What do our linguistic "traditionalists" think of this?

[Pete C]

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/using-undictionaried-words/

[JSngry]

[JSngry]

Everybody I've ever known who looks like that is at heart a "creative uses for canned mushroom soup" type person, and this article feels like that to me.

Mind you, I have no objections to creative uses for canned mushroom soup!

[thedwork]

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/using-undictionaried-words/

it's ok. just like everything else, language evolves. the article was no revelation. but this quote is, to me, suspect:

'Scholars recently analyzed more than five million digitized books, about 4 percent of all the books ever printed. Publishing their findings in "Science," the researchers discovered that, by their estimation, “52 percent of the English lexicon – the majority of the words used in English books – consists of lexical ‘dark matter’ undocumented in standard references.'

am i reading that right? more than half of the words we read are "lexical dark matter," or neologisms? really? that seems a bit high to say the least.

[Ted O'Reilly]

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/using-undictionaried-words/

it's ok. just like everything else, language evolves. the article was no revelation. but this quote is, to me, suspect:

'Scholars recently analyzed more than five million digitized books, about 4 percent of all the books ever printed. Publishing their findings in "Science," the researchers discovered that, by their estimation, “52 percent of the English lexicon – the majority of the words used in English books – consists of lexical ‘dark matter’ undocumented in standard references.'

am i reading that right? more than half of the words we read are "lexical dark matter," or neologisms? really? that seems a bit high to say the least.

Was the reference not to ALL books, just to the 4% digitalized? Maybe they are the most-easily available for analysis, most recently-composed, and therefore are indeed "lexical dark matter" and neologisms.

(I am a traditionalist, an old and Jesuit-taught pedant. I prefer proper capitalization, and think it's a *quotation*, not a *quote*. Also like canned mushroom soup, and think she's attractive. )

[king ubu]

How many percent in Shakespeare? And how many percent of native speakers understand how many percent of Shakespeare?

* * *

(just found here thanks to Niko - thought it fits nicely here )

Edited June 6, 2012 by king ubu

[JETman]

English is the most difficult language in the world. I'm beginning to think this is because there are too many non-traditionalists who believe that the rules constantly change.

I'm with Ted.

[Pete C]

The only languages that DON'T change are dead ones.

[JETman]

The only languages that DON'T change are dead ones.

How did I know you'd be sitting there waiting to jump on the one person you thought you baited? But before you get too happy, you should ask yourself: who baited who?

[J.A.W.]

The only languages that DON'T change are dead ones.

How did I know you'd be sitting there waiting to jump on the one person you thought you baited? But before you get too happy, you should ask yourself: who baited who?

Shouldn't that be "who baited whom"? I could easily be wrong, of course, I'm just a simple guy whose first language isn't English, wondering if the phrase "a full-growed man" I saw in another thread earlier today is an example of an ever-evolving language

Edited June 6, 2012 by J.A.W.

[JSngry]

I'm just a simple guy whose first language isn't English, wondering if the phrase "a full-growed man" I saw in another thread earlier today is an example of an ever-evolving language

My bad, that should have read "a full growed-ass man".

Hawk!

[ejp626]

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/using-undictionaried-words/

it's ok. just like everything else, language evolves. the article was no revelation. but this quote is, to me, suspect:

'Scholars recently analyzed more than five million digitized books, about 4 percent of all the books ever printed. Publishing their findings in "Science," the researchers discovered that, by their estimation, “52 percent of the English lexicon – the majority of the words used in English books – consists of lexical ‘dark matter’ undocumented in standard references.'

am i reading that right? more than half of the words we read are "lexical dark matter," or neologisms? really? that seems a bit high to say the least.

Was the reference not to ALL books, just to the 4% digitalized? Maybe they are the most-easily available for analysis, most recently-composed, and therefore are indeed "lexical dark matter" and neologisms.

If even 10-15% of the scanned books are books for MBAs (Who Moved My Cheese, Good to Great, etc.) then this is plausible.

[Chuck Nessa]

More important stuff being ignored to our peril.

[Pete C]

Shouldn't that be "who baited whom"?

Yes. A cognate would be "he baited him." As a wise man once said, "who is enjoying the shadow of whom?"

More important stuff being ignored to our peril.

Always. Plenty.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Pete C

[robertoart]

Everybody I've ever known who looks like that is at heart a "creative uses for canned mushroom soup" type person, and this article feels like that to me.

Mind you, I have no objections to creative uses for canned mushroom soup!

Best to stick to the cans.

My link

[Jazzmoose]

I've read Felix C. Gottschalk. I can take anything.

[thedwork]

Everybody I've ever known who looks like that is at heart a "creative uses for canned mushroom soup" type person, and this article feels like that to me.

Mind you, I have no objections to creative uses for canned mushroom soup!

Best to stick to the cans.

My link

i'd say "Stay away from the cans!":

Edited June 7, 2012 by thedwork

[robertoart]

Along with Bedazzled and The Producers, my favourite movie.

You guys should celebrate creative uses for canned mushrooms and change your gun laws.

[Pete C]

You guys should celebrate creative uses for canned mushrooms and change your gun laws.

How about using cans of cream of mushroom soup for target practice?

[robertoart]

You guys should celebrate creative uses for canned mushrooms and change your gun laws.

How about using cans of cream of mushroom soup for target practice?

It still seems like a waste of good soup to me. And food in cans never goes out of date.

Still, if the target practice is absolutely necessary and there are no hungry people in the vicinity I suppose it is fairly harmless.

What would it be called...Tarcreaming.

[Pete C]

Were it good soup, it might be a waste.

[JSngry]

How 'bout we synergize and use this for target practice?

[robertoart]

How 'bout we synergize and use this for target practice?

OMG what is...it.

[JSngry]

An American classic!

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/9/Campbells-Green-Bean-Casserole

[robertoart]

An American classic!

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/9/Campbells-Green-Bean-Casserole

I see. Well, I'll have to bookmark that link.

And take heed of the warning from Karen below.

False economy indeed.

On November 04, 2005 at 10:04 PM, an anonymous reader said...

I must take exception to your statement that any other brand of cream of mushroom soup would do. I want to warn against the store brands! I am frugal (okay, okay--cheap!) and have tried the store brands and they are SO not worth the few pennies saved. In fact, they taste so bad, they'll ruin what you put them in!

Now, maybe brands that are MORE expensive than Campbell's would work (haven't tried any of those!), but do yourself a favor and do not use store brands.

Karen