Grammar Discussions

[anat0l]

when I know I've typed in the correct letters and then go back to see an entirely different word, a completely different word. I feel blaming autocorrect is perfectly reasonable.

Well, that's a fair call. That's one thing I had to get used to quite a bit with Apple when I was using their products. I like the Android systems a bit better in this regard. You do have the same "autocorrect" technology in there, but once you turn it off, the residual system with word suggestion is great. I haven't played with Apple for a while so I'm not sure if they also have the same word suggestion system (not spell check in-place, which I am aware of).

Autocorrect is extremely useful for when I don't know how to spell a word unless I see it.

I guess when you see the word you might recognise the correct one you want, but it won't help many of our "optician" friends as mentioned before.

This is probably an instance where I might, in the old days, go grab the dictionary just at my desk at arms' reach. These days, I type it into either Google or dictionary.com and if I spell it wrong, either one may suggest what I am looking for, but to make sure it is the correct word I'll check the definition.

 

[Deleted member]

Definitely agree about the dictionary part. I have a 1963 Webster's Dictionary left to me by a deceased uncle almost 30 years ago. I was eight at the time from memory. As a spelling tool it's not ideal obviously. At work we exclusively refer to Macquarie. But my WD is pretty awesome still. Illustrations. Details of historic US figures and dates. And it lists all US Presidents, ending with one John Fitzgerald Kennedy. So it's kind of special.

Not sure an atlas is as vital these days. You can get so much information about places online it's much more fun to look things up that way.

I still have my Oxford English Dictionary on hand.

 

[medhead]

Well, that's a fair call. That's one thing I had to get used to quite a bit with Apple when I was using their products. I like the Android systems a bit better in this regard. You do have the same "autocorrect" technology in there, but once you turn it off, the residual system with word suggestion is great. I haven't played with Apple for a while so I'm not sure if they also have the same word suggestion system (not spell check in-place, which I am aware of).



I guess when you see the word you might recognise the correct one you want, but it won't help many of our "optician" friends as mentioned before.

This is probably an instance where I might, in the old days, go grab the dictionary just at my desk at arms' reach. These days, I type it into either Google or dictionary.com and if I spell it wrong, either one may suggest what I am looking for, but to make sure it is the correct word I'll check the definition.

I guess my post was a long winded way to say that spellcheck/autocorrect are tools that can be effective if you know your limitations.

I used to have a dictionary that followed me from uni to mining to government over numerous years (~15). But when I moved to healthcare, it has disappeared. I still have the thesaurus that was part of the set, but can not find the dictionary.

I didn't think it was possible to turn off autocorrect on apple products. I'll have to search for that (optician) again.

 

[coco50]

Not sure an atlas is as vital these days. You can get so much information about places online it's much more fun to look things up that way.

There is something tactile about a "hard copy" map. One can also use the scale to calculate distances. I'm afraid I'm old school. While I use online maps etc. I prefer something hard copy that I can "immerse" myself in.

 

[whatmeworry]

Does pronunciation come under grammar?

Anyway, apparently us skips don't pronounce Shiraz correctly.

Leave it to Australia to butcher a beautiful French word like 'shiraz'.
We may be the largest producer of shiraz in the world but that doesn't mean we say it correctly.
Instead of our Aussie twang 'shir-ahz', the red wine variety is actually correctly pronounced 'shi-raah'. As in rhymes with the song 'que sera, sera'.

Australians Pronounce 'Shiraz' Wrongly, And That Variety Called Syrah? It's The Same Thing

 

[anat0l]

Does pronunciation come under grammar?

Anyway, apparently us skips don't pronounce Shiraz correctly.

I only found this out less than two years ago.

However, since no one has any idea what you are on about unless you say it "incorrectly", I kept on saying it as such, except when I speak French with someone.

 

[Warks]

There was some dumb article recently about how we weren't saying 'Bangkok' correctly. As many of the commenters said we don't pronounce Paris as 'Paree' unless we want to be laughed at. Munich, Florence, Turin, Barthelona...

I agreed about Beijing though. It's 'jing' not 'zhing'.

 

[coco50]

There was some dumb article recently about how we weren't saying 'Bangkok' correctly. As many of the commenters said we don't pronounce Paris as 'Paree' unless we want to be laughed at. Munich, Florence, Turin, Barthelona...

I agreed about Beijing though. It's 'jing' not 'zhing'.

Do you mean Munchen, Firenze, Torino and Barthelona?

 

[medhead]

Does pronunciation come under grammar?

Anyway, apparently us skips don't pronounce Shiraz correctly.

Australians Pronounce 'Shiraz' Wrongly, And That Variety Called Syrah? It's The Same Thing

There was some dumb article recently about how we weren't saying 'Bangkok' correctly. As many of the commenters said we don't pronounce Paris as 'Paree' unless we want to be laughed at. Munich, Florence, Turin, Barthelona...

I agreed about Beijing though. It's 'jing' not 'zhing'.

Do you mean Munchen, Firenze, Torino and Barthelona?

As far as I'm concerned. Shiraz and Syrah are 2 different words with two different pronunciations. As best I understand Syrah is the french word for Shiraz. I'm not greatly surprised to learn that Australians don't speak french when they are speaking english. Besides The french don't describe wine by grape variety, that's something they forced on the rest of the world. Therefore perfectly acceptable for Australians to describe their wine by the name that has been adopted for that wine. It's like a propriety thing for Australian Shiraz

Same same for Munich, florence and Turin all english versions of foreign place names. Munchen, Firenze and Torino are different words entirely.

Barcelona and Paris - They might have a point.

 

[coco50]

As far as I'm concerned. Shiraz and Syrah are 2 different words with two different pronunciations. As best I understand Syrah is the french word for Shiraz. I'm not greatly surprised to learn that Australians don't speak french when they are speaking english. Besides The french don't describe wine by grape variety, that's something they forced on the rest of the world. Therefore perfectly acceptable for Australians to describe their wine by the name that has been adopted for that wine. It's like a propriety thing for Australian Shiraz

Same same for Munich, florence and Turin all english versions of foreign place names. Munchen, Firenze and Torino are different words entirely.

Barcelona and Paris - They might have a point.

Very interesting. The one that undoes many "French-speaking" Aussies is the pronunciation of Spanish words that have made their way into our vocabulary. While dining at a Mexican restaurant at Kingscliff calld "Baja", my stepson was calling it "badger" When he went to order enchiladas he called them onchiladas. The jalapeno chillies blew him away. He called them Jalapeno (well why not?) in stead of holopenyo. Who TF cares as long as you get your message across?

 

[coriander]

There is no substitute for a good dictionary. If you have these they can the be augmented by the Internet.

Absolutely..... and it looks like other AFFers agree!
See
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....iew-from-my-office-63414-289.html#post1396722

 

[andye]

There was some dumb article recently about how we weren't saying 'Bangkok' correctly. As many of the commenters said we don't pronounce Paris as 'Paree' unless we want to be laughed at. Munich, Florence, Turin, Barthelona...

I agreed about Beijing though. It's 'jing' not 'zhing'.

Note the (association) football clubs associated with some of the European cities. AC Milan Inter Milan Sporting Lisbon. Often founded by British expats

 

[Warks]

Yes and I see Barcelona FC abbreviated in headlines to 'Barca' which I say as 'Barka' in my head although it should really be 'Bartha'!

 

[medhead]

Very interesting. The one that undoes many "French-speaking" Aussies is the pronunciation of Spanish words that have made their way into our vocabulary. While dining at a Mexican restaurant at Kingscliff calld "Baja", my stepson was calling it "badger" When he went to order enchiladas he called them onchiladas. The jalapeno chillies blew him away. He called them Jalapeno (well why not?) in stead of holopenyo. Who TF cares as long as you get your message across?

The wife and I do have a running joke about Hesus, and Haguars. Might have even suggested Hesus to my brother as a name for his first child
But my sister in law is Spanish, so it's related. At the same time we're hit and miss at affecting a lisp when saying spanish words. Even if it isn't a lisp that they use. We will try to pronounce foreign words in the style of the foreigner as a general rule, i.e. all the the examples you've mention.

 

[coco50]

Yes and I see Barcelona FC abbreviated in headlines to 'Barca' which I say as 'Barka' in my head although it should really be 'Bartha'!

I've heard many sports journos refer to FCB as Barsa - as if the "c" is soft.

 

[coco50]

The wife and I do have a running joke about Hesus, and Haguars. Might have even suggested Hesus to my brother as a name for his first child
But my sister in law is Spanish, so it's related. At the same time we're hit and miss at affecting a lisp when saying spanish words. Even if it isn't a lisp that they use. We will try to pronounce foreign words in the style of the foreigner as a general rule, i.e. all the the examples you've mention.

This reminds me of the opening words of the US National Anthem. I teased my Texan son-in-law once asking why the USNA began with a question to a Messican: "Jose can you see?" Got to hand it to him - he came back with: What do you Aussies do with this German who lives near the beach: I asked him what he meant. He said Girt by sea!

 

[Warks]

This reminds me of the opening words of the US National Anthem. I teased my Texan son-in-law once asking why the USNA began with a question to a Messican: "Jose can you see?" Got to hand it to him - he came back with: What do you Aussies do with this German who lives near the beach: I asked him what he meant. He said Girt by sea!

I like how the national anthem makes a plea to our good mate "Australian Saul". Something about ringing Joyce.

 

[coco50]

I like how the national anthem makes a plea to our good mate "Australian Saul". Something about ringing Joyce.

That was before his conversion on the road to Damascus! He dumped Joyce for Mary Magdelene

 

[TheRealTMA]

An oldie...

"When Charles deGaulle decided to retire from public life, the American ambassador and his wife threw a gala dinner party in his honor. At the dinner table the Ambassador's wife was talking with Madame de Gaulle.

"Your husband has been such a prominent public figure, such a presence on the French and International scene for so many years! How quiet retirement will seem in comparison. What are you most looking forward to in these retirement years?"

"A cough," replied Madame de Gaulle.

A huge hush fell over the table. Everyone heard her answer . . . and no one knew what to say next.

Finally, Le Grand Charles leaned over to his wife and said, "Ma cherie, I believe zee Americans pronounce zat word 'appiness.'"

 

[medhead]

Thought of this gem this morning. Is it correct or not correct?

"I literally just butchered the english language."