11-17-2003, 05:28 PM | #1 (permalink) |
pow!
Location: NorCal
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cement ain't concrete
Am I the ony person who goes nuts when people say "cement" when they mean concrete? Probably. You mix cement with rocks and maybe sand, and add water to make concrete.
The sidewalk is NOT cement. Its concrete, OK? What commonly dorked-up word pairs drive you nuts? Tactical vs strategic? Engine vs motor? Acidic vs alkaline?
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Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free. |
11-17-2003, 05:34 PM | #3 (permalink) |
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Well... after having actually having worked with cement and concrete, I find myself correcting people when they get the two confused.
The most obnoxious mistake I ever dealt with thus far in my life happened last week in my Social Studies Educational Leadership Seminar. The leader said that existentialism is based on a believe that the universe is "chaos" and I immediately corrected her and said that no, in fact, it is based on absurdity. Chaos and absurdity are so completely different, I could write pages on it. But I won't, unless someone goads me to.
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Innominate. |
11-17-2003, 07:02 PM | #7 (permalink) |
Buffering.........
Location: Wisconsin...
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An "I" beam is actually a "W" beam...that is a good way to start dumb and pointless articles.
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11-17-2003, 07:37 PM | #8 (permalink) |
You + Me = Us
Location: California dreaming...
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Stupid things like "mines" and "hurted". I know they don't really count but the tick me off just the same.
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P.S. Always remember: to forget is a form of suicide. (If I could only remember to forget myself.) |
11-17-2003, 08:18 PM | #9 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: South East US
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In the genre of pet peeves in the usage of words in English:
The use of the word "impact" as a verb, drives me nuts. Substitute "affect" please. Regardless being ignored for the use of Irregardless.
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'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open one's mouth and remove all doubt. Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784) |
11-17-2003, 09:24 PM | #10 (permalink) | |
pow!
Location: NorCal
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Quote:
Two excellent examples which also piss me off.
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Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free. |
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11-17-2003, 10:17 PM | #12 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: San Diego, CA.
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Motor and Engine really irritate me. So many people in the auto industry dont even know that the two dont have the same definition. There are a couple more...but that one comes to mind.
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Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck. |
11-17-2003, 10:25 PM | #13 (permalink) |
spudly
Location: Ellay
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It's not a pair, but I hate it when people use the word "literally" to describe something that only happened figuratively. Example:
I was so scared that I literally shit my pants. No, you didn't.
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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam |
11-17-2003, 10:35 PM | #14 (permalink) |
Psycho
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So why is an "I" beam a "W" beam?
What is cement then? What's the difference between a motor and an engine? I understand that these piss you off, but perhaps you could explain the difference for those of us that don't know. Or you could just bitch about them, and not make the situation any better. My choice: iterate means repeat. re-iterate is just redundant and repetitive... |
11-18-2003, 06:58 AM | #17 (permalink) | |
see the links to my music?
Location: Beautiful British Columbia
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Re: cement ain't concrete
Quote:
i freak too.................fuckin' cement heads |
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11-18-2003, 08:36 AM | #21 (permalink) |
EVIL!
Location: Southwest of nowhere
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You must learn to forgive those who no not what they speak. It is amazing, the lack of common sense knowledge. I have to laugh sometimes, when news readers say thing's that any dork would know is not true or is grossly inaccurate.
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When all else fails, QUIT. |
11-18-2003, 11:27 AM | #24 (permalink) |
More Freedom, Less Bullshit
Location: Tulsa, OK
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I just went to reference.com and used the thesaurus. Motor and engine are synonyms.
I'm not usually bugged by little things like that, but it does annoy me slightly when people type the wrong homophone, like "no" instead of "know".
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-Erik Stupid people shouldn't breed. |
11-18-2003, 02:54 PM | #27 (permalink) |
Upright
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not as much when writing, and not with nouns, but verbs and adjectives, its sometimes ok to use the wrong words.
its like using the word piss and fuck, they dont mean what they mean literally, but in context and with expression they get the point across. when you can make up words and ppl know what you are saying then you are undeniably, an eloquent speaker. for example, none of the above are proper sentences. the first few phrases in commas are run-on fragments even though there is no such thing. My teacher would probably tell me to write 4 sentences to say the same thing. The word "ok" is a recently made-up word for alright, but is now acceptable. According to my teacher you are not supposed to use "like", people use this word excessively when they are trying to sound professional but are having trouble getting their points across. thats only because speaking that way is unnatural. if they spoke the way they wanted they would feel comfortable AND keep people interested. the "an" after undeniably is misplaced but it has greater effect there. i kno the way i wrote this doesnt look very good, but it would sound a lot better if i was saying it. I could edit it, but look at it and think how it loses something that way. Well, its possible people could speak better if we all had better vocabulary, can you show me a better way of writing the first few lines? |
11-18-2003, 03:59 PM | #30 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: San Diego, CA.
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Motors are those little electric things that spin when powered.
Engines are those big thing under your hood that make your car go. The thing that makes the windshield wipers rotate is called the wiper motor...not the wiper engine. Your garage door opener is a motor, not an engine. Your lawnmower uses an engine, not a motor. The definitions are similar, and many people use them to mean either one. Its not a big deal, but something i pick up on and notice any time it is used wrong. The definition of motor could describe and engine. But the definition of engine sets the two apart. "en·gine ( P ) Pronunciation Key (njn) n. 1. A) A machine that converts energy into mechanical force or motion. B) Such a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel. "
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Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck. |
11-18-2003, 05:12 PM | #32 (permalink) |
Curious
Location: NJ (but just for college)
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so many insinuated hints towards one another
the an before eloquent would not have been misplaced if there was a comma before undeniably heres one thing that kinda irks me, words that mean essentially the same thing and are spelled/pronounced so similar that there is really no need for both: harry, scarry amiable, amicable super, superb flammable, inflammable nerve, verve theres more but i cant think of them right now |
11-18-2003, 06:06 PM | #33 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: Pacific NW
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I do know this: beware of cunning linguists.
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"The gift of liberty is like that of a horse, handsome, strong, and high-spirited. In some it arouses a wish to ride; in many others, on the contrary, it increases the desire to walk." -- Massimo d'Azeglio |
11-18-2003, 09:28 PM | #36 (permalink) |
Banned
Location: Massachusetts, USA
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Cement is what holds concrete together.
What annoys me, mildly, is when people don't realize how ridiculous they look when they use l33t sp33|< and misuse things like to/too/two and their/there/they're. There's no point in pissing and moaning about it. They'll either grow out of it or they won't. Last edited by denim; 11-18-2003 at 09:30 PM.. |
11-18-2003, 09:30 PM | #37 (permalink) | |
Insane
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Quote:
Also like i asked before. Why is concrete used instead of cement. Why add the sand/rock. |
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11-18-2003, 09:32 PM | #38 (permalink) | |
Banned
Location: Massachusetts, USA
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Quote:
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11-18-2003, 10:08 PM | #39 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: West Coast, USA
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Sand and rock are used to allow space to exist within the 'matrix' that is created when cement, sand and stone (rock) are mixed with water.
Most sensible people call it concrete, and it's necessary to have a stress matrix for it to be strong and not too heavy. If you just mix cement and water, it would be heavy and brittle - it wouldn't transfer load (as concrete does) it would absorb load and fracture. Rebar is often used to add tensile strength and create a shear plane, so that the force is transmitted in a specific direction. Had enough? My family owns a company that manufactures pigment for mortar & concrete. I've been irritated by the idiots who call them 'cement trucks' and 'cinder blocks' since I was 14. |
11-19-2003, 12:19 AM | #40 (permalink) |
is you wicked?
Location: I live in a giant bucket.
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I still get frustrated over people who think irony and coincidence are the same thing. I gotta confess though, I'm sure I'm guilty of plenty of things mentioned in this thread, such as engine/motor and cement/concrete.
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