A Favour July 23, 2013 3:26 AM   Subscribe

In Honour of the Royal Event, I would like to suggest that Metafilter pays its respects by correcting a certain unfortunate oversight and replace 'favorite' with the more appropriate 'favourite'.
Dutifully yours,
etcetera etcetera
posted by litleozy to Feature Requests at 3:26 AM (140 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite

Jessamyn has already graced us with this gift to appease the Subjects of the Realms. Here's to the Colonies!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 3:30 AM on July 23, 2013 [23 favorites]


Really this request should be signed Dutifully yours, c & etc.
posted by kate blank at 3:45 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


The cover of Private Eye today.
posted by Wordshore at 3:51 AM on July 23, 2013 [21 favorites]


Or we could mark the occasion with a friendly debate about whether he should be circumcised.
posted by dontjumplarry at 3:51 AM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]


... and/or declawed.

(Do we still argue about declawing any more?)
posted by dontjumplarry at 3:51 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


The cover of Private Eye today.

Or The Onion, 14 years go.
posted by empath at 3:56 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


Finally a chance for us Brits to show our true colors.
posted by panboi at 4:22 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Or is it true colours? (is that a thing?)

Cue Eddie Izzard, because there's a fucking H in it.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:26 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Finally a chance for us Brits to show our true colors.

I fear it may be too late for you, my friend.
posted by litleozy at 4:28 AM on July 23, 2013 [15 favorites]


Look, if it weren't for us, you people would be speaking English right now.
posted by thelonius at 4:28 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


Oh golly, is it meant to be one's favourites? All this time I've been assuming it was some transatlantic nonce word I could use to blackball the odd bounder I might spot. I've been pronouncing it 'fah-VORR-eet'.

You funny fellows!
posted by Segundus at 4:31 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


I never understood why the British prefer to use French spellings rather than the Anglicized ones we use in the US.
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 4:53 AM on July 23, 2013 [6 favorites]




I, for one, welcome our new overlourds.
posted by argonauta at 4:57 AM on July 23, 2013 [21 favorites]


Nou
posted by jonmc at 5:02 AM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]


Isn't it "Gringoes"?
posted by Namlit at 5:59 AM on July 23, 2013


When I was learning Spanish (in a big fat rush before my field research began), I was constantly getting interference from the years of French I'd studied previously. At some point I just gave up and rolled with it all, responding to everything with "Soui!"
posted by iamkimiam at 6:08 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


> I would like to suggest that Metafilter pays its respects

I believe, old chap, you meant to write "that Metafilter pay its respects." Surely the new royal will learn the proper use of the subjunctive, which I presume is still common currency in the green and pleasant land, while we colonials have long ignored it in our slovenly fashion.
posted by languagehat at 6:19 AM on July 23, 2013 [28 favorites]


Screw the royal event.

(Is this the right place to be annoyed about all the goddmn brouhaha about a baby that only differs from all the other babies in this overburdened planet by being born into what I can only call a princely fortune? Because annoyed I am, and annoyed greatly).
posted by windykites at 6:41 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


Screw the royal event.

But this is the person who's third in line for the throne! He's the U.K.'s John Boehner.
posted by Going To Maine at 6:46 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


I like the British monarchy because it's all the pomp and circumstance and drama of having a royal family, in a language Americans can understand, while feeling smugly superior that we threw off that particular royal yoke 237 years ago and our taxes don't have to fund it. I find the soupçon of smug superiority quite washes away the guilty enjoyment of what is, in the end, just tabloid gossip.

THERE IS NOTHING NOT FUN ABOUT THE ROYAL BABY (for those of us not paying taxes for this circus).
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:48 AM on July 23, 2013 [22 favorites]


Does the royal circus come with a helping of royal bread? If so, I'm set.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:54 AM on July 23, 2013


Please no.
posted by nevercalm at 7:00 AM on July 23, 2013


Metafilter: colonised (I see what you did there, autocorrect, changing my 's' to a 'z'. Nice try, but today I will be colourful sitting on my loo watching the lorries go by whilst changing nappies, eating crisps and taking snaps).
posted by tafetta, darling! at 7:04 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


But this is the person who's third in line for the throne! He's the U.K.'s John Boehner.

Given the crying and the shitting on everything, that is true in more ways than one.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 7:05 AM on July 23, 2013 [14 favorites]


I like the British monarchy because it's all the pomp and circumstance and drama of having a royal family, in a language Americans can understand, while feeling smugly superior that we threw off that particular royal yoke 237 years ago and our taxes don't have to fund it.

True. Our tax-funded aristocracy flies below the radar.

I'd say that at least the parasites in the UK helpfully publish their pedigrees so you know who they are, but the UK has our kind in addition to their own.
posted by winna at 7:11 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


In Honour of the Royal Event

Oh, God. This is it. This is how it happens.

REMAIN INDOORS
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:11 AM on July 23, 2013 [20 favorites]


I would like to suggest that Metafilter pays its respects by correcting a certain unfortunate oversight and replace 'favorite' with the more appropriate 'favourite'.

A good way to pay respect to England is to make your spelling French.
posted by Tanizaki at 7:18 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


The media was certainly speedy in kicking North West to the kerb, what what.
posted by argonauta at 7:19 AM on July 23, 2013


A babby! A babby is fourmed!
posted by h00py at 7:22 AM on July 23, 2013 [18 favorites]


Going To Maine: " But this is the person who's third in line for the throne! He's the U.K.'s John Boehner."

I hope the little guy isn't orange in colour like the US's John Boehner. That implies something moure than just bad taste.
posted by Mister_A at 7:23 AM on July 23, 2013


I never understood why the British prefer to use French spellings rather than the Anglicized ones we use in the US.
AMERICAN BRITISH   FRENCH
behavior behaviour comportement
color    colour    couleur
favor    favour    faveur
flavor   flavour   saveur
harbor   harbour   havre
honor    honour    honneur
humor    humour    humour*/humeur
labor    labour    labeur
neighbor neighbour voisin
rumor    rumour    rumeur

*loanword from English
posted by Sys Rq at 7:25 AM on July 23, 2013 [24 favorites]


Screw the royal event

anachronist- erical
posted by Namlit at 7:28 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


(Oh, and BTW, "favourite" in French is favori.)
posted by Sys Rq at 7:30 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


The NBC news last night called this the birth of a "future head of state," and compared it to knowing who the president would be on his birth. That's some serious ignorance of governance there.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:32 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


No it's not. The Monarch is indeed head of state.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:33 AM on July 23, 2013


I hope the little guy isn't orange in colour like the US's John Boehner. That implies something moure than just bad taste.

yeah, it means he's just started on real food and had a lot of carrots. surely he's too young for that!
posted by nadawi at 7:38 AM on July 23, 2013


orange baby
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:49 AM on July 23, 2013


Been doing the rounds for a while but there's more than a grain of truth in this.
posted by Wordshore at 7:50 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


The NBC news last night called this the birth of a "future head of state," and compared it to knowing who the president would be on his birth. That's some serious ignorance of governance there.

heh heh.....NBC News is pretty much synonymous with serious ignorance.

or in the sprit of this thread should it be "særious ignourance" or something like that? (I am sure I did that wrong)
posted by lampshade at 8:07 AM on July 23, 2013


Pay your respects? Going to the harbour and chucking a load of tea in there would probably be more appropriate.

Seriously, think of us poor republicans (European style, not US style).

Also, Wordshore's list is interesting. And fairly accurate.
posted by marienbad at 8:10 AM on July 23, 2013


Also, what did you post this under? Metafilter-related, or Ettiquette?

Also also, French is trez chic, non?
posted by marienbad at 8:12 AM on July 23, 2013


tafetta, darling!: "I will be colourful sitting on my loo watching the lorries go by whilst changing nappies, eating crisps and taking snaps"

And we'll be discharging our rooty tooty point and shooties today. To each his own.
posted by boo_radley at 8:12 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


gotta admit boo The rooty tooty shooties were a great band at the time. :)

Also, the new prince would be honourary head of state in about 11 countries.
I'm thinking the 4 generation photo complete with the complementary Yardleys face creame (raspberry saveur) will sell out faster then the "Half-blood prince"
posted by clavdivs at 8:16 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh, God. This is it. This is how it happens.

REMAIN INDOORS



TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE EVENT
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:19 AM on July 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


Oh hey, two wealthy had sex and had a healthy baby. It's a miracle!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:20 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Two wealthy what?
posted by cjorgensen at 8:21 AM on July 23, 2013


No it's not. The Monarch is indeed head of state.

Not in the manner the President is, so it's not at all like knowing who the President will be on the day it's born. Also, last I checked the Monarch has about as much real political power as Bono.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:24 AM on July 23, 2013


This is my first public comment about the entire event just to say that yeah, I made that Greasemonkey script a while ago and otherwise am going back to total radio silence about the entire thing.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:24 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


today I will be colourful sitting on my loo watching the lorries go by whilst changing nappies, eating crisps and taking snaps

Don't forget your bumpershoot!
posted by slogger at 8:25 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


With a name like "IfIDoThisWillYouPleaseShutUp" I wanna know the story behind that script.
posted by nooneyouknow at 8:30 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Two wealthy what?

Reptilians.
posted by slogger at 8:30 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Lord luvaducks dearies, if it weren't for their Royal Majesties we shouldn't have no universal free healthcare (that somehow still doesn't fix our teeth properly)!
posted by Segundus at 8:30 AM on July 23, 2013


With a name like "IfIDoThisWillYouPleaseShutUp" I wanna know the story behind that script.

Did you read the part about radio silence?
posted by cjorgensen at 8:35 AM on July 23, 2013


I don't vote reptilian anymore; straight demogorgon ticket for me.
posted by Mister_A at 8:46 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


(Is this the right place to be annoyed about all the goddmn brouhaha about a baby that only differs from all the other babies in this overburdened planet by being born into what I can only call a princely fortune? Because annoyed I am, and annoyed greatly).

(If only there were a way to pass by the stories with subject matter I dislike! If it only weren't for this burdensome requirement to complain about things other people like and I don't!)
posted by Celsius1414 at 8:48 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


If only there were a way to not have that sort of shit crammed into your neocortex even when you don't watch any TV or read any newspapers and/or news websites.
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 8:51 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Did you read the part about radio silence?

I just meant about the royal nonsense. I was going to go back and try to figure out what led to me creating the script in the first place, but the closest I can come is this thread.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:54 AM on July 23, 2013


Why not change it to MetaFiltre?
(in honour of the event and so forth)
posted by Rash at 8:54 AM on July 23, 2013


If only there were some way to just say, "huh," and carry on with your day.
posted by Mister_A at 8:54 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


this burdensome requirement to complain about things other people like and I don't

Tell it! It ain't easy being curmudgeonly. At least you understand.
posted by windykites at 8:58 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


A Scottish friend of mine was congratulated by a co-worker "on the birth of your new prince".

I thought this was the funniest shit I'd heard all day. He didn't think it was too funny, but I did.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 9:00 AM on July 23, 2013 [14 favorites]


Mister_A: "If only there were some way to just say, "huh," and carry on with your day."


Keep
Huh
And
Carry
On

posted by boo_radley at 9:05 AM on July 23, 2013 [19 favorites]


Two wealthy what?

That is the, isn't it?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:10 AM on July 23, 2013 [6 favorites]


I don't vote reptilian anymore; straight demogorgon ticket for me.

Sure- throw your vote away.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:16 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Another case for a Bloom County for all occasions.
posted by entropicamericana at 9:18 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


Tell it! It ain't easy being curmudgeonly. At least you understand.

I do too well, my friend.

I am attempting to get on a more regular sleep schedule and cut down on the fast food.
posted by Celsius1414 at 9:34 AM on July 23, 2013


Oh hey, two wealthy had sex and had a healthy baby. It's a miracle!

Two wealthy what?


I assumed it was a typo for "too wealthy".
posted by Celsius1414 at 9:35 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


I was going to go back and try to figure out what led to me creating the script in the first place, but the closest I can come is this thread

I think it was the November Experiment wrapup thread. Your script name seems to fit the mood I remember from then.
posted by donnagirl at 9:38 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Two wealthy what?

It's a Metafilter noun now. It saves us the trouble of typing "assholes", "privileged", "oppressors", "dickwads", "corrupt", "amoral", "Republican", "selfish", "greedy", "libertarian" and all of the other things that come part and parcel with wealth.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:47 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Thank you, good sir, for taking a noble and brave stand against the savage oppression of the wealthy. I salute you!
posted by entropicamericana at 9:53 AM on July 23, 2013


SCOOP!!!: They're naming the baby Damien.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:53 AM on July 23, 2013


Cross your fingers and pray they call him "Kong", in preparation for his eventual ascendancy to the throne. Then they will finally go to war with Italian plumbers, like we've been waiting for.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:58 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


It's a Metafilter noun now. It saves us the trouble of typing "assholes", "privileged", "oppressors", "dickwads", "corrupt", "amoral", "Republican", "selfish", "greedy", "libertarian" and all of the other things that come part and parcel with wealth.

Bless your heart.
posted by Tanizaki at 10:02 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


Baby schmaby. The real question is will Kate be able to fit into her pre-pg skinny dresses, or start a fashion fad for sacks/sacques?
posted by Cranberry at 10:07 AM on July 23, 2013


Tell Me No Lies: " It saves us the trouble of typing (...) "Republican""

Man, context really is everything, isn't it?
posted by boo_radley at 10:16 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Then they will finally go to war with Italian plumbers, like we've been waiting for.

So they're going to crown him "His Majesty, Kong, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Donkey, Defender of the Faith"?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:19 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


The world will continue to revolve as long as he doesn't eat his dinner at that time in the day that we eat our lunch.
posted by adamvasco at 10:28 AM on July 23, 2013


Thank you, good sir, for taking a noble and brave stand against the savage oppression of the wealthy. I salute you!

I believe in social advancement through sycophancy. Off to the country club!
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:28 AM on July 23, 2013


Cross your fingers and pray they call him "Kong", in preparation for his eventual ascendancy to the throne. Then they will finally go to war with Italian plumbers, like we've been waiting for.

This kid is the son of DK (Duchess Kate), so his name is DK, Jr.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:35 AM on July 23, 2013


I fucking hate the sycophantic glurge over any royals, and am about fucking sick of the media circus surrounding this particular royal.

WE FOUGHT A WAR!
posted by klangklangston at 10:39 AM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


think how weird it would be for that kid at like age four on to realize that he is royalty. I mean, would it be every day thinking, I am better than all of you, or would it be I am not worthy of your worship
posted by angrycat at 10:50 AM on July 23, 2013


I fucking hate the sycophantic glurge over any royals, and am about fucking sick of the media circus surrounding this particular royal.

At least the media circus will die down soon in the US. Over here, I'm going to be made aware of every move he makes for THE REST OF MY LIFE.
posted by billiebee at 11:01 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


WE FOUGHT A WAR!

Two, actually.
posted by Sys Rq at 11:03 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


A Scottish friend of mine was congratulated by a co-worker "on the birth of your new prince".

brb doing this to my Irish coworker right now
posted by subject_verb_remainder at 11:04 AM on July 23, 2013 [25 favorites]


...I mean, would it be every day thinking, I am better than all of you...

At age four, I expect it would be like the scene from The Last Emperor, where he makes the eunuch drink the ink.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:04 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


would it be every day thinking, I am better than all of you, or would it be I am not worthy of your worship

He's thinking: I am the Kwisatz Haderach. The sleeper has awakened!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:09 AM on July 23, 2013


> Another case for a Bloom County for all occasions.

That comic strip was about the current newborn's father.

Hey presto! I just made you feel old!
posted by ardgedee at 11:23 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


I don't care about the royal baby except insofar as there might be an outside chance that they'll name it Huckleberry, because OH MY GOD KING HUCK I, YOU GUYS.
posted by scody at 11:40 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


That comic strip was about the current newborn's father.

Yes, but it still works. TIMELESS, I SAY. TIMELESS.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:50 AM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


whilst changing nappies, eating crisps and taking snaps).

So, does the script actually change diaper to nappy?
posted by Melismata at 11:51 AM on July 23, 2013


I'm hoping for "Kenneth". Prince Kenneth. King Kenneth. Not Kenny or Ken, but Kenneth. Kenneth, by the Grace of God, King. He could sign all his proclamations "K." 'Know ye by these presents, blah blah blah, K." Or K Rex, if he wants to toughen it up a bit.

I admit this may be a minority opinion.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:53 AM on July 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


I miss the badass royal names, like Richard the Lion-Hearted and such.

Fingers crossed for Liam the Pitiless.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:55 AM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Spongebob the Feckless
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:00 PM on July 23, 2013


If only there were some way to just say, "huh," and carry on with your day.

Woman at lunch had a loud voice, a loud laugh, and thought she knew all things royal. "I liked Diana more than the woman he replaced her with...princess Camilla. Once the Queen steps down the will make Charles king and Camilla will be the Queen."

Seriously, would have gnawed my arm off to get out of there.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:02 PM on July 23, 2013


I'm hoping for "Cortex".
posted by Wordshore at 12:03 PM on July 23, 2013


Wordshore's helpful table is on my office door. My colleagues find it useful and I must admit to using some of those phrases rather regularly. I am a living, breathing stereotype, what ho!

New prince? Same as the old prince. Privileged.
posted by arcticseal at 12:17 PM on July 23, 2013


Screw the royal event.

THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THIS WHOLE MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE
posted by backseatpilot at 12:24 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Beezelbub -or
Bob

Either would be awesome.

Wait no even better if it were some weird hippy/hipster name like Leaf. King Leaf.
posted by angrycat at 12:24 PM on July 23, 2013


I hope they name the kid "Nigel."
posted by octobersurprise at 12:57 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


I will pay them cash money to name him Joffrey. Cash. Money.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:57 PM on July 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


wait which Kardashian are we talking about
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:59 PM on July 23, 2013 [10 favorites]


I hope they name the kid "Nigel."

I hear they're making plans for Nigel. They only want what's best for him.
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:11 PM on July 23, 2013 [5 favorites]


I like "Scross" because when he's King it will mark how he was born into a royal station.
posted by Segundus at 1:18 PM on July 23, 2013 [16 favorites]


If they make the most of this opportunity, the Cambridges can singlehandedly create a Prince Buster revival. It'd be madness!
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:26 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


or K Rex, if he wants to toughen it up a bit

Oh god you guys I suddenly became deeply emotionally invested in this whole thing. Thomas, they must name him Thomas this is really important
posted by windykites at 1:45 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


A Scottish friend of mine was congratulated by a co-worker "on the birth of your new prince".

Not sure why this would be a problem. He is the future King of Scotland, unless they become a republic before then.
posted by rocket88 at 1:46 PM on July 23, 2013


Dorf
posted by klangklangston at 1:48 PM on July 23, 2013


A babby! A babby is fourmed!

Q: How is royal babby formed?
A: Through oppression of the masses.
posted by Artw at 1:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]


a) By exploiting the workers. By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society.

b) The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that [unnamed baby] was to carry Excalibur.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:04 PM on July 23, 2013 [6 favorites]


Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help, help, I'm being repressed!

Arthur. His name should be Arthur, surely?

Or Tyrion...
posted by misha at 2:07 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Edmund.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:29 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Ouroubourous.
posted by bleep-blop at 3:08 PM on July 23, 2013


Things that I don't have to do as an American
  1. Pay taxes to support the real welfare queens
  2. Bend or kneel for anyone
  3. Spell words like color, favorite, maneuver, orthopedics and jail incorrectly*
* - Unless I want to because freedom!*

* - For certain values of freedom

posted by double block and bleed at 3:09 PM on July 23, 2013


You meant Ofthehil, right?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:12 PM on July 23, 2013


Things that I don't have to do as an American
Pay taxes to support the real welfare queens
Bend or kneel for anyone


Pretty sure Americans have to do whatever rich people tell them.
posted by Artw at 3:15 PM on July 23, 2013 [6 favorites]


I'm partial to Oftheroad myself.

It took me a second to realize you weren't referring to an early king. (It's not that far from Æthelred, really.)
posted by Sys Rq at 3:17 PM on July 23, 2013




Pretty sure Americans have to do whatever rich people tell them.

And fawn over the minutae of their lives.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:41 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


If the name begins with a T, then it will be T rex. Which would be quite lovely.
posted by sciencegeek at 4:49 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


"The Dino King"
posted by windykites at 4:57 PM on July 23, 2013


Is he covered in shit?
posted by Divine_Wino at 5:21 PM on July 23, 2013


Everybody poops.

(google meconium.)
posted by Artw at 5:23 PM on July 23, 2013


Perhaps a tasteful line of nappies to fund the royal birth called "ultima lavatorium regem"?
posted by Divine_Wino at 5:32 PM on July 23, 2013


I gotta say, this has been an excellent opportunity for me to geek out about history at work and it to actually be OK.

Seriously, yesterday I held forth on agnatic primogeniture and the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha for like fifteen or twenty minutes, and then as usual I stopped abruptly and said "and you guys aren't actually interested in any of this." And then they said that actually, they were interested. And this was on Payroll Monday, and we've been having major computer problems!!

I tell you, more historically interesting things need to intersect with common tabloid conversation pieces. It makes me socially acceptable without me having to try even a little bit.

I can't decide whether I pity William, Catherine, or their child the most right now. I'm partial to Catherine, as everyone else in the equation will at least have the advantage of having been raised specifically learning how to deal with all this crap.

It's possible they were interested in part because me talking about Salic Law means I can't be talking about FMLA regulations...
posted by SMPA at 5:51 PM on July 23, 2013 [8 favorites]


If the name begins with a T, then it will be T rex. Which would be quite lovely.

There's a young child named T-Rex at church. His mother lost a bet with his father (more or less literally.) It is not lovely, though admittedly his dad thinks it's awesome.

Yes, it's really his real, legal name. Dad won't let anyone call him "T," either. Has to be T-Rex. He likes spelling it out for administrative and clerical types.
posted by SMPA at 5:55 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Pretty sure Americans have to do whatever rich people tell them.


Only if they want their biscuit.

(Which is a small piece of hard bread, not a cookie you limeys.)
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:21 PM on July 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


that list! Apparently it works for Canadians too, because I say/mean stuff like that all the time.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 6:55 PM on July 23, 2013


We are not mean, we are dry. Unless, of course, we are outside. In which case, it drizzles. All the time.
posted by arcticseal at 8:22 PM on July 23, 2013


There's a young child named T-Rex at church

Simpsons did it.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:55 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Your American/British/French chart is not really on point. In the case of or/our and others, British English uses something close to the French spelling.

From Wikipedia:

or/our

Most words ending in an unstressed -our in British English (e.g. colour, flavour, harbour, honour, humour, labour, neighbour, rumour) end in -or in American English (color, flavor, harbor, honor, humor, labor, neighbor, rumor). Wherever the vowel is unreduced in pronunciation, e.g. contour, velour, paramour and troubadour the spelling is the same everywhere.

Most words of this kind come from Latin non-agent nouns having nominative -or. These words were first borrowed into English from early Old French and the ending was spelled -or or -ur.[5] After the Norman conquest of England, the ending became -our in Anglo-French to try to represent the Old French pronunciation.

er/re

In British English, some words from French, Latin or Greek end with a consonant followed by -re, with the -re unstressed and pronounced /əɹ/. In American English, most of these words have the ending -er. The difference is most common for words ending -bre or -tre: British spellings calibre, centre, fibre, goitre, litre, lustre, manoeuvre, meagre, metre, mitre, nitre, ochre, reconnoitre, sabre, saltpetre, sepulchre, sombre, spectre, theatre (see exceptions) and titre all have -er in American spelling.

programme or program: The British programme is from post-classical Latin programma and French programme. Program first appeared in Scotland in 1633 (earlier than programme in England in 1671) and is the only spelling found in the US.

The spellings check, checque, and cheque were used interchangeably from the 17th century until the 20th century. However, since the 19th century, the spelling cheque (from the French word chèque) has become standard for the financial instrument in the Commonwealth and Ireland, while check is used only for other meanings, thus distinguishing the two definitions in writing. In American English, the usual spelling for both is check.
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 10:23 PM on July 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Your American/British/French chart is not really on point. In the case of or/our and others, British English uses something close to the French spelling.

So does American English. And, in actual fact, the American spelling of favorite -- which I think you'll find is the subject of this thread -- is closer to the French (identical when feminine) than is the British spelling.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:37 PM on July 23, 2013


We are not mean

no, what I meant was that what I say vs. what my meaning is is often similar to the chart.

yea, I'm just full of awkward phrasings tonight, aren't I?
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:35 AM on July 24, 2013


After reading the Gawker article about just how many people thought it hilarious to suggest the baby's name would be Shaniqua, I was quite pleased that the joke name that was driven into the ground in my internet circles was calling it Joffrey.
posted by gadge emeritus at 12:50 AM on July 24, 2013


Look the reason we Brits need to insist on spelling colour stupidly is we spent our formative years learning how to spell these bloody words, and we insist that you share our pain.

As a republican I treat royal news with a hearty sense of despair, unless a national holiday is involved. I had thought I would be able to avoid royal baby discussion by simply avoiding the news, but sadly half of twitter insists on telling me how annoyed they are with all the royal baby news. I could stay off twitter, I suppose, but thats a step I simply will not take.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 1:15 AM on July 24, 2013


yea, I'm just full of awkward phrasings tonight, aren't I?

More likely comprehension fail on my part.
posted by arcticseal at 12:21 PM on July 24, 2013

Simpsons did it.
And suddenly I understand why he picked that name! Awesome, thank you.

(Seriously, I've been bugged by that since the day I met the baby. Yes, OK, fine, you wanted to be wacky and clever and more than just vaguely or transiently evil... but why T-Rex?!?)
posted by SMPA at 6:27 PM on July 24, 2013


After reading the Gawker article about just how many people thought it hilarious to suggest the baby's name would be Shaniqua, I was quite pleased that the joke name that was driven into the ground in my internet circles was calling it Joffrey.

He's a he, not an it, you know.

Also, looks like he's going to be called George.
posted by misha at 11:58 PM on July 24, 2013


Royal circumcision.
posted by Segundus at 11:22 PM on July 25, 2013


I use gray for radiation and grey for my vision as mediated by rods.
My favorite Kate is a Bush and you don't want to know what I think when you say Prince.
I spell it Encyclopaedia, but that's just because it's Britannica, and I wield a compact OED.
That's the best I've got, as far as I go, so take it or leave it.
posted by the Real Dan at 11:42 PM on July 26, 2013


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