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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to discreetly mention that 'discreet' has a discrete meaning from 'discrete'?

146 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 30/01/2013 22:52

The one you want for breastfeeding is 'discreet.'

'Discrete' means 'separate from'.

As you were. Except for, you know, the discrete thing.

No wish to offend!

OP posts:
Bossybritches22 · 02/02/2013 08:09

ahhhhhh

Lose/Loose next on my list too Grin

Along with the sign for the lift to the Piccadilly line at Earls Court tube station

"The next lift shall be lift number 4" The nice lady recording says it too.

The person banging he head on the lift wall is probably me.

limitedperiodonly · 02/02/2013 08:16

Why, thank you apostropheuse

People who mix up disingenuous with naive. Particularly because it's always used in an insult which just makes the insulter look silly.

BoringSchoolChoiceNickname · 02/02/2013 08:19

Well done OP - that's at least 5 people on this thread converted to the cause of Rightness, not to mention all the lurkers. A good evening's work.

Do we think disinterested/uninterested needs its own thread? It's been done before but it's going to take years of dedicated work to make headway into the tide of Wrongness.

SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker · 02/02/2013 08:24

Has anyone mentioned the awful

"I'll be with you momentarily"?

or

"I feel nauseous"

I'm not one to talk though. I use irregardless and "I could care less" wantonly because they tickle me. It is even funnier when someone thinks I don't know any better and corrects me.

SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker · 02/02/2013 08:35

Oh and I live with a 12 year old grammar nazi who corrects informational signs that DH tapes helpfully around the house.

For example,

"To open door, roll back mat" (new rug was preventing cupboard door opening and trying to force it was not helping new rug stay new).

was changed to

"Before opening door, please roll back the mat" with copious use of red pencil.

DH was not amused at either grammar nazi or his mother who thought it was funny.

Perhaps he has a career as an editor ahead of him!

slouchingtowardsBethlehem · 02/02/2013 08:41

ooo this is my chance to find out:

timely

timeously

Do they mean the same thing? Can they be used interchangeably? (and that must be wrong too??? go on, enjoy yourselves and educate me)

HoratiaWinwood · 02/02/2013 09:40

I think timeously means "in a frightened way" but am ready to be corrected.

Thingymajigs · 02/02/2013 09:58

Everyone on this thread would find themselves very busy over on Reddit. There is a growing number of American adults using "on accident" "should of" "I could care less" and "than" when they mean "then".

YellowAndGreenAndRedAndBlue · 02/02/2013 10:09

You are not really being unreasonable, but .

13Iggis · 02/02/2013 10:16

Timeously just means timely or in good time I think? As opposed to timidly.
Not understanding yawn as they is very exciting stuff

13Iggis · 02/02/2013 10:17

This! This! Not they.

WilsonFrickett · 02/02/2013 10:22

Timely is at a favourable time - a timely warning - timeously is more to do with being in good time for something. Post this timeously to meet the deadline.

HoratiaWinwood · 02/02/2013 10:24

I am corrected. It seems timeous means "early enough", of which the adverb is "timeously", and timely is an adjective meaning "with fortunate timing".

So syntactically they are not interchangeable (one adjective, one adverb) and semantically there is a distinction too.

landrover · 02/02/2013 10:34

Ladies i have an item that is free or for nothing, IT IS NOT FOR FREE!!! when did that phrase start? it is so wrong!

slouchingtowardsBethlehem · 02/02/2013 21:47

thanks for enlightening me about timely/timeous - sorry my gratitude was not timeously expressed

SauvignonBlanche · 05/02/2013 12:43

Seeker, you fell for it! Grin

Thumbwitch · 05/02/2013 13:01

Horatia - you were getting mixed up with "timorously", I believe.

OP, YANBU. And I'm glad you mentioned it.

HoratiaWinwood · 05/02/2013 13:09

Thumbwitch - yes, that's the one!

I was thinking it was "wee timeous beastie" which is something quite different. Grin Blush

Thumbwitch · 05/02/2013 13:15
Grin
Thumbwitch · 05/02/2013 22:44

I want to add another one! Sooth is not the same as soothe! You soothE your baby, sooth is a noun that means truth (old fashioned) and can be mostly found at the beginning of the word soothsayer these days.

HoratiaWinwood · 06/02/2013 09:28

Thumbwitch yes! Breath/breathe on labour threads drives me loopy too.

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