The Writers' Resource

Just a note to Karen Huff of GTV-9 and any other person using the word 'tenDerhooks' instead of the correct 'tenTerhooks'.  The word is derived from tener to hold and the hooks in question, while used to tenderise meat, were installed for holding and hanging. A tenterhook is a gadget for hanging anything you want, no necessarily meat.  To be on tenterhooks means to be in a state of being on hold.

 It mystifies me as to why the Catholic Church did away with the Latin mass as it formed the basis for good (almost insidious) linguistic capability!  And for churchgoers and altar boys, the repetition was invaluable!  As well, schools would teach Latin and Greek roots as a component of English studies.  I certainly am grateful now as I am struggling with learning Spanish, but at least can decipher signs, newspapers etc. just through applying the rules I learnt years ago in English classes.  

Just couldn't block out the sound of the Danoz Direct H2O steam-mop guy expounding on the 'Haitch 2 O'.  Was a producer in that recording session at all or did he record it at home and send it in?

As well, Qantas's once OK in flight entertainment had some bad gaffes from Gisele Scales and Paul Dyer who mispronounced their way through their 'delivered with all the weightiness of a lead balloon' authority.  For instance, Amadio  pronounced am ma DEE oh and Paul Dyer not being able to cope with the French pronunciation of Les Chansons des Roses.

Having been away from Oz for nine months, I was completely bowled over by the dagginess of the speech of even highly educated people as where I have been, the lowliest (education wise) kids still speak with perfect enunciation and pronunciation and with no affectation.  So why is this, I wonder?