Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

Worth a look.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-pass
enger-complaint-letter.html

I have noticed a rise in the number of times I hear "potential" on
broadcast/cable news programs lately. Probable* reason: the bosses have
found a need to remind all anchors, announcers, and reporters to watch
their English usage since the wrong word can (and does) lead to making ...

Oftentimes.
Hereonout
I didn't know these words existed until this year.
--iain

Hello!  I would like to know if the following expressions are both
possible; "a random cross-section of the English population" and "a
representative cross-section of the English population"
Thank you in advance.

Could anyone please tell me the meaning of "niche based products" in
the following sentence: "Subtle Pharmaceuticals Limited is committed
to the development, manufacturing and marketing of need and niche
based products of world class quality for treatment of diseases."

This is a quote from the Irish Times:
'Nothing explains America’s confusion about itself better than that
nation’s insistence on staging the Super Bowl in late January or early
February, when half the nation is up to its oxter in snow.'

Okay, I've used a lot of the suggestions offered here, and now my first
three chapters are ready to be sent as sample chapters to the publisher.
Any errors not would be appreciated.
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Hi native speakers.
I had an argument with a fellow translator on whether this sentence is
correct or not
[i]Translation fees are calculated on basis of the source language

I wonder if you could let me know where I can download free short
stories for my students at different levels.
Best regards
Mori

Beryl Bainbridge had some contentious things to say about accent on BBC
Radio yesterday. You can hear the interview here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/pm/2009/01/beryl_bainbridge_and_the_liver.shtml
and I've written a transcript here:

Chris Matthews (on his eponymous TV show) just reran the first few
seconds of Aretha Franklin singing the song "America" ("My country,
'tis of thee ...") at the Obama inauguration.  Just as I remembered
from hearing it live, she took a long luftpause between the first and

We can't let Burns Night pass without some Scottish
Tam Swifties:
"I cannae chow athout ma fause teeth, but I'm obliged tae ye for
the scone," said Tam, b________.

I sent my American friends a handwritten letter in German, and they said they "struggled" with my "italic hand". Does this just mean
they aren't used to script leaning to the right, or is it a humorous way of saying they couldn't decipher my scribble?
I would appreciate your ...

Ad that Google Groups showed me:
"Learn Irish like a Spy
World's leading Irish method.
Same course used by FBI & CIA.

I am wondering which one is correct:
1. This approach does not address our problem
2. This approach does not address To our problem
I incline to 2 but am not sure.