Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
^^^ If you think about it, what your coworker said is also correct.
One can want to go to lunch but then change their mind. Your coworker asking you, "did you want to go to lunch" is proper since they are asking if it had crossed your mind to go to lunch today.
I'm not sure we're on the subject of writing anymore, but I couldn't believe it when a friend of mine pronounced "hors d'oevres" as "Horz doover". If you don't know how to pronounce it, the easiest way out is to call them appetizers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999
That sounds similar to when I heard a food prep worker say, "Horse Dovers."
Horse doovers/horse divers is popularly said that way because of a classic episode of The Honeymooners.
I always say it that way, too. It's a way of fond memories and humor.
(LOL...reminds me of the episode where Ralph says, "my string of poloponies"! )
Horse doovers/horse divers is popularly said that way because of a classic episode of The Honeymooners.
I always say it that way, too. It's a way of fond memories and humor.
(LOL...reminds me of the episode where Ralph says, "my string of poloponies"! )
I did not know that reference. Thank you for sharing.
At work: one of my coworkers stops by my office and asks, "Did you want to go to lunch?"
This happens at least twice every week. Some day I am going to say, "I DID go to lunch yesterday and I DO want to go to lunch today."
Not apropos to English, but....
In Portuguese I have heard a few people phrase requests in the past imperfect rather than the present tense, and was told that it was considered more polite. On the other hand, a young person I know ridiculed the habit as incorrect.
I would take it as en effort to courteously seem less presumptuous by sort of making it sound subjunctive. As in "If you wanted to go to lunch . . .".
That's a nice thought but this person constantly uses the wrong tense, this was just one example.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.