A Viscous Attack #4

[Whosthetabbynow]

Here we are on the fourth instalment of crazy misspellings, misuse of words and all the other topsy-turvy attempts at literacy from the illiterate.
Post your observations. Lady’s the flaw is youre’s…

That’s dire-bollockall

They haven’t read the Manuel.

Kick it to the curb

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again, ‘curb’ makes more sense etymologically than ‘kerb’ for raised pavement edges as well as its other related meanings. I really do think ‘kerb’ came about as a phonetic misspelling which would have had mid 17th century pedants rolling their eyes. The folk the other side of the pond kept the better spelling in this instance. <ducks>

It might make more sense etymologically but the word used here is kerb and curb has a different meaning.

Assuming ‘here’ is the U.K. of course. I’ve lived in the US too and worked for an international company so I’m disinclined to reject US/international spellings if they’re sensible.

I meant Standard British English. Curb for kerb is not correct in British English., and use of US/International English in that context is incorrect.

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I see your curb and kerb and raise you kirb. As in, it is acceptable to park blocking someone's driveway because there's "no drop kirb!".

I work in the construction industry (in the UK) and use kerbs but it is always slightly jarring when I come across US references to curbs.

'Kirb' is a corker though!

Incidentally, it is depressing how many engineers think that the singular of radius is radii. 😡

Yes I believe I have seen this explanation before and I was wondering if anyone would point it out. Thank you ❤️

And guess what, in that early era of spelling fluidity, ‘kirb’ was used too!

Now I’ve got a question- I’m wondering if there are any accents in which curb, kerb and kirb don’t sound (near enough) exactly the same?

Double-barrowing, in a surname dilemma related post

For families with a lot of baggage?

For co-parenting where there's a lot of baggage.

I love how all of them sound in a Liverpool accent. I’m a S London cockney and when I say the words they sound flat and boring

I spotted that for the first time minutes ago, and immediately came on here to see if it had already been mentioned. I am surprised to find that it seems to have been used first on MN in 2011, when it was immediately corrected by (I can only assume) a fellow pedant. Glad it doesn't seem to have caught on much, MN is the only place I've seen it to date.

@Jaichangecentfoisdenom

I also came on to post the same thing.

The thread that it is on is certainly not one of the more light-hearted ones, so I hope that all of us pedants can just sit on our hands and let it go.

@AppleButterGutter - agreed, that's why I came to Pedants' Corner, as I needed to register my bemusement somehow, but as you say, that thread is not the place.

That will be tough to chew.

i don’t understand how the meanings are different. Kerb and curb both mean the same thing.

@trainedopossum , kerb is a noun meaning the edge of a pavement, curb is a verb meaning to restrain.

I think, at least in English English, you can use either kerb or curb as a noun for the edge of a pavement, though I don't think you can use kerb as a verb.

If you mean the King's English, curb for the edge of a pavement in incorrect, @Jaichangecentfoisdenom .

In American English, it is fine.

This is Pedants' corner. Thinking you can doesn't hold.

Have you never kerbed your alloys?