On Thu, 2 Jan 2003 at 11:14:46, Norman Dunbar wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>
>>> English was probably my worst subject at school ( but then I am a
>>> Geordie (;-) ) however even I get annoyed at the way it gets abused ( my
>>> biggest cringe is the use of uz instead of us ) but do we not have to
>>> bear these abuses as they do become part of the language ( as it
>>> changes )
>
>My pet hate(s) are :
><Norman pet hates snipped>
Mine is the loss of 'number', 'fewer' and so on.
ie the incorrect:
'amount of people'
'less cars'
and so on. It removes meaning in many cases.
If you can count it - fewer, many, number etc
if not - much, less etc
Non-English speakers are still mainly correct.
I don't mind language developing at all, as long as subtleties of
meaning are kept. If the spoken language cannot express exact meaning,
then maybe we cannot even _think_ the meaning.
Hence the need for words like 'schadenfreude'
Bushism to beat all:
"The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur"
(pronounced, I am sure, entrepenyouer)
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