A point of English??

[Agrippa]

galoots

That's a new one on me!

galoot = numpty, oaf, doughball, halfwit, etc

[Agrippa]

An annoying trend, usually used on tv or radio news  is "understand", used instead of "have  heard ",
such as  "We understand the car was doing 100 mph when it crashed etc".

[Agrippa]

Further annoying phrases/words, often used on the forum , is trackage
instead of track. After all you don't say I'm going to the supermarket
to buy milkage or butterage.

[deibid]

I'm going to try that... go to the local Morrisons and ask "where is the milkage love?"
Sure... it will work!

[keithfre]

An annoying trend, usually used on tv or radio news  is "understand", used instead of "have  heard ",
such as  "We understand the car was doing 100 mph when it crashed etc".

I don't have any problem with that. It's been around ever since I was a youngster and according to the New Shorter Oxford goes back to Old English: "to accept as true without positive knowledge or certainty".

[joe cassidy]

The one I hate is the use of "impact" as a verb (except for dentistry).

"Affected by" seems to have been replaced by "impacted by" in business-speak.

Best regards,


Joe

[keithfre]

The one I hate is the use of "impact" as a verb (except for dentistry).

And how about 'gift' as a verb?! What's wrong with 'donate"?

[LAandNQFan]

We have two choices; to model in N gauge or OO.
NO! that's ONE choice!!!!!!!!!!

And I would love to see the wiring diagrams of those people who think that they can have more than a pair of alternatives.   
English gives you plenty of options as it has never been embarrassed about borrowing words from other languages.  The problem arises when deciding whether a borrowing adds richness or debases what we already have.

[Zogbert Splod]

There's only two kinds of english - British and wrong! 
The only chance right, what Johnny Foreigner has right, is to speak it prop'ly like what we do 'ere. i'n'it...

Bah, humbug.....

[Newportnobby]

The problem arises when deciding whether a borrowing adds richness or debases what we already have.

Speaking of which, how come some folks say 'lend' when they mean 'borrow', as in "Can I lend a fiver?" when they actually mean "Can you lend me a fiver?"

[Sprintex]

Used to get that one a lot in school, "Can I lend your pen?". Usually met with "who do you want to lend it to?" - cue blank looks of confusion


Paul

[EtchedPixels]

The problem arises when deciding whether a borrowing adds richness or debases what we already have.

Speaking of which, how come some folks say 'lend' when they mean 'borrow', as in "Can I lend a fiver?" when they actually mean "Can you lend me a fiver?"

Not always so simple as "wrong". Geordie does that and also things like "I'll learn you" but that  at least is from the Anglo-Saxon and isn't a misuse of "learn" just the survival of an old word (Laeran) into modern times.

A lot of other "wrong according to London" English is similar. "No I didn't do nothing" for example is mirroring Celtic languages where repeated negatives are emphatic. It's just English was mashed together from languages where "I didn't do nothing" meant "I most definitely didn't do it" and those where "I didn't do nothing" meant I did something.

English it is said doesn't so much as borrow words from other languages as grab them by the throat and help itself

Alan

[deibid]

This is fascinating! I didn't know that Celtic languages had the double negative...same as Spanish, that had its good share of Celtic influence as well

[Agrippa]

Never quite figured why highly inflammable means highly flammable,
when inflexible and flexible are opposites.

[LAandNQFan]

This is fascinating! I didn't know that Celtic languages had the double negative...same as Spanish, that had its good share of Celtic influence as well

The double-negative "rule" came into modern English after the sixteenth century.  Shakespeare frequently uses the OE and ME multiple-negatives-add-emphasis form.