[forensicscientist]

Someone once told me that there is no such word as lenses. It's "Lens" for both plural and singular ?

Lens is singular; lenses is plural. As such, it is a common (??) mistake to think that the singular of lenses is lense...

[bxf]

Micrometer (tool) vs. micrometer (measurement)?

Key-lo (short for kilogram)?


Steve

Yes, micrometer is both. Strangely, I must admit that I'd feel a bit awkward referring to the tool as mic'rometer, but I'd feel even more awkward referring to the measure as micro'meter.

(Key'lo): short for kilogram is kilo, with the accent on the first syllable, which is consistent with my contention that kilometer should be pronounced as ki'lometer.

[Parallax]

I say po-tay-toe

No one says po-tar-toe!

The proper pronunciation is tater.

[lesmore49]

I say po-tay-toe

No one says po-tar-toe!

You have to take that up with George Gershwin.

---------- Post added 07-09-20 at 05:03 PM ----------

The proper pronunciation is tater.

[bxf]

...the now common annoying habit of starting every reply with "So".

Philip

Yup, that's one I only recently became aware of. I don't know how things like this start, and why they propagate.

On the other hand, starting with "well", which I use and also am used to hearing, doesn't make any more sense than "so". So what to do?

[maw]

In Italy, since many years, it is now of general use to reply with the affirmation, e.g. 'absolutely yes', 'absolutely no',
in reality 'Absolutely' is a strengthening that does not change the truthfulness or the denial of yes or not,
It only emphasizes it.

[MarkJerling]

Lense apeture! Apeture! Apeture!


Steve

(...Is he blind yet? )

LOL

[ivanvernon]

I have no idea why, but every time some poor misguided soul writes "lense" instead of "lens" I want to stab myself in the eye.
Maybe it's because the plural is "lenses"? Heck, I don't know. It gets my goat every. single. time.

Don't mind me. Just a little rant.

Does anyone else have a word that causes them to froth at the mouth?

It raises my hackles when someone adds an extra syllable to the word "preventive," as in "preventative."

[Parallax]

Yup, that's one I only recently became aware of. I don't know how things like this start, and why they propagate.

I think this is regional. I grew up (okay, spent my first 18 years) in California. It was common to start a statement with "well". e.g. "Well, I think that's reasonable", or "Well, I think It's time for me to go home." At one point my family moved to New York City for a few months. "So" was substituted for "well" (sort of *). "So how are you?" "So where are you going next?" "So you're from California."

*Note the absence of an apostrophe after "so".

[bxf]

It raises my hackles when someone adds an extra syllable to the word "preventive," as in "preventative."

According toMerriam-Webster:
First Known Use of preventative

1655


meanings is same as "preventive".


By now, despite the objection expressed by some people, most sources accept "preventative" as a valid word.

[stevebrot]

Yes Mark: every time some poor misguided soul writes "glass" instead of "lens", as in this example from a forum post about the new HD Pentax-D FA* 85 mm lens: "Pentax have produced yet another fine piece of glass". As most here will know, a typical lens for a camera is a very complex device comprising many parts and various materials. However competent, experienced or respected a photographer might be, referring to it as a piece of "glass" is not only annoyingly wrong, but also an insult to its designer(s). For goodness' sake call a lens a "lens".

Philip

Might you also not like using "battery" when referring to what is more properly a "cell"?

How about "chemistry" for the stuff we used to process film with?


Steve

(...without qualifier, lens more properly refers to a simple lens...)

[Parallax]

Might you not like using "battery" when referring to what is more properly a "cell"?

Ooh, that's a good one.
A battery, in the DC electrical context, is a group of cells. A "lens" (lense ) in the photographic context, is a group of lenses.

[bxf]

I think this is regional. I grew up (okay, spent my first 18 years) in California. It was common to start a statement with "well". e.g. "Well, I think that's reasonable", or "Well, I think It's time for me to go home." At one point my family moved to New York City for a few months. "So" was substituted for "well" (sort of *). "So how are you?" "So where are you going next?" "So you're from California."

*Note the absence of an apostrophe after "so".

In the examples you provide, I don't view "well" and "so" as having quite the same use. More importantly, and with respect to MrB1's post, "so" is now often used "out of nowhere", like at the beginning of a speech in a video. It comes across very strange, though I suppose I maybe getting used to it.

[MarkJerling]

It raises my hackles when someone adds an extra syllable to the word "preventive," as in "preventative."

Interesting. I don't believe the word "preventive" is widely used here. Most people here would use "preventative". Maybe it's regional?

[MrB1]

Yup, that's one I only recently became aware of. I don't know how things like this start, and why they propagate.

On the other hand, starting with "well", which I use and also am used to hearing, doesn't make any more sense than "so". So what to do?

So it would be better to avoid using either "So" or "Well" to start a sentence. Well both are unnecessary and annoying habits, adding nothing to the meaning of the sentence.

Philip