Comments on: Thursday Grammar: Short Lived

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:06:15 +0000

Oh prescriptivists, you guys kill me. Linguistics should be studied and discussed in a descriptive way. In other words, stop trying to tell people how to talk correctly. Language is constantly evolving.

By: John E

John E — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 05:53:14 +0000

Many people are basing their opinions on the fact that “long” and “short” are adjectives and not adverbs. They are both. It is perfectly acceptable to ask someone how long they have lived in the city, for example. It is not necessary to ask them, “for what period of time…”

I can live with either pronunciation, because honestly I think the intention can either be “had a short life” or “lived for a short period of time.”

Now, of course, we must wonder if the rule about adjectives ending with -ed, i.e. blessed, learned, wretched, etc. Something to think about.

By: Gab

Gab — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:27:20 +0000

Oh oh oh, and I just thought of another subject for one of these: “In spite” versus “despite.” I’ve even had English teachers that can’t help me with that one.

By: Chris Povall

Chris Povall — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:32:06 +0000

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=73079&ph=on

UK Standard pronunciation of the word ‘short lived’ rhymes with thought seived. Only in the US is pronunciation to rhyme with thought arrived.

By: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Scariest Movie Ever? | Overthinking It

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:01:57 +0000

[...] few minutes, even managing to take down an enemy plane. His victory, however, is short lived (pronounced with a long I). The Baron fights back, and, soon, Snoopy is fighting for his life. A terrified Snoopy [...]

By: Mathias

Mathias — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:25:01 +0000

This is one of my pet peeves. Precisely because “long” and “short” are adjectives, they modify the noun “life”, not the verb “live”. I have heard it pronounced “lyevd”, and every time I do, it makes me smile :)

By: Pianodan

Pianodan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:13:03 +0000

Everyone’s heard the one about the panda.

By: Gab

Gab — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:16:40 +0000

Mmm, grammar. Anyone ever hear the one about the panda?

By: Alec Harkness

Alec Harkness — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:24 +0000

I’ve gotta say, I’ve never heard “short-lived” pronounced to rhyme with “arrived”, and it’s a common phrase. Even the BBC pronounce it to rhyme with “give”

Consider “lived” as in the past tense of “to live”. It never rhymes with “arrived”. So I can legitimately say I lived well, or I lived long (and prospered). If I lived long, I was long-lived. If I didn’t live long, I was short-lived.

Hmmm, actually when I read that back I think I see the problem. “Long” and “short” are adjectives, not adverbs. My life can be long, but I cannot correctly live long.

This would suggest that the correct phrase would be “short lifed”, but I don’t think that’s correct either.

I think I may have over-thought myself…

The original point remains though. I have never heard it pronounced any other way.

By: NB

NB — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:22:13 +0000

Not where I come from it isn’t.