I have been good the last couple of days - I have forced myself to sit at my computer and type up the very dull paper I have to submit in September - well at least five of the seven sections anyway (the other two are in outline form and I will turn them into sentences tomorrow). I am moderately please with having typed 5000 words in two days given the frequent interruptions but know that once I've finished I have to get my editting head on and start hacking the word count back down to the prescribed limit because it'll be well over.
Meanwhile, the builders have been having deliveries of goodness knows what which necessitates large lorries parking literally on my doorstep. The new houses are growing steadily and it seems likely that some may be close to having rooves before I leave. It will be interesting to return in a year or so to see what the finished product looks like.
Now it's time for a break - five minutes to talk twaddle to the www and then a proper break away from the typing.
Silence in this bit of blogland might mean I'm actually getting this paper sorted!
Comments
Hi Catriona,
Interesting your use of the word 'rooves'. When I was young and learning English, I am quite sure that the plural of 'roof' was indeed 'rooves'. In the same way as we use the word 'hoof' to describe a horses foot, the plural for 'hoof' is I am sure, 'hooves'. These days, the plural for 'roof' does seem to be 'roofs' which doesn't sound at all right and smacks of laziness. Even my MS Word spell checker suggests 'roofs' in place of 'rooves'. Perhaps we should start a movement supporting the proper use of words like we were taught all those years ago! On the other hand, is the plural for 'spoofs', 'spooves'?! It's a funny old language!
Hi Richard,
yes, I've noticed that too. English is a well weird language I reckon. I guess we have altered roof/roofs to match proof/proofs.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world and that the new 'era' at RSBC is a good one.
Of course I meant to say 'is the plural for 'spoof', 'spooves'?' (Oh, I wish I hadn't started this now!)
In my 1960s junior school English class, we were taught that the plural of 'roof' was 'roofs' (pronounced 'rooves' - presumably to assert the superiority of the English language over other more law-bound tongues... and to confuse people from other countries).
However, according to the Cassells Concise Dictionary 'roofs', in these more open-minded times, are merely preferable to 'rooves'
And so when Rudolph plants his hooves
on England's children's snowy roofs
the hoof prints that he leaves to melt
upon the rooves are rightly spelled.
Indeed, not 'spelt' as I increasingly see these days - don't people the serial abuse of cereal names (sorry) is annoying (almost as annoying as unfunny punning)?