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davidleeseidman

Tag Archives: English language

Worrisome words

27 Friday May 2016

Posted by davidleeseidman in Editing, English, Words

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Tags

Donald Trump, English language, Words

English needs a word for giving someone something to drink. When you give someone food, you feed him. But when you give him a drink, you’re — what? Beveraging him? Watering him? Milking him?

 

Why are “contentious” and “contented” mutually exclusive? (Except for Donald Trump. He seems to be very contented with himself as he gets contentious with others.)

 

Is a large dumpling a dump?

 

Why do some writers refer to raising a child as “rearing” him or her? Sounds obscene.

 

Why is “bike” the short version of “bicycle”? Shouldn’t it be “bice”?

 

Oh, English language, you maddening wench.

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