Using the 'Quote', Smilies and Emoticons Function.

[John Gulliver]

Originally Posted by Finless

Seventhly, has anyone noticed I'm overdoing the use of "ly" after the numbers? Is the use of "ly" after any number correct or should it be FIRST, SECOND etc?

Good question! In my youth (don't ask when) the answer would have been simple: The correct usage in the UK was First, Second etc. Only in the USA was Firstly, Secondly etc acceptable. Now I'm not so sure any more. You all seem to have swallowed American English hook line and sinker these days , so who knows what is correct any more?

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by John Gulliver

Good question! In my youth (don't ask when) the answer would have been simple: The correct usage in the UK was First, Second etc. Only in the USA was Firstly, Secondly etc acceptable. Now I'm not so sure any more. You all seem to have swallowed American English hook line and sinker these days , so who knows what is correct any more?

The Americans, who can't tell a billion from a milliard

[Finless]

Originally Posted by John Gulliver

Good question! In my youth (don't ask when) the answer would have been simple: The correct usage in the UK was First, Second etc. Only in the USA was Firstly, Secondly etc acceptable. Now I'm not so sure any more. You all seem to have swallowed American English hook line and sinker these days , so who knows what is correct any more?

"Firstly" is shown in my Oxford English Dictionary and nothing is mentioned of it being an "Americanism". Perhaps I'll stop using the "ly", just in case.

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

The Americans, who can't tell a billion from a milliard

When the American public went to see the madness of king George the III
said "So what happened to part 1 & 2"

[daz]

Originally Posted by Finless

Perhaps I'll stop using the "ly", just in case.

In case what?

In case you suddenly get the urge to stuff your face with big macs, run around telling everyone how great you are and invading other countries because you can

Daz

[Mr T.]

Originally Posted by hawkeye

When the American public went to see the madness of king George the III
said "So what happened to part 1 & 2"

The actual story behind that is that the US firm putting up the money to make the film (which was being transfered by the playwright, Alan Bennett, from stage to film format) insisted that the play's name 'The Madness of King George III' be changed to merely 'The Madness of King George' as, as you right point out, American audiences might ask why they hadn't seen parts 1 & 2; the allusion being a trilogy.

And this from a country which dispensed with the services of the Crown and now each corporate wannabe styles himself Casper J Eadenstock II; pretentiousness in the extreme.

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Bren Tierney

a country which dispensed with the services of the Crown and now each corporate wannabe styles himself Casper J Eadenstock II; pretentiousness in the extreme.

I've often wondered about those types who call themselves Initial MiddleName Surname, i.e. J. Casper Eadenstock the second. I know UK folk who have dropped their first name without feeling the necessity to retain the first letter?

[Mr T.]

Originally Posted by aclivity

I've often wondered about those types who call themselves Initial MiddleName Surname, i.e. J. Casper Eadenstock the second. I know UK folk who have dropped their first name without feeling the necessity to retain the first letter?

Aye, my dad's called Ted (Edward), but his full name is John Edward Patrick Tierney; his dad was John also, so, as used to be the norm, the son used his second name so as to differentiate between the two; rather than using the cringe-inducing and oft-used American approach: 'Junior'.

Oh, and another example of your point is the actor E. Emmet Walsh.

And then you get folks inventing names/intials - like J K Rowling. Completely superfluous and stands for nothing. Touch of the George Elliot's perchance?

[hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Bren Tierney

The actual story behind that is that the US firm putting up the money to make the film (which was being transfered by the playwright, Alan Bennett, from stage to film format) insisted that the play's name 'The Madness of King George III' be changed to merely 'The Madness of King George' as, as you right point out, American audiences might ask why they hadn't seen parts 1 & 2; the allusion being a trilogy.

And this from a country which dispensed with the services of the Crown and now each corporate wannabe styles himself Casper J Eadenstock II; pretentiousness in the extreme.

Thats the one couldn't remember the full story cheers.

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Bren Tierney

And then you get folks inventing names/intials - like J K Rowling. Completely superfluous and stands for nothing. Touch of the George Elliot's perchance?

Harry S. Truman - adopted the S (IIRC) simply because he felt it added some gravitas to his name.

Ian Duncan-Smith - decided to use his middle name as a surname as he thought plain old Ian Smith wouldn't do too well in politics.