In the past little while, I have seen "ad hominem" misspelled a number of ways -- "ad homonym" being the most recent. I can't decide whether to laugh uproariously or jump up and down on the misuser's head.
The most horrible butchering of a phrase in a foreign language I've seen was "curriculum vitaes," in a book on finding your dream job online. I'm of the opinion that obviously foreign words (ravioli, hors d'oeuvre, curricula) should be pluralized as they would be in their own language.
Thoughts? Exceptions? Loan words that have become such a part of our language that this may not apply (e.g., datum/data)?
The most horrible butchering of a phrase in a foreign language I've seen was "curriculum vitaes," in a book on finding your dream job online. I'm of the opinion that obviously foreign words (ravioli, hors d'oeuvre, curricula) should be pluralized as they would be in their own language.
Thoughts? Exceptions? Loan words that have become such a part of our language that this may not apply (e.g., datum/data)?
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Thu, October 27, 2005 - 1:54 PMthe one that comes to mind right now is "beef dip with au jus."
_with_ "au jus"?
oy.
i mean, probably every restaurant in the united states that has a beef dip on its menu makes this mistake, but it still bugs me.
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Wed, November 2, 2005 - 5:45 PMOh Ghhod...That stinkin' Arby's commercial, I think it is. Their stupid roast beast sandwich 'with Au Jus sauce'. Why do I keep watching television when it pisses me off so much? -
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Wed, November 2, 2005 - 6:01 PMI was in a meeting once with one of the deputy city clerks in a mid-sized town. I said something characteristically witty, and she wrote:
Too shay.
I still weep.
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Thu, October 27, 2005 - 1:59 PMNot really related, but I find that I tend to let a lot of things slide by in an Asian restaurant that would get my fur ruffled in any other restaurant. I think I forgive them because the food is so tasty...
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Fri, October 28, 2005 - 3:43 AMZucchini, linguini, and all the plural Italian nouns ending in -e.
Ok, they're now fully integrated terms (only in the US, mind you), and it's interesting to see how spelling shaped a word anew, but I confess it bothers me to noooo end!
As for butchered Latin, I love "per say".
PS Ravioli is already plural; raviolo is the singular form -
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Fri, October 28, 2005 - 8:03 AM>>PS Ravioli is already plural; raviolo is the singular form
Perhaps my wording was confusing. I chose the plural form of all three examples.
'Sides, who can eat just one? :) -
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Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Fri, October 28, 2005 - 9:24 AM>Perhaps my wording was confusing.
No, it was perfectly clear... it'll teach me to read the WHOLE message before replying... ahem
One sweet raviolo, please! (yeah, you can have one) :) -
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Unsu...
Re: Butchered foreign phrases?
Thu, December 29, 2005 - 11:26 PMSo... in keeping with this line of reasoning:
The singular of spaghetti would be spa-ghetto... 'cuz in the ghetto all they can afford is one!
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