Trying To Understand The English

[NotHardUp1]

 

[pigface]

Americans need to learn that the word "impacts" is almost always followed by "upon". Otherwise it has a very different and incorrect meaning, of which they are unaware.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Americans need to learn that the word "impacts" is almost always followed by "upon". Otherwise it has a very different and incorrect meaning, of which they are unaware.

Why would the transitive use of the word necessarily refer to bowel impaction, unless you are referring to something even more obscure.

Impact is perfectly correct to use with an object. What meaning do you think Americans misuse it to have?

 

[Latimer]

^
Both are used. Both are incorrect. Both will in time be become correct, just as 'correct', here used as a predicate adjective, is also used as a verb:

https://www.grammar.com/Impact-as-a-Verb

 

[pigface]

Impact is perfectly correct to use with an object. What meaning do you think Americans misuse it to have?

Frequent statements such as " the storm will impact the coast of Florida", "this event will impact the economy". In neither case is it true or possible.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Two things: Merriam Webster disagrees with you, and the language is not a fossil.

Whereas every speaker of any language has the right to prefer certain usage or tradition, the arbiters of it are generally recognized as the dictionaries editors and authors, and the scholarly community in general.

And there certainly are abuses and misuses of language, and many stand to oppose thoughtlessness.

But, words migrating from one part of speech to another is a very common and useful phenomenon in language. In fact, we praise poets, playwrights, and prose authors when they use language in a fresh way, especially when they dare to intentionally move a verb to a noun, or vice versa.

And impact used as a noun isn't in the category of some redundant speech, like saying "conversate" instead of simply saying "converse."

Webster cites it being used as a verb 200 years before any known use as a noun: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/yes-impact-is-a-verb

 

[NotHardUp1]

^
Both are used. Both are incorrect. Both will in time be become correct, just as 'correct', here used as a predicate adjective, is also used as a verb:

https://www.grammar.com/Impact-as-a-Verb

Incorrect is not a universal standard and style guides differ on it. If in graduate work and taking a conservative tack to avoid any issue, then sure, but not in lesser applications, and by no means an error by all authorities.

It not only is changing, it has for many.

Lexico already is among those recognizing it in a transitive and intransitive use. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/impact

It is perfectly natural to move the idea from being the collision or the effect to making the collision and affecting the receiver of such a collision.

 

[unloadonme]

Frequent statements such as " the storm will impact the coast of Florida", "this event will impact the economy". In neither case is it true or possible.

Surely the correct American usage is "the storm will impact with the coast of Florida" or "this event will impact with the economy".

 

[pigface]

I'm not saying impacts cannot be a verb. "Impacts" and "impacts upon" have very different meanings, and the way it is Commonly used coveys an incorrect meaning.

 

[mcbrion]

I only encounter Brits speaking English on television and movies - but it puzzles me that it seems that they always end declaratory statements with questions!

"it was a lovely brunch - wasn't it"

"a few sandwiches short of a picnic - wouldn't you say"

"don't listen to him he is lying - "telling pork pies isn't he"

very often you will hear them end declaratory sentences with what

What does that convey - and is it an upper class affectation? or is there something more to it ?

View attachment 1445805

I don't think they're saying "what." I believe it is more the pronunciation "wot", which means "eh?" As in, "right?" Americans do it all the time when they're seeking agreement from others about what they've just said. Our response is "Right? Right?" Same thing.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Are you saying "wot" is anything other than a phonetic spelling of "what"?

At any rate, it would nonetheless be a question, as the OP stated, regardless of whether rhetorical or not.

 

[medic1]

You think the English are confusing, you should hear the Scots dialect................

i hear but i dont listen

Just a suggestion, next time as well as not listening, try not talking...............