Re: 1more
by Shownak on Jan 02, 2015 01:12 PM
"I didn't do nothing is a typical American usage. Few other examples: "You are kidding me!" "I am mad at you" (= "I am angry at you"), etc.
It is common for languages to have some redundancies at all levels, orthographic, phonological syntactic, and lexical. The geminate letters in English -- such as the two 'm's in the word "immanent" are unnecessary, but we happily use them. The expression "safe haven" is an example of lexical redundancy, that is all. Since it follows the Adjective Noun rule of english noun phrases, it cannot be considered incorrect or meaningless. Redundant, may be, but not ungrammatical.
Re: On correctness and incorrectness
by aus ant on Jan 01, 2015 05:32 PM
Thomas, what you wrote may neither be 'redundant' nor 'ungrammatical', but it certainly is unintelligible! Since this article is about the use of phrases that doesn't make sense, were you, by any chance, giving us a combination of phrases that doesn't make sense!
Glad that these articles from you address a lot of problems of Indian English. If everyone reads these articles, our English won't be an object of ridicule to others.
Re: I hope you'll write about cringeworthy cliches Indians use
by kapil on Dec 31, 2014 11:22 AM
it seems you think good english means the end of the world?? Japnies and germans still dont accept english.. dont you know???
Re: Re: I hope you'll write about cringeworthy cliches Indians us
by Pat Thakur on Dec 31, 2014 06:41 PM
& yankees have raped it to suit their own whims n fancies.
Re: Re: I hope you'll write about cringeworthy cliches Indians us
by giveanid on Dec 31, 2014 09:38 PM
This article is for people who like English and want to be good in English. You can learn Japanese or German or Sanskrit.
Re: Re: I hope you'll write about cringeworthy cliches Indians us
by piri on Jan 01, 2015 09:17 AM
The Japanese and Germans may still have not allowed English to displace their languages fully, true (though they do offer full fledged courses now in various streams at their universities entirely in the English medium in order to attract international students).
But this fact does not help the vast multitudes of Indian middle class commoners (especially north Indian middle class commoners) who yearn in private and yearn in vain that their English could somehow be improved, does it ?
1. This is a nice series and must continue. Learning correct language is important.
2. If "Old adage" is incorrect (or superfluous), so should be "famous adage" too as "...well-known..." (meaning famous) is a also a part of the given definition like "Old..."
Re: famous and well-known
by giveanid on Dec 31, 2014 10:18 AM
I too disagree with the article that old adage and safe haven are wrong. Same with ATM machines, NDA agreements... although they are technically incorrect, its common usage.
"For all intents and purposes" is an example of tautology (saying the same thing twice, using different words). Lawyers are particularly fond of such expressions (null and void, between and betwixt).
Re: tautology
by giveanid on Dec 31, 2014 10:16 AM
Exactly. I am often gobsmacked by the License Agreements 'by and on behalf of, of which and not only which but where, intended told, not told or otherwise implied yadayada'
