Am I getting an irritable old git?

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

The introduction to Captain James T Kirk's Star Trek contains a famous example of a split infinitive:

Space the final frontier
These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise
Its five year mission
To explore strange new worlds
To seek out new life and new civilisations
To boldly go where no man has gone before

If, and only if, you believe split infinitives matter, the last phrase should be:

"To go boldly where no man has gone before". I can't get excited about that!

Many of the 'rules' of English grammar, spelling and usage are built on sand. English is a powerful, rich, and subtle language because it happily absorbs useful words and structures from other cultures. It outperforms all other languages because it is a healthy mongrel, not because it has clear constraints and rigid rules. British English may be the root, but it has spawned equally vibrant children. Useful variants of English are evolving in Australia, India, the USA, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and many other countries, and they all lift new words from other languages when they are more expressive. It's a good thing. In future English might grow to become the universal language of all nations.

The thing I dislike most about growing old is the sense I'm losing position in society. The value of what I know and did in the past is eroding. It's getting harder and harder to keep up with ideas that don't interest me. I'm starting to see anything that challenges my personal world experience as a threat. I think this sense of decay is why some older chaps become authoritarian, irritably convinced that all change is bad, youth incompetent, standards dropping, and everything was better in the good old days. It's self-destructive because young people do value elder experiences provided they aren't rammed down their throats by silly old duffers. We seniors have to recognise that some of our best-practice may be inappropriate because of changes since our time. But if what you know is useful or interesting, they listen.

Dave

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

And I thought that English had become the Linga Franca!

Howard

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bandersnatch on 03/07/2018 18:27:41:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 03/07/2018 17:09:29:

There are occasions when splitting the infinitice is far clearer than any alternative phrasing:

Yeah (!) …. it's a bit like ending a sentence with a preposition (which is a grammatical error up with which I will not put) – sometimes it's just better that way.

.

Strictly, it was quoted by Michael Gilligan, from the linked page

… I apologise for not making that explicit.

MichaelG.

[WatfordParticipant @watford]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 03/07/2018 18:43:32:

 

The thing I dislike most about growing old is the sense I'm losing position in society. The value of what I know and did in the past is eroding. It's getting harder and harder to keep up with ideas that don't interest me. I'm starting to see anything that challenges my personal world experience as a threat. I think this sense of decay is why some older chaps become authoritarian, irritably convinced that all change is bad, youth incompetent, standards dropping, and everything was better in the good old days. It's self-destructive because young people do value elder experiences provided they aren't rammed down their throats by silly old duffers. We seniors have to recognise that some of our best-practice may be inappropriate because of changes since our time. But if what you know is useful or interesting, they listen.

Dave

I know that it becomes progressively more difficult to be a grandfather of 82 years. Particularly when one comes from an age of capstan lathes in the factories, steam engines on the main line, direct current coming out of the wall, petrol-engineed cars with points and a condenser, busses with a platform on the back, being able to purchase ether at the chemist (to make diesel fuel) at age twelve without any questions, and 'proper' apprenticeships.

Oh! I nearly forgot. Two years National Service. In hind sight….quite splendid.

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

Edited By Watford on 03/07/2018 19:39:48

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Ron (Laden),

I certainly take your point. Being "old", certainly my remaining life is too short! However "Get a life"? I certainly have a very good one and would not swop it for any other.

Regards,

Andrew.

P.S. Yes I probably am getting an irritable old git, but I do seem to enjoy life all the same.

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Hello Andrew, no offence was intended I was just trying to save you from yourself. Letting little things irritate you is not good for your well being and your blood pressure. I am sure you would not want to be regarded as an irritable old git. Dont believe the ones that say they are old gits and proud of it, I doubt that is true.

Regards

Ron

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 03/07/2018 18:43:32:

…

"To go boldly where no man has gone before". I can't get excited about that!

…

Dave

I've thought for a long time that 'Boldly to go…' would have as good a ring to it.

[Ron ColvinParticipant @roncolvin83430]

I ordered a irritable old git on Amazon weeks ago. Still has not arrived. It seems I am not getting one.

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 03/07/2018 19:48:23:

P.S. Yes I probably am getting an irritable old git, but I do seem to enjoy life all the same.

Andrew,

You keep threatening to get one, but have you actually got around to doing it ?

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Socrates (469–399 B.C.)

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

Edited By Hopper on 04/07/2018 00:46:46

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Yesterday I was at my daughter's house. Amongst other things, she asked me to set up her new modem for her broadband service. It didn't work, probably because the new service had not yet started, so I restored the old unit. However, in order to test the service I had to use her laptop. First of all it uses Windows 10 – I use Linux, so that was a strange experience. Then I tried to use Internet Explorer, or whatever it s called these days – it kept telling me there was no service and then when I acknowledged that comment, it tried to do something else, I'm not sure what. Bear in mind that I am on Firefox. Then I picked up a smart phone to test the wifi. 5 seconds later I put it down being unable to use it.

Recently I tried to use Sky to watch the local weather forecast. My 11 year old grandaughter had to show me how!

Do I feel outdated? Most certainly.

And yet, who has to look at my daughter's wheelchair because the brakes were not working correctly? Who gets called in to have a look at granddaughter's bicycle, fit an automatic filling system for a garden water butt, hang a picture, look at a set of faulty drawers, fit a clothes hanging device inside a wardrobe, and so on.

It seems that I still have a place in society, but only as a low level labourer. Still, it's better than the alternative.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

ps I hope some of you have taken note about DCostas comments about ill and I'll!

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Welcome to the club Peter,

I used to be able to call on the local 6 year old to sort out my computer and phone,but alas,he is doing his Masters in computer codology and is far to busy to bother with an Old Sod like me [except when his "State-Of -The-Art "bike breaks down ] Then, I have my uses.

Still,he was handy for setting up my laptop,phone and even my microwave,with its many programs. And as for the TV remote !!!!!!!!,the less said about that,the better !

Oh for the days when life was simple,even cars were simple in those days .

So,hang in there,they will still find a use for you !

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I bowed to pressure at work yesterday and agreed to upgrade from a plain calls phone to an iphone. It arrived in less than 24 hours but they turned off my old SIM and the new phone isn't enabled. grrrr. Will have a lot of learning to do. One very bad thing about the iphone that should have been corrected by the first oldy on their user trials was the safety sheet is in 3 point type and the other sheet is pale green on white which is unreadable. I keep having to point this sort of thing out on our products and now the clever Richards have moved most design decisions to the Amsterdolt office it gets increasingly difficult to get the message across.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Gentlemen,

Not wishing to prolong this thread but I've just received an email about an item I put on Freecycle and thought you might wish to read it, if anybody can give me an idea what it says I would be pleased to receive your ideas.

Hi were collect of not to far then prob can collect it live in elstow
road andomg soon Nedd some stuff

Martin P

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Hi, Where do I collect it from? If not too far (from me implied) then I can probably collect it. I live in Elstow Rd (invitation for you to say how far away you are from Elstow Rd) and will soon need some stuff.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

thank you, I still cant see it totally and why could it not be written in plain english. The item had gone anyway.

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Ah Martin, that is the 64 million dollar question to which I have one or two answers none of which I fear, would make you happy

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by martin perman on 04/07/2018 20:24:54:

Gentlemen,

…

Hi were collect of not to far then prob can collect it live in elstow
road andomg soon Nedd some stuff

Martin P

Not new, though I admit it's worse than:

Success four flights thursday morning all against twenty one mile wind started from Level with engine power alone average speed through air thirty one miles longest 57 seconds inform Press home Christmas . Orevelle Wright

but note Orville spells his name wrong!

The last message from HMS Hood was:

1BS 1CR = 17 = UN = 013GFVA21D00 0543 B

It helps to understand the format, but it's a sighting report starting 1 Battleship, 1 Cruiser …

Some excuse for abbreviating when you're in a hurry or using an awkward medium. Though the symbol exists, I've never heard an apostrophe sent in morse code (di-dah-dah-dah-dah-dit). It slows everything down and you can communicate effectively without it. On the downside, understanding an abbreviated or misspelt message takes more effort which can be annoying, especially when the sender is suspected of laziness. Best not to jump to conclusions – 10% of the population are dyslexic.

Dave

 

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 04/07/2018 21:50:55

[Roger Williams 2Participant @rogerwilliams2]

Silly old duffer,

Thats what DNA stands for , Nashernul Disslecksick Assoshiashen….

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

So what exactly is the difference between a silly old duffer and an irritable old git anyway? Is it just a matter of attitude, or does degree of silliness come into it? Or is it something else?

[ZebethyalParticipant @zebethyal]

A couple of items that make me cringe, but I bite my tongue rather than saying anything that might offend – Take the log out of your own eye before removing the splinter from someone else's and all that, I am sure I say many things that make others cringe as well, to say nothing of my unfortunate condescending tone of voice.

Starting a sentence with "Me and…", it seems that this is even taught in schools on the othe side of the pond. Whatever happened to self deprecation, listing everyone else first and placing yourself last – I suppose this is possibly an extension of the "Me first" culture we see on the roads.

Ending every question with "Isn't it?", "innit?", or "you know what I mean?", hardly any questions need these additions.

Excessive use of the word "like", sometimes every other word, as filler by people who enjoy talking incessantly.

I fully appreciate that many people may not have English as a first language, and my attempts to speak their native language would be laughable, but I regularly hear all of the above from native English speakers. I am forever having to remind my own children not to use 'like' and either pause, slow down, or try to use an alternative word. I was taught to avoid using "get", "got", "nice" and "like", as these are lazy words and to try to use an alternative if possible.

There is a current Green Flag advert being broadcast on the radio that talks about "bucket fulls" of something as opposed to "buckets full", I cringe every time I hear it. I appreciate that not everyone is great at pluralising, but if something is going to be broadcast nationally, at least have the script checked first.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The person typing the BBC news ticker used loose instead of lose, it wasn't there very long though. I wonder what the people who make this mistake type when they need loose?

Mike

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Loose/lose is probably the most common spelling error on the entire net. Seems to be ubiquitous on the left-hand side of the pond. Bunch of loosers.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Zebethyal on 05/07/2018 10:18:52:…

…. Whatever happened to self deprecation, listing everyone else first and placing yourself last….

Facebook.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Ar you getting an irritable old git?

I hope so but I have been waiting for mine for weeks. I have tried phoning and only got that awful music – and if it is not some awful stuff why to they insist on ruining the Brandenburg concertos by using them for such an inane purpose – and if you do get through to a real person they only take you through a script on their computer – if I wanted that all they need to do is to put it on the internet as I have several computers of my own that would do the job jut as well and while my day has already been spoiled at least it would not involve another person – and talking of other people have you noticed that if you have an issue with someone on a phone support desk that they can never let you speak to a manager – in my day if there was a problem in a shop you just asked for the manager and someone would come down to sort out your problem for you – although as the issue seems to be 'the system' there may not be a solution and when did we start 'the system' it seems to be an inflexible barrier to customer service – service!! I ask you when our first colour TV arrived two guys carried it in and they set it up an checked you knew how to operate it – nowadays you give yourselves a hernia lifting a huge box into the back of your own car and then lifting it out again before having to set it all up yourself and if it does not work you have to take it back to the shop and repeat after spending precious hours out of your life on a customer support line that offers no support. And breathe!

I hope you get your irritable old git soon – I am certain I am not one yet!

Keep smiling!!

[Author]

Posts