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Pedants' corner

A character in the book I am reading just cut a 'slither' of cake. WTF???

45 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 13/06/2013 12:43

I'm seeing this everywhere. Has the word sliver just disappeared?

How on earth could a slither of cake possibly ever make sense? It's making me feel all cross.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 13/06/2013 12:45

Perhaps it was cut in the shape of a snake.

Yettish · 13/06/2013 12:47

This drives me fucking demented.

I've noticed the sliver/slither confusion extending to slaver/slather in recent years. Sad

treaclesoda · 13/06/2013 12:47

I agree, I hate this word too. I've just checked an online dictionary and the old fashioned Oxford Concise dictionary and neither of them recognise the word slither as being a slice of something.

SimoneDeBeaver · 13/06/2013 12:47

No, copyeditor and proofreader were rushed or asleep.

treaclesoda · 13/06/2013 12:48

That is, I hate the word in this context. As far as I know, slither and sliver are not interchangeable.

Yettish · 13/06/2013 12:48

'Slither' is a perfectly good word. A verb. 'Sliver' is a totally different word. A noun.

treaclesoda · 13/06/2013 12:49

ooh, I just stumbled across this in active conversations and posted, and have only just realised that I am in pedants corner. I feel I have found my natural home!

Yettish · 13/06/2013 12:49

treacle, they are two different words. Many people imagine 'slither' is a more educated way of pronouncing 'sliver'. because they are fucking idiots

treaclesoda · 13/06/2013 12:51

Grin I was pretty sure, as sure as I could possibly be, that they were two totally different words, but I felt the need to write 'as far as I know' because I have been ripped to shreds on MN so many times in the past and told that I am talking through my arse Wink.

Yettish · 13/06/2013 12:51

Haha! Mumsnet at its finest! x

IHeartKingThistle · 13/06/2013 12:53

Oh good, not just me then! It just so clearly makes NO SENSE.

Yettish I bet that's exactly what it is; that hadn't occurred to me!

OP posts:
IHeartKingThistle · 13/06/2013 12:54

Treacle, stay in Pedant's Corner - we promise not to comment on your arse Wink.

OP posts:
StUmbrageinSkelt · 13/06/2013 12:56

DH says this.

It makes me all ragey.

SauvignonBlanche · 13/06/2013 12:57

What book was it?

burberryqueen · 13/06/2013 12:58

omg i would need to stab someone if i actually read this in a book

IHeartKingThistle · 13/06/2013 14:13

A newish novel I picked up in the library - 'Homecoming' I think. Not loving it and the whole 'slither' debacle isn't helping!

OP posts:
FrustratedSycamoresRocks · 13/06/2013 14:40

Hissssss

Cooroo · 20/06/2013 13:19

SimoneDeBeaver - proofreader has probably been made redundant because everyone thinks they can get by without one these days.

IHeartKingThistle · 20/06/2013 20:50

Really? Why?

OP posts:
SimoneDeBeaver · 24/06/2013 12:54

Well, I don't know any big publishers who still employ proofreaders full-time. They've all used freelancers for years.

But as so many books are now cheaper than magazines to buy/download, the margins must be more and more squeezed, and so I suppose the pressure is on to cut corners.

However, I would bet good money in this case that it was just missed.

Moominsarehippos · 24/06/2013 12:59

I rather like the idea of a slither of cake.

IHeartKingThistle · 24/06/2013 14:16

They missed it TWICE! To be honest there is a stupid amount of cake in this book considering it's about sheep farming Hmm

OP posts:

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PipkinsPal · 24/06/2013 14:25

I love my Kindle but I get extremely apoplectic at the spelling errors and the use of would of etc. It seems there are no professional proof readers anymore Sad.

happyreindeer · 24/06/2013 14:39

I say slither of cake quite often.

ladyMaryQuiteContrary · 24/06/2013 14:42

Slither? Seriously? Wrong word. The character should eat the whole of the cake, sod the others.

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