1. Standard memberHandyAndy
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    14 Nov '13 23:27
    Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
    Inaffectation or "Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are not normally present within the body. An infection may cause no symptoms and be subclinical, or it may cause symptoms and be clinically apparent. An infection may remain localized, or it may spread through the blood or lymphat ...[text shortened]... All cleared up now, Andy, thanks to an Efficacious Ointment Rx and Warm Hugs from Nurse Ratched.
    Spell humor.
  2. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
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    15 Nov '13 00:15
    Originally posted by HandyAndy
    Spell humor.
    Vitreous?
  3. SubscriberSuzianne
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    15 Nov '13 00:54
    Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
    [b]"How come 'ou' was reduced to 'o' in the US?"

    "The pronunciation is the same, so you can't really say that some "say" this while others "say" that. It's strictly a spelling difference. These are among the reforms introduced by Noah Webster in his dictionary, with a view towards (a) simplifying the spelling, and (b) creating a distinct American ...[text shortened]... a king's oppression, not the people; we now fight our UK Friends in chess games. -Grampy Roubert[/b]
    ou also belies a French heritage to these words.

    And you know how we Americans aren't beholden to any 'French' stuff.

    Remember 'Freedom Fries'?

    They wanna speak English, then let them speak English, not French.
  4. SubscriberSuzianne
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    15 Nov '13 00:55
    Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
    Vitreous?
    No, "haha" kind of humor.

    You know, like in "Good Humor" ice cream?

    What's more American than that?
  5. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
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    15 Nov '13 00:57
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    ou also belies a French heritage to these words.

    And you know how we Americans aren't beholden to any 'French' stuff.

    Remember 'Freedom Fries'?

    They wanna speak English, then let them speak English, not French.
    Point taken.
  6. Standard memberHandyAndy
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    15 Nov '13 01:11
    I think the extraneous u stands for uncouth.
  7. Joined
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    15 Nov '13 01:42
    Originally posted by HandyAndy
    I think the extraneous u stands for uncouth.
    Or perhaps unhinged.
  8. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
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    15 Nov '13 02:13
    Originally posted by darvlay
    Or perhaps unhinged.
    Wonder what it's like being an uncouth and unhinged, unfocused and unhappy olde codger with an impaired Spell Check?
  9. Standard memberwolfgang59
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    15 Nov '13 05:15
    ONE
    TWO
    THREE
    FOR
  10. Standard memberwolfgang59
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    15 Nov '13 05:30
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    Well, no, the facts are we kicked them out twice out of twice, that's 100%, not 50-50.
    The 1812 war which the US started was a draw and trivial to what
    was going on in Europe. Britain was fighting for Canada (which they
    still celebrate).

    Borders remained unchanged and both sides lost money. USA also
    lost slaves (who escaped amidst the confusion).

    Britain (under no obligation) compensated slave owners to the
    tune of a million bucks. (Just to shut them up!)
  11. Standard memberSwissGambit
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    15 Nov '13 06:50
    Originally posted by wolfgang59
    ONE
    TWO
    THREE
    FOR
    "Four" actually makes sense, since there is a separate word spelled 'for' already.

    "Colour", not so much.

    But who am I to inject logic into language?
  12. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
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    15 Nov '13 08:09
    Originally posted by Silverstriker
    Hello everyone here is a heads up about the next prose competition i have had the pleasure of organising since 2012. The last two years we have had some brilliant entries. Can anyone prevent a potential hat trick from mike169?

    Here are the rules

    Maximum word length is 750 words

    You can submit up to two entries

    The 2014 topic will be a c ...[text shortened]... entry's title so i know who has written what)

    Deadline is January 12th 2014

    Good luck all
    "Here are the rules

    Maximum word length is 750 words... "

    Footnote: There are already more than enough words contained in this thread's forty three posts to date to qualify as an entry: "An Overheard Online Public Forum Conversation" (approximately 55 lines of 15 words each or 825 total words).
  13. Subscriberkevcvs57
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    15 Nov '13 12:00
    Originally posted by SwissGambit
    "Four" actually makes sense, since there is a separate word spelled 'for' already.

    "Colour", not so much.

    But who am I to inject logic into language?
    Don't matter too much because English relies heavily on context, one word with the same spelling can mean many different things depending on the context.

    My problem with losing the 'u' is that it's job is to take the emphasis off the first 'o' so 'color' should be pronounced like 'colon'.
  14. SubscriberSuzianne
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    15 Nov '13 12:44
    Originally posted by kevcvs57
    Don't matter too much because English relies heavily on context, one word with the same spelling can mean many different things depending on the context.

    My problem with losing the 'u' is that it's job is to take the emphasis off the first 'o' so 'color' should be pronounced like 'colon'.
    My problem with the 'u' is that it makes every word that uses it look like it rhymes with 'your'.

    Plus, I'm a bit of a spelling freak, so all those words jump out at me as being misspelled.
  15. Joined
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    15 Nov '13 13:07
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    My problem with the 'u' is that it makes every word that uses it look like it rhymes with 'your'.

    Plus, I'm a bit of a spelling freak, so all those words jump out at me as being misspelled.
    Do you know why, since for a period up to 1776 "Americans" would have spelt certain words with a "u", they dropped it?
    Are there any other English speaking countries that dropped it?
    I know I could probably google it but I'm lazy. "😉
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