A Really Awful policy decision on whether to use any more anymore.


This is a little job our new builder had to fix.  Somehow, this amount of support did not inspire confidence.

This is a little job our new builder had to fix. Somehow, this amount of support did not inspire confidence.

On the building scene – a front door which, to be upfront, caused affront.  I think that the lintel was cut a teensy weensy bit too short, don’t you agree?

Anyway, let us now turn to things less concrete.  A building exercise with words!  I started wondering about this while taking time off other editing to do some more work on the pre-proof edit of Darx Circle (sadly neglected of late).  This is the sort of thing I adopt as a personal rule, but do not dream of imposing on the writers I edit:

 

I always thought that ‘anymore’

From USA came to the fore,

And, nose stuck firmly in the air,

Placed ‘any more’ just everywhere.

 

But, recently, I looked again,

And found that experts, in the main,

Expressed themselves as most unsure

Regarding which was the most pure.

 

So I’ve decided to adopt

One out of which I used to opt:

The ‘anymore’ I shall now take

As ‘any longer’ sense to make.

 

Then ‘any more’, as one may see,

Must mean a greater quantity;

Now, any more you want to know

I will not, anymore, here show.

 

© Colonialist March 2015 (WordPress)

About colonialist

Active septic geranium who plays with words writing fantasy novels and professionally editing, with notes writing classical music, and with riding a mountain bike, horses and dinghies. Recently Indie Publishing has been added to this list.
This entry was posted in Editing, Language, Personal Journal, Really Awful Rhyme, Renovations and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

25 Responses to A Really Awful policy decision on whether to use any more anymore.

  1. calmgrove says:

    Great bit of doggerel to underline usage, Col. It seemsto me that ‘anymore’ is, in the main, adverbial, while ‘any more’ quantifies in a sort of pronominal way. But I’m no expert.

    However, I can tell you I don’t like the look of that lintel purely from an aesthetic point of view. Again, I’m no expert but I know what I like and I don’t like its attitude.

    Like

  2. The Asian says:

    Glad to hear that the “major surgery” went well. As the for the any more vs anymore debate, I’ve always used the words interchangeably because I’ve never known which is actually correct

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  3. Sonel says:

    Doesn’t look very supportive to me, My stepfather used to buy houses and fix it up and we all had to help, so I know a little bit. He would have freaked out about this as well. 😆

    Great poem Col. You said it all. 😀

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  4. jakesprinter says:

    Great lintel review thanks for sharing.

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  5. Arkenaten says:

    ”Atishoo, atishoo, all fall down…”
    It’s a long time ago, but i remember my father putting in a couple of lintels, large and small for a French window and a serving hatch. Very important!

    I couldn’t even figure out Lego but I can certainly see why you were not happy!

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  6. Pussycat44 says:

    I once had an argument with a builder who thought that, after removing part of a wall to make a semi-open plan kitchen, a lintel would not be required. Thank goodness I could make him change his mind. The lintel in your case looks dicey, but I trust that you feel safe with the ” major surgery” you applied.
    I hope not to hear about anymore any more 😉

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    • colonialist says:

      Just as well you were … persuasive (did you need to bop him on the head with something?). Lines of bricks do have levitating limitations!
      Hoy! You weren’t concentrating! That should have been ‘any more of that anymore’!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. This one always frustrates me. I never know which is correct. Thanks for helping me see this issue with clarity.

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  8. There are lots of expressions like any more nowadays that spellcheck puts red squiggly lines under. I just ignore them. Love the poem, though.

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    • colonialist says:

      I have ignored that one to date, but when one thinks logically it makes sense to be able to differentiate. By the same token, I am in favour of the ‘Oxford comma’ in a list. Its presence or absence can make a major difference in meaning.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Rip says:

    I don’t like that lintel anymore than you do! It really looks quite dicey resting on a small wedge in the middle of the wall. It should definitely be longer and properly supported. Nonetheless with a bit of cement under it it might hold. Good luck!

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  10. granny1947 says:

    Clever as always!!!

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  11. newsferret says:

    The lintel looks OK to me.

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