Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > alt.usage.english > #578618 > unrolled thread

"Worse ever" or "worst ever"?

Back to article view | Back to alt.usage.english

Contents

  "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? ANTant@zimage.com (Ant) - 2016-01-02 11:31 -0600
    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Athel Cornish-Bowden <acornish@imm.cnrs.fr> - 2016-01-02 18:40 +0100
    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> - 2016-01-02 18:55 -0500
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Athel Cornish-Bowden <acornish@imm.cnrs.fr> - 2016-01-03 14:29 +0100
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter Duncanson [BrE]" <mail@peterduncanson.net> - 2016-01-03 14:37 +0000
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-03 07:36 -0800
          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Athel Cornish-Bowden <acornish@imm.cnrs.fr> - 2016-01-03 16:47 +0100
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> - 2016-01-03 12:28 -0500
    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-02 16:26 -0800
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-02 21:27 -0800
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> - 2016-01-03 05:56 -0500
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Tobin) - 2016-01-03 13:16 +0000
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Athel Cornish-Bowden <acornish@imm.cnrs.fr> - 2016-01-03 16:47 +0100
          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? CDB <bellemarecd@gmail.com> - 2016-01-03 14:09 -0500
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-03 13:38 -0800
    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-03 14:13 -0800
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-03 14:29 -0800
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-03 14:44 -0800
          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-04 16:08 +0000
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Janet <nobody@home.org> - 2016-01-04 17:13 +0000
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-05 10:17 +0000
                Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Janet <nobody@home.org> - 2016-01-05 12:39 +0000
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 14:17 -0800
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Robin Bignall <docrobin@ntlworld.com> - 2016-01-04 23:20 +0000
                Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 15:52 -0800
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-04 19:48 -0800
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2016-01-05 16:47 +1100
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Janet <nobody@home.org> - 2016-01-05 12:37 +0000
      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2016-01-04 09:50 +1100
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-03 14:59 -0800
          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-03 19:34 -0800
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 01:40 -0800
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-04 04:25 -0800
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Robin Bignall <docrobin@ntlworld.com> - 2016-01-04 23:22 +0000
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Janet <nobody@home.org> - 2016-01-04 11:01 +0000
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-04 07:32 -0800
                Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 14:24 -0800
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-04 15:53 -0800
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 16:11 -0800
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2016-01-05 16:55 +1100
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-05 04:54 -0800
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-05 04:57 -0800
                        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-05 07:27 -0800
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@verizon.net> - 2016-01-05 07:25 -0800
                        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-05 08:22 -0800
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-05 15:55 +0000
                        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-05 21:16 -0700
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-06 11:15 -0700
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-04 16:11 +0000
        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Athel Cornish-Bowden <acornish@imm.cnrs.fr> - 2016-01-04 08:11 +0100
          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com> - 2016-01-04 16:13 +0000
            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Robin Bignall <docrobin@ntlworld.com> - 2016-01-04 23:26 +0000
              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 16:30 -0800
                Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Robin Bignall <docrobin@ntlworld.com> - 2016-01-05 23:53 +0000
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Tobin) - 2016-01-06 00:31 +0000
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2016-01-06 14:15 +1100
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter Duncanson [BrE]" <mail@peterduncanson.net> - 2016-01-06 12:19 +0000
                        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Robin Bignall <docrobin@ntlworld.com> - 2016-01-06 23:09 +0000
                          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter Duncanson [BrE]" <mail@peterduncanson.net> - 2016-01-07 00:08 +0000
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter Duncanson [BrE]" <mail@peterduncanson.net> - 2016-01-06 00:38 +0000
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Janet <nobody@home.org> - 2016-01-06 13:20 +0000
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-06 08:40 -0800
                        Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? musika <mUs1Ka@NOSPAMexcite.com> - 2016-01-06 19:16 +0000
                          Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-06 11:31 -0800
                            Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> - 2016-01-06 20:28 +0000
                              Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Harrison Hill <harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> - 2016-01-06 13:20 -0800
                      Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? "Peter Duncanson [BrE]" <mail@peterduncanson.net> - 2016-01-06 19:31 +0000
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2016-01-06 00:44 +0000
                  Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? Peter Moylan <peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> - 2016-01-06 14:12 +1100
                    Re: "Worse ever" or "worst ever"? RH Draney <dadoctah@cox.net> - 2016-01-06 03:12 -0700
    "Worse thread ever" or "worst thread ever"? ANTant@zimage.com (Ant) - 2016-01-07 21:32 -0600
      Re: "Worse thread ever" or "worst thread ever"? Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman@yahoo.com> - 2016-01-07 21:07 -0700

Page 3 of 4 — ← Prev page 1 2 [3] 4  Next page →

#579398

On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
> On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
> >    
> > I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
> >    
> > 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> > 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
> >    
> > Both are normal BrE.
> 
> Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
> was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
> 
> 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
> you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
   
383m hits for "worst ever"

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579399

On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 12:54:44 UTC, Harrison Hill  wrote:
> On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
> > On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
> > >    
> > > I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
> > >    
> > > 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> > > 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
> > >    
> > > Both are normal BrE.
> > 
> > Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
> > was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
> > 
> > 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
> > you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
>    
> 383m hits for "worst ever"
   
I didn't mean to send that. It is completely wrong. And I accept that
you and PTD are completely right :)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579423

On Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 7:57:07 AM UTC-5, Harrison Hill wrote:
> On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 12:54:44 UTC, Harrison Hill  wrote:
> > On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
> > > On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
  
> > > > I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:    
> > > > 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> > > > 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."  
> > > > Both are normal BrE. 
> > > Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
> > > was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
> > > 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
> > > you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".  
> > 383m hits for "worst ever"
>    
> I didn't mean to send that. It is completely wrong. And I accept that
> you and PTD are completely right :)

What's wrong about it? (Except probably using a raw Google number.)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579422

On Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 7:54:44 AM UTC-5, Harrison Hill wrote:
> On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
> > On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
> > >    
> > > I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
> > >    
> > > 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> > > 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
> > >    
> > > Both are normal BrE.
> > 
> > Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
> > was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
> > 
> > 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
> > you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
>    
> 383m hits for "worst ever"

(sounds like a raw Google number)

Has anyone suggested there's anything wrong with "worst ever"?

No. What does not occur is "worse ever" in the context of "worst ever."

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579435

On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 15:25:59 UTC, Peter T. Daniels  wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 7:54:44 AM UTC-5, Harrison Hill wrote:
> > On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
> > > On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
> > > >    
> > > > I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
> > > >    
> > > > 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> > > > 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
> > > >    
> > > > Both are normal BrE.
> > > 
> > > Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
> > > was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
> > > 
> > > 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
> > > you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
> >    
> > 383m hits for "worst ever"
> 
> (sounds like a raw Google number)
> 
> Has anyone suggested there's anything wrong with "worst ever"?
> 
> No. What does not occur is "worse ever" in the context of "worst ever."
    
380m hits for "worst ever" is wrong. I accept that you and Peter are
right; and that "worse ever" is wrong.
   
How about you with "Come on you reds"?

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579433

On 05/01/2016 12:54, Harrison Hill wrote:
> On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
>> On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>
>>> I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
>>>
>>> 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
>>> 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
>>>
>>> Both are normal BrE.
>>
>> Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
>> was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
>>
>> 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
>> you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
>
> 383m hits for "worst ever"
>

In that exact phrase, or with another word in between? I've often seen
it written as "Worst. <something>. Ever." - apparently (though I'm
prepared to be corrected) originated by the Comic Book Guy in 'The
Simpsons'.
-- 
Gordon Davie
Edinburgh, Scotland

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579560

On 1/5/16 8:55 AM, GordonD wrote:
> On 05/01/2016 12:54, Harrison Hill wrote:
>> On Tuesday, 5 January 2016 05:55:12 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
>>> On 2016-Jan-05 09:24, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
>>>>
>>>> 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
>>>> 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
>>>>
>>>> Both are normal BrE.
>>>
>>> Your 1) is roughly equivalent to "Can you nominate a time when the luck
>>> was worse than it is now?". You're comparing two things: then and now.
>>>
>>> 2) is an idiom that is harder to explain. This, however, does not give
>>> you an excuse to use "worse" where everyone else uses "worst".
>>
>> 383m hits for "worst ever"
>>
>
> In that exact phrase, or with another word in between? I've often seen
> it written as "Worst. <something>. Ever." - apparently (though I'm
> prepared to be corrected) originated by the Comic Book Guy in 'The
> Simpsons'.

There's a trend to move "ever" to the spot between superlatives (and the 
like) and nouns.  COCA results:

worst ever [noun]: 7
worst-ever [noun]: 2
worst [noun] ever: 315
worst [punc] [noun] [punc] ever: 1

It's clearer with "first" in a more up-to-date corpus, namely Wikipedia:

first ever [noun]: 8725
first [noun] ever: 6565

-- 
Jerry Friedman

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579740

On 1/4/16 3:24 PM, Harrison Hill wrote:
> On Monday, 4 January 2016 15:32:53 UTC, Jerry Friedman  wrote:
>> On Monday, January 4, 2016 at 6:01:57 AM UTC-5, Janet wrote:
>>> In article <f0fb630b-8ecc-4cf5-81ab-18b33d99b9f2@googlegroups.com>,
>>> grammatim@verizon.net says...
>>>>
>>>> On Sunday, January 3, 2016 at 5:59:07 PM UTC-5, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>>> On Sunday, 3 January 2016 22:50:50 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
>>>>>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>>>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>>>>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>>>>
>>>>>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>>>>>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>>>>
>>>> The s is otiose.
>>>>
>>>>>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>>>>>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>>>>>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>>>>>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>>>>>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>>>>>
>>>>> We have a stock phrase in both Estuary and County: "Worse luck!"
>>>>>
>>>>> "I didn't win the lottery this week, worse luck!"
>>>>
>>>> There's no "ever" there, nor is one possible. (Don't move the goalposts.)
>>>
>>>    I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck.
>>
>> What you'd need is "I haven't won anything like that ever, worse luck."
>>
>> Or "...she was as /friendly/ as ever - worse luck !"
>>
>> /The Mc Veys (an Episode)/ (1888), by Joseph Kirkland.  The problem with
>> "friendly" seems to be that it's not "amorous".
>>
>> By the way, there are hits on "Was there ever worse luck?"
>
> I am losing touch with reality in this thread. What is wrong with:
>
> 1) "Was there ever worse luck?"
> 2) "I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck."
>
> Both are normal BrE.

I see I switched for no reason from "worse ever" to "ever worse".

-- 
Jerry Friedman

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579108

On 04/01/2016 11:01, Janet wrote:
> In article <f0fb630b-8ecc-4cf5-81ab-18b33d99b9f2@googlegroups.com>,
> grammatim@verizon.net says...
>>
>> On Sunday, January 3, 2016 at 5:59:07 PM UTC-5, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>> On Sunday, 3 January 2016 22:50:50 UTC, Peter Moylan  wrote:
>>>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>>
>>>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>>>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>>>>>
>>>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>>
>> The s is otiose.
>>
>>>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>>>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>>>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>>>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>>>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>>>
>>> We have a stock phrase in both Estuary and County: "Worse luck!"
>>>
>>> "I didn't win the lottery this week, worse luck!"
>>
>> There's no "ever" there, nor is one possible. (Don't move the goalposts.)
>
>    I have never ever won the lottery, worse luck.

I did (well, five numbers), so your luck is worse than mine.

(Only about £1,450 since you ask.)
-- 
Gordon Davie
Edinburgh, Scotland

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579032

On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:

> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>> 
>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>> 
>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>> 
>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>> compares with the "worst ever".
> 
> That doesn't sound like English to me.

Nor to me.


-- 
athel

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579109

On 04/01/2016 07:11, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
> On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:
>
>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>>>
>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>>>
>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>>>
>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>>
>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>
> Nor to me.
>
>

Me three. If you're restricting it to the previous two or three years
then it's not *ever*.
-- 
Gordon Davie
Edinburgh, Scotland

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579235

On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:13:32 +0000, GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com>
wrote:

>On 04/01/2016 07:11, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>> On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:
>>
>>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>>>>
>>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>>>>
>>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>>>>
>>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>>>
>>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>>
>> Nor to me.
>>
>>
>
>Me three. If you're restricting it to the previous two or three years
>then it's not *ever*.

Is Harrison's English getting worse?
-- 
Robin Bignall
Herts, England (BrE)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579255

On Monday, 4 January 2016 23:26:18 UTC, Robin Bignall  wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:13:32 +0000, GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com>
> wrote:
> 
> >On 04/01/2016 07:11, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
> >> On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:
> >>
> >>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
> >>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
> >>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
> >>>>
> >>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
> >>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
> >>>>
> >>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
> >>>>
> >>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
> >>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
> >>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
> >>>> compares with the "worst ever".
> >>>
> >>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
> >>
> >> Nor to me.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Me three. If you're restricting it to the previous two or three years
> >then it's not *ever*.
> 
> Is Harrison's English getting worse?
   
My mother wouldn't allow that: "becoming" :)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579524

On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:30:01 -0800 (PST), Harrison Hill
<harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Monday, 4 January 2016 23:26:18 UTC, Robin Bignall  wrote:
>> On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:13:32 +0000, GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>> >On 04/01/2016 07:11, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>> >> On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:
>> >>
>> >>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>> >>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>> >>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>> >>>>
>> >>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>> >>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>> >>>>
>> >>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>> >>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>> >>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>> >>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>> >>>
>> >>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>> >>
>> >> Nor to me.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >Me three. If you're restricting it to the previous two or three years
>> >then it's not *ever*.
>> 
>> Is Harrison's English getting worse?
>   
>My mother wouldn't allow that: "becoming" :)

Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
the time.  I remember Mr Hoggart, our English master, telling us that
there were other verbs that we should use.  "What's a verb?" piped up a
voice from the back of the class. "A doing word", explained teach, which
caused a snigger, for doing was a synonym for having sexual intercourse.
-- 
Robin Bignall
Herts, England (BrE)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579529

In article <9elo8bhfs58v5bk31mmhgif06tbasdu5ak@4ax.com>,
Robin Bignall  <docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>the time.

We got told off for it too, but I never got the point of it.

-- Richard

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579548

On 2016-Jan-06 11:31, Richard Tobin wrote:
> In article <9elo8bhfs58v5bk31mmhgif06tbasdu5ak@4ax.com>,
> Robin Bignall  <docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> 
>> Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>> the time.
> 
> We got told off for it too, but I never got the point of it.

+1. And I've met other people with the same reaction.

It seems that many of us were told at school never to use the word
"got", but we never got an explanation as to why we shouldn't use it.

-- 
Peter Moylan                           http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579644

On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:15:11 +1100, Peter Moylan
<peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:

>On 2016-Jan-06 11:31, Richard Tobin wrote:
>> In article <9elo8bhfs58v5bk31mmhgif06tbasdu5ak@4ax.com>,
>> Robin Bignall  <docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>>> the time.
>> 
>> We got told off for it too, but I never got the point of it.
>
>+1. And I've met other people with the same reaction.
>
>It seems that many of us were told at school never to use the word
>"got", but we never got an explanation as to why we shouldn't use it.

My assumption is that it encouraged kids to widen their vocabularies by
learning and using more specific "getting" words.

-- 
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579823

On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:19:29 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
<mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote:

>On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:15:11 +1100, Peter Moylan
><peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>>On 2016-Jan-06 11:31, Richard Tobin wrote:
>>> In article <9elo8bhfs58v5bk31mmhgif06tbasdu5ak@4ax.com>,
>>> Robin Bignall  <docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>>>> the time.
>>> 
>>> We got told off for it too, but I never got the point of it.
>>
>>+1. And I've met other people with the same reaction.
>>
>>It seems that many of us were told at school never to use the word
>>"got", but we never got an explanation as to why we shouldn't use it.
>
>My assumption is that it encouraged kids to widen their vocabularies by
>learning and using more specific "getting" words.

My Mr Hoggart told us that using get and got was simply laziness, and we
could do better.  I got the message.
-- 
Robin Bignall
Herts, England (BrE)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579835

On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:09:53 +0000, Robin Bignall
<docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:19:29 +0000, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
><mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:15:11 +1100, Peter Moylan
>><peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2016-Jan-06 11:31, Richard Tobin wrote:
>>>> In article <9elo8bhfs58v5bk31mmhgif06tbasdu5ak@4ax.com>,
>>>> Robin Bignall  <docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>>>>> the time.
>>>> 
>>>> We got told off for it too, but I never got the point of it.
>>>
>>>+1. And I've met other people with the same reaction.
>>>
>>>It seems that many of us were told at school never to use the word
>>>"got", but we never got an explanation as to why we shouldn't use it.
>>
>>My assumption is that it encouraged kids to widen their vocabularies by
>>learning and using more specific "getting" words.
>
>My Mr Hoggart told us that using get and got was simply laziness, and we
>could do better.  I got the message.

<smile>

-- 
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#579530

On Tue, 05 Jan 2016 23:53:51 +0000, Robin Bignall
<docrobin@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:30:01 -0800 (PST), Harrison Hill
><harrisonhill2345@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On Monday, 4 January 2016 23:26:18 UTC, Robin Bignall  wrote:
>>> On Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:13:32 +0000, GordonD <g.davie@btinternet.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> >On 04/01/2016 07:11, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
>>> >> On 2016-01-03 22:50:41 +0000, Peter Moylan said:
>>> >>
>>> >>> On 2016-Jan-04 09:13, Harrison Hill wrote:
>>> >>>> On Saturday, 2 January 2016 17:31:35 UTC, Ant  wrote:
>>> >>>>> Which one is the correct spelling? Thank you in advance. :)
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> There are dozens of English phrases where either word is right
>>> >>>> (or wrong); some people will observe nuances, others won't.
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Do you go "toward the coast" or "towards the coast"?
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> "Worse ever" is Good English, and doesn't mean "worst ever".
>>> >>>> My "worse ever" Christmas is this one - less enjoyable
>>> >>>> than the previous two or three. That doesn't mean that it
>>> >>>> compares with the "worst ever".
>>> >>>
>>> >>> That doesn't sound like English to me.
>>> >>
>>> >> Nor to me.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >Me three. If you're restricting it to the previous two or three years
>>> >then it's not *ever*.
>>> 
>>> Is Harrison's English getting worse?
>>   
>>My mother wouldn't allow that: "becoming" :)
>
>Good for her. We were told off at school for using get and got all of
>the time.  I remember Mr Hoggart, our English master, telling us that
>there were other verbs that we should use.  "What's a verb?" piped up a
>voice from the back of the class. "A doing word", explained teach, which
>caused a snigger, for doing was a synonym for having sexual intercourse.

<chuckle>

-- 
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

Page 3 of 4 — ← Prev page 1 2 [3] 4  Next page →

Back to top | Article view | alt.usage.english

csiph-web