Moot vs Mute

Ron Wood · 06-16-2021, 06:27 PM

I see folks referring to something that is inconsequential as being a "mute point". The proper label would be "moot point", as moot indicates "having little or no practical relevance..." (Wikipedia).
Ron

Heinz · 06-16-2021, 06:30 PM

Precision is always good :-)

Doubs · 06-16-2021, 06:36 PM

Ron, I see a lot of misused words and I've learned to ignore them if the intent is clear. If you correct someone, they accuse you of being a "grammar Nazi" and it's simply not worth it. Besides, I was not a good student of English grammar or spelling.

Bill_in_VA · 06-16-2021, 06:47 PM

A true grammar nazi here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM
(And yes, it is Luger-related. ;-) )

Greg G · 06-16-2021, 07:03 PM

Like when someone writes, "pre-band". Or gun band.

Edward Tinker · 06-16-2021, 07:26 PM

Greg, you really mean, rights, or its red by a person, who was wandering what ewe where righting

Ron Wood · 06-16-2021, 07:47 PM

Wow, Ide shore hate to be a grammar Nazi...ain't nothing worser than somebody that thinks they knows good English.
Ron

Greg G · 06-16-2021, 08:06 PM

Write on, Ed.

spangy · 06-16-2021, 09:53 PM

In a book of wordplay called Wordbirds: An Irreverent Lexicon for the 21 st Century, Liesl Schillinger humorously defines a mute point as follows:
“When somebody in a group makes a good suggestion, but somehow nobody hears it.”

In a similar vein, Urban Dictionary defines it as “addressing the participants of a conference call while your phone is on mute.”

Fans of the TV show Friends may have heard a third variation: moo point (because, according to Joey, a cow’s opinion doesn’t matter).

Heinz · 06-16-2021, 09:56 PM

The only people who really knows good English was teached it in some foreign country.

I live in the South now and just say "Bless your heart"

When someone corrects a mistake I made I consider that a kindness.

hayhugh · 06-17-2021, 08:02 AM

Lefties have rights too....

Dubar · 06-17-2021, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heinz

The only people who really knows good English was teached it in some foreign country.

I live in the South now and just say "Bless your heart"

When someone corrects a mistake I made I consider that a kindness.

My wife used to say "The poor thing" when speaking of someone who didn't have a clue about what they were talking. She was from Vicksburg.

Neil Young · 06-17-2021, 10:17 AM

I always thought my grammar was more gooder than most, but now, I ain't so sure. That busts my bubble and I don't have enough wind to blow a new one S**t!

Norme · 06-17-2021, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heinz

The only people who really knows good English was teached it in some foreign country.

I live in the South now and just say "Bless your heart"

When someone corrects a mistake I made I consider that a kindness.

My Mother spoke flawless, un-accented English, learned ih a Berlin high school (gymnasium) before the war. The only clue to her foreign birth was her refusal to use contractions, like isn't for is not and aren't for are not (the use of ain't was unthinkable). I was a product of the British educational system, from nursery school through university and when, at age 22, I emigrated to the US back in 1960 my mother made me promise to write weekly (transatlantic phone calls were shockingly expensive back then). Every once in a while she would return my letter with errors in grammar and spelling circled in red.
Norm

Heinz · 06-17-2021, 11:01 AM

Norme, Bless her heart. She raised you well.

rhuff · 06-17-2021, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norme

Every once in a while she would return my letter with errors in grammar and spelling circled in red.
Norm

I know of what you speak. My mother had been a teacher before she married my dad and started a family. I got corrected at school, and at home!!

Doubs · 06-17-2021, 04:53 PM

For anyone interested, the book "The Mother Tongue, English and How It Got That Way" by Bill Bryson is an amazing read. It's not, as you might expect, dry but interesting. Bryson is considered to be one of the better authorities on the English language.

For instance, he discusses common American words that the British have newly adopted but complain are crude and yet were, in fact, commonly used in Britain until they were dropped long ago. He claims that the "F" word is the most useful in the English language and explains why. Over 10,000 English words are of French derivation while words from the German are far fewer.

You can find it on Abebooks.com for less than $5 with free shipping.

G.T. · 06-17-2021, 06:22 PM

The one that tortured me way back when, was, the difference between "taut & taunt" turns out I was just ridiculing large amounts of rope?... learned eventually... I got better?.... best, til...lat'r...GT

tomaustin · 06-17-2021, 06:57 PM

Grammaticist.........

Heinz · 06-17-2021, 07:38 PM

tomaustin, We have been doing vocabulary, we have not begun to get into grammar :-)

06-16-2021, 06:27 PM	#1
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,091 Thanked 5,180 Times in 1,703 Posts	Moot vs Mute I see folks referring to something that is inconsequential as being a "mute point". The proper label would be "moot point", as moot indicates "having little or no practical relevance..." (Wikipedia). Ron __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

06-16-2021, 06:47 PM	#4
Bill_in_VA User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Southwest Virginia Posts: 374 Thanks: 780 Thanked 556 Times in 199 Posts	A true grammar nazi here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vf8N6GpdM (And yes, it is Luger-related. ;-) ) __________________ John 8:32 reive (riːv) vb (Military) (intr) dialect Scot and Northern English to go on a plundering raid [variant of reave] ˈreiver n e.g., " Some view the Border Reivers as loveable rogues."

06-16-2021, 07:47 PM	#7
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,091 Thanked 5,180 Times in 1,703 Posts	Wow, Ide shore hate to be a grammar Nazi...ain't nothing worser than somebody that thinks they knows good English. Ron __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

06-16-2021, 09:53 PM	#9
spangy Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 617 Thanks: 3,065 Thanked 1,057 Times in 429 Posts	In a book of wordplay called Wordbirds: An Irreverent Lexicon for the 21 st Century, Liesl Schillinger humorously defines a mute point as follows: “When somebody in a group makes a good suggestion, but somehow nobody hears it.” In a similar vein, Urban Dictionary defines it as “addressing the participants of a conference call while your phone is on mute.” Fans of the TV show Friends may have heard a third variation: moo point (because, according to Joey, a cow’s opinion doesn’t matter). __________________ Whoever said that "money can't buy you happiness" never bought a Luger. WTB - Take Down Lever & Trigger Plate (#90) for an Imperial Artillery.

06-17-2021, 10:17 AM	#13
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 546 Thanks: 559 Thanked 442 Times in 168 Posts	I always thought my grammar was more gooder than most, but now, I ain't so sure. That busts my bubble and I don't have enough wind to blow a new one S**t! __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

06-16-2021, 06:30 PM	#2
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 410 Times in 180 Posts	Precision is always good :-)

06-16-2021, 06:36 PM	#3
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,700 Thanks: 792 Thanked 1,696 Times in 556 Posts	Ron, I see a lot of misused words and I've learned to ignore them if the intent is clear. If you correct someone, they accuse you of being a "grammar Nazi" and it's simply not worth it. Besides, I was not a good student of English grammar or spelling.

06-16-2021, 07:03 PM	#5
Greg G User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: TX Posts: 65 Thanks: 15 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Like when someone writes, "pre-band". Or gun band.

06-16-2021, 07:26 PM	#6
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,941 Thanks: 2,039 Thanked 4,547 Times in 2,100 Posts	Greg, you really mean, rights, or its red by a person, who was wandering what ewe where righting

06-16-2021, 08:06 PM	#8
Greg G User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: TX Posts: 65 Thanks: 15 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Write on, Ed.

06-16-2021, 09:56 PM	#10
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 410 Times in 180 Posts	The only people who really knows good English was teached it in some foreign country. I live in the South now and just say "Bless your heart" When someone corrects a mistake I made I consider that a kindness.

06-17-2021, 08:02 AM	#11
hayhugh User Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Florida/Penna Posts: 896 Thanks: 858 Thanked 513 Times in 275 Posts	Lefties have rights too....

06-17-2021, 11:01 AM	#15
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 410 Times in 180 Posts	Norme, Bless her heart. She raised you well.

06-17-2021, 04:53 PM	#17
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,700 Thanks: 792 Thanked 1,696 Times in 556 Posts	For anyone interested, the book "The Mother Tongue, English and How It Got That Way" by Bill Bryson is an amazing read. It's not, as you might expect, dry but interesting. Bryson is considered to be one of the better authorities on the English language. For instance, he discusses common American words that the British have newly adopted but complain are crude and yet were, in fact, commonly used in Britain until they were dropped long ago. He claims that the "F" word is the most useful in the English language and explains why. Over 10,000 English words are of French derivation while words from the German are far fewer. You can find it on Abebooks.com for less than $5 with free shipping.

06-17-2021, 06:22 PM	#18
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,507 Thanks: 1,318 Thanked 3,655 Times in 1,004 Posts	just me!? The one that tortured me way back when, was, the difference between "taut & taunt" turns out I was just ridiculing large amounts of rope?... learned eventually... I got better?.... best, til...lat'r...GT

06-17-2021, 06:57 PM	#19
tomaustin Lifer X5 Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: texas Posts: 708 Thanks: 87 Thanked 522 Times in 201 Posts	Grammaticist.........

06-17-2021, 07:38 PM	#20
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 410 Times in 180 Posts	tomaustin, We have been doing vocabulary, we have not begun to get into grammar :-)