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The minor semantic quibble thread

ebola?

ebola?

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This thread is for discussion of minutiae of meaning and one's idiosyncratic usage thereof (including those semantic "pet peeves" that are proliferating in the wider pet peeve thread). I'll kick this off with something sufficiently irrelevant to illustrate what I'm talking about:

1. For you, does "asshole" denote malice? When I use it, it pretty much always does; I consider it a more vulgar and intensive way to say "jerk" or "prick". I've noticed others will sometimes use asshole to denote ineptitude, idiocy, ill-preparedness, or ignorance. Eg, "Yeah, I thought they'd be open before noon. Boy did I feel like an asshole when I got there." I would never use "asshole" in this way.

2. For me, "spam" always denotes unrequested solicitation (or simply self-promotion). If someone simply makes a series of terse, meaningless (or off-topic) posts, I wouldn't consider them spam per se.

ebola
 
1) I say I felt like an ass when I do something clueless but I felt like an asshole when I do something thoughtless. I'd rather be an ass than an asshole any day!

2) I have PTSD around actual Spam having been forced to consume it in the early 60's by a very frugal midwestern mom that thought it was a great source of protein. I think ingesting the stuff made me more prone to being an ass in later life but probably has nothing to do with me being an asshole when I am one.8) But, yes, in regard to the internet, I consider spam equivalent to ads, whether for a product or self-promotion.

My pet peeves are

1) using the double negative "irregardless' when the word is regardless.

2) to 'orientate' oneself rather than to orient oneself. (I have read that this back-formation is more common in everyday speech in the UK but still not acceptable in formal writing).
 
As mentioned in another thread, Ebola - there is a wealth of Australian slang (drug slang and otherwise) that can be rather annoying.

More in line with herbie's examples than yours, I cringe whenever I hear the word "normalcy" (as used by US presidential candidate Warren G Harding in 1920.
Of course, I know that language evolves, and for many US English speakers "normality" and "normalcy" are equally valid - but it reminds me of the Simpsons' "embiggens" and "cromulent" (ie if a politician or historical figure coins the term - or mispronounces a word, it suddenly gains legitimacy).
There seems to be some evidence that the word was in use before this famous "return to normalcy" speech in 1920 - in times when language conventions were less clearly and universally defined. Other examples include the difference between US and UK influences in spelling a variety if words, from colour/color to defence/defense.
These don't bother me at all, but I find the acceptance of using the word "normalcy" over the past 100 years to be quite fascinating.
I wonder if in 90-odd years people will be spouting off Bush-isms in everyday (or even formal) speech.
"You fool me once..."

A bluelight relevant example would be people's reference to "drugs and alcohol". Again, I understand to some extent why the distinction is made (alcohol is socially acceptable, whereas "drugs" [the illicit, psychoactive, not-alcohol kind] are not).
But it is a linguistic value judgement that grates on me every time I hear it.

The subtext and choice of words can reveal as much as the words themselves - the politicisation of language seems especially rife at the moment, particularly in military and foreign affairs language; "terrorist", "enemy combatant", "rebels", "rogue state" - and so forth. So much of Orwell's analysis of the language of tyranny (such as "doublespeak") has firmly taken root in how people speak.

Oh, and a final one - when people verbally say "lol" instead of simply laughing or expressing mirth in any number of other ways!
Makes me want to deliver them a swift "facepalm".
 
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Viewed solely as a food, alcohol isn't particularly good. It's rather bitter (or spicy, depending on your palate), irritates mucosal tissue, leaches b-vitamins, and is highly caloric. Really, I think that alcohol requires its special status as either an intoxicating beverage or culinary drug to shine in any way.

ebola
 
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herbie said:
1) I say I felt like an ass when I do something clueless but I felt like an asshole when I do something thoughtless. I'd rather be an ass than an asshole any day!
Click to expand...

Ah. I would call both such categories of behavior as characteristic of an ass, not an asshole, but I'm beginning to think I've been using the term improperly for quite some time.

I have PTSD around actual Spam having been forced to consume it in the early 60's by a very frugal midwestern mom that thought it was a great source of protein.
Click to expand...

Don't go to Korea: while you have PTSD, they have Stockholm syndrome from food rations during their mid-century civil war. To this day, they openly embrace spam-based gift-packs, circulating them en masse for lunar new year.


1) using the double negative "irregardless' when the word is regardless.
Click to expand...

How do you feel about "inflammable"?
...
I am hypocritically pretentious to the point that I dislike any truncation that I don't personally use. "Totes"? Nopes. "Adorbs"? Revolting. "Guac"? Disgusting.

"Agit-prop"? Yes, indeed: do I look like I have time to say "agitating propaganda"?

ebola
 
ebola? said:
Viewed solely as a food, alcohol isn't particularly good. It's rather bitter (or spicy, depending on your palate), irritates mucosal tissue, leaches b-vitamins, and is highly caloric. Really, I think that alcohol requires its special status as either an intoxicating beverage or culinary drug to shine in any way.

ebola
Click to expand...
You need to buy better bottles of wine
 
Mushrooms, hemp, cactii - the line between drugs and food is tentative at best.
But personally I consider alcohol to be a toxin to be avoided.

As for truncation, I strongly dislike being called "bro".
I much prefer the affectionate Australian use of the word "cunt" (as in "you're a good cunt").
But this word has many different implications, from offensive slur, to anatomical noun. This makes it all the more interesting to me.
However, I am not your "bro", mate.
 
When people write "there" when they really mean "they're" or even "they", I feel a deep urge to stab a pen through the eye of their hillbilly cock. I instantly know their drawling accent is to blame as they obviously do not pronounce the two words differently.

Ditto people who pronounce the letter H, "hay-ch" as opposed to "atch". It's called the Queen's English for a reason.
 
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