Author Topic: Dear Expert (Read 148413 times)

Kama · « **on:** May 07, 2005, 10:12:05 AM »

Why is it "welcomed" and not "welcame"?

hopefully,

Kama

Jonathon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2005, 11:08:59 AM »

My first thought was that it was formed from well + come (past participle of come), so it wouldn't make sense to take a past participle and form a past tense from it--past tenses are formed from infinitives, not participles.

But then I actually looked it up in the OED, and it looks like I was wrong: it comes from will + cuma (meaning "comer" or "guest"). But because of the influence of the Old French bien venu, meaning "well come," we came to see will as well and cuma as come, the imperative or infinitive form of the verb.

So anyway, because it's a noun that turned into a verb, it's conjugated as a weak verb (-ed ending) instead of a strong verb (verbal ablaut).

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2010, 10:23:42 PM »

I have another question for The Expert. A friend showed me this quote, but doesn't know where it originated, and I can't figure it out either:

"English doesn't just borrow words from other languages. It follows them down dark alleys, hits them over the head with old beer bottles, and rummages through their pockets for loose grammar."

Lovely quote, though. Whoever can name the originator ought to sig it.

rivka · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:06:46 AM »

It's a paraphrase.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:20:05 AM »

Thanks Rivka. It was definitely worth reviving a five year old, two-post thread so that you could snatch the title of Expert from Jonathon.

It was a long time in coming, but certainly well-deserved.

rivka · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:34:57 AM »

Wow, you're in a mood.

I sort of knew the quote, and I knew it was a paraphrase, so I was able to find it. Was I supposed to wait for Jonathon to do so? Terribly sorry. In that case, perhaps you ought not to have said "whoever".

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:47:58 AM »

I think she was congratulating you.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:51:24 AM »

From the wikipedia entry:

Quote

Amateur linguists Jeremy Smith, Richard Lederer, and Anu Garg have also referenced Nicoll's quote.

Funny, I thought it sounded like something Richard Lederer would say. He drives me nuts, by the way. When I was 15 I thought he was the coolest person alive. Recently I looked at one of his books and I was like "what is this nonsense?" It was one of his later books so he spent most of it going on about what a hectic life poor authors on book tours lead.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2010, 02:09:22 AM »

Quote

I think she was congratulating you.

I was. I really was. I didn't intend any snark, honest. It's just that the thread was titled "Dear Expert" so I figured that whomever answered got to be the expert.

I'm sorry if I caused any offense. I sincerely didn't mean to offend.

Now I feel bad.

Scott R · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2010, 04:34:24 AM »

Quote

Now I feel bad.

Send me $20. Charity will make you feel better.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2010, 06:54:32 AM »

Quote

Quote
Now I feel bad.

Send me $20. Charity will make you feel better.

And after that, send me $30, because you can't be sure there are any diminishing returns on this method.

rivka · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2010, 06:58:58 AM »

If you don't intend passive-aggressive snark, you might want to avoid words like "snatch".

Neutros the Radioactive Dragon · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2010, 07:45:50 AM »

Quote

Thanks Rivka. It was definitely worth reviving a five year old, two-post thread so that you could snatch the title of Expert from Jonathon.

It was a long time in coming, but certainly well-deserved.

I'm Neutros the Radioactive Dragon and I endorse this snarky message.

Neutros the Radioactive Dragon · « **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2010, 07:46:26 AM »

Quote

If you don't intend passive-aggressive snark, you might want to avoid words like "snatch".

I try not to use that word in mixed company.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2010, 08:08:59 AM »

Quote

If you don't intend passive-aggressive snark, you might want to avoid words like "snatch".

I'll remember that, Rivka. Please believe me that I only meant it as praise. "Seize" the title? Would that be better? "Achieve" maybe?

I honestly didn't intend it to be offensive at all. Again, I apologise for offense given.

rivka · « **Reply #15 on:** May 17, 2010, 11:21:13 AM »

It's still really hard for me to see how you could possibly NOT have meant that as snark.

Seriously, why was anything past "thanks" necessary?

Brinestone · « **Reply #16 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:00:45 PM »

I doubt it was meant as snark. I didn't read it that way at first and was stunned by your response. After a few rereadings, I figured out what snarkiness you saw, but I wondered if you or I had misread the first time. I do see how "snatch" carries condescending and negative connotations, but I suspect what Tante was going for was humor, not snark. I read it in a Vicky Aimes voice. Actually, a lot of Tante's recent posts have been coming out in Vicky's voice in my head lately.

Neutros the Radioactive Dragon · « **Reply #17 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:14:36 PM »

I thought it was good snark directed at Jonathon.

*zing!*

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:28:10 PM »

Thanks, Rivka, for identifying the source of the quote. I'm sorry my words offended you. I intended no offense, and was unaware of how the words, which felt innocent and congratulatory when I typed them, would sound snarky and nasty when read. I'll try to be more careful in the future.

My apologies.

The Genuine · « **Reply #19 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:42:20 PM »

I can't help but

at the exchange.

It reminds me so much of my own forum experiences.

Neutros the Radioactive Dragon · « **Reply #20 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:58:03 PM »

What do you mean by that?

The Genuine · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2010, 02:02:23 PM »

I have been on both sides of that misunderstanding coin.

Sometimes I try to be friendly and it comes across wrong, and sometimes I've picked fights over harmless comments that I misinterpreted.

dkw · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2010, 04:30:36 PM »

Quote

It's still really hard for me to see how you could possibly NOT have meant that as snark.

Seriously, why was anything past "thanks" necessary?

Because it was over-the-top for the funny?

I'm with Ruth, it doesn't read the least bit snarky to me. I'd think it was a regional thing, but opinions don't seem to be lining up with regions, so that can't be it.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #23 on:** May 17, 2010, 05:05:23 PM »

I agree with Ruth. I read it as funny and cute.

BlackBlade · « **Reply #24 on:** May 17, 2010, 08:38:30 PM »

I read it as over-the-top cute, but then again, the way I read something on a forum doesn't mean beans.

It would be interesting if there was a way to mark text so that it was imprinted with how the writer was feeling and upon reading it, some sort of signal could be sent to the brain via the mouse or some other apparatus that would make the reader feel exactly the feelings of the writer.