Timewaster's Guide Archive

General => Rants and Stuff => Topic started by: old aggie on February 12, 2011, 04:59:45 AM

Title: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: old aggie on February 12, 2011, 04:59:45 AM: "Led" - past tense of the verb, "to lead"

I cannot tell you the last time I read this word in a news story, e-mail, or (sorry) post on this or any other forum. It's even wrong in many books (but none from TWG authors, as far as I know).

When I read something in the news like, "Yesterday, Maj. Xyz lead the Nth Brigade in an offensive against [generic enemy combatants]," it just makes me wonder - When did this happen? Because "lead" is present tense, but it says it happened yesterday...

Am I the only one to notice this? - that a fine and legitimate word has met a premature end at the hands of the evil spellcheck, which is too dumb to know the difference?

Or is this a recognized change in the language? - I confess that, to me, "prioritize" will never be a real word, and "creative" will never be a noun, so I may just have to use the one new term that's worth its weight in gold: "Whatever."
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: dhalagirl on February 13, 2011, 04:07:11 AM: I blame spellcheck and Lolcats.
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Hero of Ages on February 13, 2011, 09:03:03 AM: And "clothe" (vs. cloth) and "breathe" (vs. breath)?
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Eerongal on February 14, 2011, 03:15:22 AM: it happens, i believe, because people confuse led with lead (the noun) and assume its right to go with lead ("leed") because of instances like read ("red") and read ("reed")
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Miyabi on February 14, 2011, 05:29:28 AM: It stayed up too late drinking, then called in sick.
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Eerongal on February 14, 2011, 01:55:50 PM: Quote from: Miyabi on February 14, 2011, 05:29:28 AM

It stayed up too late drinking, then called in sick.

i think you also clicked the wrong topic :P
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Miyabi on February 15, 2011, 03:34:23 AM: No, led called me and told me it happened.
Title: Re: Whatever happened to the word, "led"?
Post by: Eerongal on February 15, 2011, 04:07:48 AM: Quote from: Miyabi on February 15, 2011, 03:34:23 AM

No, led called me and told me it happened.

ah, i see. (actually, i just noticed you said "it", i originally thought you posted "i", so i assumed you were posting in the wrong topic, but i see what's what now :P)