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Messages - mkenuk

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2116
Words / Re: English rude word enters German language
« on: July 03, 2013, 09:57:29 AM »
A good article, but the fact is that taboo words constantly change; the old religious taboo words have lost most of their former power to shock, while even those relating to sex and bodily functions (the Anglo-Saxon four-letter words) are becoming more familiar, and so less shocking, by the day.
The new taboo words - those relating to race and colour- are, on the other hand, now virtually unusable in public.  And polite society now eschews the use of  words such as 'spastic' and some others relating to physical handicaps.

MK

2117
Words / Re: Cyber update
« on: June 30, 2013, 02:53:26 AM »
Cybersex has been around for ages: 'The Demon Seed' - 1977 movie starring Julie Christie based on a piece of pulp fiction by Dean Koontz!!
 >:D

2118
Words / Re: dogtrot?
« on: June 29, 2013, 10:23:06 AM »
Just to confuse things even more, there's also the word 'jogtrot' (a slow trot). I wonder if that's common in Chi?

MK

2119
Words / Re: dogtrot?
« on: June 28, 2013, 07:19:28 PM »
The COD simply defines it as a 'gentle, easy trot' without mentioning American houses. Whatever, it's one of the words I missed too. Can't say that I'd be too upset if it were to be downgraded.

MK

2120
Say Hello / Re: Happy (belated) birthday, mkenuk!
« on: June 27, 2013, 05:08:56 PM »
Thanks to all for your kind wishes.

MK

2121
Words / Re: currencies
« on: June 27, 2013, 08:59:37 AM »
Yes, I'd forgotten the Swiss franc, of course, never having had very much cause to use them. Was thinking more of the French one. Thanks.

MK

2122
Words / currencies
« on: June 27, 2013, 02:42:38 AM »
Interesting to see that 'rupiah' the currency of Indonesia is considered common (the recent 'authorship' 10-letter game). I wonder just what the criterion is for deciding whether a currency is common or not in Chi? None of the variations of 'riyal/rial/riel' is common, but 'dinar' is. 'euro' and 'dollar' of course are common, but so are some currencies which no longer exist: 'franc' and 'guilder' for example. 'Escudo' and 'peso' are common, but the poor Thai 'baht' isn't. I'm not sure about the 'yuan' - it doesn't appear very often, neither does the Malaysian 'ringgit'

Just curious.

MK

2123
Words / Re: glutes (again)
« on: June 25, 2013, 08:37:14 PM »
I wonder why names and abbreviations for muscles cause so many problems? I remember a debate a year or so ago (in fact I think I started it) about biceps and triceps; just as well perhaps that 'ab' and 'pec' are too short to appear in Chi!

MK :D

2124
Words / Re: glutes (again)
« on: June 21, 2013, 06:52:51 PM »
At the risk of sounding as though I'm backtracking, I'm inclined now to go with the 'glute=rare, glutes=common' lobby. It seems to me that most of these 'muscle abbreviations' are used as plurals: 'abs' and 'pecs' for instance; 'glute' is an abbreviation (from 'gluteus'), and they do come in threes apparently, so let sleeping dogs lie is what I say.

MK

ps I still hate the word for costing me a rosette last year!!

2125
Words / Re: Don't animals behave ferally?
« on: June 20, 2013, 04:52:29 PM »
Sorry, Alan, I did look at the 'suggested words' list before re-suggesting 'ferally' (honest!), but, alas, I had the list set to 'actioned' instead of 'all', so I didn't see it. Apologies.
MK   

2126
Words / Don't animals behave ferally?
« on: June 19, 2013, 06:37:37 PM »
I think I suggested this word a while back, but I can't find it on the list so I'll try again.
'feral' is of course allowed as a common word, so why isn't there a corresponding adverb 'ferally'? I know that abandoned pet cats can go/turn/become feral, but surely they then start acting/behaving ferally, don't they?

MK ???

2127
Words / Re: 2 word suggestions: 6-13-13 ten letter puzzle
« on: June 16, 2013, 01:58:48 AM »
'curation' is in the COD, a back-formation from 'curator'. I tried it, but it was, of course, rejected.

MK

2128
Whatever / Re: Is this English?
« on: June 14, 2013, 09:15:51 PM »
I think it's the employee who's being described as gross, rather than the photo, and I think the gist of the story may be that this odious creature's actions and the notoriety it has brought him have led to a number of 'copycat' incidents. The story also mentions a Wendy's employee sent away for similar actions.
It was actually the last two words of the headline ('fueling trend') that had me confused - the first part is relatively straightforward.

MK

ps When I was teaching English in secondary school (high school) I used to give my students headlines such as this and ask them to rewrite them in standard English. I think they may have struggled with this one - I know I did.
 

2129
Whatever / Is this English?
« on: June 14, 2013, 10:50:03 AM »
I've just come to Chihuahua from checking emails on Y----! (a well-known e-mail service). On their home-page they display a selection of 'news' stories taken from various sources, always with a catchy little caption, designed to tempt you to read the story. I sometimes amuse myself by reading the caption and trying to work out just exactly what the story is about. Today's lead caption has me baffled, though: 'Gross fast-food employee photo leading trend'  it says.
'Duh!' to quote Homer.
Seriously, can anyone work out from those few words what the story is about? I have to ask 'Is this English?'

MK

(I did read the story, btw. Turns out to be about some Taco Bell employee who was sacked after being caught on CCTV sampling the products before serving them to customers.)

2130
Words / Re: suggestion: gules
« on: June 13, 2013, 08:33:48 PM »
Thanks Alan, everything comes to him who waits. My patience is, as you say, 'guly' rewarded,

MK :D

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