Words or phrases that annoy you (even if you can't explain why) . . .

[Scepticalscribe]

Here in California,
Mary
Merry
Marry
are pronounced exactly the same by the natives.

Hmm. I'm not in CA, but I thought pretty much everyone pronounced those words in roughly the same manner. How do you think they differ, practically? The macOS dictionary even shows the same pronunciation for each:


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Not Across The Pond.

While I can see (hear?) that the pronunciation of "Mary" and "Merry" may sound similar (though, where I am from, one starts with a "may" sound, and the other with a "meh" sound, which are close but not identical), where I am neither of those sound in any way similar to how "Marry" is pronounced, (the first syllable of which is stressed and which is pronounced "maa").

 

[usagora]

Not Across The Pond.

While I can see (hear?) that the pronunciation of "Mary" and "Merry" may sound similar (though, where I am from, one starts with a "may" sound, and the other with a "meh" sound, which are close but not identical), where I am neither of those sound in any way similar to how "Marry" is pronounced, (the first syllable of which is stressed and which is pronounced "maa").

Understood, but I had in mind America since I assume the poster was American. My bad for not stating that assumption. In America, the pronunciation will vary based on region. Many from some parts of the northeast pronouncing the 'a' or 'e' sound more like the 'a' in "apple" while others more like the 'ea' in "bear," but they normally pronounce all those three words in the same way.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

It's properly feb-roo-ary, not feb-yoo-ary, but most TV announcers don't seem to know that.

Around here it's Febry...

 

[adrianlondon]

Around here it's Febry...

Wow, and here I am still living in November.

 

[Gregg2]

It's properly feb-roo-ary, not feb-yoo-ary, but most TV announcers don't seem to know that.

Around here, it's "Feb-u-ware-ie"
But I was born in Feb-ru-ary.

 

[Gregg2]

sooner than later

 

[usagora]

"to wit" (meaning, "i.e." or "namely") used in casual conversation or writing, usually by the same people who casually use "said" as an adjective to try to sound super fancy. Very off-putting to me in casual contexts.

 

[Doctor Q]

Sometimes it seems that writers purposely use less common words to sound impressive, but sometimes there's an appropriate word and we should forgive them for using it.

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

I had to look up the definition. Is it just me, or do others not know that word?

 

[polyphenol]

Sometimes it seems that writers purposely use less common words to sound impressive, but sometimes there's an appropriate word and we should forgive them for using it.

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

I had to look up the definition. Is it just me, or do others not know that word?

I simply assumed it was related to mephistopheles - but the etymology appears different!

 

[usagora]

Sometimes it seems that writers purposely use less common words to sound impressive, but sometimes there's an appropriate word and we should forgive them for using it.

I'm assuming you're alluding to my previous post. In my example, there was no practical reason to use those words. It was an affectation, imo. I agree, of course, that often there's a "less common" word that has a more nuanced connotation or definition which makes its use actually meaningful.

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

I had to look up the definition. Is it just me, or do others not know that word?

Never heard that word used before in my life. I have to wonder if the writer in question actually used that word off the top of their head or went hunting for a fancier word using a thesaurus.

 

[Clix Pix]

Sometimes it seems that writers purposely use less common words to sound impressive, but sometimes there's an appropriate word and we should forgive them for using it.

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

I had to look up the definition. Is it just me, or do others not know that word?

Well, now, that's a new word for me, too! Had to look it up immediately! Next, I guess I'll also want to look up the NYT review of that film so that I can see the word used in (presumably appropriate) context. Thanks, Doctor Q, for the interesting new word!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, now, that's a new word for me, too! Had to look it up immediately! Next, I guess I'll also want to look up the NYT review of that film so that I can see the word used in (presumably appropriate) context. Thanks, Doctor Q, for the interesting new word!

And, it is also a new word for me, as well.

I had to look it up.

Years ago, as a child - for my mother did this also, dictionaries and thesaurus invariably close to hand - I was taught to immediately look up any word I encountered (and/or ask an adult, usually my mother, who loved language and the descriptive power and precision of words, and who had a vast vocabulary).

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Sometimes it seems that writers purposely use less common words to sound impressive, but sometimes there's an appropriate word and we should forgive them for using it.

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

I had to look up the definition. Is it just me, or do others not know that word?

When I was the marine technician for an island the University of PNG owned, we had a dog, called Gina.
Gina was a lovely beast, a cross-breed of Chow and Labrador common to Port Moresby.
Her diet was mostly tinned fish and rice.
She slept at the head of my bed, outside my little cabin, separated from me by fly wire.
At night, after the diet of tinned fish and rice had travelled through her innards, she would let fly with a truly mephitic gust of fermented fish and rice.
It would wake me from my slumbers, and I would yell out "Gina, Shoo!!!". You could hear the sad, betrayed footfalls of her soft feet on the wet grass, every step expressing disappointment with her master...

 

[dotnet]

Today I learned a new word: "mephitic"

I spotted it in a New York Times review of the movie "The Holdovers," which opened yesterday.

Were they trying to say the movie stinks?

 

[Doctor Q]

Were they trying to say the movie stinks?

Maybe the movie does stink, but in this case the review was referring to the fact that the plot involves a character's medical condition.

 

[Gregg2]

Interestingly, in Dictionary, mephitic is not listed as a synonym of noxious.

 

[dotnet]

 

[usagora]

Interestingly, in Dictionary, mephitic is not listed as a synonym of noxious.

It is on my Mac. Second line from bottom:

 

[polyphenol]

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An obvious invitation to resurrect the diatribes against use of the word "so". Most particularly when used as the first word in a sentence (though dated back in 2017) ...

Another day, another linguistic bugbear held up for ridicule. This time, it’s the harmless, modest, blink-and-you-miss-it word “so”. What has this innocent syllable done to offend the British public? If you have been struggling to get through to the BBC recently it’s because their switchboard has been jammed with complaints about it.

Here’s Robert from Wakefield: “I have been increasingly irritated over the last couple of years by the increasing use of the word ‘so’ when prefacing a sentence.” (I know how you feel Robert, I’ve been increasingly irritated by the increasing use of the word increasing). And Kay from Belfast: “I don’t think ‘so’ is an appropriate word with which to begin a sentence.”

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...the-problem-with-so-bbc-radio-4-john-humphrys

 

[Doctor Q]

I think "so" serves a useful purpose at the start of a sentence, when there's been no conversation for the last few minutes. You might say "So..." as way of restarting the conversation without the other person missing the next word. For example, if it's been quiet and you blurt out "Thursday it's going to rain" they might ask "Which day?" because their brain missed the "thurs" part. If you say "So, Thursday it's going to rain" then the "so" wakes up their ears and they'll be sure to hear the "Thursday."

I have a less favorable opinion of "so" used as a sentence trails off, as if the thought is incomplete or they don't want to commit to what they said. It seems to be a common habit these days. Example: "I think we should get Italian food tonite, maybe at that place on Main Street, and they have those great desserts, so...".

 

[usagora]

I have a less favorable opinion of "so" used as a sentence trails off, as if the thought is incomplete or they don't want to commit to what they said. It seems to be a common habit these days. Example: "I think we should get Italian food tonite, maybe at that place on Main Street, and they have those great desserts, so...".

I've always understood the trailing "so . . ." to simply imply there's only one obvious conclusion/decision to make based on what came before it.

Person 1: "He's not a crook."
Person 2: "Well, he did embezzle $100,000 from his company, so . . ."

And in your example, the implication is that your suggestion of where to eat makes the most sense (based on the great desserts).

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

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My grandfather would just discreetly turn his hearing aid off in such situations...

 

[LedRush]

"I think we should get Italian food tonite, maybe at that place on Main Street, and they have those great desserts, so...".

Tonite, the blasting explosive?

 

[rm5]

Formally vs formerly

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Formally vs formerly

Oh, yes, yes, yes, a fervent amen to this one.