Let's start a blitz on bad grammar - nationwide

'til is definitely a shortened version of until Janice, but have just checked and apparently "till" is a much older word than "until" and is correct to be used... it is not a shortened version of until... news to me too.

Sign over a butchers...SAUSAGE'S and SUCH

and ... where did till come from? Surely it is a shortened version of until so should be spelled 'til if shortened? A till is something that one keeps money in.

Using the word grow instead of increase - as in we are trying to grow our profits. Ugh.

oops - just realised that i sort've got back to front on that one

Thanks [confused[

Flammable and inflammable both mean capable of being set on fire but inflammable has the added dimension of referring, when required, to emotions as well as fire. If something is not capable of being set alight it is non-flammable. Uninflammable is just a clumsy way of saying calm.

Once upon a time, we said inflammable for something which would go up up in flames and uninflammable for something that wouldn't.

Then somebody (don't know who) decided that was confusing, because inedible meant not edible and so on. So now we say flammable if it will burn, in- or un- flammable if it won't.

Am I mistaken but do flammable and inflammable mean the same thing? If not what is the difference because I never know which one to use?

has anyone else noticed "crate" instead of "create"? Television presenters seem to use this a lot (Dan Cruickshank the most recent one I heard) Or is it just that I am mis-hearing?

Thanks Baggy, I think if I read your post a few times I may eventually "get it"

The only things that get hanged are criminals.
Pictures and dresses are hung.

Something can be in the past, such as a historical event, but you would say that the dog that just passed your window was looking a bit wet. It also went past!

Past is an adjective or an adverb. The past participle (past is an adjective there) of the verb to pass is 'passed' as in He passed the window. If you say He went past the window, went is the verb and past is an adverb.

Clear as mud, innit?

I'm not educated to a higher standard of English than A level, so I need some help on this one why do i never know when to use "hanged" or "hung" and "past" and "passed" Dohhh!!

Well, whatever it's called, it is so good at its job that nobody even notices it until, should they ask for a brolley or a hiking stick, I tell them to look in the chimney.

WHAT!!????

You know, the one in the wash-house.

That's a chimney? ...... Gosh, so it is!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Says something about my wash-house, dunnit?

Ah, but Annobel, an item of wet weather protection could be an umbrella.

Perhaps I should have called it a 'protective gadget used in times of inclement
weather', but Baggy did specify the word 'brolly' in her question, which I understand is used as a shortened form of the word 'umbrella', which is indeed an 'item of wet weather protection'

twizzle...very funny

Ah, but twizzle, items of wet weather protection could be wellies or raincoats or sou'westers...

Don't know, Baggy, but I've got a number of old chimney pots used as flowerpot holders in the garden. I don't think I need to give them a name as anyone can see what they are.

Baggy, not sure that there is a single word to describe said item.

Perhaps the following definition may be of use.

'An overwhelmingly spiffingly recycled receptacle for the accommodation of an item of wet weather protection'

A useful thingymajig?

Whelm is a w(h)onderful word! Now, if a hollowed out tree that is used as a drainpipe is called a whelm, what is an old chimney that is used as a brolley holder called?

Am amazed at whelm, did not know of it's existence. I hate at all, as in"can I help you at all" or is there anything else you want at all". Thanks Em and helshea for the full stop information, I'm ashamed to say I think I have been putting it in the wrong place.

Thanks em I now have to try to think of how to place the word whelm into a sentence.

So, 'overwhelm' is a tautology - it means to over-overpower! However, I don't see us going back in time to say, 'I'm feeling completely whelmed.' Underwhelm doesn't make sense etymologically, but that won't stop us using it. Isn't English wonderful!

twizzle - your question prompted me to look up 'the big dictionary' and WHELM certainly does exist as a verb (i) to overturn or capsize and as a verb (t) to place a hollow vessel over something as a cover, to throw something over something else, also overpower emotionally. It's also a noun - a hollowed out tree trunk used as a drainpipe!

Really think your question was more interesting than the answer! Don't see much opportunity to use this newly-acquired knowledge, do you?