olivegreen Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Of course, "fit for purpose" should not be confused with "fit on purpose". When people are critical of my modeling attempts I tell them "it don't fit on purpose". There speaks a man after my own heart! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 When did we start up-speaking and up-writing? Is it American or Australian? or two? It's essentially a statement that changes into a question due to the inclusion of a question mark at the end and an intonation rise of the last word I've seen this ascribed to Californian women in the 80s, but then the Aussies do it too. I also recall working for someone (mid 90s) who hailed from Essex speaking that way - it was the first time I'd heard it and I thought she was constantly asking me questions. When I first read the post, I thought Andrew was referring to "up-cycling", an equally irritating neologism that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivegreen Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 "up-cycling", What on earth is that supposed to mean? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 "up-cycling", What on earth is that supposed to mean? It's when you repaint some old tat while making a Channel 4 lifestyle program at the same time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivegreen Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It's when you repaint some old tat while making a Channel 4 lifestyle program at the same time. And then selling it on ebay for some inflated price…? Coat, hat, door… I'm gone... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 I think the Australians started the up-ending question thing. I remember Australian friends using it in the sixties. It's frequently used as a substitution for "are you following me here?"(and, by the way, on my first day working in the US, I did actually ask our department admin Nancy, "Do you have any rubbers?" Her face turned beetroot, and I had no idea why.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 (and, by the way, on my first day working in the US, I did actually ask our department admin Nancy, "Do you have any rubbers?" Her face turned beetroot, and I had no idea why.) A lot like "Can I use your dictaphone" and "Do you want a screwdriver?"..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinWalsh Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Just read all of this thread and I'm pretty sure I have got a full-house on "Buzzword Bingo" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 "up-cycling", What on earth is that supposed to mean? It is what happens when you start at Sainte-Marie-De-Campan with your trusty pushbike, and take the road signposted to Col Du Tormalet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I think the Australians started the up-ending question thing. I remember Australian friends using it in the sixties. It's frequently used as a substitution for "are you following me here?" Robert MacNeil (with Robert McCum and William Cran) wrote a nine-part documentary for American PBS during the 1980s called The Story Of English. People might find it impertinent for the colonials to do so and it did focus a lot on how British English changed in the colonies, but it was really good. Episode 7, The Muvver Tongue focuses on the progression of English 'Down Under', and pays particular attention to 'the rising inflection' (now apparently labelled up-speaking) amongst young Australian females. The particular section on the rising inflection begins at 5:17. Watching it still makes me cringe a bit. You can find the whole series online. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 'Crowdfunding'........Agghhh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 'Crowdfunding'........Agghhh. It is succinct, specific and clear (though, personally, I'd rather see it hyphenated). What would you suggest instead? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew F Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I'd like "individuals" to be people again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Why do we need the word "ongoing"? What's wrong with "continuing"? Ditto, why "going forward" instead of "in future"? steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Why do we need the word "ongoing"? What's wrong with "continuing"? Ditto, why "going forward" instead of "in future"? One of the real beauties of the English language is the nuance that is possible with subtle distinctions in words with similar meanings. Let's not forget this is still the language of Shakespeare - whose vocabulary was pretty amazing. How many times did he choose a synonym for poetic or dramatic effect? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted March 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 17, 2015 I'd like "individuals" to be people again. Absolutely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I know it's popular for people in the UK to ridicule the Americanization of English (oops, I think I just made a new one!) But, these days, whenever I read a UK publication, I keep running into something called "fit for purpose". What pl**ker came up with that one I ask? Admittedly it's been a while since I lived in the UK, but there was no such thing when I lived there. Back then, we might have said "it doesn't work", plus or minus a few carefully selective adverbs (particularly in the vicinity of Glasgow). And I used to think I was the only one in the PNW! It works both ways; I still retain the English spelling and have trouble dropping the U in colour or ER for RE, etc., which I learned ages ago! Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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