The first item is not really up for much discussion but more just something I notice every time I fly. And when I notice it, I have to comment on it. The word "flotation" always looks misspelled to me. I don't know where the "a" in "float" went when it became a device.
The second item has become a minor obsession since I was in college. In Charleston, there were two signs in a row, right before a bridge. One said "Busses must use right lane" and the second said "Buses must use right lane". I am guessing the DOT in Charleston couldn't figure out which was right and decided to split the difference. At least one of them was right. Well lo and behold, it would appear that this is a pretty common conundrum as evidenced by the photos below.
This doesn't look right, and I don't think it is. But again, I am not sure.
But this doesn't look right either. Shouldn't the "vowel, consonant, E" rule in phonics make this pronounced boooooses? Welcome to my world. After four years of marriage Rick has finally accepted a personality trait of mine that's not really all that fun (I swear, this is the only one). I can't just take anyone's word for something. I have to see it or research it myself. This probably gets annoying. You say that we didn't forget the car chargers and they are in the bag? I don't believe it until I see it. You say that it's a right on Manchester? I have to look it up or see the map. So during another brain bending discussion in Miami with the parents, I expressed my concern that I had never seen an actual garbanzo BEAN itself, like in it's natural habitat (as this post goes on, I am slowly realizing that I might be insane and that the people around me are saints for putting up with this) and wasn't sure if there were multiple peas in a pod like a peanut or a green bean. Bigs quickly proclaimed that they came in individual pods (in hindsight, his quick proclamation was likely an effort to shut me up and get back to the lobster). He seemed so sure of himself that I didn't really question it. At the time. It has been lingering in the back of my mind for days now, so I finally looked it up and lookie loo...he's right!
One lone little pea in a pod. Aren't they cute?Clearly it's time to up the meds...
I couldn't even make it through your post without looking up buses/busses. According to Webster's, it's BOTH, can you believe it? I hate that. So I followed Mizzou J school protocol and went to the next authority, the AP Style Guide. And they say buses. So I'm going with that.
ReplyDeleteAnd a happy and buses-free Friday to you!
I saw that they accepted both too when I (naturally) looked it up. I couldn't believe that no one had made an "official" ruling on this, especially when both look so wonky. So buses it is, though I will pronounce it boo-ses in honor of halloween.
ReplyDeletei feel so much better about all of my psychoses after reading this.
ReplyDeleteNaturally, being an English teacher, I must weigh in on this post. According to the Grammar god, aka the Grammar book the kids use (chapter 23, pg 621 on Spelling Rules), To form the plurals of nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh by adding -es. It mentions nothing about an exception of "busses."
ReplyDeleteNow, as to "flotation," there is apparently no rule for this crazy dropping of an "a." Chalk it up to stupidity at one time. Apparently according to the "World English Dictionary" both spellings are considered proper. Though I agree, "flotation" just looks stupid and defies all spelling rules.
Kaly, has it ever bothered you that while on 270 N at 44, the sign says "Springfield, Mo" rather than using the correct postal abbreviation? Or that we teach children about abbreviations ending with a period but no street sign ends with that? Or that everytime I see a "Slow Children Playing" sign I chuckle because those people in the neighborhood think little of the children if they call them slow.
Rob, I suspect the "busses" thing is a phonics issue because according to the rules of phonics, it should be pronounced booses (vowel-consonant-e results in a "long vowel" sound). So by adding the extra "s" it makes it soft again. Unfortunately I can't think of another word that is only 3 letters (it's early) that is a "vowel-s". Most of the other ones (fuss, cuss) all have two s's. I don't know if phonics was still being taught when you came up through the ranks, but I had to have a tutor, so it is drilled into my head. I am sure you know all of this already.
ReplyDeleteSo is the issue with the sign that it's not MO? And how do you know those kids aren't slow? Or at least playing slowly? Either way, we should be warned. I think slow children are a definite hazard :).
One other thing I didn't mention was my hatred for unnecessary apostrophes. That might be its (or should I say it's) own post.
Some fun (or annoyances) for you to enjoy...the Blog of Unnecessary Quotations
ReplyDeletehttp://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/