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Pedants' corner

What is the purpose of Pedants' Corner? (Genuinely looking for views)

38 replies

DadDadDad · 16/07/2014 00:21

This was being discussed on another thread here, so I thought I'd see what others thought. Is it for any of these?

  1. Letting off steam about language misuse seen elsewhere on MN
  2. Having a general moan about abuses in the wider world (at work, in the media etc)
  3. A more educational purpose of allowing people to get clarification around something in their own writing or in the writing of others
  4. To inform about points of pedantry on any subject (not just English language)


Of course, feel free to add other options, just thought a few suggestions would help.
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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 16/07/2014 00:55

All of the above.

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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 16/07/2014 00:55

All of the above.

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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 16/07/2014 00:56

Twice, apparently! Grin

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BOFster · 16/07/2014 01:06

All of the above. Again.

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PetulaGordino · 16/07/2014 04:04

All of that, and it's also sometimes used in the same way as the "cunning linguists" topic where people with an interest in how language is used discuss things robustly

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DadDadDad · 18/07/2014 13:35

One little bump to this for the weekend to see if anyone else cares. Hmm

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HecatePropylaea · 18/07/2014 13:38

I believe MNHQ took the Pedants and shoved them in here because they were pissing everyone else off.

It is a holding cell.

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DadDadDad · 18/07/2014 17:13

Then surely MNHQ need to stick a notice somewhere, e.g.fix a thread at the top of this topic, to inform those of us who weren't aware that this was the purpose? And then advertise this topic elsewhere on MN so more come this way...

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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 18/07/2014 20:47

I'm ok as it is, but report your post if you'd like them to consider it.

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BOFster · 18/07/2014 20:50

If you are peeved that these things also get discussed in AIBU and Chat, you're pissing in the wind really: hardly anybody on MN uses the topics properly, for anything.

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OneHandFlapping · 18/07/2014 20:54

Nice use of a colon there, BOFster.

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DadDadDad · 18/07/2014 21:06

I'm not peeved about anything, just curious how it's intended to work. I've learnt something here. Thanks!

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PetulaGordino · 18/07/2014 21:40

MN topics tend to work however the users of the topic make it work. It's not prescriptive or consistent.

And your bump today OP does come across as rather rude with no acknowledgement of responses and the wee humpy face

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AuntieStella · 18/07/2014 21:49

1 was one of the original purposes, but recently MNHQ has taken to deleting them

All the others apply, though.

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DadDadDad · 18/07/2014 21:51

No, no, I was doing a sceptical face according to the labels below. It was meant to be self-deprecating, as I was sceptical that anyone had the slightest bit of interest in this thread. I thought there might be a different response at a weekend, so it was worth a try.

Sorry if I came across as rude, not my intention. I might point out that you came across as a bit patronising - I know topics are what the users make them, and you see all kinds of blurring of boundaries. I suppose I should have been more touchy-feely and called this "why do you come to Pedants' Corner?" Grin

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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 18/07/2014 21:56

"MN topics tend to work however the users of the topic make it work. It's not prescriptive or consistent."

Which part of that was patronising?

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Scousadelic · 18/07/2014 22:00

It is a safety valve for those of us who find "should of" and its ilk not just an irritant but totally inexcusable Grin

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DadDadDad · 18/07/2014 22:02

All of it - because it's stating things that are obvious to anyone who's been on MN for a while, so it makes me sound like I'm a beginner here. (I'm not, I deliberately asked my question neutrally to see what range of responses I get).

However, I accept that feeling patronised is a subjective thing, so I'll leave it there.

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iklboo · 18/07/2014 22:04

I feel I can safely rant about my BIL's girlfriend who genuinely believes 'cunt' is an acceptable contraction for couldn't (which is already a contraction).

As in 'I cunt get out of bed this morning'.

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BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure · 18/07/2014 22:05

You may or may not be a beginner here; I happen to know you aren't, but why should Petula?

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PetulaGordino · 18/07/2014 22:06

I didn't mean to be patronising, but I'm on other forums where mods will "whoosh" threads from the wrong section into the right one, or will merge a new thread into an old one on the same topic, (or tell people off for going off topic, which I hate, I like discussions to develop naturally), but MN doesn't do that (as you know), but I don't know how long you've been on here so you might have been used to the former

I get your sceptical face now Grin

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iklboo · 18/07/2014 22:08

Posts about 'Lightening' strikes are driving me mildly frenzied tonight.

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PetulaGordino · 18/07/2014 22:08

I don't know how long you've been on here (you're now going to tell me we've had a conversation in the past and I'll embarrassed Grin)

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Munchmallow · 18/07/2014 22:11

This topic exists to enable us to point out that it's LIGHTNING, not "lightening".

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LulaPalooza · 18/07/2014 22:12

Ha! I came here to say exactly that, iklboo

I had to hide those threads.

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