A-ha! Finally, proof of what I’ve always suspected: English people are wrong with that whole “orientate” business. It drives me up the wall when I hear somebody say it. I’m like, “It’s “orient,” people. Quit cramming in extra syllables.”
A-ha! Finally, proof of what I’ve always suspected: English people are wrong with that whole “orientate” business. It drives me up the wall when I hear somebody say it. I’m like, “It’s “orient,” people. Quit cramming in extra syllables.”
brigita
August 8, 2001 — 4:57 pm
arrgh! i once had a roommate who would often brazenly flaunt the conventions of verb formation in this way. it was all i could do to not jam a writing implement or sharp kitchen tool into whichever extremity of hers was closest to me. she also drove me crazy for a variety of other reasons…reason #1: she was insane. we actually shared a room (BIG mistake) and she liked to play the patient/shrink game with me until 4am. i mean, i was sympathetic to her family problems, suspected alcoholism, and poor self image, but i could not see past the orientate thing.
so do the english say that? reason #2 (just below mad cow and hoof ‘n mouth) not to move to the UK (not like i wouldn’t love it if we got stationed over there). 😉
Kris
August 8, 2001 — 5:06 pm
Yeah. They say it all the time. Just about all of them. They even say disorientated. It’s just unnecessary.
Although I did just catch myself making the following blunder when talking to some co-workers: “I’ve got this massive headache and I finally realized it’s because I haven’t eaten or drinken all day.”
DRINKEN??
brigita
August 8, 2001 — 5:14 pm
damn, i get mad at myself for ending sentences in a preopsition (“where’s the party at?” ala ND), i’d probably go nuts if i started to adopt that kinda verbage! stay strong!
Kris
August 8, 2001 — 6:16 pm
That’s not necessarily an error! Check out this page from the same site. As Winston put it, “This is the sort of English up with which I cannot put.” 🙂
brigita
August 8, 2001 — 6:23 pm
i’m going to have to give this page a throuough looking-over.
(heh)
Kris
August 8, 2001 — 7:37 pm
It’s addictive. I wasted about half an hour there today.
Max
August 9, 2001 — 5:05 am
I’m cheering with you, Kris–in education, we have to have all kinds of orientation sessions (for freshmen, for new teachers, for new computer programs, etc.) and the not-a-word “orientate” inevitably gets used by one of my esteemed colleagues. It makes my skin crawl.