Can The Adults Please Smoke? 38 and FEELING GREAT!! — Page 8

I'm a linguist (in training, at least - about a year away from my Ph.D.), and we tend to be the opposite of grammar Nazis. When I see or hear nonstandard usage, I get excited rather than angry! This is data that we can use to look for patterns.

Recently a friend of mine asked about a TV show I was watching: "do you find it any interesting?" I had never heard this before, but apparently his dialect had generalized this use of any from "any good," which seems to be the only place where any can modify a (non-comparative) adjective in Standard English. I'm currently bugging him about his parents' and friends' usage to see if I can get a paper out of this. :)

Kdogg - that's interesting. I wonder if part of the unique usage is geographical in nature.

Brd - we both know that your Cs got a great education!

Kdogg - I echo Addy - interesting.

From my perspective, there is a huge difference between regional quirks and just plain laziness. I sometimes pick up some of the quirks of my foreign colleagues - especially using "wee" as a complete understatement when there is an issue, and "good on ya" for approval - courtesy of a New Zealand lawyer I worked with years ago.

For the record, I hate text typing as well.

Happy Hump Day Adults.

If you recall, I first heard that from you, and was shocked it wasn't being taught anymore. That blew my mind. I remember checking with the Goddaughter, and was relieved to hear Myles and Baileigh are being taught cursive.

That was one of my first thoughts, too. How will anyone sign legal documents or read notes written to them. Whoever came up with that nonsense should be punished!!

Updated On: 5/6/15 at 12:24 PM

I'm working on figuring it out (re: "any interesting"). The friend in question grew up in rural Virginia but has lived in Houston for many years, so I'm interested to see where this comes from. He himself doesn't have any clear answer to this question. He reports that it seems very natural for him, though of course he recognizes that this usage is nonstandard.

I'll report back if I can find out what's going on! The friend knows I'm fascinated by this sort of thing, so I'm hoping he hasn't punked me. :)

You're a man ahead of your time, Brd.

It depends on what I'm doing as to whether I print or write.

Moony, I couldn't agree more. I was the victim of educational fad in the first, impressionable years of school. Teachers were not teaching cursive as it was not 'modern'. My mother has one of the most beautiful cursive hands I know. She can glide over the page quickly, efficiently and, most of all, legibly. I do so wish I could do the same. While I tend to run my letters together, it is not the same thing and my legibility suffers.

Updated On: 5/7/15 at 04:40 PM

Monday night on Jeopardy they had a category of "internet short hand" and I knew known of them (I guessed correctly from logical deduction but never heard anyone use them before). I am officially out of the "in the know" crowd... not too upset about it.

My mother had the most beautiful calligraphy like penmanship, she would write out peoples wedding invites for them all the time. My father has perfect engineer block letter capital letter Printing (each letter is exactly same height and width every time).

Mine looks like I'm coming off a 5 day bender.

Mrs Brd and I could not write a note to save our life! Chicken scratches! C17's writing looks like he is 5. The girls have nice handwriting.

So, (as I am on social media) had to send a memo about social media during work. My legal assistant did acknowledge his problem. We will see.

Hey, SOMMS! How is Friday treating you?

Friday evening has been a nice time with a DVD and a small tub of Chunky Monkey - a quiet end to a busy and tiring week.

Should I save you some ice cream?