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No doubt. I would never claim to know anything about the history of language, it really isn't an area I have any knowledge. My original comment was just a joke, and then I ended up trying to explain the joke. Although on reflection I can see how the explanation I gave is probably making it sound less like it was meant to be a joke 
The absurdity of my suggestion that they don't have dictionaries in American should have been enough to know I wasn't being serious.
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musefan wrote: The absurdity of my suggestion that they don't have dictionaries in American should have been enough to know I wasn't being serious.
Problem is that this kind of comments are done in a serious tone too. So not having used the Joke Icon, some really obvious dumb thing or [JOKE] [/JOKE] is a bad idea (happens to me continuously)
Don't forget we are communicating through a forum, where all non-verbal information is missing. And we already know what happens if you give a computer a bit of ambiguity... don't we? 
With humans is even worse (the risk of missunderstandings / execution bugs)
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Nelek wrote: Problem is that this kind of comments are done in a serious tone too
Well, I think that definitely is a British trait. All our jokes sound serious! 
Nelek wrote: Don't forget we are communicating through a forum, where all non-verbal information is missing. And we already know what happens if you give a computer a bit of ambiguity... don't we?
Indeed, but that applies to the listener too, not just the speaker.
Why assume bad intent is implied? If something sounds negative, clarify, and then make judgement.
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I think that the demise of the Soapbox has led us all to be a trifle twitchy about comments in the Lounge and to read negative connotations into non-serious remarks, and our attempts to defuse perceived ire or to use humour (or should that be 'humor'  ) can back fire on us. I had realised that your 'no dictionaries in America' was intended as a joke; but some of the other comments (not yours) seemed to me (perhaps wrongly) to be getting tetchy.
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Well this is one of the big problems with social media. People too freely miss-interpret something as negative and then never willing to listen to reason when you correct them.
I don't understand people. I don't understand how someone can be offended by words. I don't understand why you care what somebody you have never met in real life says or even thinks about you. People are illogical and I hate them all
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musefan wrote: My point was, Americans had a language (English) but just decided to completely ignore how words were supposed to be spelled and wrote them however they wanted. Which kind of suggests they either never had dictionaries, or didn't care to use them.
That's called diacronic evolution of a language and is pretty normal, when the language is introduced in a new place. It starts evolving on its own, the more distance between the points and the more time, the bigger the differences.
Spain came to america first and the "spanish" spoken there is different enough be called differently. We specify as "Español Latino" or just "latino" in the short form.
Back to your comment again, one thing is that they ignore it, and the other (most probable cause) is that the new speakers learn it in a different way or adapt the spell of it to something that is closer what they consider a more logical graph for the sound, based on their previous langauge.
Heck, even within Spain we have regions that can't barely understand each other in the same language. And I suppose that a guy from Liverpool and a guy from Winchester are not using english in an identical way.
So... IMHO yes, your comment might get taken as a personal attack (not the best option to do, I know, but it is easyly possible), because it gives the impression that you imply "stupidity" or "deliberateness" in those changes, but those actually changes are perfectly normal.
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Nelek wrote: because it gives the impression that you imply "stupidity" or "deliberateness" in those changes
But even if I was trying to imply stupidity (which I wasn't), I would not have been implying it towards a specific person. So I do not understand how one can be offended on behalf of a non-existent group of people.
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We all have a bad day, don't we?
I can't imagine that you ALWAYS are that quiet and can talk about everything and/or don't missunderstand any statement and/or don't get missunderstood.
Aren't you married?
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Nelek wrote: Aren't you married?
Nope!  (although I am in a relationship).
As they say, "if you are tired of loving somebody, marry them".
I get what you are saying, but it's different with people you know in person.
And I am certainly not always quiet, I am a strongly opinionated person. However, you will never insult me no matter what you say. You would do very well if you find a way to offend me... like... I couldn't even give you an example of something that would.
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musefan wrote: However, you will never insult me no matter what you say. You would do very well if you find a way to offend me... like... I couldn't even give you an example of something that would.
I wouldn't bet But no worries... I am not going to try it (at least not on purpose)
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Richard MacCutchan wrote: So I suspect you are actually referring to American dictionaries.
Possibly. The definition appears as far back as the 1797 printings of the The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language[^]
I'm curious... do you guys think codeproject is an Anglocentric website?
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Randor wrote: The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language[^]
Published by Princeton University, so still American biased.
Randor wrote: do you guys think codeproject is an Anglocentric website?
No, but I do think the CCC clues, as well as their solutions, should avoid the use of more obscure words. There are quite a few non-native English speakers who try (and sometimes succeed) to solve them.
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Hey,
Let's have this conversation right here out in the public. Could you be *very* specific with what you are saying?
Because it sounds like you are saying that the Daily CCC should only contain words from a British dictionary. Could you clarify that part for me?
Thanks.
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No, this is what I said:
Quote: I do think the CCC clues, as well as their solutions, should avoid the use of more obscure words. There are quite a few non-native English speakers who try (and sometimes succeed) to solve them.
Whether thos words are American or English biased does not matter, but they should be words that most native or non-native English speakers have come across in their daily lives. Or, could reasonably be able to figure out without the use of an 18th century dictionary.
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Thank you for your suggestion. I will consider your opinion when I become the next setter.
I was planning on using some Ebonics. What would be your opinion be on that?
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At the end of the day you can use whatever words you want, the only question is: do you want one of the few people that play CCC to actually have a chance at solving it?
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Well,
The definition for chipper[^] in nearly every dictionary I am searching indicates it is of British origin. In fact... the definition of 'Cheerful, Happy' is specifically noted as being an American colloquialism.
I don't see anybody complaining when @OriginalGriff or pkfox use British colloquialisms. Trust me, I've compiled a list over the last few minutes... but don't really want to get into a huge debate about this.
By the way, I heard they speak English over in India too. Would you mind if I used Bollywood as my next setter target or is that not British enough?
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Are we having different conversations? I literary just said you can use any word you want. If you want to find an obscure word that nobody will solve then that is completely your choice. If your idea of fun is posting clues for 3 days that are so hard that nobody even replies, then again, that is completely up to you.
Nobody said "chipper" is not allowed, they just said they don't know your definition of it.
And we complain about Griff's and PKfox's awful clues just as much as anyone else's. So don't start acting like British people are getting specially treatment and we hate other countries.
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I don't know which of us upset him, but he has closed his account.
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Richard MacCutchan wrote: I don't know which of us upset him, but he has closed his account.
I think I was definitely part of it, although I can't imagine what I said was the only factor. I think he greatly misunderstood our comments on his clue and took them as a personal attack.
It's a shame he deleted his account, but personally I don't have much time for people who can't have a proper conversation when they have a difference of opinion.
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I did send him a clarification that I was not trying to attack him personally. But sadly, some people have such thin skins ...
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Randor wrote: I was planning on using some Ebonics. What would be your opinion be on that?
Use whatever you like.
My final word: I am sorry if you feel personally insulted by any of my comments, that was definitely not my intention.
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Wasn't that the answer to a clue the other day?
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I am genuinely shocked that was 9 days ago, I was convinced it was this week.
This lockdown has really screwed my grasp of time. 
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