GalacticCactus Forum

Author Topic: The joys of corporate writing  (Read 10446 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #50 on: September 19, 2005, 12:14:15 PM »
I'm trying to come up with a definition of morph, morpheme, and allomorph for you, but everything I think of is just more confusing.

Basically, Jonathon is saying they're all forms of the same prefix that have changed to become more easily pronouncable. Like, "in-mature" would be much more difficult to say than "immature," and "in-resposible" would be harder to say than "irresponsible." (You don't know how hard it was for me not to use irregardless as my ir- example.)
« Last Edit: September 19, 2005, 12:14:35 PM by Brinestone »
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,680
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #51 on: September 19, 2005, 12:15:44 PM »
Here, I'll dumb it down for you.

The basic Latin form was in-. However, when it was prefixed to words starting with certain sounds, those sounds assimilated, creating a new form of the prefix.

in + literate = illiterate

in + perfect = imperfect

in + regardless = irregardless


See?

Edit: Jinx!
« Last Edit: September 19, 2005, 12:16:17 PM by Jon Boy »
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #52 on: September 19, 2005, 12:16:46 PM »
Oh my word. Jonathon and I posted the same thing almost at the same time and both had the irregardless urge. Though I was the only one to withstand it.
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Porter

  • ruining funny with facts
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 22,333
  • long time lurker, first time poster
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #53 on: September 19, 2005, 12:21:05 PM »
I like Ruth's explination better.

'Cuz she didn't imply that I'm dumb. :pirate:
Tomorrow Poster
Sooner or later, this forum is going to max out on hyperliteralness.

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #54 on: September 19, 2005, 12:22:05 PM »
You're dumb. There. I made it explicit, not implicit. :P  
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,680
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #55 on: September 19, 2005, 12:25:31 PM »
Porter: It's only that I'm jealous that you always win at Katan. :cry:

Also, I can give you definitions for morph, morpheme, and allomorph if you want, but otherwise I won't bore you.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline beverly

  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,960
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #56 on: September 19, 2005, 01:54:55 PM »
Cool!  I was aware that Tagalog did that sort of thing a lot, but I haven't seen examples of it in english.

Intensely cool.
I have decided that inside my head is feral Katie, and Feral Katie has opinions of her own.

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,155
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #57 on: September 19, 2005, 11:08:28 PM »
Quote
Oh my word. Jonathon and I posted the same thing almost at the same time and both had the irregardless urge. Though I was the only one to withstand it.
Yes. Thus you may live.
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #58 on: September 20, 2005, 08:15:02 AM »
Jonathon doesn't?  :cry: Man, I never expected to become a widow so soon.
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Porter

  • ruining funny with facts
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 22,333
  • long time lurker, first time poster
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #59 on: September 20, 2005, 08:16:09 AM »
How untimely.

:cry:
Tomorrow Poster
Sooner or later, this forum is going to max out on hyperliteralness.

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,680
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #60 on: September 20, 2005, 09:33:01 AM »
:cry:

So long, my dear. Name the baby after me, even if it's a girl—give it a cool Utah name like Jonathanne or something.

*dies*
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline Porter

  • ruining funny with facts
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 22,333
  • long time lurker, first time poster
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #61 on: September 20, 2005, 09:43:50 AM »
*mice play*
Tomorrow Poster
Sooner or later, this forum is going to max out on hyperliteralness.

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #62 on: September 20, 2005, 09:45:18 AM »
This is the saddest thread I've ever read. *cries herself to sleep every day for the next sixty years*
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline Porter

  • ruining funny with facts
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 22,333
  • long time lurker, first time poster
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #63 on: September 20, 2005, 09:48:09 AM »
My great-grandma was a widow for over two-thirds of her life.
Tomorrow Poster
Sooner or later, this forum is going to max out on hyperliteralness.

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,680
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #64 on: September 20, 2005, 10:14:48 AM »
Oh, like that makes it okay?
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline Primal Curve

  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2,182
    • View Profile
    • http://www.primalcurve.net
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #65 on: September 20, 2005, 04:44:34 PM »
Be happy you folks don't work for a heavily-regulated industry. There's no way in h-e-double hockey sticks I'd post any memos or emails or anything else work-related outside of work. I'd get crucified upside-down.
Oh, and PC? Upcracking over here, just the heck for you. - Tante

Offline Icarus

  • Scrabblemonger
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3,772
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #66 on: September 20, 2005, 06:10:11 PM »
Me too . . . if I got caught. ;)

Offline Jonathon

  • Evil T-Rex
  • Administrator
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 24,680
  • This is the darkest timeline
    • View Profile
    • GalacticCactus
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #67 on: September 20, 2005, 06:15:14 PM »
Quote
Be happy you folks don't work for a heavily-regulated industry. There's no way in h-e-double hockey sticks I'd post any memos or emails or anything else work-related outside of work. I'd get crucified upside-down.
These quotes are taken from customers of our clients, not employees of my company, so there would probably be very little fallout if someone caught me.
You underestimate my ability to take things seriously!

Offline rivka

  • Linguistic Anarchist
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,155
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #68 on: September 20, 2005, 09:48:22 PM »
Quote
Jonathon doesn't?  :cry: Man, I never expected to become a widow so soon.
Did anyone force him to use that farce of a pseudo-word? I don't think so. :P

*merciless*
"Sometimes you need a weirdo to tell you that things have gotten weird. Your normal friends, neighbors, and coworkers won’t tell you."
-Aaron Kunin

Offline Brinestone

  • Nerdkins
  • Super Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,235
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #69 on: October 04, 2005, 12:34:45 PM »
The person who wrote the document I'm reading right now must have a deep-seated fear of commas. I just encountered a 40-word sentence with no punctuation other than the period at the end. The most obvious place the author avoids commas is after introductory phrases and clauses, causing much confusion for me.
Ephemerality is not binary. -Porter

Offline pooka

  • hover bear
  • Übermember
  • *****
  • Posts: 18,877
    • View Profile
The joys of corporate writing
« Reply #70 on: April 06, 2006, 09:12:32 AM »
Quote
Access National  recommends when you send time-sensitive or action-oriented messages to us via electronic mail, that you request confirmation or undertake a telephonic inquiry to confirm receipt.
:lol:  
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon