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Mistakes that irk you in your vernacular

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drygramul
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Italy
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 Message 33 of 73
19 June 2014 at 2:05pm | IP Logged 
biagio wrote:
A similar thing happens in Italian when they say "entrare dentro": "entrare" already means "to go in", so why add "dentro" (in)?


Those are syntagmatic verbs, they work like English phrasal verbs. In this case the particle is used as a pleonasm to intensify the meaning of the verb.
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tommus
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 Message 34 of 73
19 June 2014 at 2:23pm | IP Logged 
The FIFA World Cup commentary, particularly by British commentators, magnifies a language
usage that hurts my ears: Using collective nouns as plurals. "The team are playing well
today. England are playing great. Brazil expect to win the match." The same usage occurs
in other sports but it seems to be more prevalent in football. I can understand why this
usage is so common. It is a short cut and easier. But a team or a country's team is a
single unit. "Spain is out." "Germany is a good team". But I guess common usage makes a
language, so I guess I have to get used to it.
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Radioclare
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 Message 35 of 73
19 June 2014 at 2:56pm | IP Logged 
"Could of" in place of "could have" is my pet hate. It's so prevalent in my part of the world that I think I was 18 before I realised it was actually a mistake!
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beano
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 Message 36 of 73
19 June 2014 at 3:00pm | IP Logged 
tommus wrote:
But a team or a country's team is a single unit. "Spain is out." "Germany is a good team". But I guess common usage makes a language, so I guess I have to get used to it.


So what are you supposed to say instead of "we beat them"?

Most football fans refer to their club side or country with the pronouns "we" and "us"
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Jeffers
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 Message 37 of 73
19 June 2014 at 3:06pm | IP Logged 
tommus wrote:
The FIFA World Cup commentary, particularly by British commentators, magnifies a language
usage that hurts my ears: Using collective nouns as plurals. "The team are playing well
today. England are playing great. Brazil expect to win the match." The same usage occurs
in other sports but it seems to be more prevalent in football. I can understand why this
usage is so common. It is a short cut and easier. But a team or a country's team is a
single unit. "Spain is out." "Germany is a good team". But I guess common usage makes a
language, so I guess I have to get used to it.


You can use singular or plural verbs with collective nouns, but I think it is more common to use the plural in
the UK than it is in the USA.

This website
confirms that there is a difference between American and British usage.
4 persons have voted this message useful



tastyonions
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 Message 38 of 73
19 June 2014 at 3:25pm | IP Logged 
Gemuse wrote:
I thought the kids these days say "Where you at" rather than "Where are you at".

The two become indistinguishable fairly easily, since in casual speech the vowel of "are" is often reduced and "where are" sounds like just "where" with a longer "r" at the end.
1 person has voted this message useful



nicozerpa
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 Message 39 of 73
19 June 2014 at 3:36pm | IP Logged 
Jeffers wrote:
tommus wrote:
The FIFA World Cup commentary, particularly by British commentators, magnifies a language
usage that hurts my ears: Using collective nouns as plurals. "The team are playing well
today. England are playing great. Brazil expect to win the match." The same usage occurs
in other sports but it seems to be more prevalent in football. I can understand why this
usage is so common. It is a short cut and easier. But a team or a country's team is a
single unit. "Spain is out." "Germany is a good team". But I guess common usage makes a
language, so I guess I have to get used to it.


You can use singular or plural verbs with collective nouns, but I think it is more common to use the plural in the UK than it is in the USA.

This website confirms that there is a difference between American and British usage.


Actually, when I learned (British) English at a language school, we were taught to use collective nouns that way.
3 persons have voted this message useful



Elenia
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 Message 40 of 73
19 June 2014 at 5:43pm | IP Logged 
I see 'bestfriend' a lot, and it really irritates me. It doesn't sound like one word
when said aloud, unlike 'a lot' and so I really don't understand why this mistake is so
common. I don't usually like to pick other people up on their mistakes because I know I
make a lot myself, but this one I just don't get.

Also, when people mix up 't's and 'd's. I know this is due to differing pronunciation,
but that doesn't make it any less annoying.

(By the way, don't hesitate to call me out if I've made a mistake in this post!)

*EDIT for spelling 'bestfriend' correctly!

Edited by Elenia on 19 June 2014 at 5:48pm


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