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Post by Christinko on Sept 16, 2005 14:26:19 GMT -6
Dictionaries are updated daily!
Back in the 1960s the words 'host' and 'jet' moved from not only being nouns but being verbs. You used to not be able to host parties or jet around the world.
In the 1980s, the word 'access' became a verb too---you used to have to gain access to things...now you can access them (happened right before my eyes when I was writing tech manuals back in those days).
One area where our language has become tighter is a trend in the last 20 years toward using WHO instead of THAT for a person.....as in "the person that/who I like best is...." Both are technically correct, but 'who' is becoming preferred.
Our use of nite and lite are entering the common lexicon more and more--as do most advertising-type words. They still are not standard, but their common use makes them start to become okay. And speaking of which.....the word/abbreviation 'OK'....recent research shows it comes from "all correct". Was shortened from A-Okay....the K replaced the C as part of the slang.
Why am I wasting my breath here...I should be using this valuable kind of information at cocktail parties with influential people.
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Sept 16, 2005 14:53:01 GMT -6
And speaking of the infamous "OK" ... yet another problem I have with programmers who don't know how to design a UI. A page/dialog that has an OK button should have it appear just as you and I spelled it -- ALL CAPS. However, instead of "OK", many front - end programmers I've worked with will use "Ok" instead (lower-case 'k'). I try to explain to them that the way they spell "OK" is not OK. They have a very confused look on their face. Not unlike the one you have right now, in fact. This would all be a moot point if they bothered to read "About Face", a great book on UI design, because the author suggests software developers avoid the ubiquitous "OK", given that, quite obviously, the message on that screen/dialog box may *not* in fact be OK with customers ... yet, they have no choice but to push "OK". ...I should be using this valuable kind of information at cocktail parties with influential people. You would have to be invited first.
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Post by Christinko on Sept 16, 2005 15:45:44 GMT -6
re: those cocktail parties...thou doth have a point (more than the one on the top of the beanie on your head).
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on Sept 17, 2005 5:00:22 GMT -6
re: etymology of 'OK' Chris, I may be wrong (there is a lot of legend/myth on this), but I thought AOK was an outgrowth of the space program in the 1960's (having to do with 'A' as a sound, cutting through radio static better than 'O'). 'OK' dates from the 1830's or 1840's with a variety of potential origins. REGARDLESS it is an abbreviation and should always therefore, be capitalized. www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_250
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Post by Christinko on Sept 17, 2005 10:52:18 GMT -6
I like your info better than mine...let's go with it! The lovely part is that myth/legend all suit our needs as needed.
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Post by jdmcowan on Sept 29, 2005 21:40:32 GMT -6
One area where our language has become tighter is a trend in the last 20 years toward using WHO instead of THAT for a person.....as in "the person that/who I like best is...." Both are technically correct, but 'who' is becoming preferred. Except that it should be "the person whom I like best." Jeremy
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