Cliff's Notes Vocabulary/Grammar lesson for the day

[majorsamfan]

nauseous vs. nauseated

When you're sick to your stomach, you're nauseated. The thing that made you sick - for example, rotten meat - is nauseous. Twirling the baby and throwing him up in the air makes him nauseated (not nauseous). The baby would be nauseous only if the sight of him made someone else feel nauseated. (Like the ugly baby on Seinfeld

Comments

[lisayaeger]

I'm sure I've made that mistake- thank you!

[majorsamfan]

Oh, I'm sure I have as well. I signed up for this weekly email from Cliff's Notes, and I'm sure glad I did. I'm finding at least one useful thing from the three I get per week. One's on vocab/grammar, one's a very brief essay on a point about a novel and one's a science/math thing.

[thudjack]

I didn't know that! You know I think our education system is to blame, they never taught us any real grammar

[majorsamfan]

Are you sure we were paying attention? LOL

I know they didn't teach us *much* of it, at least not that I remember. I mean, I got the basics - nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns (giggling every time someone said "he-she-it-we-they" too quickly) - and I remember in junior high going over different kinds of "phrases" (not always writing every sentence in the subject-verb-object pattern) to spice up your prose.

And I think my grammar, at least in formal writing, is above average. Perhaps that's because I've made a point of reading up on it (Strunk & White's "Elements of Style", and the like) and subscribing to emails such as this one.

[rowan_d]

I should tell you, I have issues with this.;)

I'm well aware that this IS still the official definition, but it's my opinion that widespread popular use has had the effect of having shifted the meaning a bit. That is to say, to my mind to say a person feels nauseous (assuming the slang definition, not the literal) or to say a person feels nauseated, has a subtle difference in meaning or feel to it. And I don't find a "legitimate" replacement for the common interpretation of nauseous. I've started seeing nauseous used (incorrectly) by some pretty significant/respectible sources, and I, personally, am hoping that usage will eventually affect the formal language on this one and that the future dictionary definition will allow for both words.

So, myself, in my creative work, I refuse to give up a word that cannot quite be replaced.:)

Just so you know where I stand.;)

[majorsamfan]

S/J

"How do you feel, Sam?" Jack asked, his concern etched in his forehead. He handed her a washcloth dampened with cool water and rubbed her back slowly. He sat on the edge of the bathtub next to where she kneeled, worshipping at the porcelain altar, having given her daily offering.

"I feel nauseous, Jack. How do you think I feel?"

"Funny, I don't get nauseated looking at you."

This so was not the time to correct her grammar.

"You will in about six months when I'm as big as a whale, all puffy faced and ankles the size of elephants' legs."

"No, Sam, I won't. You're beautiful."

"Uh-huh. That's what you said before you did this to me, as I recall."

Yeah, she *so* was going to kick his a$$ when she felt better.

"How about I go make you some tea and biscuits?"

"How about you go spar with Teal'c for the next seven months - without protective gear?"

"Okay." Jack stopped rubbing and stood.

"After you help me up and make the tea and biscuits."

"Okay, Sam."

[lisayaeger]

*laughs*

I think this is the first fic to combine a grammar lesson, babies and ship/fluff/sap into one. Congratulations!

;-)

[majorsamfan]

Thank you!

*bows*