@volcanicsand.bsky.social
how is he still doing this
November 15, 2025 at 3:39 AM
how is he still doing this
when I taught high school it felt like we had this debate every single year and it always came down to "sports"
November 15, 2025 at 12:02 AM
when I taught high school it felt like we had this debate every single year and it always came down to "sports"
credit where due
November 14, 2025 at 10:42 PM
credit where due
versus the rules that never or rarely get broken because doing so creates some real problem or makes you sound like a non-native speaker or something.
anyhow I find it all very interesting and I think it's nice (in some ways) that people have strong feelings about language
anyhow I find it all very interesting and I think it's nice (in some ways) that people have strong feelings about language
November 14, 2025 at 7:08 PM
versus the rules that never or rarely get broken because doing so creates some real problem or makes you sound like a non-native speaker or something.
anyhow I find it all very interesting and I think it's nice (in some ways) that people have strong feelings about language
anyhow I find it all very interesting and I think it's nice (in some ways) that people have strong feelings about language
It is funny, I think there is this phenomenon where certain "rules" (or preferences I guess) that people have get broken all the time so they get discussed/complained about a lot--but they are getting broken all the time *for a reason* ie the rule-breaking accomplishes *something*
November 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
It is funny, I think there is this phenomenon where certain "rules" (or preferences I guess) that people have get broken all the time so they get discussed/complained about a lot--but they are getting broken all the time *for a reason* ie the rule-breaking accomplishes *something*
truly she is the sun
November 14, 2025 at 5:57 PM
truly she is the sun
is this piece online only, do you happen to know?
November 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
is this piece online only, do you happen to know?
But many people clearly do and I'm curious how often those folks think "man this usage is clearly superior to what we used to do" or if it's just peeves all the way down
November 14, 2025 at 3:46 PM
But many people clearly do and I'm curious how often those folks think "man this usage is clearly superior to what we used to do" or if it's just peeves all the way down
Yeah and I don't think there's much risk of confusion in the very rare case when someone uses "literally" to clarify that something is not figurative.
November 14, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Yeah and I don't think there's much risk of confusion in the very rare case when someone uses "literally" to clarify that something is not figurative.
He was a 65-year-old man writing the sort of embarrassing shit you'd expect from a 14-year-old boy.
November 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
He was a 65-year-old man writing the sort of embarrassing shit you'd expect from a 14-year-old boy.
Oh thanks for checking in on this one! I vaguely recall getting convinced that March was mostly an Easter thing but curious how much wasn't and how the overall pattern would look
November 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Oh thanks for checking in on this one! I vaguely recall getting convinced that March was mostly an Easter thing but curious how much wasn't and how the overall pattern would look
This got me thinking--everyone loves to complain about changes is usage that irritate them or which they think somehow degrade the language. What about changes people see as having the opposite effect, i.e. improving the language? Theres no reason it should only move in the one direction
November 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
This got me thinking--everyone loves to complain about changes is usage that irritate them or which they think somehow degrade the language. What about changes people see as having the opposite effect, i.e. improving the language? Theres no reason it should only move in the one direction
It's serving as an intensifier. I don't think it's right to call it meaningless.
-Juliet is the sun
-She really is
-Juliet is the sun
-She really is
November 14, 2025 at 1:34 PM
It's serving as an intensifier. I don't think it's right to call it meaningless.
-Juliet is the sun
-She really is
-Juliet is the sun
-She really is
I'll tell you what it is--my one chance at a gold medal after all of those thankless years of training
November 13, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I'll tell you what it is--my one chance at a gold medal after all of those thankless years of training
plenty of stupidity to go around!
November 13, 2025 at 9:09 PM
plenty of stupidity to go around!
yeah argentines can't get enough american meats and cheeses
November 13, 2025 at 9:08 PM
yeah argentines can't get enough american meats and cheeses
In most cases I don't have a great reason for hating corporate-speak other than that I hate the world from which it emanates and I associate it with that world. Occasionally I could cook up a rationale for a hating a particular phrase but that rationale probably isn't what actually drives the hatred
November 13, 2025 at 7:05 PM
In most cases I don't have a great reason for hating corporate-speak other than that I hate the world from which it emanates and I associate it with that world. Occasionally I could cook up a rationale for a hating a particular phrase but that rationale probably isn't what actually drives the hatred
Oh I agree with you on the latter point. You and I are largely in agreement on this issue overall, I think. I don't have the issue with "literally" the way others do.
I'm saying that people get annoyed by stuff and I'd prefer they'd say "I find it annoying" than trying to invent a reason.
I'm saying that people get annoyed by stuff and I'd prefer they'd say "I find it annoying" than trying to invent a reason.
November 13, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Oh I agree with you on the latter point. You and I are largely in agreement on this issue overall, I think. I don't have the issue with "literally" the way others do.
I'm saying that people get annoyed by stuff and I'd prefer they'd say "I find it annoying" than trying to invent a reason.
I'm saying that people get annoyed by stuff and I'd prefer they'd say "I find it annoying" than trying to invent a reason.
I agree it's odd but I feel like most people have that impulse, at least sometimes. For me personally it is most pronounced with corporate jargon
I don't mind so much people getting irked by stuff. It's more when they try to contrive neutral justifications (about "clarity" or whatever) that bugs me
I don't mind so much people getting irked by stuff. It's more when they try to contrive neutral justifications (about "clarity" or whatever) that bugs me
November 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I agree it's odd but I feel like most people have that impulse, at least sometimes. For me personally it is most pronounced with corporate jargon
I don't mind so much people getting irked by stuff. It's more when they try to contrive neutral justifications (about "clarity" or whatever) that bugs me
I don't mind so much people getting irked by stuff. It's more when they try to contrive neutral justifications (about "clarity" or whatever) that bugs me