Using the wrong word
- Thread starter Oli
- Start date
Since I linked to a dictionary showing that "inability" is valid word...
Someone who is unable to do something has the inability to do that thing.
"I have unwanted facial hair" is usually said by those who don't want any facial hair.
Pandaemoni
Valued Senior Member
"Inability" is a valid and correct word. The only grammatical error I see is that he should have written:
As indefinite articles are largely silly aspects of English, I am willing to let that slide.
The stupidity is all on your part.
You are incorrect, I have already given a link to one dictionary validating the word, and you could Google a multitude of others.
Your abysmal lack of vocabulary does not make you right.
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
* * * * NOTE FROM THE MODERATOR TO OLI AND SCIFES * * * *
Please stop feuding. I'm not even quite sure what the problem is, but it's certainly not serious enough to merit tossing around words like "stupid" in a place of scholarship.
"Inability," like "ability," can take a definite or indefinite article, but it can also be used as a commodity noun like "love" or "water" with no article.
The sentence, "The latter [statement] is inability to accept the concept," does indeed have a flaw or two, but there's nothing wrong with it grammatically. The problem is that the sentence itself is an expression of inability (or the inability), but it is not itself inability (or the inability.) That's a pretty subtle error by today's standards, and it is definitely one of form, not comprehensibility. I might not bother to correct it, depending on the formality of the document I'm editing.
Please stop feuding. I'm not even quite sure what the problem is, but it's certainly not serious enough to merit tossing around words like "stupid" in a place of scholarship.
"Inability," like "ability," can take a definite or indefinite article, but it can also be used as a commodity noun like "love" or "water" with no article.
The sentence, "The latter [statement] is inability to accept the concept," does indeed have a flaw or two, but there's nothing wrong with it grammatically. The problem is that the sentence itself is an expression of inability (or the inability), but it is not itself inability (or the inability.) That's a pretty subtle error by today's standards, and it is definitely one of form, not comprehensibility. I might not bother to correct it, depending on the formality of the document I'm editing.
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Faster than light with quantum entaglement
I propose a rule that if a thread title is misspelled, the poster must state English is their 2nd language, they cannot use Google to quickly find the correct spelling and/or proclaim "I am not smarter than a 5th grader".
sciforums SciForums.com : World : History
Roll Of The Supreme Court In The USA
sciforums SciForums.com : Science : General Science & Technology
Faster than light with quantum entaglement
I propose a rule that if a thread title is misspelled, the poster must state English is their 2nd language, they cannot use Google to quickly find the correct spelling and/or proclaim "I am not smarter than a 5th grader".
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Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
I always correct the spelling of thread titles. That's what Moderators are here for.
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Absurd "language" annoys you?
Absurd "language" annoys you?
The thoughtlessness it betrays annoys me. If people gave even a little thought to the words coming out of their mouths, they would not say such things.
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The Ignorant Apathy Club
They don't know & they don't care.
The Ignorant Apathy Club
They don't know & they don't care.
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I hate missing words :
Remote for remote control.
Discrimination for unfair discrimination.
Taking advantage of instead of taking unfair/undue advantage.
Anniversary for wedding anniversary.
Birthday for birthday anniversary.
I hate missing words :
Remote for remote control.
Discrimination for unfair discrimination.
Taking advantage of instead of taking unfair/undue advantage.
Anniversary for wedding anniversary.
Birthday for birthday anniversary.
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Is that REAL!?!
No, it's a figment of your feeble fevered brain!
Is that REAL!?!
No, it's a figment of your feeble fevered brain!
-=-
You've been in the sun too long.
You've been in the sun too long.
Pandaemoni
Valued Senior Member
Seriously. You actually force yourself to say "birthday anniversary" every time the term comes up? Even though "the anniversary of a birth" is a perfectly acceptable definition for the word "birthday?"
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
"I won you" ? lol