[OT] Word Rant

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
When precisely did the word "conversate" become a word (apparently a
verb)? I've heard it used a lot lately, it's even used in a song I
otherwise like. The president is on TV and was just asked by a senior
White House reporter "why haven't they conversated....". What was wrong
with the word "converse" ("conversed" being the past tense)? Was it that
"Converse" is now a brand of tennis shoe???!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with adding words to our language -
a language *should* be a living thing, especially in the face of our
fast-paced, technological world. But it irks me when perfectly fine words
are *******ized as the byproduct of ignorance!

I was thinking about this after picking up my double double on the way to
the cube farm. So I know what you mean, eh!

A few more annoyances for you: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/language/




--

Hugs,

CatNipped

See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/

Dan M wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 10:03:36 -0600, CatNipped wrote:

When precisely did the word "conversate" become a word (apparently a verb)?
I've heard it used a lot lately, it's even used in a song I otherwise like.
The president is on TV and was just asked by a senior White House reporter
"why haven't they conversated....". What was wrong with the word "converse"
("conversed" being the past tense)? Was it that "Converse" is now a brand
of tennis shoe???!

What can you expect from a man who can't pronounce "nuclear"?

ROFL!!
I really shouldn't comment at all on this thread....Southern US English
can be pretty dreadful and I'm probably the worst with colloquialisms,
even though I *know* how to speak properly. (OTOH, I only recently
learned that the "h" is silent in the word "vehicle".

Sherry

I haven't heard "conversate" yet, either. But given the way words spread
rapidly thanks to TV, radio, and the internet, I'm sure it's only a matter
of time before I do encounter someone using that word.

My own personal pet "Arrrgh!" words are "orientated" and"disorientated
"(instead of "oriented" and "disoriented"), and "obligated" (instead of
"obliged").

Like "conversated", they have an extra syllable in the middle that doesn't
reeeeeally belong there. IMO, if any of those three words I'm objecting to
has found its way into a dictionary, it's because frequent use over time
has caused it to be adopted.

But in all cases, I think the problem is caused by the fact that when we
convert the verb (converse, orient, disorient, oblige) to a noun, that
extra syllable is added: conversation, orientation, disorientation,
obligation. Then, when people try to convert the noun back into a verb,
they're just dropping the -tion without realixing that they need to drop
the extra syllable as well.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hears things like this and thinks,
"Argh!" ;o)

Donna, and the kitties who never make grammatical errors because purrs are
ALWAYS correct, Captain and Stanley

P. S. Hey, Meowmy! Cats are always correct, too!

Yours truly,

Captain and Stanley

In article , CatNipped
wrote:

When precisely did the word "conversate" become a word (apparently a verb)?
I've heard it used a lot lately, it's even used in a song I otherwise like.
The president is on TV and was just asked by a senior White House reporter
"why haven't they conversated....". What was wrong with the word "converse"
("conversed" being the past tense)? Was it that "Converse" is now a brand
of tennis shoe???!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with adding words to our language - a
language *should* be a living thing, especially in the face of our
fast-paced, technological world. But it irks me when perfectly fine words
are *******ized as the byproduct of ignorance!

I shall never forget a staff meeting, at which the VP of marketing
apologized for his late arrival, saying "I was dialoging with my staff
about their efforting about strategicizing." He moved on, into
complete incoherence.

CatNipped wrote:
When precisely did the word "conversate" become a word (apparently a verb)?
I've heard it used a lot lately, it's even used in a song I otherwise like.
The president is on TV and was just asked by a senior White House reporter
"why haven't they conversated....". What was wrong with the word "converse"
("conversed" being the past tense)? Was it that "Converse" is now a brand
of tennis shoe???!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with adding words to our language - a
language *should* be a living thing, especially in the face of our
fast-paced, technological world. But it irks me when perfectly fine words
are *******ized as the byproduct of ignorance!

--

Hugs,

CatNipped

You're right. It was a perfectly fine word to begin with!!
I know a journalism law professor, now retired, who is probably having
a cow over that one. I must call and get his opinion.....I remember
when he was likewise having a cow over the word "prioritize." (long,
long time ago)

Sherry

[[If I am correct there are several versions of the English language in
UK]]

I think we've got multiple, regional dialects of English coexisting in the
US, too.

Which could account for why only some of us have encountered the word
"conversate", so far.

I think that acclimate/acclimatise is probably a US vs. UK dialect
difference. Kind of like we say "aluminum" (four syllables) but in the UK
the word is "aluminium" (five syllables and slightly different spelling).

I guess if these alternate forms of words are used widely enough and long
enough, they become part of the language. But I hope that "conversate"
doesn't go mainstream... even if it does, I'm sticking with "converse".
;o)

Donna

Son of a gun! I checked out that link on conversate, and then looked at the
list of errors.

And there, on their list, was one of the pet-peeve words I mentioned:
orientate.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/orientate.html

According to this, "orientate" is standard in British English, but is
considered to be an error in US English.

Hmmm. This explains why it drives me bananas, but probably won't faze the
posters on here whose native dialect of English is not the US version.

The article went on to add, "See also: interpretate". Eeeek, I think I'd
rather not! ;o)

Donna

Cats don't need separate dialects. Everything we say is always correct. --
Captain and Stanley

Bill Stock wrote:

I was thinking about this after picking up my double double on the way to
the cube farm. So I know what you mean, eh!

A few more annoyances for you: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/language/

And here's mo

http://www.buzzwhack.com/

They even have a rant section:

http://www.buzzwhack.com/rants/

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 19:18:54 -0800, sriddles wrote:


CatNipped wrote:
When precisely did the word "conversate" become a word (apparently a verb)?
I've heard it used a lot lately, it's even used in a song I otherwise like.
The president is on TV and was just asked by a senior White House reporter
"why haven't they conversated....". What was wrong with the word "converse"
("conversed" being the past tense)? Was it that "Converse" is now a brand
of tennis shoe???!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with adding words to our language - a
language *should* be a living thing, especially in the face of our
fast-paced, technological world. But it irks me when perfectly fine words
are *******ized as the byproduct of ignorance!

--

Hugs,

CatNipped

You're right. It was a perfectly fine word to begin with!!
I know a journalism law professor, now retired, who is probably having
a cow over that one. I must call and get his opinion.....I remember
when he was likewise having a cow over the word "prioritize." (long,
long time ago)

Sherry

...........and then there is that expression "having a cow"!!!!
Seriously, if you manage to understand what is meant why
bother "having a cow"? MLB

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 22:14:21 -0500, Gabey8 wrote:

I haven't heard "conversate" yet, either. But given the way words spread
rapidly thanks to TV, radio, and the internet, I'm sure it's only a matter
of time before I do encounter someone using that word.

My own personal pet "Arrrgh!" words are "orientated" and"disorientated
"(instead of "oriented" and "disoriented"), and "obligated" (instead of
"obliged").

Like "conversated", they have an extra syllable in the middle that doesn't
reeeeeally belong there. IMO, if any of those three words I'm objecting to
has found its way into a dictionary, it's because frequent use over time
has caused it to be adopted.

But in all cases, I think the problem is caused by the fact that when we
convert the verb (converse, orient, disorient, oblige) to a noun, that
extra syllable is added: conversation, orientation, disorientation,
obligation. Then, when people try to convert the noun back into a verb,
they're just dropping the -tion without realixing that they need to drop
the extra syllable as well.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hears things like this and thinks,
"Argh!" ;o)

Donna, and the kitties who never make grammatical errors because purrs are
ALWAYS correct, Captain and Stanley

P. S. Hey, Meowmy! Cats are always correct, too!

Yours truly,

Captain and Stanley


Many, many years ago the Readers' Digest had an article entitled "Shirt
sleeve English". I wonder if there is any way to find it now? It must
have been 30 years or more. MLB