formulae vs. formula??

[Todd Bardoni]

Removing things from the english language can become very inefficient. We have used the apostrophe for so long we might as well keep it. It would be like changing socks to pants. You can change it but it will cause mass confusion to us all. there will be people who can pick up on it straight away but there will be a lot of people that will not be able to stop using it. Plus the apostrophe allows us to shorten words from do not to don't and things like that. So maybe it is worth keeping.

It is this type of thinking that has kept the U.S. from changing over to the metric system of measurement.

 

[tails]

Try the Oxford English Dictionary

I quite agree with tails... Who cares if its there and he didn't know about it... Don't be so critical of other peoples vernacular...

Besides... all you really need is a Scrabble dictionary to get by

**** yuppie oxfordians, making up wordy words

I totally agree with that. All these big words that are made up, i believe are made so that people who use them think they're smart. Why do we need huge scientific words that mean simple things like dinosaur, or even mearly chair. They go and create words so that either only they understand it. Or they make themselves believe that they're smarter than the rest of us. Why use big words, when all we need to use is the original word itself. bugger the rest of them.

 

[Legacy 1363]

All these big words that are made up, i believe are made so that people who use them think they're smart. Why do we need huge scientific words that mean simple things like dinosaur, or even mearly chair. They go and create words so that either only they understand it. Or they make themselves believe that they're smarter than the rest of us. Why use big words, when all we need to use is the original word itself. bugger the rest of them.

I'm having difficulty in understanding how your comments are applicable to the topic of formulas versus formulae.

 

[tails]

well if you go back and read the original posts through to the last post it will help in understanding what and how we have changed over the topic of conversation. As we go on, the topic slowly either changes or extends to open more things to be discussed.

 

[Legacy 1363]

well if you go back and read the original posts through to the last post it will help in understanding what and how we have changed over the topic of conversation. As we go on, the topic slowly either changes or extends to open more things to be discussed.

Do you mean that your previous comments were not directed at the discussion of formulas versus formulae?

If so, exactly what thing are you attempting to discuss at present?

 

[Babydum]

If so, exactly what thing are you attempting to discuss at present?

Whether or not language is sometimes used as a show of intelligence, perhaps?

 

[Legacy 1363]

If so, exactly what thing are you attempting to discuss at present?

Whether or not language is sometas a show of intelligence, perhaps?

How do arrive at that deduction?

 

[Babydum]

How do arrive at that deduction

Firstly, my deduction didn´t come out as intended - my internet explorer must have stopped registering my keystrokes for a few seconds, and I sent it without realising. (I´ve edited the post to reflect what I actually typed in the first place).

To clarify:

Tails explained that he felt that people use big words to give the impression that they are, in fact, more intelligent than those with whom they are communicating but who cannot or choose not to use the same big words themselves. He feels that to use words only understood by the few is to disregard the needs of the many.

Ergo, this is the answer to your question: "what thing are you attempting to discuss at present?"

 

[NateO]

Does 'the many' have access to this:

http://dictionary.reference.com/

?

Looks like that particular dictionary accepts both formulas and formulae, while I would prefer the latter.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=formulas

 

[Todd Bardoni]

Understanding your audience and getting your message across to that audience is in of itself an art form and requires intelligence. Using "big" words alone not only shows that you know "big" words but also shows a lack of communication skills if the message is not received by the intended audience. Some would say that is why John Kerry lost the presidential election.