Thursday, December 28, 2006

Another odd phrase

I heard another odd phrase tonight while watching a TV show regarding a literacy program in our area. The woman who was commenting on the program used the phrase "around this issue." To my ears, this is another incorrect usage. I would say "regarding" or "in regards to" or "concerning" or "about" or "to do with" this issue. Never "around."

I realize from my studies in linguistics that English is a "living" language, and as such, it is ever changing. Perhaps this phrase and the others listed below will soon become standard and acceptable, but it will take me a while to accept them.

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Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Is it Bad Grammar or Today's Usage?

I frequently notice odd turns of phrase in recent years. The newest phrase that is hurting my ears is "looks to be." She "looks to be" in good health. Looks to be? What happened to good old fashioned, "appears to be?" Another phrase that I have had difficulty adjusting to, but I believe I have almost arrived at an adjustment is "she has gotten a lot taller this past year" for example. "Has gotten?" What about the old standby, "She has become...."? Or she has grown? The excessive use of "got" in it's various forms is jumping out at me as being new and odd. My mother notices this also. (Of course, she is the one who corrected my grammar when I was a child, and she is well educated for her generation.) There are a few other such phrases (pretty much comes to mind). That is pretty much the whole story. We used to say, "That is pretty well the whole story." But my husband a British school teacher cringed at that usage of the word "pretty." He would have said that was an incorrect usage of the word pretty, which means lovely to look at and is not a measurement of degree at all.

This entry into my blog has diverted me from my work so I best get back to it. If I think of more phrases to complain about, I will post on another date.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Christmas Almost Here!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is so close. I took mom to see the plastic surgeon for her final checkup today. She was worried by the wind/shorm warnings on the weather network and I always refuse to worry about things like that. I cross the bridges when I come to them. Amazingly, the weather was wonderful - sunny and not a drop of rain and no wind at all! So much for weather forecasts. I never take them very seriously.
This year I have written about half a dozen Christmas cards and only mailed two. That is a record low for me. Pathetic, actually. But the storms and power outages haven't helped us have time for these things. Working full-time doesn't help either.
I will have to mail them tomorrow or over the weekend and they will be late, but better late than never.
This year I have done more babysitting and visiting with my adult children than I have any other Christmas since they left home.
I am taping the professional skaters Christmas special that is taking place in Prince George, BC this year. I am doing this for my mom, as I don't like to rewatch these things. In fact, I don't like to watch the entire show. Parts of it are okay, but figure skating has it's limits for me. I don't know who they are these days either. I remember the Kurt Browning Christie Yamaguchi days.
This character on the ice right now looks more like an appliance repairman than a figure skater. He looks very odd in his workclothes on the ice.
It seems that many of the men imitate Kurt Browning. It's so obvious. This guy is trying, but he isn't pulling it off. Oops! According to my mother, this guy was doing these fancy moves years ago and she thinks he is good. She is much more of a judge of these things than I am, but I just don't like his style. I am entitled to my opinion. I still think a lot of these guys try to imitate Kurt Browning. Kurt makes the best Kurt as far as I am concerned.
Back to my taping..... (got to cut out the ads).