Some pretty eclectic and random musings from the Linnit noggin

[chrissie_linnit]

Why do we have too many words in the English language?

Paranormal: beyond normal explanation.
Supernatural: relating to things that cannot be exlained by natural law.

Huh? TeenLinnit and I had a nearly violent healthy debate last night on ghostly occurences. Teen, insisting that all things ghostly were paranormal and all things other worldly and

Comments

[sister_luck]

You're absolutely right about ensure and insure though the difference seems to be especially strong in American English:

From the style guide of the University of Colorado at Boulder:

assure/ensure/insure Assure is a verb used to convey the sense of reassuring someone of something. Ensure is a verb that means "to make sure that." Insure is a verb reserved for use with reference to the insurance business.

I assured her that we would ensure that she was insured with our company.

And from the dictionary definition of assure at infoplease1. to declare earnestly to; inform or tell positively; state with confidence to: She assured us that everything would turn out all right

[chrissie_linnit]

I assured her that we would ensure that she was insured with our company.

*LOL* Says it all really... I think that English Grammar is given far too little emphasis in the secondary education system (12-18 years) these days. In many schools now, there is only a unified English lesson. A decade ago, and certainly as far back as Spouse's school days (he was born in 1946) English was taught as two subjects: English Language and English Literature.

I'm guessing that if I were to ask teenagers to define assure, ensure and insure, and then give sentences using those words, eighteen out of twenty wouldn't be able to do it.

I get frustrated with spelling anomalies that exist between English and American English, but at least most of the writers I read, know the right context for a word.

I'm so sooooo glad I'm not a teacher.

[sister_luck]

In German schools there has never been a distinction in subjects between teaching literature and teaching language - it's all done in German lessons, but spoken language is taking over and kids find it difficult to cope with the grammatical structures of written German.

[frenchani]

I didn't conceive Buffy/Giles either...until Eurydice wrote one that totally worked for me!

Have you read her post-Passion ficlet? It isn't canon but alternate reality, and there's even a bit of slash in it, but it's good and I can see Giles/Buffy happenig that way...
Of course the only good slash is GILES/ETHAN !!!!

[chrissie_linnit]

I've not seen that... Hmm? I'll go ferret it out and read. It'll have to be verrry good though to get me thinking Biles is plausible.

Giles/Ethan, I can actually conceive. They're both Public School boys, have a shared youth history and both were headstrong, live-on-the-edge guys. Any reunion of those two would either be extremely acrimonious or passionate... and either way, assuredly volatile.

I'd have loved them together in a futurefic. As a couple, but nothing fluffy and harmonious. Giles would always strive for the high ground, Ethan would ever be drawn to chaos. The fun of reading fics based around these two would be in rolling the punches with them as each adventure unfolds. Supporting them, I'd have Buffy/Spike, Willow/Oz and Xander & Andrew.

Now... where's a writer when you need her?

[frances_lievens]

*whispers*

There's some slash fanfic hidden away over here
Don't know what it's worth or if it's anything you'd like, but at least the writer will sound familiar.

[chrissie_linnit]

*SQUEALS*

Some people hide glowing lights under bushels!!!! I'm going to curl up in bed with you tonight... hope you don't mind cold feet. *grins*

[journal_ist]

Wow! Thanks for explaining those words! :) Actually, with english being my second language, I never feel that I *really* know the full meaning of the words I use. It's especially difficult when different english words translate into the same german word. Examples: ill/sick, dinner/supper, deadly/leathel/fatal,.... And they say that the english language is easy! Ha! ;-)

[anyasbuttmonkey]

Hey there, guess who found his way here?!

Yes, that's right, lil' old me!

I still think back on our epic chats back on the BC&S (do you still lurk there, by the way?!) from time to time... glad I found you again!