Come on, give me your opinion.....

[rocketmanjohn]

We have obviously flogged this subject to death and I shall not be making any further contributions to it. Bill, your opinions are obviously non-negotiable, but I don't need you to snipe at my lack of a B.Sc. in English language, yes, I did get it.
John

[William R]

What on earth is happening???? I`m dashing out to buy a dictionary so that I can understand the mystical postings which are appearing on the Forum. How on earth did I manage to become a Chief Engineer of a Company with such a lack of knowledge, and inability to write 200 words where one would do. Some worthy citizens of this Borough would sum up simply as "What a load of verbiage, (I wanted to say garbage.)" Chambers Dictionary says that Verbiage means "the use of a lot of unnecessary words". Martin, please ensure that I am not referred to as Bill R. but as William R. to avoid any more confusion. From over the Pennines, in the good old United Kingdom of Great Britain, Regards, from William R.

[noel]

I must confess I got lost with the word neologism but it was a fascinating read nevertheless.

[Bill Rigby]

Well, Willie R, you know the engineering graduates openiong sentence, "Yesterday, I wanted to be an ongineer, today I are one!" Naturally, I cannot invert the ens or reverse the esses...
I was rather amused by your posting to the "Suggestion" thread where at great length you attempted to write, "The forum is in danger because people are using language and expressing ideas with which I cannot cope".
If 'tis to me you refer, I shall be happy to explain any words of more than 3 'sillaabels', as Bush would say.
Rocketman, opinions, if of any value must be informed and in that respect, yes, they are non-negotiable. My 'snipe' was done more in the spirit of a quip, because the false humility as 'only an engineer' as an excuse to feign an inability to understand relatively simple words does not wash. Oh, indeed, I have worked with engineers who are lost if they have to use judgment rather than a slide rule!
By the way, I do not understand why people are so sensitive and quick to take offense. On my part, it is nothing personal, as the saying goes. Until the above, I have stuck to the message, leaving ad hominem remarks out of it. If this is not so, I would be obliged if someone would point out such a slip on my part.

[noel]

I take no offence Bill, but neologism sure has me beaten. I think you've invented a new word there.

[noel]

quote:

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Originally posted by noel
I take no offence Bill, but neologism sure has me beaten. I think you've invented a new word there.

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Well blow me down guess what it means, I've just done a dictionary search on line for it and .....Quick definitions (Neologism)noun: the act of inventing a word or phrasenoun: a newly invented word or phrase[][][]

[Bill Rigby]

I credited you with a new expression "God bless atheism"! I did not think, Noel, that you took offense, since none was intended at all.

[noel]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rigby
I credited you with a new expression "God bless atheism"! I did not think, Noel, that you took offense, since none was intended at all.

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No rocketman made that rather amusing statement. Made me chuckle. It's difficult to impart the way one feels when a statement is made. I usually put a smiley in to show I'm amused which thank the lord I usually am.

[LDunlop76]

<<As for the pitiful tale of the jokes at English expense in a French environment, what a sad example of an inability to laugh at oneself! It seems Brits can lash out any amount of jokes at others' expense, but when they become the target, whining ensues. >>
If you had read what I wrote, I said I could take it in good part. I am perfectly capable of laughing at myself. What I was doing was illustrating with an example from my own experience that the English can be disliked abroad - probably justifiably with the behaviour of some of our nation when abroad. I resent being told I am whining, when I was merely relating an incident, but I'll probably be accused of yet more whining.........

[Bill Rigby]

Sorry, Ldunlop, but I only reacted to what I read and it smacked of the usual anglo attitude. What you encountered was not dislike, but leg-pulling. I have lived in several countries, notably France, Belgium and Germany, as well as traveling extensively on both business and pleasure and never detected 'dislike' per se anywhere. Indifference, maybe, but never dislike. I guess you know the story of the friends who went off to live in different parts of the country and met a few years later. After swapping the usual pleasantries, one asked, "So, have you settled in the place?" "Oh, yes, fine like the people and get on well with them, a nice friendly lot. And how about you?" The former friend replied, "Well, I do not much care for the place I live mainly because the people are a miserable lot..." and he went on to explain what he found wrong. The story tells you nothing about the places where the two live, but a lot about themselves.