Assume v. Presume

[EEPhil]

More bad science, or maybe bad scientists. Sky News keeps banging on about "ocean rescue". I make no comment about the worth of their campaign, but they need to improve the quality of the interviewees. There was a piece about some species invading an area where it currently doesn't belong. I actually heard: "gradually it [the species] has suddenly spread". Eh? And: "we don't know whether it arrived on plastic, but it might have done". Great evidence!

 

[MikeSh]

"we don't know whether it arrived on plastic, but it might have done"

I don't know the exact context but using Occam's razor I'd suggest arrival by ship was more likely, that being a known problem.

 

[EEPhil]

I'd suggest arrival by ship was more likely, that being a known problem.

Sky News likes to push the plastic problem and so I would have thought some evidence was needed - not the expression used.
Can't say I know the exact context - I usually turn-off Sky's Ocean Rescue stuff. I just happened to catch this bit before I hit the channel up button. Just thought the gradual/sudden mix in one sentence and the lack of evidence in the next was a bit telling.

 

[EEPhil]

I suppose that i should have preceded my last post with "With all due respect".

The other one I like is to "take [something] under advisement". The true meaning should be to consider something carefully. If I use it, it means "Yes, I heard you. I disagree. I'm not going to take any notice". That got me into trouble with the boss once.

 

[Trev]

I hear what you are saying EEPhil.

 

[EEPhil]

Which ignoramus read this:

Oh yes! Been there, done that, singed the tee shirt.

and thought you were singing a tee shirt?
What a pillock I am!

 

[Black Hole]

 

[af123]

How does one clean a week in July anyway?
Hopefully he enjoys his retreat!

 

[EEPhil]

I missed something on the first reading and thought... Someone is going to have a dirty first week in July.
But then I wondered why we need a window cleaner's views on a monastery.

 

[prpr]

How does one clean a week in July anyway?

It's the first week of Wimbledon, so it's bound to p!$$ down. Therefore one doesn't need to do anything to clean the week - nature does it for you.
Having said that, there's a new roof on Court No. 1, so it'll be glorious sunshine throughout.

 

[Black Hole]

I suspect this is the consequence of letting Word make spelling/grammar corrections without supervision!

TBH, the warden who puts various notices up in those flats wouldn't stand a chance here.

 

[gomezz]

How do we even know it isn't actually Teddy the Widow Maker?

 

[MikeSh]

From an eBay email


Is that apostrophe shape (I'm sure it has a proper name) legitimate in that context? I'd expect it to be the other way as it's an abbreviation signifier.

 

[Black Hole]

For want of a better word, that's an "open quote" - you're right, inappropriate as an apostrophe but potentially what you end up with when automatic punctuation substitution detects a quote mark preceding text. It's also what you get on the iPad keyboard when you think you are selecting the close quote from the ' extended menu.

As to "'til" - that's acceptable, and "till" would also be correct, but "'till" wouldn't.

 

[Black Hole]

Untenable.

Why only one 'n'?

Where has the root verb 'ten' gone?

 

[EEPhil]

You've lost me with that one.

 

[Black Hole]

Do you pronounce it "unteenable" then? Spelled as pronounced, it should be 'untennable'.

 

[EEPhil]

Do you pronounce it "unteenable" then?

Only if I am a New Zealand resident.

Spelled as pronounced, it should be 'untennable'.

We all know English is never that simple.

 

[Black Hole]

We all know English is never that simple.

Yeah, but why? Only because it was written down in the first place with no consistency. There is no reason spelling can't be more regular than it is, and the Americans don't help by eliminating double letters all over the place (traveling, marketing...).

I only have one rule: not to criticise anyone (and refusing to be criticised) for pronouncing a word according to the rules of regular spelling (so Lord Spencer is not off the hook: "Altrop" indeed!). It's scOne! And FrOme. And CoCKburn. If you want it pronounced Froom, spell it "Froom".

 

[EEPhil]

It's scOne

Sk 1? I will pronounce that in a way that rhymes with stone. If you want a scon then spell it scon.
You may remember we've had a similar discussion involving the Chumly-Marchbanks (Cholmondeley-Marjoriebanks).
I'd like to know about Northampton and Southampton. Where is the missing "h" for those who pronounce it North Hampton. I don't know how the locals pronounce it, but I choose North Ampton.