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Pedants' corner

If you are talking about cake, it’s sliver; if you’re talking about a snake it’s slither!!!

29 replies

NotEnoughRoom · 20/05/2025 21:47

Don’t want to derail a discussion, so just came here to say this, and now I can focus on the actual point of the discussion.

thank you for listening. I will not be taking questions at this time.

OP posts:
IKnowAristotle · 20/05/2025 21:49

What if it's a cake in the shape of a snake?

Raspberrymoon49 · 20/05/2025 21:52

Different word but am so frustrated with ‘underlining’ it’s ‘underlying’ FFS

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 20/05/2025 21:59

Oh, gosh. This drives me mad too! I have a very intelligent and professionally qualified colleague who says slither when she means sliver.

So far I've managed to resist the urge to shoehorn 'sliver' into something I'm saying in the hope that she realises! She'd probably just think I have a speech impediment or something.

NotEnoughRoom · 20/05/2025 22:05

IKnowAristotle · 20/05/2025 21:49

What if it's a cake in the shape of a snake?

Are you asking for a small slice, or telling me it’s moving across the table?! 🤣

OP posts:
OneNewLeader · 20/05/2025 22:05

I know the difference, but I think slither sounds better. Probably because I’m more ‘slab’ than sliver.

NotEnoughRoom · 20/05/2025 22:11

I am my own worst enemy there, as despite knowing exactly which is which, when it comes to saying it out loud, I usually end up saying the wrong one.

in my defence, I do actually have a tongue tie that was not snipped as a baby, but I’m not sure that’s really a good enough excuse!

I also can’t say “schedule” as in “shed-ule”, and end up sounding very American by saying “sked-ule” - I just find it really hard to transition from the “shed” to the “ule” as a whole word. Blush so it’s easier to say “skedule” instead

OP posts:
NotEnoughRoom · 20/05/2025 22:15

OneNewLeader · 20/05/2025 22:05

I know the difference, but I think slither sounds better. Probably because I’m more ‘slab’ than sliver.

I like a good “wedge” - as my waistline will attest!

what’s the point of a sliver (or a slither) anyway? It always makes me giggle when people go “oh just a sliver, dear. Oh well, a bit more than that. No, go on, a bit more”

just have a wedge like the rest of us!

OP posts:
MyKingdomForACat · 21/05/2025 09:55

It’s like “sether” instead of sever. Grrrr

GoBetween · 21/05/2025 10:10

Or, to be even clearer: 'sliver' is a noun, 'slither' is a verb. I think the use of 'a slither of cake' is a false-genteelism by people confused by e.g. bovvered/bothered.

aredcar · 21/05/2025 10:20

I have learnt something new today

proximalhumerous · 21/05/2025 10:35

IKnowAristotle · 20/05/2025 21:49

What if it's a cake in the shape of a snake?

Does Colin caterpillar count?

WinterKitchen · 25/05/2025 11:37

proximalhumerous · 21/05/2025 10:35

Does Colin caterpillar count?

Colin's been a bad lad.

If you are talking about cake, it’s sliver; if you’re talking about a snake it’s slither!!!
Goonie1 · 25/05/2025 11:39

I’ve never asked for a sliver (or slither) of cake, ever. Go big or go home is my take on cake 😂

dizzydizzydizzy · 25/05/2025 11:41

Expresso instead of espresso is the one that makes me cringe the most.

Or, a personal trainer I used to know said 'skelington' instead of 'skeleton'

HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMyRear · 25/05/2025 11:42

Not if you want just a thin slice of roast snake.

ColinCaterpillarsNo1Fan · 25/05/2025 11:53

Ok here's my brain itching list of errors:

Should of instead of should have
Could of instead of could have
Discusting instead of disgusting
Recourse instead of resource
Draw instead of drawer
Your instead of you're
Their/there used incorrectly
Of/off used incorrectly
Ain't it instead of isn't it
Weather/whether used incorrectly

notsureonthisone · 26/05/2025 07:11

Or, a personal trainer I used to know said 'skelington' instead of 'skeleton'

Hmmm, does the PT have a Caribbean background?

Westfacing · 26/05/2025 07:19

I think it's the V that makes people think it sounds incorrect and associate it with bovver, whevver, eivver, wiv, etc.

TrolleySong · 26/05/2025 07:22

GoBetween · 21/05/2025 10:10

Or, to be even clearer: 'sliver' is a noun, 'slither' is a verb. I think the use of 'a slither of cake' is a false-genteelism by people confused by e.g. bovvered/bothered.

As in ‘That would be a teeny, tiny slither of cake for myself, Lord Sugar’?

Ugh.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/05/2025 07:24

HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMyRear · 25/05/2025 11:42

Not if you want just a thin slice of roast snake.

That still wouldn’t slither.
Jellied eels, maybe?

ThunderThighs123 · 28/05/2025 07:21

ErrolTheDragon · 26/05/2025 07:24

That still wouldn’t slither.
Jellied eels, maybe?

Surely that would be a scoop of eels?!

ThunderThighs123 · 28/05/2025 07:31

Crimes against the English language:

Pacific when meaning specific
Another think coming instead of another thing (I am right, aren't I?!)
Very unique
Superlatives where an adjective is meant: 'incredible' instead of 'attractive', 'impressive' , 'memorable' or 'unusual'

Squarepuffin · 28/05/2025 07:51

Hmm. I can be a bit of a pedant, but I'm not sure I knew that. Just as well it's not something I'd say!

MatildaMovesMountains · 28/05/2025 07:53

IKnowAristotle · 20/05/2025 21:49

What if it's a cake in the shape of a snake?

What, one that you bake with an ape on a lake?

MatildaMovesMountains · 28/05/2025 07:53

ThunderThighs123 · 28/05/2025 07:31

Crimes against the English language:

Pacific when meaning specific
Another think coming instead of another thing (I am right, aren't I?!)
Very unique
Superlatives where an adjective is meant: 'incredible' instead of 'attractive', 'impressive' , 'memorable' or 'unusual'

Another think is correct

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