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lemmycaution 
"Long mired in film"
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 Posted - 02/09/2007 : 16:45:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Gravedigger buries gold-digger.
Do you mean "gold digger"? 
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Sal[Au]pian 
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 16:53:26
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quote:
Originally posted by lemmycaution
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Gravedigger buries gold-digger.
Do you mean "gold digger"?
No. |
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Beanmimo 
"August review site"
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 16:53:40
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Can't gold digger be optionally hyphenated? |
Edited by - Beanmimo on 02/09/2007 16:55:54 |
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lemmycaution
"Long mired in film"
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 17:41:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Beanmimo
Can't gold digger be optionally hyphenated?
One can do anything one wishes, but I don't think that you will find "gold-digger" referenced in any authoritative source. |
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Sean 
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 21:06:08
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Koli
"Striving lackadaisically for perfection."
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 21:11:38
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I think you could probably say
Gold-digging junkie bites dust
because in this case 'gold-digging' is hyphenated to make it clear that the combination is being used to describe junkie.  |
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Montgomery
"F**k!"
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 21:44:47
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Nitwit bit it.
EM |
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Shiv 
"What a Wonderful World"
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 23:01:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Koli
I think you could probably say
Gold-digging junkie bites dust
because in this case 'gold-digging' is hyphenated to make it clear that the combination is being used to describe junkie.
Yeah, gold-digging is an adjective (used to describe junkie). The Oxford English cites gold-digger (with hyphen) as the noun (which I believe is an 'authoratitive source'??!!! ). This is because it is a compound noun. The English language is not as systematic as people think, because all languages change over time but not everything changes consistently - particularly in regard to how things are written down. Other compound nouns aren't hyphenated - so it is only the length of time this word has been used in the English language that probably dictates the hyphenation (either that or the dd). Both the noun and the adjective would have been derived from the phrase 'gold digging' which is the English language's very succinct way of nominalising 'digging for gold'. That doesn't mean golddigger or golddigging aren't acceptable written English too, by the way. If they are not in the Oxford English now, they will be eventually. We use language, and the dictionaries should be there to document the change, not dictate how we use it. |
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Chris C
"Four words, never backwards."
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Posted - 02/09/2007 : 23:08:18
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 Anna goes tits up. |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 07:04:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Shiv
quote:
Originally posted by Koli
I think you could probably say
Gold-digging junkie bites dust
because in this case 'gold-digging' is hyphenated to make it clear that the combination is being used to describe junkie.
Yeah, gold-digging is an adjective (used to describe junkie). The Oxford English cites gold-digger (with hyphen) as the noun (which I believe is an 'authoratitive source'??!!!). This is because it is a compound noun. The English language is not as systematic as people think, because all languages change over time but not everything changes consistently - particularly in regard to how things are written down. Other compound nouns aren't hyphenated - so it is only the length of time this word has been used in the English language that probably dictates the hyphenation (either that or the dd). Both the noun and the adjective would have been derived from the phrase 'gold digging' which is the English language's very succinct way of nominalising 'digging for gold'. That doesn't mean golddigger or golddigging aren't acceptable written English too, by the way. If they are not in the Oxford English now, they will be eventually. We use language, and the dictionaries should be there to document the change, not dictate how we use it.
Webster's says "gold digger" and "gold digging" without the hyphen. If OED spells it with a hyphen, then this might possibly a case of American vs. British spelling. Webster's gives two definitions: "1. a person that seeks or digs for gold in a gold field. 2. Informal. a woman who associates with or marries a man chiefly for material gain." Both definitions of the word (or compound noun) are of American origin coined between 1830-1840. |
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Koli
"Striving lackadaisically for perfection."
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 07:28:12
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It could be worse. I had an email from our head office the other day, written by someone who thinks the plural of chairman is chairman's...
Must have (or should I say must of?*) been to greengrocer's school. Anyone for a pound of carrot's?
*Yeah I know, but it's amazing how many people think it's must/should/could of |
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Shiv
"What a Wonderful World"
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 07:42:15
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Webster's says "gold digger" and "gold digging" without the hyphen. If OED spells it with a hyphen, then this might possibly a case of American vs. British spelling. Webster's gives two definitions: "1. a person that seeks or digs for gold in a gold field. 2. Informal. a woman who associates with or marries a man chiefly for material gain." Both definitions of the word (or compound noun) are of American origin coined between 1830-1840.[/quote]
Salopian is from GB so I was coming in with a defence of his spelling - challenging the assertion from lemmycaution that no 'authoratitive source' would sanction gold-digger. I hope we are agreeing that both are acceptable? I would imagine US fwfers would be happy that they can legitimately provide gold-digger as one word  There is likely to be some consistency between US English NOT hyphenating compound nouns, and UK English doing so. Worth checking when you're reviewing |
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Shiv
"What a Wonderful World"
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 07:47:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Koli
It could be worse. I had an email from our head office the other day, written by someone who thinks the plural of chairman is chairman's...
Must have (or should I say must of?*) been to greengrocer's school. Anyone for a pound of carrot's?
Oooo.... don't get me started on the misuse of apostrophes  
*Yeah I know, but it's amazing how many people think it's must/should/could of
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 08:41:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Whippersnapper
Did she donate the breast implants?
If not, I hope they don't intend to bury her at sea.
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 02/10/2007 : 10:59:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Koli
*Yeah I know, but it's amazing how many people think it's must/should/could of
I suspect it's because that's what the contraction sounds like: i.e. must/should/could've. A question of write what you hear instead of write what you read [IF you CAN read, that is  ]
And, speaking of 'of' ... many Americans still announce the quarter hour before the hour with it, e.g.:
It's quarter of ten.
Funny old world, innit?
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RIP Anna Nicole Smith
