to think someone should know doggy dog makes no sense?

[Juells]

Heard someone (on TV) using this yesterday. "It's a doggy dog world". Why do people think this means anything?

Later (think it was on Antiques Road Trip) someone said they were thinking of changing tact.

My grandma used to beat her cake mixture till it reached the right constituency

Laiste although did she mean kiosk?

Kiosk?

@thecatneuterer what constituency was that? Bakewell? Kendal?

Indeed.I didn't have a clue that broderie anglaise was French when I was little. My father's mispronunciations were also passed on to me (viscount, awry) as well as local slang (cotty). Other words like halcyon I used to misread and words like hyperbole. Dressing down/gown for some reason as a kid caused confusion.
My late mother in law bless her used to say picture-squoo and uni - cue to make us laugh.
I wrote recently how I love mansplaining in French (mexpliquer) and German (herrklären) and fake news in French - les infaux. Language in all its variations and how it evolves is endlessly fascinating to me so I don't mind threads like these (even though I'd make a lousy proof reader given how long it took for me to recall enamoured and broke just then!)
Tessa Dare: 'Language was a vast, complicated tapestry. The key to communication was finding a common thread.'

@GummyGoddess Slithery, yes I think it might have been something like that, can't remember much else though.

Vasya Wed 14-Aug-19 13:54:35
When you look at younger and younger people on facebook groups for instance, it's all appalling.

This is a bit of a nonsense. There is no statistical evidence of a decline in literacy rates, and your anecdotal evidence is inevitably flawed (as all anecdotal evidence is).

It's important to consider context. Facebook isn't a place for formal essays. People are mostly typing on their phones, and posting in a casual way. Their spelling and grammar on social media isn't necessarily indicative of their skills in a different context.

It's also worth considering that social media brings a clash of cultures together. People often criticise African-American Vernacular English for being 'bad grammar' when it's actually a richly expressive dialect in its own right, with a consistent internal grammar and phonology. Because it is so expressive, AAVE creeps into popular culture and starts to be used by people who are not themselves African American. So a Facebook post might look like 'bad' grammar when it's actually just a mash up of two different dialects.

I think there is a balance to be struck between wanting to preserve linguistic integrity, and allowing creative expression to flourish.

Ok then.

We've all seen it with our own eyes. And there is a huge difference decline between people that left school the year I did and those that left 10 years later.

Ah my mum is brilliant for these and we love it 😍

Lion Balm but Tiger Bars
FMI not MFI
Mojo Awards
Snoopy dog dog
Twelve Pac
Sue She (which is actually fine out loud!)

I adore my mum - every time I hear the 'right' phrases now and when (god forbid) she's gone I'll smile at my memories of all her quirks including her 'wrong' things above.

The thing is, you don't know what you don't know. Getting really annoyed about someone pronouncing something wrong or understanding a phrase incorrectly seems petty in the grand scheme of things.

It's a waste of your energy too! As I said, if you don't know, you don't know. It's unkind to look down on people who haven't happened to had access to your education or simply haven't seen certain phrases written or said the way they are traditionally supposed to.

I think my 10+ years of very hard work and my being a good person and kind friend outweighs me only just finding out today it's meant to be "off your own bat" not "back". I find it a bit amusing and absolutely don't relate it to laziness or lack of care on my own part - it simply doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things!

Many years ago I was amazed to discover that 'Jelly Deals' were actually 'Jellied Eels'.

I've seen "taken for granite" and "Ass Purger's Syndrome" recently...

Ass Purger's Syndrome has just sent me over the edge

Bezalelle, much as I love those, they could easily be autocorrect

We've all seen it with our own eyes. And there is a huge difference decline between people that left school the year I did and those that left 10 years later.

I'm not disputing your personal experience. I'm just pointing out that you can't extrapolate the facts you're claiming from your own limited experience. Statistics don't indicate a huge difference in literacy rates today compared with those of ten years ago. Data is a more reliable indicator of the truth than your personal observations.

@Blutopia maybe something like a la que fet and she did't get it quite right?

Sorry, missing n, cat on lap is hindering typing.

I used to work somewhere with someone who constantly talked about "the elephant of risk" in relation to different financial products - cracked me up every time - maybe I should have told her? Nah!

A good example was me coming across the name Hermione for the first one when reading Harry Potter. Until Rowling included a character's line specifically to explain the pronunciation, I read the name as Hermy-own.

There was no reason for me not to - it makes perfect sense and I had never heard the name before, so had no concept of it! I was a MENSA kid. No intellectual problem or lack of respect for English, I just didn't know what I didn't know...

Also I remember thinking how horrible a teacher was at school when we read aloud and I pronounced "Persephone" as "Percy-Phone". I was lucky to go to grammar school when I lived in foster care - frankly there was NO way I'd come across that name in my life had it not been for my schooling.

She laughed at me as did some other pupils. If they were my kids I wouldn't be proud they knew the 'correct' pronunciations, I would be ashamed they were such mean spirited people!

FWIW I've gone on to run a very successful business while also not being a massive dick to people.

There are many such expressions wrongly used by thick people who have heard them but not bothered to learn the spelling (or indeed the meaning!) I find it most amusing.

What is wrong with irregardless?

@willywillywillywilly 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Just to be clear, my thoughts are in response the seemingly angry people damning a generation of 'Facebook users' and the "bloody youths" brigade.

Whereas the general sharing of misunderstandings of sayings aren't mean spirited, they're funny and sweet and most make as much sense as the originals when you think about them! and make me smile!

Mine Strone soup.

Irregardless is not a word. It's either regardless, or irrespective.

These are fantastic.

DH and I are another couple that regularly use moo point thanks to Joey Tribbiani. Because it made total sense.

@TildaKauskumholm

There are many such expressions wrongly used by thick people who have heard them but not bothered to learn the spelling (or indeed the meaning!) I find it most amusing.

Why would someone "learn the spelling" or meaning of a phrase if you don't realise it's wrong?

As I've said above I've been lucky to be well educated but would never ever look down on people and call them "thick" for not knowing what they simply don't know.

"Thick people" you find "most amusing."

You sound lovely!