The "Annoying Phrase" Thread

[Forgotten Man]

Try to imagine Walter Cronkite or Eric Severeid or Chet Huntley or others of that generation saying "Papa Bush" into a microphone, and you'll see just how far we've come as a culture.

The mind doesn't just boggle, it rolls over on its back and has a spasm.

:eusa_clap

You said it Lizzie!

And people ask why I hardly ever watch TV...

 

[jamespowers]

:eusa_clap

You said it Lizzie!

And people ask why I hardly ever watch TV...

I thought you said it was because they cancelled Hogan's Heros and Dukes of Hazzard.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

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lol lol lol lol lol lol

 

[jamespowers]

"Papa Bush" makes me think of "Papa Titus" (right):

"Bush the Elder" sounds better.

Bush the Elder makes him sound like a Roman Philosopher:

lol lol lol

 

[Alexi]

on the historic thing "an" generally precedes an aspirated H. Traditionally "an historical" is perfectly fine grammar

 

[Carlisle Blues]

^
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so true.....I think we are talking less formal discussion......at least I am//

 

[Paisley]

Bush the Elder makes him sound like a Roman Philosopher:

Yes, but I don't think Former President George H. W. Bush is going to fly. People will have changed the channel before it's out of the reporter's mouth.

 

[jamespowers]

on the historic thing "an" generally precedes an aspirated H. Traditionally "an historical" is perfectly fine grammar

I'll remember to say an history book too then.

 

[jamespowers]

^
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so true.....I think we are talking less formal discussion......at least I am//

Formal or not it is a historic moment not otherwise.
For example, it is a historic monument because historic starts with an h sound, but it is an honorable fellow because honorable starts with an o sound. Similarly, it is a Utopian idea, but an unfair world.
People seem to be confused most often about words that start with the letters h and u because sometimes these words start with vowel sounds and sometimes they start with consonant sounds. The rule is that you use a before words that start with a consonant sound and an before words that start with a vowel sound.

 

[jamespowers]

Yes, but I don't think Former President George H. W. Bush is going to fly. People will have changed the channel before it's out of the reporter's mouth.

lol lol lol lol I see people's eyes glazing over as you say former president Bush now. It can also be confusing as to which president they are referring to. [huh]

 

[Alexi]

Formal or not it is a historic moment not otherwise.
For example, it is a historic monument because historic starts with an h sound, but it is an honorable fellow because honorable starts with an o sound. Similarly, it is a Utopian idea, but an unfair world.
People seem to be confused most often about words that start with the letters h and u because sometimes these words start with vowel sounds and sometimes they start with consonant sounds. The rule is that you use a before words that start with a consonant sound and an before words that start with a vowel sound.

ok say a historian out loud, when you say a historian you aspirate the h
when you say an historian you don't aspirate the h

" . . . an was formerly used before an unaccented syllable beginning with
h and is still often seen and heard (an historian, an hotel, an hysterical scene, an hereditary title, an habitual offender). But now that the h in such words is pronounced, the distinction has become anomalous and will no doubt disappear in time. Meantime, speakers who like to say an should not try to have it both ways by aspirating the h."
H.P. Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd ed., revised by Sir Ernest Gowers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965).

 

[Forgotten Man]

I thought you said it was because they cancelled Hogan's Heros and Dukes of Hazzard.

SO TRUE!!!

Yes, but I don't think Former President George H. W. Bush is going to fly. People will have changed the channel before it's out of the reporter's mouth.

And like I said, "Bush senior" is simple, direct and it's profesional. Papa Bush sounds like something a 14 year old girl would say... It's just silly.

 

[jamespowers]

ok say a historian out loud, when you say a historian you aspirate the h
when you say an historian you don't aspirate the h

" . . . an was formerly used before an unaccented syllable beginning with
h and is still often seen and heard (an historian, an hotel, an hysterical scene, an hereditary title, an habitual offender). But now that the h in such words is pronounced, the distinction has become anomalous and will no doubt disappear in time. Meantime, speakers who like to say an should not try to have it both ways by aspirating the h."
H.P. Fowler, A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd ed., revised by Sir Ernest Gowers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1965).

Uh, that is a different case when you change the language from American English to British English. Their pronunciation is different. A case in point is the word herb. We pronounce it erb and they pronounce the h so it is herb thus you have an herb in American while they say a herb.

Historian is a perfect example. A historian is correct as we are dealing with a consonant sound as opposed to a vowel sound. The rule holds just as it does with habitual, hotel, historical and hereditary as the h is pronounced and thus it is a consonant sound and not a vowel sound. If you want to pronounce these words starting with their vowel then you could use "an istoric," "an otel" and "an ereditary title." However, do not expect anyone to understand you. lol Try it with the same case in prehistoric it has the same consonant sound at the beginning so it is a prehistoric period not an prehistoric period.

 

[jamespowers]

SO TRUE!!!.

lol lol lol lol

And like I said, "Bush senior" is simple, direct and it's profesional. Papa Bush sounds like something a 14 year old girl would say... It's just silly.

Well it is what someone with the mentality of a 14 year old would say. lol lol lol

 

[Forgotten Man]

lol lol lol lol





Well it is what someone with the mentality of a 14 year old would say. lol lol lol

Most members of the media are just about that sharp... sharp as a bowling ball that is!

 

[jamespowers]

Most members of the media are just about that sharp... sharp as a bowling ball that is!

lol lol lol Sharp as Kojack's head.

 

[Alexi]

Uh, that is a different case when you change the language from American English to British English. Their pronunciation is different. A case in point is the word herb. We pronounce it erb and they pronounce the h so it is herb thus you have an herb in American while they say a herb.

Historian is a perfect example. A historian is correct as we are dealing with a consonant sound as opposed to a vowel sound. The rule holds just as it does with habitual, hotel, historical and hereditary as the h is pronounced and thus it is a consonant sound and not a vowel sound. If you want to pronounce these words starting with their vowel then you could use "an istoric," "an otel" and "an ereditary title." However, do not expect anyone to understand you. lol Try it with the same case in prehistoric it has the same consonant sound at the beginning so it is a prehistoric period not an prehistoric period.

perhaps you should come to boston where we say 'avad yahd

 

[Paisley]

Uh, that is a different case when you change the language from American English to British English. Their pronunciation is different. A case in point is the word herb. We pronounce it erb and they pronounce the h so it is herb thus you have an herb in American while they say a herb.

I think the point here is that using "an" and dropping the H sound, sounds a little affected on this side of the Atlantic.

 

[Alexi]

I think the point here is that using "an" and dropping the H sound, sounds a little affected on this side of the Atlantic.

it's not affected if it is part of the dialect/accent [huh]

 

[jamespowers]

perhaps you should come to boston where we say 'avad yahd

Well we have the disaffected here who love to use the word "dude" in every sentence so I could deal with a Boston Accent just fine.
By the way, you can say "an avad yahd."