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Kat T's avatar

"standard trick of gifting away possession"

Nah, it's "give away", please. A gift (noun) is something you give (verb). We need to fight back against US linguistic imperialism. "It was hammering down outside, so she raincoated." Argghh.

Anyway...

What is it about teams with names beginning with B? Brighton, Bournemouth, Borrusia Dortmund, Brentford (sometimes)?

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True Faith's avatar

Finally, the kind of linguistic commentary we need on these pages! Language changes and sometimes that's a good thing - more efficient, more creative, and expressive. Sometimes just awful. When did "giving a present" become "gifting"? Probably when people at work stopped "asking" me things and started "having an ask"...

Interesting B theory. Fortunately doesn't apply to Burnley

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Kat T's avatar

Aye, language changes but not always for the better. I believe 'gift' (verb) is a US *incursion*.

Standard British (and my NZ/Aus) English would always use 'present', as in 'birthday present', up until the point tech bros started rotting our brains with 'social' media, and everything was awesome, shiny and sparkly, so we didn't notice we were the product.

I'm beginning to feel a little woozy up here, as high as I am able, on my horse.

Burnley may be the exception which proves the rule.

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Tony Brown's avatar

Gifting instead of giving; argghh indeed. Thanks for mentioning it because it sticks out like a sore thumb. Like that other awful import from America "normalcy" instead of normality, it's frequently used instead of the correct form of the verb, to give. Journalists are prone to picking up Americanisms in the way thatr children used to catch measles. The other annoyance is the tendency for peop0le to describe something as "way too big" and "way too much" instead of "far too big" etc. This crept in surreptitiously during the late 90s and has spread like a rash. Way has replaced far in both adverbs and adjectives. As for the wretched "iconic", what has happened to memorable, celebrated, famous, or even well-known? Anyway I also noticed the curse of teams beginning with 'B'. It has settled over Newcastle United like a dark cloud. We need to kick it into touch beginning next season..

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Alan Haley's avatar

Nice report Ed! You clearly have a …gift?

On the Chelsea kickoff, is this not just another bow to a London club’s demands? Any later and their hard-up fans won’t be able to find a taxi home of a Sunday evening.

But seriously folks…That game is probably worth a lot more to us financially than the Carabao win.

HTL!

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Kat T's avatar

Perfectly acceptable usage. Now sit up straight!

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Alan Haley's avatar

Yes Miss!

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Tony Brown's avatar

Possibly acceptable in some quarters but definitely not "perfectly". Someone can be described as gifted because they have certain gifts or talents that have been given to them at birth. A gift is given, not gifted. Something can be described as a giveaway but never a giftaway. Now sit up straight and face the front.

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John Milton's avatar

I felt we were incredibly disjointed in the 1st half. It could only have got better in the second.

Minteh going nuts at the away end seemed... Weird.

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NE1 MAG's avatar

Think the lad is under the misguided impression that we're as gutted about losing him as he is gutted not to be playing in front of 52,000 twice a month... rather than in front of 5,000 empty blue seats in an out-of-town flat pack arena. Hope he's over it by next season as he beginning to make a bit of a tit of himself towards both sets of supporters.

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John Milton's avatar

The commentators kept going on about him playing against his former club. Never even trained with us, did he? Massive stretch trying to find a narrative.

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Simon Lotion's avatar

Minteh going nuts at the away end seemed... Weird.... you're right... very odd.

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True Faith's avatar

Really weird

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Dave Cook's avatar

At first he seemed reluctant to celebrate, but then began kissing his badge and pointing to the ground. Appeared to be telling our fans that his heart now belonged to Brighton.

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Neil's avatar

Top write-up.

Hey it took me longer than I care to admit but I’ve just realised who the ex-winger was! Yep Minteh’s dead similar to San Miguel, same frame, speed, work ethic and leftiness.

I wish we could play Chelsea now, as what I thought was becoming a dry bum now enters a sqeauky week!

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Neil's avatar

Squeaky I mean:)

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Jack Dees's avatar

Gareat report Ed, coincided with my thoughts 👌

I'm worried about Isak and Willock's lack of end product

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George Brown's avatar

I seem to remember managers in the past talking about maintaining the integrity of the competition. Liverpool dropped 6 of their main players yesterday to gift 3 points to Chelsea. If the game had been 2 months ago Slot would not have done that. Massive disrespect to Forest, Villa and us.

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Mike's avatar

Got the impression the delay in VAR awarding the penalty, was beyond the obvious handball, they were looking at possible offside 🤦. At least the officials had the intelligence to add 9 minutes additional time.

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Dave Cook's avatar

Yep, the two running VAR were looking for offside, desperate to knock back our third penalty shout. Though in fairness they were spot on (forgive the pun) with all three decisions.

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Matt Gibson's avatar

How you didn’t win this game by 3 or 4 is beyond me!

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