Now for something completely different

[Mareblu]

15 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I think Princess Anne is impressive.  She is 72, yet still flying to Canada for Royal duties twice within a month.  I remember seeing in Antarctica a plaque on a tin shed saying Opened by Princess Anne. 

She certainly puts in the hours, and seems restrained and sensible.  Her best gift to us all is Zara:  what a fantastic woman.

[MicCanberra]

Zara, is that a fashion shop or the homewares?

[Mareblu]

5 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Zara, is that a fashion shop or the homewares?

Wasn’t actually thinking of that Spanish gentleman 😂

[OzKiwiJJ]

I spotted this on FB.

The foibles of the English Language where some rules have too many exceptions! 🤣

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I spotted this on FB.

The foibles of the English Language where some rules have too many exceptions! 🤣

 

 

 

I feel deceived.

[Mareblu]

12 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I feel deceived.

We were deigned to be

[mr walker]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I spotted this on FB.

The foibles of the English Language where some rules have too many exceptions! 🤣

When I was in school, I still recall a teacher tried to 'justify' the spelling variances with the oft-repeated phrase "it's the exception that proves the rule". 50+ years later the explanation makes no more sense today than it did then!!!

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I feel deceived.

But that is the "correct" usage - i before e except after c.

[SinbadThePorter]

6 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The foibles of the English Language where some rules have too many exceptions!

 

No language has rules, they only have usages.

 

In other words, whatever works. 😇

[fairywren]

A living language is always evolving. So many words and expressions that did not exist even 50 years ago.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, fairywren said:

A living language is always evolving. So many words and expressions that did not exist even 50 years ago.

Australia is a country of immigrants. I love the way each state has words unique to it.  One example is “port” short for portmanteau, which is a suitcase or school bag.

[NSWP]

5 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Australia is a country of immigrants. I love the way each state has words unique to it.  One example is “port” short for portmanteau, which is a suitcase or school bag.

Indeed, I like Bag of Fruit…suit.

[Kristelle]

7 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Australia is a country of immigrants. I love the way each state has words unique to it.  One example is “port” short for portmanteau, which is a suitcase or school bag.

 

 

that must be a Qld or all eastern states thing??

 

never heard anyone in SA call a  suitcase or bag a 'port'.

[MMDown Under]

32 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

that must be a Qld or all eastern states thing??

 

never heard anyone in SA call a  suitcase or bag a 'port'.

Yes, it is widely used in Queensland, eg school port, port rack (where children store their ports), port (big suitcase).

[LC1950]

I was taught that when the sound is "eeee" it's I before E except after C.  Except for names, eg Keith, Deidre, etc.

[MMDown Under]

10 minutes ago, LC1950 said:

I was taught that when the sound is "eeee" it's I before E except after C.  Except for names, eg Keith, Deidre, etc.

I hadn’t heard that before.

 

Another one which stayed with me.  Occasional.  Anyone who spells occasional  occassional is one.  An ass!

[OzKiwiJJ]

18 minutes ago, LC1950 said:

I was taught that when the sound is "eeee" it's I before E except after C.  Except for names, eg Keith, Deidre, etc.

That one is useful at times. It certainly helps me remember how to spell riesling. 😊

[LC1950]

🥂  🥴

 

There are other exclusions to "that" rule but I'm too old to remember them.  😂

Edited June 8, 2023 by LC1950
spelling!

[Mareblu]

16 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

No language has rules, they only have usages.

 

In other words, whatever works. 😇

That's a common theme today, but language certainly does have rules, and writers, when applying those rules, are driven by the need for simple, clean expression.  Language certainly does evolve, however, because it is a living entity.  Our English language is intrinsic, but usage reflects the common idioms, and newly-coined words and phrases, adopted as the years progress. 

One of my more challenging uni lit exams contained a section where I was required to write an entire page describing a person (imaginary or known) without the use of an adjective.  Adjectives are frowned upon for destroying clean, clear writing.  Verbs are preferred.  The other no-no:  exclamation marks, because they dictate thought, rather than letting the reader interpret the piece.  I still find myself, though instinctively knowing not to use them, adding them after words, particularly on WhatsApp chats, etc. 

[MMDown Under]

Wow News - More than 400 bushfires in Canada.

[BRANDEE]

19 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Wow News - More than 400 bushfires in Canada.

When I visited your country back in February/March 2020, I was told to bring masks with valves incase the air quality in Sydney was still suffering from the Blue Mountains fires.  Never used them, but did give 18 of the 20 to the nurse in our family to help her during the beginning stages of the covid fight in New York City hospitals.  Well today, I got the remaining two out of the closet and had to use them to leave the house.  The yellow haze covering New York City and suburbs is unbelievable and scary. The powerful smell of wood burning stung the eyes.  All outdoor activities were canceled and an emergency air alert in action.  I live over 550 miles south of Quebec..Unbelievable!  It is reaching as far south as Tennessee.

[mr walker]

11 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Australia is a country of immigrants. I love the way each state has words unique to it.  One example is “port” short for portmanteau, which is a suitcase or school bag.

 

3 hours ago, Kristelle said:

that must be a Qld or all eastern states thing??

 

never heard anyone in SA call a  suitcase or bag a 'port'.

 

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Yes, it is widely used in Queensland, eg school port, port rack (where children store their ports), port (big suitcase).

 

My Dad (born 1930) grew up in Western Sydney & during his whole life, he and many of his contempories, always used the term port to describe the 'bag' they carried their belongings in when travelling. Of course, the port they had was maybe well less than half the size of the suitcases of today & no wheels, more like an oversized old fashioned school case.

I just mentioned this discussion with Tracey and she said her grandmother always used the word port also.

Dad also liked a drop of the other port 🙂 

[possum52]

3 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

that must be a Qld or all eastern states thing??

 

never heard anyone in SA call a  suitcase or bag a 'port'.

It seems to be only used in QLD. In Victoria, it is usually a suitcase or case.

[possum52]

5 minutes ago, BRANDEE said:

When I visited your country back in February/March 2020, I was told to bring masks with valves incase the air quality in Sydney was still suffering from the Blue Mountains fires.  Never used them, but did give 18 of the 20 to the nurse in our family to help her during the beginning stages of the covid fight in New York City hospitals.  Well today, I got the remaining two out of the closet and had to use them to leave the house.  The yellow haze covering New York City and suburbs is unbelievable and scary. The powerful smell of wood burning stung the eyes.  All outdoor activities were canceled and an emergency air alert in action.  I live over 550 miles south of Quebec..Unbelievable!  It is reaching as far south as Tennessee.

Hello Brandee, hope you are well. The smog in NY was on my car radio news this morning. This is what happen swith smoke from fires in Australia too. During the 2019-2020 summer fires, both Sydney and Melbourne had bad smoke which lasted for days. I can remember quite a few years ago, during a bad fire season sitting at the tennis (AUS Open) and the smoke was all around us. 

 

I hope the wind changes and the smoke/smog disperses quickly. Stay safe.

[Blackduck59]

@BRANDEE, we have been watching the news and that smoke is alarming. We have had smoke here from wildfires in California and Washington State in past years as well as other wildfires in BC when the wind comes from the North East. I hope they can get the fires under control soon. I know you will take whatever precautions you need to be safe. If that means getting a proper respirator with charcoal filters like painters use then do that. Be well, stay safe.