English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
- Fiona1986
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I've only ever heard back, not bat in that phrase. And I've heard dishwater far more often than ditchwater.
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I used the capital letters to indicate the name of the two letters... did he say 'ch' or 'C (cee) H (aitch)' ?Eddie Muir wrote:The presenter probably said with a capital 'ch' to indicate how good the tune was in his opinion. Capital letters tend to be used as emphasis.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I think the 'dish-water' and 'off his own back' are just examples of people miss-hearing, and also not understanding the meaning, as it might be outside their personal experience, so they transfer the saying into something they understand better.
I've heard people say 'dull as dish-water' but I know its not right, and I would always say 'as dull as ditch-water'. The same goes for 'off his own back' - doesn't actually make sense to me, while 'off his own bat' is the phrase I always use.
Many sayings like this have been corrupted over the years - especially around Birmingham, I think. One that has become part of every-day usage is 'donkey's years' which actually should be 'donkey's ears', I believe, because donkey's ears are long.
I've heard people say 'dull as dish-water' but I know its not right, and I would always say 'as dull as ditch-water'. The same goes for 'off his own back' - doesn't actually make sense to me, while 'off his own bat' is the phrase I always use.
Many sayings like this have been corrupted over the years - especially around Birmingham, I think. One that has become part of every-day usage is 'donkey's years' which actually should be 'donkey's ears', I believe, because donkey's ears are long.
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
Daisy, he said 'ch', so I suppose that must mean it was meant tongue in cheek, although as 'ch' is a di-graph, I suppose some people might think it could be classified as a letter.
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- IceMaiden
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I've only heard 'ditchwater' as well.Anita Bensoussane wrote:I've only ever heard "dull as ditchwater" but I can see how "dull as dishwater" might creep in.
I've heard a couple of people say someone did something "off his own back" instead of "off his own bat" so that's another phrase that may well evolve.
Two that I see increasingly online are 'on tenderhooks' and 'a damp squid'.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I chuckle at the "damp squid" ...considering their environment I should think they are all pretty damp!IceMaiden wrote: Two that I see increasingly online are 'on tenderhooks' and 'a damp squid'.
"Tenderhooks" for "tenterhooks" is an understandable mistake I guess. People who don't read a lot must hear (or mis-hear) many words they never see written down.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I have seen the word "choon" used online to mean "tune".
I am pretty sure it is a tongue-in-cheek slang expression, people intentionally misspelling the word for fun.
I am pretty sure it is a tongue-in-cheek slang expression, people intentionally misspelling the word for fun.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
The OED gives the following definition of choon:
Origin 1990s: informal respelling of tune.
Origin 1990s: informal respelling of tune.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I used to think it was "on tenderhooks" when I was a child - and then I saw how it was written!IceMaiden wrote:Two that I see increasingly online are 'on tenderhooks' and 'a damp squid'.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I've had to look up 'off his own bat' as like I said, I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually say that.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/off-his-own-bat.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/off-his-own-bat.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One question that often gets asked on this website about the figurative expression 'off his own bat' is "should that be 'off his own back'"? Well no, it shouldn't. 'Off your own back' originated as a mishearing of the former expression. It has gained sufficient currency to be considered as a viable everyday alternative of the correct version, but purists dismiss it as a straightforward error...
The bat in question is a cricket bat and the first activity that was said to be done 'off someone's own bat' was to score runs.
The first citation of 'off his own bat' in print comes from the pen of the celebrated cricket historian and statistician Henry Thomas Waghorn, in Cricket Scores, 1742:
"The bets on the Slendon man's head that he got 40 notches off his own bat were lost."
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
I've always heard it as "off one's own bat" and figured it originally referred to cricket. Must admit I always assumed the "dull as..." was "dishwater" — well, the water you wash the dishes in is pretty dull by the time you've finished! — but "ditchwater" does make more sense, so I will make sure to say it correctly in future.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
When I was a child I heard people talking about "razing a building to the ground", I always thought they were saying "raising". Like it was some idiom, they were raising it to the ground, so not raising it at all.
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
Please help.
Taken from GAD group:
Now I have finished the translation of Leo Bruce's "Case for Sergeant Beef." Checking my translation, I have some questions, and I hope someone in this group might help me.
1) In chapter 1, Townsend call on Sgt. Beef, and Beef tells him "Hullo. I was wondering when you'd turn up. Come along in. And a happy New Year!" Actually, it was New Year's Eve that they visited Barnford to investigate their case. Do you usually say "A happy New Year!" before New Year's day?
2) In chapter 21, Mrs. Pluck replies Beef's question, "Well, if you want to know he's been funny, Very funny." To this, Townsend wrote, "This common, but curious, misuse of the language did not perturb Beef," I cannot understand what is the misuse of the language.
3) In chapter 24, I came across the following expression: "Mrs. Pluck was in the bottle and jug and wanted to see Beef most particular." What does "in the bottle and jug" mean?
Taken from GAD group:
Now I have finished the translation of Leo Bruce's "Case for Sergeant Beef." Checking my translation, I have some questions, and I hope someone in this group might help me.
1) In chapter 1, Townsend call on Sgt. Beef, and Beef tells him "Hullo. I was wondering when you'd turn up. Come along in. And a happy New Year!" Actually, it was New Year's Eve that they visited Barnford to investigate their case. Do you usually say "A happy New Year!" before New Year's day?
2) In chapter 21, Mrs. Pluck replies Beef's question, "Well, if you want to know he's been funny, Very funny." To this, Townsend wrote, "This common, but curious, misuse of the language did not perturb Beef," I cannot understand what is the misuse of the language.
3) In chapter 24, I came across the following expression: "Mrs. Pluck was in the bottle and jug and wanted to see Beef most particular." What does "in the bottle and jug" mean?
I stand with justice and the truth. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.
Learn the history. Do research.
The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
Learn the history. Do research.
The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
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Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
London.
The book was first published in 1947.
To put the questions into perspective.
The book was first published in 1947.
To put the questions into perspective.
I stand with justice and the truth. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.
Learn the history. Do research.
The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
Learn the history. Do research.
The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
Re: English Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary
1) I've never heard anyone wish a happy new year before the day, but then I'd never heard of the word 'chunes' until this week either.
2) I'd need to know more about the context of the word funny. Funny can mean amusing, as in telling jokes or playing tricks. It can also mean feeling unwell, as in someone had a funny turn, or a funny tummy. Or it could mean that someone feels that someone has been behaving unusually, perhaps being unfriendly for no obvious reason.
3) If capital letters are used for bottle and jug, it would suggest to me it is the name of a pub. I think I've heard of someone 'being in jug' when they are in jail.
2) I'd need to know more about the context of the word funny. Funny can mean amusing, as in telling jokes or playing tricks. It can also mean feeling unwell, as in someone had a funny turn, or a funny tummy. Or it could mean that someone feels that someone has been behaving unusually, perhaps being unfriendly for no obvious reason.
3) If capital letters are used for bottle and jug, it would suggest to me it is the name of a pub. I think I've heard of someone 'being in jug' when they are in jail.
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