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Comment on: Mudgeon Is Not Amused

I Be Talk Gooder Dan Yunz

35 Comments
Friday, July, 13, 2007 11:10 PM Raven writes:

Brilliant observation

and succinctly expressed as well. (Hmm big words and used correctly. What a rarity.)

I couldn't agree with you more. Language corruption is simply one more sign of the eroding of the fabric of society. I know this idea is "poo-poo'd" by many 'elites' and other 'smarter than everyone' type of people but it is undeniable.

The idea of language evolving and changing in and of itself is not a bad thing. (I recall getting quite the 'giggles' when I was younger and hearing my grandmother use the words 'davenport', 'icebox', and 'wastepaper basket') But evolution of language is one thing, the corruption of it is quite another. Your nadir example highlights it perfectly.

If there are no standards in speaking a language then what will the ultimate result be? Each group having its own form of communication as you suggested? (Suddenly got a Tower of Babel image in my head.) Or maybe eventually all communication will simply grunts and gestures.

A perfect full circle. A sad thought indeed.
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Saturday, July, 14, 2007 7:21 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Raven

Your grandmother, huh? I almost always say "icebox" and "wastepaper basket." "Davenport" is far from foreign to me.

At least once every day, and usually more, Bubbles and I find ourselves screaming at the TV because someone has messed up something - quite often it's the lack of use of an "ly" adverb.

And don't get me started on hyperbole.

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 7:51 AM Paulie writes:

I'm from


the Department of Redundancy Department and I'm here to help.

As usual, and as expected, another fine essay; I had hopes of hitting the "deprave" button, but NOOO, that was intentional.

Does this mean that you and Calamity have moved on in terms of editorial angst?
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 8:49 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Paulie

It means I got tired of the "Calamity" thing and, since I wasn't ready to throw up (I know, that's usually what the readers do)a new post, I took the opportunity to repost.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 10:01 AM marie writes:

Not ending a

sentence with a preposition is a bit of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 10:11 AM BrianR writes:

Well

Saddam Husseain was hanged.

John Holmes was hung.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 10:34 AM Nee writes:

How would you say...

A history test or an history test...I argue this all the time...
My kid's vocabulary is awful, as is their grammar usage. I am making them do vocab lists and sentences! As a voracious reader,it eats me up...they don't learn enough!
PS add me to your roll,if you like.:)
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 10:47 AM willibeaux writes:

Yo CM

In some aspects, maybe the culture has already crashed and burned. Just look at our colleges and universities. Most are dominated by those dear folks from the Woodstock generation who started the down hill slide with their counterculture rebellion. Most have not reformed. God help us.
Mis Calamity!! Did you finally get the message?
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:26 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Marie

Winston would be proud of you.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:27 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

BrianR

Both you and Fantasia pretty much nailed it.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:29 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Nee

I would tend to say "a history test," but I would tend to write "an history test." Consistency is not one of my strong suits.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:32 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Willi Beax

I would only aruge with one word in your first paragraph. You said, In some aspects,..." I would say, "in many aspects,..."

To answer your question from the second paragraph: NO.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:42 AM marie writes:

LOL

seems to be a few dozen versions of it
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 11:44 AM marie writes:

a history

I think its an 'an' whenever the 'h' is silent - as in 'an honor'
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 12:01 PM willibeaux writes:

Yo CM

Ah stand corrected.
Iss dat der badd Clamity still buttin' in?
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 12:40 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Marie

Among my favorite Churchill quotesis the one where some Lady or other said to hin, "Winston, if you wer mu husband, I should poison your tes."

To which Mr. Churchill answered, "And if you were my wife, I should drink it."

You are probably right on the history thing. I never got that picky one way or the other. SOme things bug me, some things don't. However the useage of "bring" and "take" drives me up a wall.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 12:42 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Marie

That should read, "Winston, if you were my husband, I should poison your tea."

Refer for previous post for explanation.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 12:43 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Willi Beax

Calamity is still butting in and judging from my comment to Marie, she needs to.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 1:07 PM willibeaux writes:

Yo CM

If you gits a chance, mosey on over to Victor Davis Hanson's July 14 column. Ders a Big Black Dog over der who thinks he/she is the cats meow. I jist posted another response to his attempt to dazzle us with brilliance. Go for it
Pleeeeease Mis Clamity!! Quit buttin' in!!
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 1:53 PM BrianR writes:

Well, CM

The hidden joy of being on my Blog Roll, is you get to have me shamelessly plug my new essays, when I post them, as I just did.

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Monday, July, 16, 2007 2:06 PM marie writes:

LOL!! - no problem

translating - thought your version completely understandable. Even understood your 11:30 post to Willi Beax about 'aruge'ing with him.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 2:17 PM marie writes:

LOL!! - no problem

translating - thought your version completely understandable. Even understood your 11:30 post to Willi Beax about 'aruge'ing with him.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 2:29 PM marie writes:

i think TH server is running

amok.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 2:41 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

BrianR

I'm so excited I could just shi.... Well, I'm so excited. Let's leave it at that.

As one goes through life, one has certain gaols. And now, thanks to you, one of my most sought after goals has been realized.

I have been included in among the most elite and highly exclusive lists the world has ever known. I have been included in BrianR's shameless plugs. Thank you. I mean it. Really.

It is most elite and highly exclusive, isn't it?
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 2:44 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Marie

Never picked up the "aruge'ing" (I copied and pasted that to get it right). Thanks so much for pointing out my deficienies. You get today's Calamity Award.
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Monday, July, 16, 2007 6:44 PM Raven writes:

With a sheepish grin

and I am honored and humbled, being the aforementioned "insightful and incredibly perceptive visitor."

I am glad to do what I can to further a wonderful cause. That of saving our language.

And I am glad you have you has my "insightful and incredibly perceptive visitor" over at mine.

::end shameless plug::
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Tuesday, July, 17, 2007 9:06 PM mgraves writes:

CM

My language pet peeve is the use of an adjective where an adverb is intended (the -ly bit). Wow is that far more irritating than it should be.

Davenport, I thought that was a couch in Canada. Like a touk (hat).

I believe we may have briefly covered my language quirks (at least where they originate--the northern Plains), so if I get aggressive with the vernacular that's my excuse.

Bring/take (mildly related): in ND everything is borrowed, i.e. could you borrow me $5? We're working on a foreign language here.

Someone mentioned the sentence ending in a preposition bit (Marie) and I've got to agree with her. English is a Germanic language, and if I recall, German frequently ends sentences in prepositions, so it seems perfectly natural.
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Tuesday, July, 17, 2007 9:27 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

mgraves

The "ly" thing is what gets Bubbles the most. She is constantly screeming at the television maching over that one. You've introduced me to a few new ones. It's sound like your area and SW Pa. where I grew up both have some quirks - Wheb it's cold and the sidewalks are wet, you have to be careful because they might be "slippy."
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Wednesday, July, 18, 2007 9:18 PM -Kilroy writes:

"Yunz"

Yeah, you're from Pittsburg!

My favorite line comes from Gordon Liddy regarding "dove" and "dived". "The past tense of dive is 'dived', not 'd-o-v-e', which is A BIRD"

Of course, when I was a kid in western Maryland I dived into the "crick" instead of the "creek".
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Wednesday, July, 18, 2007 9:45 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

My favorite "Yunz" story

We had just buried my 80+ year old aunt in SW Pa. When we got out of the funeral homes vehicle to go back to our own cars, the driver said, "Well, yunz have a nice day."

That's been a "goodbye" line in our family ever since.

You mean it isn't 'crick?"
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Wednesday, July, 18, 2007 10:01 PM Jimmy Carter writes:

I got one..

....I understand the fact a person is judged on their appearences and their vocabulary. Growing up, I, too, spoke with my language littered with "you know" being every other phrase. Then I realised it and broke that habit (it is possible). It took time and practice, of course.

But I have a southern drawl with "get." I pronounce it "git" or some may say it sounds like "geeeut." Unfortunately, I don't hear it, but everyone else does.
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Wednesday, July, 18, 2007 10:21 PM Charles Mudgeon writes:

JimmyC

Having lived in SW Pa., NYC, Pliladelphia Cleveland, the edge of Appalachia and Michigan my accent is so screwed up, nobody can figure out where I'm from by listening to me.

I have no problem with regional accents - or the "funny" way different parts of the country say things. In fact it interests me - i wonder how it came about.
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Friday, July, 20, 2007 9:19 AM voice_of_reason writes:

Mudgeon-esque malapropism?

One never knows with you CM (particularly now that you have deprived yourself of Calamity's editorial talents), but was the use of 'forward' instead of 'foreword' a test for us non-English majors - or an example of Mudgeon-esque malapropism?

Here are some of my peeves:

* The car was travelling at a high rate of speed.

* He will be with you momentarily. [hat tip to the first non-CM person who identifies the error without the use of Google]
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Friday, July, 20, 2007 11:40 AM Charles Mudgeon writes:

Voice

"Forward" was a flat-butted screw-up. My bad.
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Thursday, July, 26, 2007 9:54 PM Frigglesnitz writes:

PERFECTION'S FLAWS

Dear Mud:

(I can call you that, cain't I?)

One of my problems is that I am incapable of seeing my own mistakes. So embarrassing.

Just wanted to mention one expression that for years has driven me up a wall. However, I have concluded that it would be healthier for me to accept the fact that the usage is here to stay. If I could accept it, I would.

That expression: "fer free!!!!!"

It still makes me almost crazy. Nobody notices anything wrong with it. Its use on TV commercials is pervasive. And the multitudes will come tumbling after. No, they have already come tumbling after. They see absolutely nothing wrong with "For free!!!!!"

Is there anybody out there who has any idea why I want to growl when I hear that?
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