Mastodon

1 post1 participant0 posts today

Astrolabe CAE🤩 Nous étions présent lors de la belle fête d’anniversaire de notre super partenaire en expertise comptable (et dont nous sommes sociétaire).🎊 Félicitation pour vos 3 ans Transition ESS📱 A cette occasion <a href="https://hostux.social/@florent" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@florent</a> à présenté sa conf "Un espion dans votre poche" => prendre conscience et apporter des solutions pour notre <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> du <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/num%C3%A9rique" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#numérique</a> sur nos smartphones et de l'<a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/exploitation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#exploitation</a> de nos données privées. <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/PrivateLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PrivateLife</a> <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/vieprivee" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#vieprivee</a> ✊ Pour en savoir plus et la refaire 👇 <a href="https://www.astrolabe.coop/posts/presentation-espion-poche_2025/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.astrolabe.coop/posts/presentation-espion-poche_2025/</a>

marqleWhere on earth did this writer get these <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/sayings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#sayings</a> from?I suppose I'm in the <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/boomer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#boomer</a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/age" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#age</a> group and I've never said any of them.I'll admit in <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/blues" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#blues</a> parties in the <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/seventies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#seventies</a> we'd call <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/lickashot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#lickashot</a> to rewind a record, but I'm fully aware the <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/yoot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#yoot</a> would just be confused by that.They clearly made these up to knock them down.<a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#words</a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#language</a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/english" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#english</a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/idiom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#idiom</a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a><a href="https://geediting.com/gb-outdated-phrases-that-boomers-need-to-stop-using-if-they-wish-to-connect-with-younger-generations/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://geediting.com/gb-outdated-phrases-that-boomers-need-to-stop-using-if-they-wish-to-connect-with-younger-generations/</a>

Want Change? W🔁rk T🔁gether☑Some musing on that... Also to see wht you think as I'm not 100% but pretty sure that's why uncaring people use STEM.<a href="https://qoto.org/tags/STEM" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#STEM</a> seems to miss out <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/ethics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ethics</a> completely or skip it it's <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/importance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#importance</a> and <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/priority" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#priority</a> since it's not a paid / value / measured thing for the most part and mostly trojan-horse to get the will of those higher up (like old times of war / power in softer ways / economic / adverts etc).Science, Tech, Engineering, Maths isn't immediately ethical really or have I got that wrong?Perhaps any <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/state" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#state</a> is still <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/primitive" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#primitive</a> in this way (and lots of ways) and just using all <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/geeks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#geeks</a> and <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/techies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#techies</a> to get what they want... like forever and all-time...Perhaps I say that since STEM has got so big in itself and it's own thing pumped and focused on by $tate and <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/Commercialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Commercialism</a> as it's interest are financial based 💲 more and more, so $kips ethics according to those that follow the extraction models more than mental <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/progress" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#progress</a> and measurement as happiness or <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/consent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#consent</a> <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/aims" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#aims</a> <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/accountability" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#accountability</a> <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/transparency" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#transparency</a> etc.. <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/Ethics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Ethics</a> perhaps is NOT paid for at the end of the day hence a way to measure it's <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/importance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#importance</a> and <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/priority" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#priority</a> somewhat down the list or other things first or as a more <a href="https://qoto.org/tags/scientific" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#scientific</a> way to say / measure it - and why you get terrible admins under leader$ who don't have to answer to anyone. Your thoughts?

POUJOL-ROST Mathias ✅« Aujourd’hui, 23 millions de Français souffrent d’une ou plusieurs <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/maladies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#maladies</a> chroniques. Nous devons stopper les expositions aux <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/poisons" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#poisons</a> identifiés tels les pesticides et l’amiante qui tuent. » 13 mutuelle rappellent que 200.000 tonnes d’amiante sont toujours présentes dans les bâtiments et que plus de 60.000 tonnes de pesticides sont utilisés chaque année.<a href="https://basta.media/appel-treize-mutuelles-agriculture-francaise-europeenne-sans-pesticide-amiante-maladies-chroniques-prevention-reparation-prejudices" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://basta.media/appel-treize-mutuelles-agriculture-francaise-europeenne-sans-pesticide-amiante-maladies-chroniques-prevention-reparation-prejudices</a> (8 février 2024)<a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/Ecophyto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Ecophyto</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/pesticides" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#pesticides</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/agriculture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#agriculture</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/bio" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#bio</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/agro_%C3%A9cologie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#agro_écologie</a> <a href="https://mstdn.jp/tags/sant%C3%A9" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#santé</a>

Hacker NewsEveryone knows all the apps on your phone<a href="https://peabee.substack.com/p/everyone-knows-what-apps-you-use" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://peabee.substack.com/p/everyone-knows-what-apps-you-use</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/HackerNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HackerNews</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Everyone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Everyone</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/knows" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#knows</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/all" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#all</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/the" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#the</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/apps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#apps</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/on" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#on</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/your" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#your</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/phone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#phone</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/privacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#privacy</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/awareness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#awareness</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/app" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#app</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/digital" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#digital</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/rights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#rights</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/data" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#data</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/security" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#security</a>

Michael Marandais there an emerging usage substituting "singular" for "single"? or am I merely observing misuse? <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#language</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

Wordorigins.organtisemitism vs. anti-Semitism<a href="https://www.wordorigins.org/harmless-drudge/antisemitism-vs-anti-semitism" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.wordorigins.org/harmless-drudge/antisemitism-vs-anti-semitism</a><a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/etymology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#etymology</a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#language</a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/grammar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#grammar</a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/USpolitics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#USpolitics</a>

EditorMarkAP Stylebook prefers "caregiver" for one who cares for people and "caretaker" for one who looks after a building. "Care-taker" for taking care of children dates to the 19th century, while "caregiver" emerged in the 1960s but now dominates.<a href="https://zurl.co/IlFCV" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://zurl.co/IlFCV</a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#words</a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

WordofTheHour<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> : mode of using or treating- French: usage- German: die Nutzung- Italian: uso- Portuguese: uso- Spanish: uso------------Thank you so much for being a member of our community!

BairMal ne interne Frage: Leute bzw. Accounts können hier im <a href="https://troet.cafe/tags/fediverse" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#fediverse</a> abstellen, dass ihnen gefolgt bzw. zurückgefolgt werden kann? Verstehe ich das richtig?<a href="https://troet.cafe/tags/mastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#mastodon</a> <a href="https://troet.cafe/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a href="https://troet.cafe/tags/features" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#features</a>

Ron PiggottNew <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Video" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Video</a> "Winter Power Wheelchair Operating Tips" This video is a combination of practical tips, strategy and guide for using a power wheelchair outside during the winter. <a href="https://youtu.be/UBtGCZT_zac?si=PFD6xfA5yTg8o6lu" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/UBtGCZT_zac?si=PFD6xfA5yTg8o6lu</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/electricwheelchair" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#electricwheelchair</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/wheelchair" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#wheelchair</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

Comics and Jokes @ Lucentinian Works Co LtdNew entry of AI-generated <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=comics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#comics</a> and <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=jokes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#jokes</a> added to our <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=website" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#website</a>:<a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=Gemini" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Gemini</a>'s <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=Usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Usage</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=Limit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Limit</a><a href="https://comics.lucentinian.com/4796" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">comics.lucentinian.com/4796</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=AIHumor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AIHumor</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=NewsLaughs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewsLaughs</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=LaughWithAI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LaughWithAI</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=NewsJokes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewsJokes</a> <a href="https://social.lucentinian.com/search?tag=ComedyGold" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ComedyGold</a>

EditorMarkIf you do something daily, the adverb is "every day." The one-word "everyday" is an adjective meaning commonplace. <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#words</a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/tips" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#tips</a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

:rss: Hacker NewsDocker limits unauthenticated pulls to 10/HR/IP from Docker Hub, from March 1 <a href="https://docs.docker.com/docker-hub/usage/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://docs.docker.com/docker-hub/usage/</a> <a href="https://rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.com/tags/ycombinator" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ycombinator</a> <a href="https://rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.com/tags/Docker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Docker</a> <a href="https://rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.com/tags/Hub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Hub</a> <a href="https://rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.com/tags/limit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#limit</a> <a href="https://rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.com/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

Jonathan EmmesediI wish people would not use "despise" as if its meaning were identical with that of "hate". To despise means not only to have a strong dislike, but also to have contempt for someone or something.- I not only hate MAGA supporters, I despise them too. - I hate this cold spell we're having.To my ear, "I despise this cold spell we're having" sounds wrong; how can one feel disdain for the weather?<a href="https://c.im/tags/Language" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Language</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/English" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#English</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Usage</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Hate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Hate</a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Despise" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Despise</a>

Nicolas DelsauxAnthropic construit un "indice économique" en carton tentant de voir qui utilise de l'IA. Au milieu de l'article, un graphique montre que les développeurs sont ceux qui s'en servent le plus (jusqu'à 37% des développeurs), mais que dans toutes les autres professions, moins de 10% des gens s'en servent ... C'est clairement un succès, non ? <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/news/the-anthropic-economic-index" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.anthropic.com/news/the-anthropic-economic-index</a> <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/ia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ia</a> <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/sondage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#sondage</a> <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/analyse" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#analyse</a> <a href="https://framapiaf.org/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

EditorMark"Cyclic" and "cyclical" are both adjectives meaning moving or occuring in a cycle. "Cyclical" is more common, though "cyclic" was more often seen in the previous century. Dictionaries are likely to define "cyclical" as "cyclic." Usage guides seem to have never bothered weighing in on this one. Certain contexts might suggest one over the other, but they are pretty much interchangeable. <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/words" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#words</a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>

FinchHaven sfba<a href="https://me.dm/@KronoMoon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@KronoMoon</a> "What is the best-practice Alt-Text <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>?"You're trolling, right?Maybe the best-practice would be for people to stop cringing about everything and just do what they wantYa think?

The Krononaut Moon Project 🌑<a href="https://me.dm/tags/Help" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Help</a>! <a href="https://me.dm/tags/Gender" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Gender</a> <a href="https://me.dm/tags/LGBTQ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LGBTQ</a>+ <a href="https://me.dm/tags/etiquette" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#etiquette</a> question in regards to <a href="https://me.dm/tags/AltText" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AltText</a> descriptions for <a href="https://me.dm/tags/images" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#images</a> on <a href="https://me.dm/tags/Mastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mastodon</a> & <a href="https://me.dm/tags/Fedi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Fedi</a>. Others must be having this same issue. Example: <a href="https://me.dm/tags/photo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#photo</a> appears to be of a mother, father, and twin daughters attending an Orthodox Jewish service. But maybe we don't actually know? What is the best-practice Alt-Text <a href="https://me.dm/tags/usage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#usage</a>? How do we describe this image if we don't know if the girls (?) are the children of the woman (?) & man (?) Can this be looked up? Thank you. <a href="https://me.dm/@KronoMoon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@KronoMoon</a>

Sentence firstThe Strunk cost fallacyMyths have serious sticking power. This is true not just of the myths of antiquity but also of more modern and niche types, like the <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2017/10/03/a-to-z-of-english-usage-myths/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">myths of English usage</a>. It seems that nothing will ever stop people peeving pointlessly about <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/how-awkwardly-to-avoid-split-infinitives/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">split infinitives</a>, <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2023/02/27/dont-never-tell-nobody-not-to-use-no-double-negatives/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">double negatives</a>, <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/fear-and-loathing-of-the-passive-voice/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">passive voice</a>, <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/singular-they-you-and-a-senseless-way-of-speaking/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">singular they</a>, &c.One thing that makes usage myths sticky, and spready, is that when we’ve gone to the trouble of learning something, we’re often reluctant to unlearn it, even in the face of contradictory truth – especially when that knowledge gives us a pleasurable feeling of authority or expertise. Renouncing it means accepting that we’ve wasted our time, so instead we double down.<a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/strunk-white-the-elements-of-style.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>This makes it a form of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost#Fallacy_effect" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sunk cost fallacy</a> or sunk cost effect. The term is from economics but has spread to more general use. I’m about to spread it further, with a goofy twist: Doubling down on a bogus rule of language use because you’ve invested time or cognitive effort into learning it is hereby known as the Strunk cost fallacy (or Strunk cost effect).Regrettably, there is no way to include E. B. White in the coinage without spoiling the pun, but both he and William Strunk Jr. bear some responsibility for promulgating a range of <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211030010349/https:/lel.ed.ac.uk/~gpullum/LandOfTheFree.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">egregious misunderstandings</a> about English grammar, usage, and ‘correctness’.The dogmatic tone in those authors’ influential Elements of Style also fuels, among some of its devotees, intolerance of non-standardized dialects and informal varieties of English, because readers gain (or strengthen) the impression that in language use there can be only one right way. This is another fallacy, an insidious and socially toxic one.If you find evidence that you have a mistaken belief about language use – it happens to us all – then my advice is to heed that evidence. Instead of allowing your defences to reject the possibility that you’ve wasted your time learning and maybe promoting a falsity, embrace the opportunity to revise your beliefs. Don’t fall for the Strunk cost fallacy.In closing, here’s a related piece of snark:<blockquote>Accidentally typed “Strunk and Why” and this sums up my feelings better than any tired rant I might muster— Stan Carey (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:5umbpor2jx3i4a7g5gureesq?ref_src=embed" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@stancarey.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:5umbpor2jx3i4a7g5gureesq/post/3l6nom3awzw2c?ref_src=embed" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oct 16, 2024 at 20:33</a></blockquote>(I tried embedding an equivalent <a href="https://mastodon.ie/deck/@stancarey/113318772254514245" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mastodon post</a>, but it didn’t work the way Bluesky’s did. I’m using both platforms for now.)* * *A few other coinages you might like: <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/whoms-law-of-hypercorrection/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Whom’s Law of Hypercorrection</a>; <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/introducing-indo-european-jones/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indo-European Jones</a>; <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/scary-quotes/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scary quotes</a>; the <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/introducing-the-apostrophantom/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">apostrophantom</a>; the <a href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/the-typographic-oath-for-editors/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Typographic Oath for editors</a>.<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/books/" target="_blank">#books</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/e-b-white/" target="_blank">#EBWhite</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/grammar/" target="_blank">#grammar</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/humour/" target="_blank">#humour</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/language/" target="_blank">#language</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/neologisms/" target="_blank">#neologisms</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/peevology/" target="_blank">#peevology</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/phrases/" target="_blank">#phrases</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/prescriptivism/" target="_blank">#prescriptivism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/the-elements-of-style/" target="_blank">#TheElementsOfStyle</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/usage/" target="_blank">#usage</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/william-strunk-jr/" target="_blank">#WilliamStrunkJr</a>

Recent searches

Search options

Administered by:

Server stats:

#usage