The English Language

[time 8,626]

 

interesting point.

 

My feeling is that with 'few' it comes down to sample size. (Sample size of, say, a dozen, a few could be any number between 3,4,5 or even six - beyond that you're into 'most' territory. Sample size in the millions, a few could number in the thousands).

Several (to me) just implies an amount greater than one, but less than the whole sample. i.e. 'some'.

 

So generally, none < few <= several <= most < all.

Your point I agree with, my pedant nature woke up from the bolded usage. Statisticians use that word for the size of an actual sample, rather than the population size, i.e. the size of the group from which the sample is taken.

 

Ah, that was good.

 

ETA: where in that unequality does 'many' fit?

 

You are correct, I should have said population rather than sample.

 

Just here-----------------------V

none < few <= several <= many <= most < all

[Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,220]

Has it REALLY come to this??

Sad times.

[YoungWillz 21,076]

Until Paul Daniels dies, yes.

[Deathray 2,941]

I think the general rule is, whoever worries about these sort of things have less/fewer than 1 girlfriend and participates in several wanks into their mum's pants drawer every day.

 

An early contender for post of the year, no doubt.

[YoungWillz 21,076]

Until Paul Daniels dies, yes.

 

Prophetic, huh?

[Lard Bazaar 3,800]

 

Until Paul Daniels dies, yes.

 

Prophetic, huh?

 

Fucking hell! Have you been poking Debbie?

[YoungWillz 21,076]

It's another Tues muse from me I'm afraid.

 

Burned vs Burnt. I had a look over the acceptability of this after seeing a trailer for a programme, I forget which one. Now, I would have thought that there are very few (see last muse) situations in which you could use these interchangeably. Apparently I'm wrong according to the Web. I would have always used "burnt" more in the descriptive way, such as "The toast was burnt" i.e. describing something that had been burned, or in a subjective way. "Burned" on the other hand to me means a more active role, such as "She took an axe to his head and burned all his clothes".

 

I am more inclined to use "dreamt" than "dreamed" though, except when singing along to the Les Miserables soundtrack.

[time 8,626]

4 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

It's another Tues muse from me I'm afraid.

 

Burned vs Burnt. I had a look over the acceptability of this after seeing a trailer for a programme, I forget which one. Now, I would have thought that there are very few (see last muse) situations in which you could use these interchangeably. Apparently I'm wrong according to the Web. I would have always used "burnt" more in the descriptive way, such as "The toast was burnt" i.e. describing something that had been burned, or in a subjective way. "Burned" on the other hand to me means a more active role, such as "She took an axe to his head and burned all his clothes".

 

I am more inclined to use "dreamt" than "dreamed" though, except when singing along to the Les Miserables soundtrack.

I'm a 'burnt' guy generally, but according to my OED (The New Edition for The 1990's), they're the same past tense & past participle of 'burn' (as in fire, not the Scottish stream). I can't think of a situation where I'd favour 'burned' of 'burnt'. Same with dreamt/dreamed.

[rockhopper penguin 2,265]

13 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

It's another Tues muse from me I'm afraid.

 

Burned vs Burnt. I had a look over the acceptability of this after seeing a trailer for a programme, I forget which one. Now, I would have thought that there are very few (see last muse) situations in which you could use these interchangeably. Apparently I'm wrong according to the Web. I would have always used "burnt" more in the descriptive way, such as "The toast was burnt" i.e. describing something that had been burned, or in a subjective way. "Burned" on the other hand to me means a more active role, such as "She took an axe to his head and burned all his clothes".

 

I am more inclined to use "dreamt" than "dreamed" though, except when singing along to the Les Miserables soundtrack.

I'm tending to feel burned out these days, but not burnt out (unless I was a car on the local estate).

PS do you keep the axe in the cellar?

[YoungWillz 21,076]

1 minute ago, rockhopper penguin said:

I'm tending to feel burned out these days, but not burnt out (unless I was a car on the local estate).

PS do you keep the axe in the cellar?

Good grief no, the prisoner guest might get a hold of it....

[time 8,626]

Quote

The picture here is of *** and I at an evening....

The above was written by an award-winning, Charterhouse-educated author of popular fiction.

A writer FFS!

 

[Toast 16,155]

I'd forgotten about this thread.

[YoungWillz 21,076]

31 minutes ago, Toast said:

I'd forgotten about this thread.

And it's Tuesday.

 

Not sure I have a Tues Muse readily available though...but the day is young!

[Toast 16,155]

The increasing use of nursery language, even by such institutions as the BBC and the NHS.

In particular - "poo", used both as a noun and a verb.

How much lower can standards fall?  I blame Mumsnet.

 

[Spade_Cooley 9,542]

As the board's resident member of the fourth estate, I've come to believe that the increased use of "poo" or "poop" in headlines is a way of internationalising coverage without having to worry about spelling it "feces" or "faeces".

[msc 18,483]

43 minutes ago, Toast said:

The increasing use of nursery language, even by such institutions as the BBC and the NHS.

In particular - "poo", used both as a noun and a verb.

How much lower can standards fall?  I blame Mumsnet.

 

 

Reminds me of Dave Allen's bit about the vagaries of English in the US.

 

"SHIT! I stood in doggy doo-doo!"

 

[Toast 16,155]

2 hours ago, Spade_Cooley said:

As the board's resident member of the fourth estate, I've come to believe that the increased use of "poo" or "poop" in headlines is a way of internationalising coverage without having to worry about spelling it "feces" or "faeces".

 

There's a good Old English alternative.  No, not that one.

Or that one.

Turd. 

[the_engineer 1,415]

The ever encroaching yankification of English . My daughter has recess now instead of break/breaktime.  Genuinely surprised by this one .

 

I've noticed candy being used more on sweets aswell.Especially now around Halloween.I'm an offender too I now use the word trash for rubbish most of the time.

[Deathray 2,941]

48 minutes ago, the_engineer said:

The ever encroaching yankification of English . My daughter has recess now instead of break/breaktime.  Genuinely surprised by this one .

 

I've noticed candy being used more on sweets aswell.Especially now around Halloween.I'm an offender too I now use the word trash for rubbish most of the time.

 

That could be down to the imported Canadian kid's TV show of that name, frequently repeated over the years. 

[Toast 16,155]

9 hours ago, the_engineer said:

The ever encroaching yankification of English . My daughter has recess now instead of break/breaktime.  Genuinely surprised by this one .

I've noticed candy being used more on sweets aswell.Especially now around Halloween.I'm an offender too I now use the word trash for rubbish most of the time.

 

Prom instead of school disco.

Vacation instead of holiday. 

[En Passant 3,743]

Americans have the winningest version of English.

 

Even my keyboard is looking at me quizzically now....

[TQR 14,408]

3 hours ago, En Passant said:

Americans have the winningest version of English

 

[msc 18,483]

16 hours ago, Kinnock said:

 

That could be down to the imported Canadian kid's TV show of that name, frequently repeated over the years. 

 

Great cartoon, that.

 

Anyhow, my school had a Recess. It was quiet "hidden" staircase area round the back of the main atrium that was oft frequented by, err, couples.

[Deathray 2,941]

44 minutes ago, msc said:

 

Great cartoon, that.

 

Anyhow, my school had a Recess. It was quiet "hidden" staircase area round the back of the main atrium that was oft frequented by, err, couples.

 

Was weirdly cancelled despite being really popular as well. 

[the_engineer 1,415]

19 hours ago, Kinnock said:

 

That could be down to the imported Canadian kid's TV show of that name, frequently repeated over the years. 

 

Just googled it but you could be right, forgot about that cartoon. 

 

11 hours ago, Toast said:

 

Prom instead of school disco.

Vacation instead of holiday. 

 

Staycation aswell.    Americans love combining things together.When it's not food it's words.