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Use of the the word Recollection

10 replies

PurpleKittyKnitting · 22/04/2013 20:26

Never posted in here before, but I know this will be the best place to ask!

My daughter keeps using the word recollection in one particular sentence that I think sounds wrong.

She has applied for colleges recently, one was fee paying and the only way she could have gone is if she went on a full scholarship. She was offered the place but no mention was made of the scholarship.

So, she was telling people when asked 'I was offered the place, but they made no recollection of the scholarship'

Who's right?

Many thanks!!

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prism · 23/04/2013 12:00

Personally I don't think you can "make" a recollection; you can have one, or recall something, but that's about it. "Made no mention", as you say, would do fine, or "had no recollection" of it, but making a recollection sounds a bit weird.

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PurpleKittyKnitting · 23/04/2013 19:13

Yes that is my opinion too prism!

Thanks!

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ItsYonliMe · 24/04/2013 13:41

It's "had no recollection" as prism says.

Trust your daughter is not studying English then.

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PurpleKittyKnitting · 24/04/2013 17:23

Well apparently her English says it is correct, but I suspect she just said that to try to make me think I was wrong!

She is going to be doing English Literature, and I think English Language!

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PurpleKittyKnitting · 24/04/2013 19:13

English teacher that should be!

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tungthai · 24/04/2013 21:53

You are right she is very wrong.

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prism · 24/04/2013 22:02

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think they use words in slightly odd ways just to try them out and see if they can leave their mark on the language. Well mine certainly do- Prism Minor uttered a shocking statement in genteel public the other day in a sort of Yoni context- simply to mark her place in the lexical undergrowth, I reckon.

I just hope the other grown-ups within earshot agreed

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miffybun73 · 20/06/2013 22:08

You are right and she is definitely wrong.

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lougle · 20/06/2013 22:11

rec·ol·lec·tion
noun ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən<br />
"2
a : the action or power of recalling to mind
b : something recalled to the mind" Dictionary

You can't make it, you either have it or you don't.