The painting is being done by a neighbor, a fine fellow who decided to leave the corporate rat race (and ugly commute) to do handyman/contractor work around the neighborhood. It seems to agree with him, he enjoys it and is (so I'm told, I haven't spent much time with him) much happier doing this than fighting the traffic and corporate bullshit.
Me? Unfortunately, I have no salable skills in that area, so I'll keep fighting the traffic and corporate bullshit. And gladly pay to have a knowledgeable and skillful guy to do that work for me. Because I refuse to tolerate substandard work, so I'll hire it out to the professionals.
*For anyone who cares, and you should, this is properly pronounced as it is spelled. None of this faux-French "foy-YAY" crap. And BTW, the word "valet" is properly pronounced "VALL-et" in English. If you ever listen to anything more than 20 years old, you may well hear it pronounced properly.
OTOH, "filet" is properly pronounced "fil-LAY". But I prefer the English spelling, "fillet".
9 comments:
I am totally with you on foyer, but I disagree with valet. I think while you might be technically correct in one sense (although Dictionary.com says va-lay)), I think modern usage sets the rule now.
"Modern" usage? Ha! Consider the source.
I refuse to bow to illiterate, supposed modernity.
Usually.
Dear Jesus, please don't tell me that you want me to call all those knives in my tackle box "FILL-et" knives. I mean, even if you do, please don't.
Oh come on, modern usage is how language develops, Ken. Otherwise we'd all still be speaking Old English or Latin.
I don't mind language evolving - I do mind it de-evolving (such as all the "txt spk").
That said, Merriam Webster offers both pronunciations of valet as being accurate.
I choose to be reactionary.
Actually, I don't mind language evolving but I like to keep a leash on it. Being reactionary on these points helps with the leash.
I even choose to be contrary on some things. For instance, I choose (consciously and deliberately) to use the British pronunciation of "primer" for a schoolbook (long I). And unless one is talking about a new invention, the word "patent" is ALWAYS pronounced with a long A.
I also offend some American Standard English purists (a very strange concept in itself) by putting the period inside the quote when appropriate.
But I will NOT budge on "begs the question".
N BTW, txt spk mks me vmt.
I'm all-American when it comes to quotations. It's odd reading the British structuring after coming through our grammatical system.
For a quote, large phrase, or full or near-full sentence, yes.
But when it's only one or two words, expecially for a phrase which tends to be treated as if it were a standalone entity (like the "begs the question" phrase above) I refuse to put the period inside the quotes. It's just wrong.
." > ".
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