I can hide the truth no more. All the surfing, all the pugilism, all the poker, all the mountaineering, all the conventionally masculine activities I've indulged in over the years (including having children and being a hardcore Dad) are merely a disguise. I am a woman (here are my legs, after surfing Marazion, in Mick and Allie's van today).
That, at least, is what I discovered when reading Martin Hesp's article on linguistic infelicities on page 10 of the Western Morning News today. Martin wrote a week ago of daft phrases which irked him and readers of the WMN. A lively debate was had by all, with terms such as "absolutely" and "hacked off" deservedly getting a hammering, but Martin erred in one sentence. He wrote - and, yes, dear readers, this is shocking - "to coin a phrase many of you don't like". Trouble is, Martin didn't coin a phrase in his copy, he merely repeated an existing one. I was in a slighly mischevious mood and felt like joining the debate, so I e-mailed and pointed this out.
Here's what Martin wrote on page 10 of the WMN today:
Alex Wade e-mails to say she is a professional writer. "As such, I hope you won't mind me pointing out a linguistic infelicity perpetrated by your good self," she says.
Oh dear. And Alex is right to correct me. "You write 'to coin a phrase'," she advises. "This sounds innocuous but is wrong. You can only 'coin a phrase' if you invent it. Your usage merely repeats the use of an existing (and annoying) term, and so is not 'coining' a phrase."
So there you go. The secret's out. I am a woman. And a pedantic one at that.
Pictured: another woman, who calls herself 'Martin'. As if!
HA!! I doubt thats the first time Lord Hesp of the Shire has confused one gender for another.
My favourite Hesp headline: "Happy is the man who is master of two arts". (He was writing about my dad and we misquote it to him all the time.)
Posted by: Dave Patterson | January 25, 2009 at 05:42 AM
BTW - Nice shoes.
Posted by: Dave Patterson | January 25, 2009 at 05:44 AM
you can't be a woman. no self respecting woman would waste hot chocolate, or any chocolate for that matter. but you did prove your good upbringing by at least trying to drink it.
Posted by: allie | January 25, 2009 at 08:11 AM
Totally on another subject How did Sam do @Swindon....?
G. (in Deventer, Holland... no surf here.... just a bridge too far!)
Posted by: Graham S | January 26, 2009 at 09:44 AM