[TheLizardKing]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I don't understand what causes this brain/fingers disconnect <Blush>

For me it is alternate/alternative. I have to consciously slow my brain down (WARNING: EXTREME DANGER! PROCEED WITH CAUTION.) and slowly roll the correct word off my tongue. And it is not as if I don't know the meaning or correct usage of both the words... Oh, and ss I read my post for the last time before submitting, I realize it is a brain/tongue disconnect in my case.

And I don't know if this has been brought up on this thread, but being the world's largest democracy does not give you the right to give an entirely new meaning to an existing word, especially one that is not even close to the original. I am talking about Indians' love affair with crib.

I sign off with this one: Gym is a noun and not a verb. You go to the gym, you don't go gymming.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by TheLizardKing

I sign off with this one: Gym is a noun and not a verb. You go to the gym, you don't go gymming.

What about "text" and "texting"?

Language is forever evolving, transforming, mutating, call it what you will. If it does not, then it runs the risk of just dying.

[TheLizardKing]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Language is forever evolving, transforming, mutating, call it what you will. If it does not, then it runs the risk of just dying.

Absolutely. Which is why the gatekeepers of the language (also known as dictionaries) come out with revised editions every once in a while to include new words that are used widely enough to be accepted into the language. They have committees for that kind of thing, I am sure.

Last time I checked, gymming was not recognized as a word by any of the leading English language dictionaries. Till such a time comes, it will be treated as "wrong" English.

The alternative is anarchy.

[Accent Martin]

Adding a thought -

The use of spacing is a very important aspect in sentence formation; lack of it can alter the meaning of a sentence entirely.
for example , what comes to your mind when you see - 'LOVEISNOWHERE'.
Do you see 'Love is no where' or 'Love is now here'.

Another one with correct spacing (I am sure most of you would know this) - Unwanted spaces in between 'Physiotherapist' to form 'Physio The Rapist'

Spacing can reflect emotions in sentences. it can create imaginations in people's minds. So correct spacing is to be adhered to convey any message in the intended manner.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Verbing the Noun

Hated by purists, yes, but sometimes it just works. We have to take this on a case by case basis.

Frankly, texting works for me. it is a new word for a new action. Gymming does not: Gym is short for gymnasium, and the "verbing" doesn't seem right.

[mallumowgli]

In the eastern parts of our country - going to the market for purchase of vegetables or groceries is called 'marketing'. That is the height of verbing!!

You go to the shops for shopping and extending the logic it is marketing in the market

[PreethamB]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

You go to the shops for shopping and extending the logic it is marketing in the market

We seem to be getting better at taking an existing word and giving it an entirely different meaning. Here is another example; quoting a few posts from this very forum.

This is applicable only when I am riding and in a hurry on a flyover. Will take the left lane and sometimes undertake(overtake from the left)
I do honk and go ahead when I am sure the driver/rider knows that I am undertaking

Well overtaking from left in India as it is called is undertaking.
Daily I encounter many cars and all of irrespective of the speed they are doing, wont let me overtake them, so daily I undertake them. Till now no cop has asked for fine.
Some car drivers who find the other car to be slow and not giving space undertake as well, but no fine, etc

Extending this logic, one could say, our roads are full of "Undertakers"!

Given the love for the game of cricket in this country, I would have been a tad less surprised had they termed it "aroundtaking" (over the wicket, around the wicket w.r.t bowling!)

[mayankk]

If anything, the undertaken would be the vehicle passed.
Left or right, the faster car will overtake.

Vettel undertook Hamilton in the final corner to move from p2 to p3.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

In the eastern parts of our country - going to the market for purchase of vegetables or groceries is called 'marketing'. That is the height of verbing!!

You go to the shops for shopping and extending the logic it is marketing in the market

This is American usage, and I accept it because I learnt that from serious American novelists. So far, though, I never heard it anywhere else.

shop --> shopping.
market --> marketing.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

This is American usage, and I accept it because I learnt that from serious American novelists. So far, though, I never heard it anywhere else.

shop --> shopping.
market --> marketing.

Vow, that's new learning for me. I thought marketing is what we people in 'sales & marketing' do!

But on the other hand, I've never come across this term from whatever American literature I've read. I have to catch up with the contemporary Americans I guess.

[Piyadassi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

shop --> shopping.
market --> marketing.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Vow, that's new learning for me. I thought marketing is what we people in 'sales & marketing' do!

The spirit of Nostradamus is making me predict the word for the future:

Mall --> Malling

[Thad E Ginathom]

done already. I'll be mailing it to you, ok?

And i think it predates email, too.

Post, posting; mail, mailing. That may be USA too. Brits have post boxes, USAians have mail boxes.

I thought marketing is what we people in 'sales & marketing' do!

But on the other hand, I've never come across this term from whatever American literature I've read. I have to catch up with the contemporary Americans I guess.

It took me by surprise too, and then, as so often happens, I read it in another book soon after. I forget the names; serious authors though.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

In those days, rakes were made of steel, and yes, I learnt the lesson the hard way! I still remember my father telling me off and saying that a person can loose an eye because of a rake left on the ground. Now they are plastic and the just bend. But I still won't leave a rake like that. *SNIP*

Thad, it's lose, not loose

Originally Posted by TheLizardKing

*SNIP* And I don't know if this has been brought up on this thread, but being the world's largest democracy does not give you the right to give an entirely new meaning to an existing word, especially one that is not even close to the original. I am talking about Indians' love affair with crib. *SNIP*

LK, please do enlighten me - AFAIK "crib" has two meanings - a baby's bed and complain. Lately I have also come across a third kind of usage - to denote the kind of equipment (computers or audio systems etc.) that one possesses. What specific Indian interpretation are you referring to, that falls outside the ones I mentioned?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

This is American usage, and I accept it because I learnt that from serious American novelists. So far, though, I never heard it anywhere else.

shop --> shopping.
market --> marketing.

Thad, I have never ever seen or heard "marketing" used that way anywhere in North America. Can you provide specifics please?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

done already. I'll be mailing it to you, ok?

And i think it predates email, too.

Post, posting; mail, mailing. That may be USA too. Brits have post boxes, USAians have mail boxes.

It took me by surprise too, and then, as so often happens, I read it in another book soon after. I forget the names; serious authors though.

Thad, she said maLLing, to refer to going to the mall; not maIling as in dropping off a letter Oh the problems with sans-serif typefaces making lower-case L look like the upper-case I.

Cheers

[TheLizardKing]

Originally Posted by tilt

LK, please do enlighten me - AFAIK "crib" has two meanings - a baby's bed and complain. Lately I have also come across a third kind of usage - to denote the kind of equipment (computers or audio systems etc.) that one possesses. What specific Indian interpretation are you referring to, that falls outside the ones I mentioned?

I was talking about crib = complain/grumble. Turns out I was wrong. That meaning IS correct. In my defence, Google has tagged it as British, Indian, and dated, which probably means that it is another of our colonial hangovers.

[ajitkommini]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

done already. I'll be mailing it to you, ok?

And i think it predates email, too.

Post, posting; mail, mailing. That may be USA too. Brits have post boxes, USAians have mail boxes.

It took me by surprise too, and then, as so often happens, I read it in another book soon after. I forget the names; serious authors though.

In the UK, the Royal Mail delivers the post, while in the US, the Postal Service delivers the mail. Also, in the UK you ask for a bill and pay with a cheque, while in the US you ask for the check and pay with a bill