Moulding vs. Molding?

Gaieus · 30 Jun 2011, 12:05

You do know that no one reads your posts, right TIG?

I had English as a major at university for two years (until I dropped it) and we learnt quite a lot of language history so at least I doappreciate and enjoy TIG's little lessons here.

Some other "simplifications" like Marlborough > Marlboro or even through > thru (well this latter one - I know - has never really made "thru" to dictionaries).

But sometimes it is not "just" spelling but seemingly a complete ignorance of grammar. Like when someone says (more exactly writes) "I should of done this" - instead of "I should've done it..." Or completely mixing up thereand their. Although I am not sure it is not simply that "internet" or "chat" lingo...

SketchUpNoobie · 30 Jun 2011, 12:48

@gaieus said:

@unknownuser said:

You do know that no one reads your posts, right TIG?

I doappreciate and enjoy TIG's little lessons here.

Just messing with him. I read them. Except of course when he delves deep into the far reaches of the world of Ruby where my brain dares not venture . . .

Yeah, every time I see someone misuse their, there, or they're, it drives me crazy. I guess I'm just too much of a perfectionist.

dale · 30 Jun 2011, 13:33

I think that in comparison to the changes that are taking place right now in languages throughout the world (such as the use of acronyms), the small "drop the vowel" changes that have taken place to date , seem minimal, or to paraphrase an earlier thought, really "breaks the mold" (or mould).
I think the thing that I find interesting about the development of language is the great leap of faith it must have taken to get everybody to universally agree that one particular grunt means "rock", and the other slightly different grunt means "roll".
Imagine how long it must have taken for this to filter down through the masses.
Language is fascinating. I wish I had better command of it.

jeff hammond · 30 Jun 2011, 13:55

for the record.
i was raised in florida and learned how to read/speak down there.. so anytime you see me critiquing (hmm.. that word is due for a change) someone's use of certain words, i'm doing so tonge in cheek.

[also for the record.. nyc has 5 boros .. not really sure what the ough is supposed to accomplish. give it another 20 years an i'm thinking boro is going to be much more widespread]

Krisidious · 30 Jun 2011, 13:58

personally I use Moulding... and I think it came from my Millwork days. they tried very hard to be European there.

as for Tig's lessons... I love them, I've always had an interest in where words come from and why we use the ones we do. I especially like this "it doesn't matter that much - just be consistent!".

pbacot · 30 Jun 2011, 14:00

Many people in US use moulding and I think: either they think it is proper for woodwork or they are trying to be more elegant. So I insist on molding. Otherwise I was raised reading English (UK) books and like to write grey and colour when I can. Then there are (otherwise totally American speakers) those who say "shed-you-will" for "sked-joe" (schedule) and I think that's really pushing it.

boofredlay · 30 Jun 2011, 14:31

This book seems like a no brainier for this thread.
http://www.theelementsoffuckingstyle.com/

Krisidious · 30 Jun 2011, 17:17

one of the greatest words ever uttered...

and the usages of it... it can just go anywhere.

thanks Boo... you just made me run this thread off in a effin ditch.

Gaieus · 30 Jun 2011, 17:46

@unknownuser said:

...i was raisedin florida...

And if it had been Britain, you would have been brought up there. (They raise cattle and other farm animals only)

TIG · 30 Jun 2011, 17:51

@gaieus said:

@unknownuser said:

...i was raisedin florida...

And if it had been Britain, you would have been brought up there. (They raise cattle and other farm animals only)

And of course the ever confusing... verb raised always refers to things that are lifted up... BUT a building can be razed to the ground when it burns down!! English is great

Rich O Brien · 30 Jun 2011, 18:09

I find these international exchanges very interesting. Mainly because what is get in jest by one person can be very insulting to another.

I remember BaseCamp where my liberal use of the 'F' word let certain attendees slightly uncomfortable. But here in Ireland it's commonplace. Some say use of foul language is a sign of a lack of intelligence but if your ever in Irish company it can be quite an assault on your ears. it has no known origin other than it's sprinkled across all classes. Now not all of us talk like sailors but it's pretty widespread. My mother would often tell us 'you're not old enough to curse'! Then magically one day you are?

Then, there's our use of 'fag' for cigarettes. Mix that with our 'effing' and what is a harmless request for a cigarette by an Irishman, is a homo-erotic act to an American.

For instance, 'fu@ker' is used as a term of endearment at times and 'F.U.' has numerous levels of use. Then there's the dreaded 'c' word that is a big faux pas in the states but again is harmless used in context to me. Remember Bob Geldof pleading 'give us the fu@king money' in '84? No one here batted an eyelid, but elsewhere it caused outrage.

So, at times I can see how my responses here can raise an eyebrow or cause offence but to me it's just either a gentle ribbing or a plain misunderstanding that's lost in translation between English speakers. If that makes sense?

But I'm digressing as this is about mould and mold and not about how you are all a lovely bunch of fu@kers

Rich

Gaieus · 30 Jun 2011, 18:23

I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.

boofredlay · 30 Jun 2011, 18:49

I thought you were a charming little fag at Basecamp Rich.

jeff hammond · 30 Jun 2011, 19:40

@unknownuser said:

I remember BaseCamp where my liberal use of the 'F' word let certain attendees slightly uncomfortable.

well, the 'F' word is ok.. it's the 'N' word you have to watch out for.

[caution - language (unless you're irish.. in that case, rent this video for the kids.. they'll love it)]

[flash=900,630:163fdwv5]http://www.youtube.com/v/dF1NUposXVQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0[/flash:163fdwv5]

Rich O Brien · 30 Jun 2011, 20:07

@gaieus said:

I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.

Ain't the Internet fucking fan-fucking-tastic

Stinkie · 30 Jun 2011, 23:37

@unknownuser said:

[caution - language (unless you're irish.. in that case, rent this video for the kids.. they'll love it)]

Daniel · 1 Jul 2011, 20:54

@unknownuser said:

@gaieus said:

I know you finally found a topic where you seem to be able to excuse yourself for your utter rudeness so let it be.

Ain't the Internet fucking fan-fucking-tastic

Yes, it is. Where else would molding (moulding) lead to fucking?

Alan Fraser · 2 Jul 2011, 08:24

@unknownuser said:

...also for the record.. nyc has 5 boros .. not really sure what the ough is supposed to accomplish. give it another 20 years an i'm thinking boro is going to be much more widespread

The ough is a hangover from Old English. The word used to be spelled 'burh' and is the same word as the Dutch and German 'burg'. Old English sounded very like Dutch...and they really rolled their r...so it must have sounded something like burrruccchhhh. Modern English forms can appear as borough, burgh, or bury. It certainly didn't (and still doesn't in the UK) sound like what a rabbit lives in.

TBH I'd never come across sill (as in window) being spelled as cill, until I came on this forum and was informed (by an American) that that's how we spell it in this country. We also use mould pretty much throughout. I've occasionally seen a matrix referred to as a mold...as in the US...but the stuff on cheese is always mould. The word by itself...Mold...would probably evoke a town in North wales to most Brits...at least in my part of the country.

A kerb is the edge of the road in the UK...although the verb meaning to set limits is curb...as in to curb ones behaviour...obviously related.

Alan Fraser · 2 Jul 2011, 11:01

[flash=640,390:2v96gv2t]http://www.youtube.com/v/KVN_0qvuhhw?version=3[/flash:2v96gv2t]

TIG · 2 Jul 2011, 13:45

The UK place name ending -borough, -bury, -burg, -burgh etc is not allowed in US place names 'by law' [land of the free?!]... although administrative parts of towns etc are still called 'boroughs'
There is a rule that all single place names ending in that 'borough sound' must always be spelled to end in 'boro' !
The one exception they've allowed was the longstanding names of 'Pittsburgh' etc...

From November 27, 1758, when General John Forbes renamed Fort Duquesne as 'Pittsbourgh' in honor of William Pitt, it was always rather perversely called 'Pittsburgh'.
Then following the 'US Board on Geographic Names' policy decisions [see below], the 'United States Post Office' dropped the 'h' in Pittsburgh officially between 1890 and 1911, but the 'Pittsburghers' didn't!
The 'h' remained in all city ordinances and council minutes throughout that time period. After concerned citizens voiced their opinion for the traditional spelling, the 'Board' reversed its decision in 1911, making 'Pittsburgh' once again the official spelling.
Pittsburgh's 'h' is not only historical, it's unique.
There are ~19 other towns called 'Pittsburg' in the USA !]

In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison established the ten-man 'US Board on Geographic Names' [including members from the Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Geological Survey, the General Land Office, the Post Office, the Forest Service, the Smithsonian Institution, the Biological Survey, the Government Printing Office, the Census and Lighthouse Bureaus, the General Staff of the Army, the Hydrographic Office, the Library and War Records Office of the Navy, the Treasury and the Department of State !]...... to help restore order to the naming of cities, towns, rivers, lakes, mountains and other places throughout the USA.
At the time, some states actually had up to five different towns with the same name, which understandably, caused confusion.
To be fair the changes were not a surprise but a confirmation of what had already started some years before - e.g. 'Greensborough' had renamed itself 'Greensboro' twenty years previously...

The Board made the following recommendations and changes:

That spelling and pronunciation which is sanctioned by local usage should in general be adopted.
Where names have been changed or corrupted, and such changes or corruptions have become
established by local usage, it is not in general advisable to attempt to restore the original form.
In cases where what was evidently originally the same word appears with various spellings sanctioned by local usage, when applied to different features, these various spellings should be regarded as in effect
different names, and as a rule it is inadvisable to attempt to produce uniformity.
Where a choice is offered between two or more names for the same place or locality, all sanctioned by local usage, that which is most appropriate and euphonious should be adopted.
The avoidance so far as practicable, of the possessive form of names [i.e. no "John's"].
The dropping of the final "h" in the termination "burgh". [e.g. "Pittsburg"]
The abbreviation of "borough" to "boro". [e.g. "Newboro"]
The spelling of the word "center". [never "centre"]
in connecting parts of names.
The omission wherever practicable of the letters "C.H." ( = Court House) after the names of county seats.
The simplification of names consisting of more than one word by their combination into one word.
The avoidance of the use of diacritic 'special/accented] characters.
The dropping of the words "city" and "town" as parts of names.

The 20th century wars against the Germans also led to several US towns renaming themselves 'xxx-boro' or 'xxx-vill' as they [wrongly] considered 'xxx-burg' as being of Germanic origin and not 'patriotic' [whereas 'xxx-berg' might have been!?]
Places like 'Freehold Borough' get around the 'boro' by separating the 'borough' part off by claiming that it refers to an administrative 'Borough' which is an allowed name [e.g. they have neighbor named 'Freehold Township']...
There were some other changes/reversions; e.g, 'Newburg' NY lasted for just one year before changing back to 'Newburgh', and the 'Foxboro Stadium', is located in 'Foxborough', Mass.... or there's 'Markleysburg Borough' etc etc... 'Carson City' also survived...

Incidentally... the only place name in the UK ending in '-brough' is 'Middlesbrough' in the NE, the local Football team is [perversely] called 'The Boro' - the reason it is spelled 'brough' is from an error - in Victorian times when the new town was granted its 'charter' the person drafting the document made a spelling mistake and missed out the first 'o' - and so it stood because that was what it was 'legally' called