but I seem to recall one of the two appearing in The Star To Every Wandering.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Hey, they broke my watch!"

 

[Biggshow]

Hee-hee! After just watching another episode from "Get Smart", I want to read, "This is Starfleet! We don't (fill in the blank) here!" and of course, "Sorry about that" and "Missed it by that much".

OK, I thought that was going to be the end of the post but now I'm giggling like a little girl. How about...

McCoy: He's dead, Jim.
Kirk: What did he say?
McCoy: He asked me to get my knee off his chest.