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Pedants' corner

4am musings on text/texted

13 replies

Mrskbpw · 18/12/2012 10:36

I know we've all agreed that people saying text when they mean texted is very annoying (if you're using a noun as a verb, at least use it properly), but last night I was lying awake wondering WHY they do it.

There are oodles of nouns that we use as verbs (I know some people don't like this but it doesn't bother me really): google, hoover, medal (yuk), phone, parent, friend (on facebook) etc etc. So why is text such a hard one for people to use?!

I'm very very fussy about written English and far less fussy about spoken English, which I find more fluid and interesting. But some things make me angry, man, and this is one of them. Also myself instead of me, but that's for another time...

OP posts:
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JessieMcJessie · 30/12/2012 16:30

That's a very interesting point, not only is it annoying it's anomalous! I am now trying to think of other examples where the past participle has lost its "Ed" and become acceptable...none spring to mind.

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ChristmasIsForPlutocrats · 30/12/2012 16:38

In American English, I have seen "spit" for "spat". I may think of some more.

With past-tense "text" (I hate it, too), I think the problem is either that "txt" obliterates EVERYTHING, or it is the same problem as "chester draws".

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LesserOfTwoWeevils · 30/12/2012 17:15

I think it's because of how it sounds?like "texed," as though it's already a past tense. So people think if they say texted that would be like saying "ranned," or "spilted."

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JessieMcJessie · 30/12/2012 17:24

Lesser, you're a genius.

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FromEsme · 30/12/2012 17:28

Well, what about cut? Cut cut cut.

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EuphemiaInExcelsis · 01/01/2013 13:57

I don't care how widespread "text" becomes, I am sticking with "texted"!

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EuphemiaInExcelsis · 01/01/2013 14:03

There are many irregular verbs in English:

To go
I go
I went
I have gone

To be
I am
I was
I have been

To dig
I dig
I dug
I have dug

Etc., etc.

But who decided which rules "to text" would follow? Confused Angry Is it usual for new verbs to be irregular?

American English evidently has different rules. "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" - shouldn't that be shrank? "He dove into the swimming pool". Dived!

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DrRanj · 01/01/2013 14:06

Don't know about your question, but I hate it when people say "textses" for the plural. What is wrong with "texts"? Or "text messages" even?

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JustAHolyFool · 01/01/2013 15:11

Euphemia the Americans are far less keen on using the present perfect than us, leading to much confusion if they tell you they lost their keys. Do you mean you lost them? Or you HAVE lost them? WHICH?

And to stuff like "Honey I shrunk the kids".

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ChristmasIsForPlutocrats · 01/01/2013 15:51

They misuse the present perfect all the time! "I didn't do it yet." Grrrrr...

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JustAHolyFool · 01/01/2013 15:53

I don't think they misuse it, so much as it's just not a feature of American English.

According to my friend from NI, they're not massive fans of it there either. I wonder if maybe American English has kept a lot of features of Irish English.

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Greythorne · 01/01/2013 16:31

I think Lesser has it!

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Greythorne · 01/01/2013 16:31

It's not misuse. It's American English.

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