English

[Longshot]

Spoken English.
Why do so many people fail to understand the word 'controversy'. It's one word. Controversy, with an 'O'.
Yet it's constantly pronounced as two. Contra, versy. Contra, with an 'a'.

The BBC decreed that the proper pronounciation was the latter hence why it's taken hold so widely.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The BBC decreed that the proper pronounciation was the latter hence why it's taken hold so widely.

I wish they'd learn how to pronounce ''quantitative,'' as in quantitative easing, with an English stress pattern (KWAN-titter-tiv) rather than the American ''kwanty-TAY-tive'' version. That does irritate me!

 

[Maz]

Loads of kids these days (including mine) say "Why did you do that for?"

 

[summerdays]

It's a cycling forum and whilst it is easier to understand a post that is correct both the spelling and grammatically, I would be one of the first to say I am not perfect and struggle with spelling (thank goodness for Google and it's red squiggly underlining). However as some have mentioned, it might not be their first language and for others they are struggling with dyslexia. I have a friend who makes hilarious comments on my Facebook page when he makes mistakes but I normally don't point it out to him as he finds writing very hard even using software to help him.

Be tolerant of those mistakes, by all means use the correct spelling in your reply to a post but remember that a new cyclist might not realise the difference between breaks and brakes.

 

[defy-one]

i'm usually replying from my phone, whilst my English is good,my typing is bad!!

 

[Cyclist33]

I can't shout too loudly, my grammar and spelling leave little to be desired but if there is on thing that really makes my teeth itch is 'text' speak, please people there really is no need for it and it really does come across as immature. Leave it where it belongs, in the playground for pre-pubescent school girls to gossip about boys via bookface or whatever.

Rofl.

It is here to stay, though. One should embrace it as it's just another evolution of our constantly-developing language.

Stu

 

[Cyclist33]

For me, it's punctation. Sometimes I can not work out the exact meaning of a sentence because there are no commas or full stops involved, thereby changing the entire meaning.
As for spelling, well just settle for the make it up approach, it usually works and when that fails, there is always google to fall back on to.
For those who do not have English as their first language, well it is usually obvious, though not always and it can be quite amusing at times explaining idioms to non-native English language speakers...

Scene. In Germany, standing over my touring bike, holding my husband's bike when 2 German cyclists stop to see if we are OK. I tried, in German (a language I used to be fluent in), explaining to them that my husband was simply "watering a tree". 5 minutes later and all 3 of us are in hysterics when my husband creeps back from behind the huge tree he was watering - they have suddenly figured it out!

I suppose it's easy to think English is "obvious" if it's your first language, but I wouldn't exactly describe it as the most logical language in history.

Btw, it should be "cannot", not "can not"!

Stu

 

[Cyclist33]

Spoken English.
Why do so many people fail to understand the word 'controversy'. It's one word. Controversy, with an 'O'.
Yet it's constantly pronounced as two. Contra, versy. Contra, with an 'a'.

It's based on the Latin contraversus which would have been pronounced with stresses on the first and third syllables. So while I don't actually agree with pedagogic grammar, by your rules, you're wrong in this instance!!

Stu

 

[Cyclist33]

It's a cycling forum and whilst it is easier to understand a post that is correct both the spelling and grammatically, I would be one of the first to say I am not perfect and struggle with spelling (thank goodness for Google and it's red squiggly underlining). However as some have mentioned, it might not be their first language and for others they are struggling with dyslexia. I have a friend who makes hilarious comments on my Facebook page when he makes mistakes but I normally don't point it out to him as he finds writing very hard even using software to help him.

Be tolerant of those mistakes, by all means use the correct spelling in your reply to a post but remember that a new cyclist might not realise the difference between breaks and brakes.

Very true. No one's perfect and anyway grammar is ingrained by parents and teachers so idiosyncrasies, dialects, errors etc, are handed on through oral tradition. You put 12 grammarians in a room and they won't agree on any of the rules anyway.

For me the key is being consistent. If you can't get "embarrass" right, at least pick one spelling of it and stick with that.

Stu

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It's based on the Latin contraversus which would have been pronounced with stresses on the first and third syllables. So while I don't actually agree with pedagogic grammar, by your rules, you're wrong in this instance!!

Stu

I'd say that would only be right if Latin stress patterns apply to English because the word's derived from Latin. But if you give it the status of being an English word, there's an isochronic, single-stress pattern in English which makes the unstressed syllables hurry along with many of the vowels turning into a schwa. If you had to pronounce controversy with only one stressed syllable, how would you pronounce it?

 

[Cyclist33]

I'd say that would only be right if Latin stress patterns apply to English because the word's derived from Latin. But if you give it the status of being an English word, there's an isochronic, single-stress pattern in English which makes the unstressed syllables hurry along with many of the vowels turning into a schwa. If you had to pronounce controversy with only one stressed syllable, how would you pronounce it?

Well, I wouldn't, because I pronounce it with two stressed syllables. By the same token, how would YOU pronounce "controversial"?

Stu

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Well, I wouldn't, because I pronounce it with two stressed syllables. By the same token, how would YOU pronounce "controversial"?

Stu

With one stress à l'anglaise on the ERSH.

 

[Cyclist33]

With one stress à l'anglaise on the ERSH.

Well clearly then, you'd also be stressing the first syllable: CONtroVERsial. At any rate, it does seem a little odd that you'd then pronounce contROversy according to a different stress rulebook!

Stu

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Well clearly then, you'd also be stressing the first syllable: CONtroVERsial. At any rate, it does seem a little odd that you'd then pronounce contROversy according to a different stress rulebook!

Stu

No, I'm not. One stress. Different places, certainly, but one stress.

 

[Cyclist33]

No, I'm not. One stress. Different places, certainly, but one stress.

Okay... So "controversial"'s stress pattern is akin to, say, "anabolic", then? You do have an interesting speech pattern!

I stress "controversy" like "interloper" - first and third syllable. As I've said on another post, there isn't really a wrong way.

Stu