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pensnestAaaaauuuuugh!
It's reins, people. Reins. R - E - I - N - S. Reins.
Not 'reigns'.
A king reigns. He rules. Or, something happens during his reign. He does not 'hold the reigns'. He reigns. If you want it as a noun, try 'the reigns of such-and-such a king and such-and-such a queen were distinguished for...'
Oh, whatever. It isn't 'holding the reigns', or 'leading reign'. Those ought to be 'holding the reins', and 'leading rein', which, when you actually think about it, are expressions that make SENSE. Because reins are those things which are used for steering a horse, or even a team of horses. Holding the reins means being in charge, doing the driving, being in control. Keeping things on a tight rein means being very firmly in control. A leading rein is something used for, oh, I dunno, leading a horse along - being in control!
What, for heaven's sake, would 'a tight reign' MEAN?
The really, really sad thing about this is not the way so many people use these phrases without even thinking about whether they are writing something that makes sense. The really sad thing is that in a generation or so from now, 'holding the reigns' will probably be the only phrase around, and it's stupid and untextured and downright nonsensical, but it'll be the only thing anyone ever reads and everyone will assume that it's RIGHT.
Augh.
And while we're at it, I know 'nerve-wracking' looks pretty, but the expression is 'nerve-racking'. Possibly, though I dare not guarantee this, derived from the nasty habit of racking unfortunate - okay, putting people on the rack. Stretching them. Putting them under strain. Even if that isn't the derivation, it's memorable and on the right lines. Nerve-racking, eh? 'Wrack' is an archaic form of 'wreck', and sweetie, that isn't what you were trying to say, or if it was, you'd be better off with 'nerve-wrecking' but only if you have solid-gold convinced your reader that you *know* what you're doing with the English language.
Dear me. Too much fanfic and not enough chocolate.
On the good side of this week, dear Adam is being made miserable again. Goody!
It's reins, people. Reins. R - E - I - N - S. Reins.
Not 'reigns'.
A king reigns. He rules. Or, something happens during his reign. He does not 'hold the reigns'. He reigns. If you want it as a noun, try 'the reigns of such-and-such a king and such-and-such a queen were distinguished for...'
Oh, whatever. It isn't 'holding the reigns', or 'leading reign'. Those ought to be 'holding the reins', and 'leading rein', which, when you actually think about it, are expressions that make SENSE. Because reins are those things which are used for steering a horse, or even a team of horses. Holding the reins means being in charge, doing the driving, being in control. Keeping things on a tight rein means being very firmly in control. A leading rein is something used for, oh, I dunno, leading a horse along - being in control!
What, for heaven's sake, would 'a tight reign' MEAN?
The really, really sad thing about this is not the way so many people use these phrases without even thinking about whether they are writing something that makes sense. The really sad thing is that in a generation or so from now, 'holding the reigns' will probably be the only phrase around, and it's stupid and untextured and downright nonsensical, but it'll be the only thing anyone ever reads and everyone will assume that it's RIGHT.
Augh.
And while we're at it, I know 'nerve-wracking' looks pretty, but the expression is 'nerve-racking'. Possibly, though I dare not guarantee this, derived from the nasty habit of racking unfortunate - okay, putting people on the rack. Stretching them. Putting them under strain. Even if that isn't the derivation, it's memorable and on the right lines. Nerve-racking, eh? 'Wrack' is an archaic form of 'wreck', and sweetie, that isn't what you were trying to say, or if it was, you'd be better off with 'nerve-wrecking' but only if you have solid-gold convinced your reader that you *know* what you're doing with the English language.
Dear me. Too much fanfic and not enough chocolate.
On the good side of this week, dear Adam is being made miserable again. Goody!
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-25 11:23 pm (UTC)The poem I think I was talking about (though I thought it was written by a woman, for some reason) is by Geoffery Taylor.
Sally, having swallowed cheese,
Directs down holes the scented breeze,
Enticing thus with baited breath
Nice mice to an untimely death.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-25 11:26 pm (UTC)