[BITList] Lessons in spelling 'have no place in 21st centuryschools' - Telegraph

[HUGH]

John,

My copy of Chambers Concise Dictionary (1,200 pages) lists 17 meanings of the word "regular" - two of them are "normal", and habitual". Nonetheless, like you I've never used it other than in connection with buses, trains and time intervals in general, and I abhor this creeping Americanisation of the language.  This morning I was in a ladies' clothing shop, looking at notices offering short, regular and long trousers.  These were jeans, but a notice on top said they were "a very comfortable jean". Only one leg? The American usage, like many such, may have come from the military via "regulation". "Par" in golf is often "regulation" in the US.

Up here, the "thee" form of "the" sometimes has a long "ee" when pointing out something to an idiot, as in "Not that one - theee other one!" But mostly it's a short "ee".

Hugh.
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