The Boys need a better proofreader!

[Ghost within this house]

In that case, dice as a singular form is, if I may borrow from your signature, a delusion which many people suffer; but a delusion, nonetheless.

[boyjohn]

I certainly wasn't trying to start any arguments over this. I was just pointing out that over time languages change. "Dice" as a singular form seems to have crossed over the line from being non-standard english to acceptable usage in the past 50-100 years. And that is certainly not my or anyone elses delusion, things like that happen to languages all the time. Another one that seems to be changing is that "will" is replacing "shall". Whether this becomes a permanant change is anyones guess at this point.

A couple of my pet peeves in language:

When people say things like "this is very unique" (there are no grades of uniqueness, it means one of a kind)

When people put the word "at" at the end of a sentence such as "I don't know where I left my paper at"

[Ghost within this house]

It's fun to argue. Of course you're right about evolution, but when there's a perfectly good singular and plural of a word, and usage changes simply as a result of ignorance, I, for one, start to bristle. Collins should be ashamed.

Within a few years, 'dices' will be accepted as a plural of 'dice'.

Maybe 'childs' will be accepted as a plural of 'child'!

As for prepositions at the ends of sentences, here's a sentence that ends with FIVE prepositions in a row:

'What did you want to bring that book I didn't want to be read to out of up for?'

[BecciJ]

Of course you're right about evolution, but when there's a perfectly good singular and plural of a word, and usage changes simply as a result of ignorance, I, for one, start to bristle.

*applauds use of 5 commas in one sentence*

[Hillbilly]

'What did you want to bring that book I didn't want to be read to out of up for?'

It sounds almost like Swedish!
In our language it is natural (and not ungrammatical) to end sentences with prepositions just like that.

Of course you are right about that languages change over time, especially in speech. I thought however that English is more conservative than, let's say Swedish.

I think it's fascinating how the vowel combination ea can be pronounced in so many different ways: hear-bear-learn-steak-leak-death... does English know the word 'regularity'?

Hey, why don't we go on with a Language & Grammar thread in the Off-Topic section!

[Ghost within this house]

Of course you're right about evolution, but when there's a perfectly good singular and plural of a word, and usage changes simply as a result of ignorance, I, for one, start to bristle.

*applauds use of 5 commas in one sentence*

he he.

I have Obsessive Comma Use Disorder.

Hence, of the commas in that previous sentence, only two, the final two to be more precise, are actually instances of proper, correct comma usage.

[Sandy Shaw]

dice n, pl dice 1 a small cube, etc

n, pl = noun, plural


I love this thread!

Sandy, you are to typographical standards what Alfonso is to PSB texts!

Thanks for this and the interesting debate. Of course when I posted I was aware that the word 'dice' has fairly common usage as a singular as well as a plural noun; but was quite intrigued that before publishing on the PSB OS, someone had decided to change the BBC's 'die' to the word 'dice'! (I suppose it could be argued that more PSB site visitors would potentially understand 'dice' rather than 'die' in that context.) On the other hand, the change could have been completely inadvertent. We may never know! The important thing is to enjoy the Music and Chance broadcast tomorrow.

[BecciJ]

Of course you're right about evolution, but when there's a perfectly good singular and plural of a word, and usage changes simply as a result of ignorance, I, for one, start to bristle.

*applauds use of 5 commas in one sentence*

he he.

I have Obsessive Comma Use Disorder.

Hence, of the commas in that previous sentence, only two, the final two to be more precise, are actually instances of proper, correct comma usage.

*hands Ghostie a box of commas in case he runs out*

[redsock]

*hands Ghostie a box of commas in case he runs out*

A flock of them has just flown in, just in case they're needed ....

EDIT --- Guess I shouldn't hotlink, still at least the website owner changed it to a normal picture, I usually put up something far worse when someone does it to me .....

[BecciJ]

Did you paint that yourself? It's very nice.




Hmmm, how can you tell if they are commas or apostrophes though? Surely apostrophes would fly, commas would slither along the ground... You need to pait another one.

God, I need to get out more...

[redsock]

I just typed "box of commas" into google image. I thought they looked more like a migrating flock of them though.

[MikeyC]

"Did You See Me Comma?"

[redsock]

There was a nasty accident at my local Indian takeaway last night, apparently a guy slipped over in the kitchen and banged his head. The paramedics reckon it's serious as he slipped into a Korma .....

... I'll get my coat ....

[BecciJ]

What's happened to your commas?! Did Ghostie use them all up and replace them with an election banner instead?!

*gasps*

[Ghost within this house]

I,er,

no nocommas no not at all commas? here? you must be mistaken right nothing to see here you must be off mustnt you