Do you know the difference between inquiry and enquiry? It seems that quite a few people don't and that includes the Yanks, but then they have their own ideas about our language and they certainly do not know the difference. They certainly don't use the King's English. To them everything is an inquiry.
So if you are not aware of the difference, as I understand it an enquiry is a question such as the question I put up at the beginning of this post. That is an enquiry.
An inquiry is an investigation such as something the police would do when they are looking into a crime.
I hope that is sufficient to explain the difference between the two.
If only we had known that
before the Canterbury Earthquakes . . .
Oh yes, my favourite nerdish complaint. People who do not understand their own language. My personal trigger is the use of less instead of fewer. As in fewer aftershocks, not less...
That post shatters my preconceptions on those two words. I will now sleep better at night thanks to Roscoe.
Do you know the difference between "deny" and "refute"?
(20-06-2023, 06:52 PM)Praktica Wrote: [ -> ]Do you know the difference between "deny" and "refute"?
I deny that I am in any doubt about the difference, and I can easily refute your suggestion that I am confused.
Do you know the difference between "he" and "she"?
No? Thats OK, most of us don't these days!
(20-06-2023, 03:08 PM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: [ -> ]Oh yes, my favourite nerdish complaint. People who do not understand their own language. My personal trigger is the use of less instead of fewer. As in fewer aftershocks, not less...
It is my understanding that Cantabrians would joyfully accept either . . .
(21-06-2023, 10:07 AM)Kenj Wrote: [ -> ]Do you know the difference between "he" and "she"?
No? Thats OK, most of us don't these days!
As well as that difficulty, i appear to have mysteriously lost the ability to read some road signs, as well as the names of many Gov't departments. New glasses needed?
"For free' annoys me immensely - just free will do, & please, stop beginning every sentence with 'so'.
(21-06-2023, 11:21 AM)Lilith7 Wrote: [ -> ]"For free' annoys me immensely - just free will do, & please, stop beginning every sentence with 'so'.
"Look" and "Like" are other overused words.
"Gifted", rather than "given" annoys me...
Hey Roscoe, no one picked up on the "I hate America" theme.
(21-06-2023, 12:28 PM)Praktica Wrote: [ -> ]"Gifted", rather than "given" annoys me...
I don't know why, but "Pop" irritates me: "pop in", "a pop of colour", "pop it in the oven", "popped into my head" , "pop down to the shops" etc. It pops up all the time.
And nothing's made any more, everything's 'crafted'.
I'm a little puzzled as to the difference between "very unique" and the simpler "unique" i grew up with.
Also, what exactly is one of those infernal talk-back dolts referring to when he advises us that "up to 40% of the defending troops were decimated"?
Did they get 33.3333% off their GST ? ? ?
Pig iggerent, she mutters, under her breath...
Seriously, I thought decimated meant 1 in 10?
decimate
verb
past tense: decimated; past participle: decimated
1.
kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of.
"the inhabitants of the country had been decimated"
drastically reduce the strength or effectiveness of (something).
"public transport has been decimated"
2.
historical
kill one in every ten of (a group of people, originally a mutinous Roman legion) as a punishment for the whole group.
"the man who is to determine whether it be necessary to decimate a large body of mutineers"