To point out that it’s sliver, not slither

Priminister · 2024-06-10T18:55:59+00:00

Sliver is a small slice of something. Slither is what a snake does. ’I had a sliver of cake’, not ‘I had a slither of cake’. ’It’s a sliver of land’, not ‘It’s a slither of land’.

Crispsandcola · 11/06/2024 18:23

Abitofalark · 11/06/2024 12:01

You are 'loosing' me with that gibberish. I suppose 'noone' cares or 'cares less'.

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I get that alot but for all intensive purposes, it really is a doggy dog world. 🐶

Original poster

Priminister · 11/06/2024 17:51

Abitofalark · 11/06/2024 15:59

Is Priminister referencing BBC interviewer Nick Robinson's habit of addressing the Prime Minister as what I always think of as 'Pry Minister'?

Yes! It always sounded like ‘Pri Minister’ to me when he said it and it amused me.

OP posts:

Abitofalark · 11/06/2024 15:59

Is Priminister referencing BBC interviewer Nick Robinson's habit of addressing the Prime Minister as what I always think of as 'Pry Minister'?

OneTC · 11/06/2024 14:50

echt · 11/06/2024 00:07

So I see, and I take your point that a word entirely unrelated to its actual meaning is now OK.

Fuck me.

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It doesn't though.

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 11/06/2024 14:38

thinkfast · 11/06/2024 12:29

Sorry OP but you're wrong! It's definitely slither not sliver.

Eg "I was nervous when I saw the snake slither."

No-one in their right mind says either sliver or slither when it comes to cake.

Eg "I'd like a generous slice with lots of icing please."

I will definitely ask for a sliver of cake. After I have had a generous piece.
"I'll juts have another silver" 😂

CoffeeCantata · 11/06/2024 13:43

And slaver and slather!

Pacifically instead of specifically. I think people just don't read these days and the literacy work in schools is somehow not exposing children to a wide vocabulary.

And RP isn't so dominant in broadcasting/acting as it once was so people hear mispronunciations of the fink/think variety and imitate them.

thinkfast · 11/06/2024 12:29

Sorry OP but you're wrong! It's definitely slither not sliver.

Eg "I was nervous when I saw the snake slither."

No-one in their right mind says either sliver or slither when it comes to cake.

Eg "I'd like a generous slice with lots of icing please."

ChessieFL · 11/06/2024 12:22

The dictionary definition is just saying that many people use the word ‘slither’ that way. It doesn’t make it correct!

ErrolTheDragon · 11/06/2024 12:21

Frostypavers · 11/06/2024 11:22

These threads crack me up when a poster comes on to be sarky about someone’s SPAG and makes a howling error in their own post without realising 😂

Seriously though, what’s to be gained by deliberately putting someone down. It’s a shit move.

Muphry's Law is usually obeyed!

Bumblebeeinatree · 11/06/2024 12:03

I've heard it used (for a tiny bit, of cake say) and didn't think it was wrong, posted the definition above, and it appears it is OK, 'informal British'.

Also in my Oxford dictionary of English, so definitely correct.

Abitofalark · 11/06/2024 12:01

Crispsandcola · 10/06/2024 23:17

Can I borrow you some advise? Just keep in mine that, for all intensive purposes, this is a moo point and, at the risk of becoming an escape goat, we're all on tender hooks but I could care less.

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You are 'loosing' me with that gibberish. I suppose 'noone' cares or 'cares less'.

SinnerBoy · 11/06/2024 11:59

username47985 · Yesterday 21:05

I've got a friend who says 'can you borrow me a tenner' rather than can you lend me.

Count your blessings she doesn't say "borrow us" !

SinnerBoy · 11/06/2024 11:57

Ozanj · Yesterday 19:59

That is definitely not a common subsitution. Only a fool would use slither instead of sliver

Well, that's the world's fool shortage crisis solved, then! I've seen it in all sorts of news sites, of late!

Bumblebeeinatree · 11/06/2024 11:55

verb

move smoothly over a surface with a twisting or oscillating motion.
"I spied a baby adder slithering away"

noun

1.
a slithering movement.
"a snake-like slither across the grass"
2.
INFORMAL•BRITISH
a sliver.
"a slither of bacon"

ASighMadeOfStone · 11/06/2024 11:51

Priminister · 11/06/2024 11:30

I said I’d seen it on here. I didn’t mention the specific thread because a) it would be twatty to do that and b) I actually couldn’t remember what thread it was anyway.

So if you or someone else chooses to tell everyone what thread it was and explain exactly how to find it, I think that rather falls under a).

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Methinks you doth protest too much.
I haven't told anyone what thread it was. I've told you that starting a thread about it was a twatty thing to do.

CecilyP · 11/06/2024 11:31

YABU, I have never noticed this but will probably be hearing it all the time now!

CammyChameleon · 11/06/2024 11:30

I think there's a time and a place to point these things out.

In your kid's homework, absolutely, an aside to a friend getting you to proofread their writing, yeah.

In a light-hearted thread, maybe.

In a thread where someone is venting and/or looking for support because their marriage is on the rocks/their kid's depressed/their mum's seriously ill etc, no they don't need you to do your best Clippy impression.

Original poster

Priminister · 11/06/2024 11:30

ASighMadeOfStone · 11/06/2024 11:10

You said you'd seen the mistake used on a thread the previous day. AS shows ONE poster made that mistake on the day you mentioned. So give over with your "it wasn't that thread".

I did report the other twatty poster who corrected the poor woman on the thread and it was deleted.

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I said I’d seen it on here. I didn’t mention the specific thread because a) it would be twatty to do that and b) I actually couldn’t remember what thread it was anyway.

So if you or someone else chooses to tell everyone what thread it was and explain exactly how to find it, I think that rather falls under a).

OP posts:

Frostypavers · 11/06/2024 11:22

These threads crack me up when a poster comes on to be sarky about someone’s SPAG and makes a howling error in their own post without realising 😂

Seriously though, what’s to be gained by deliberately putting someone down. It’s a shit move.

ASighMadeOfStone · 11/06/2024 11:10

Priminister · 11/06/2024 10:55

It wasn’t about that poster at all. I’d seen the incorrect word used somewhere on MN but it’s a common mistake I’ve seen in various places. If you’re so convinced that I’m targeting a specific poster then why not report the thread?

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You said you'd seen the mistake used on a thread the previous day. AS shows ONE poster made that mistake on the day you mentioned. So give over with your "it wasn't that thread".

I did report the other twatty poster who corrected the poor woman on the thread and it was deleted.

ErrolTheDragon · 11/06/2024 11:02

Just model correct usage on the relevant thread if you can, OP, that's much better than ostentatiously correcting people.

Although I must admit to having to sit on my hands when there was a recent thread about the usuage and nuance of 'alright' which didn't take my hint.

Original poster

Priminister · 11/06/2024 10:55

ASighMadeOfStone · 11/06/2024 10:52

Because this is a parenting chat forum, not an English lesson. I'll correct my students' English at work, because it's my job, and it's what they signed up for.

The poster that this OP is referring to had a post asking for help because of a legal issue she was involved in, and worried about. And the OP's takeaway from that was to start a thread about her English.

Calling it snarky is being too kind.

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It wasn’t about that poster at all. I’d seen the incorrect word used somewhere on MN but it’s a common mistake I’ve seen in various places. If you’re so convinced that I’m targeting a specific poster then why not report the thread?

OP posts:

OneTC · 11/06/2024 10:55

Not in our family. Proud slitherers 😎

ASighMadeOfStone · 11/06/2024 10:52

Theydogethystericalovertheslightestthing · 11/06/2024 10:10

Why snarky? What's wrong with defending correct use of language? Unless people want to remain ignorant and look stupid when they use incorrect words

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Because this is a parenting chat forum, not an English lesson. I'll correct my students' English at work, because it's my job, and it's what they signed up for.

The poster that this OP is referring to had a post asking for help because of a legal issue she was involved in, and worried about. And the OP's takeaway from that was to start a thread about her English.

Calling it snarky is being too kind.

Theydogethystericalovertheslightestthing · 11/06/2024 10:10

Hotnamehere · 10/06/2024 20:09

I hate these snarky threads.

Why snarky? What's wrong with defending correct use of language? Unless people want to remain ignorant and look stupid when they use incorrect words