Post AY8tbHPlVTaZFnwpTE by TimPhon@lingo.lol
(DIR) More posts by TimPhon@lingo.lol
(DIR) Post #AY8oAM0foWdhusYKjw by grammargirl@zirk.us
2023-07-28T03:53:55Z
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What do you think of the way "anxious" is used in the following sentence? Is it acceptable in formal Standard English?We are anxious to see the new show of contemporary sculpture at the museum.
(DIR) Post #AY8oayC4TC9ps2ZjaC by ronsboy67@mas.to
2023-07-28T03:58:44Z
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@grammargirl I went with C, but "don't like it" is a bit strong. It seems a bit unusual, but there are many contexts in which people could say that while using the word in a completely standard way. Anyone connected with the exhibition in any way could have grounds for being anxious about seeing it, it seems to me.
(DIR) Post #AY8osCr7D5ZmGbzapk by A_C_McGregor@topspicy.social
2023-07-28T04:01:50Z
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@grammargirl I'd definitely prefer to use something like "eager", "keen" or even "impatient" than "anxious", but it's not wrong and I know exactly what is meant
(DIR) Post #AY8p5cLfjumh61gEKm by ljj@aus.social
2023-07-28T04:04:15Z
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@grammargirlTo me, context matters here. If the show could be contentious or problematic, then using anxious seems fine. But if anxious is being used as a synonym of excited, then it's not a good choice
(DIR) Post #AY8qOZ1KRBiIELlLw8 by robini71@mastodon.social
2023-07-28T04:18:53Z
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@grammargirl It seems acceptable to me but what do I know. But at least the quorum of beloved English teachers who live in my head don't seem displeased.
(DIR) Post #AY8qVRsZO3QI6pwt4C by mlanger@mastodon.world
2023-07-28T04:20:07Z
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@grammargirl “Eager” would be a better word there. No?
(DIR) Post #AY8qgWH5NwduvWh9WK by andrea_smandrea@zirk.us
2023-07-28T04:22:08Z
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@grammargirl it depends on the dictionary you ask. most describe it, in this context, as eager or excited, but Oxford Languages (as per googie) describes it as “wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease”; your sample doesn’t posess that sense of unease.i go with Oxford every time.
(DIR) Post #AY8tbHPlVTaZFnwpTE by TimPhon@lingo.lol
2023-07-28T04:54:48Z
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@grammargirl The meaning this conjures for me is, "We feel a bit of anxiety - maybe because if we don't go now, we might miss the chance." It isn't just "eager" or "pleasantly excited".
(DIR) Post #AY8uLXnKwCYjNR29OC by PeteZ@mastodonbooks.net
2023-07-28T05:03:09Z
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@grammargirl If you have anxiety over seeing the show, don’t go. I’ve been ambivalent to a greater or lesser extent for some of the previous examples. But this one is just plain wrong. That’s not what anxious means.
(DIR) Post #AY8vSc8JJ3cqoTmMZU by EclecticLee@mastodon.sdf.org
2023-07-28T05:15:35Z
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@grammargirl I'm voting on the basis that you're asking about formal writing and not casual conversation. I hope that's the right tack.
(DIR) Post #AY8yFioZS8CFdM5ePw by chongliss@mastodon.ie
2023-07-28T05:46:57Z
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@grammargirl I went with C. Rationale:In general it’s absolutely fine. If I were splitting hairs:Depending on the context it could be received in different ways.- In a professional context (a request for the show to go ahead), it’s a bit emotive.- If all parties are known to each other and it’s less formal, then it’s most acceptable.- As someone who suffers from anxiety, lol, that isn’t anxiety, unless you’re on a couch, catatonic, thinking you’re having a heart attack.
(DIR) Post #AY8yYjYMvkmHQWZrLk by alice_digest@universeodon.com
2023-07-28T05:50:23Z
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@grammargirl I have no problems with it, especially in formal English (I'm British though). Especially with the use of "we are."To me it's clearly meant as being eager to see the show and that's how I first read it. If I was worried/nervous I'd say "I have anxiety over seeing the new show..." Or "I'm/we're anxious about..."
(DIR) Post #AY9B4JuezmT6cYpe6a by fgraver@hcommons.social
2023-07-28T08:10:31Z
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@grammargirl I voted before consulting the OED. Always a mistake.
(DIR) Post #AY9D30GyjNfnKLlrs0 by rik_lonsdale@mastodonapp.uk
2023-07-28T08:32:43Z
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@grammargirl It may be grammatically correct but the word choice is appalling and open to misinterpretation. I went with D.
(DIR) Post #AY9ePjmUuU6NbOZwVE by luckie_reubs@mastodon.social
2023-07-28T13:39:21Z
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@grammargirl My HS English teacher told us “anxious” invokes “anxiety” not excitement, so that’s been my own rule, I guess.
(DIR) Post #AY9gIa074hFd9Mf6Rc by barronkane@noc.social
2023-07-28T14:00:24Z
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@grammargirl This is so much more evenly split, but I think this is more taste than technical.
(DIR) Post #AY9iXSG6LFx3OGMRjU by grammargirl@zirk.us
2023-07-28T14:25:30Z
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@fgraver No! I want to know what people think without looking it up!
(DIR) Post #AY9lnC3UeXtvdGezcu by fgraver@hcommons.social
2023-07-28T15:02:01Z
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@grammargirl Hm. But that way I’m exposed to my own ignorance…(Well, I suppose I can anxiously await an opportunity to avail myself of my new-found knowledge.)
(DIR) Post #AYAK2EWPA8584CWhEm by PeteZ@mastodonbooks.net
2023-07-28T21:25:41Z
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@grammargirl ❓❓❓What are these percentages supposed to mean?
(DIR) Post #AYALAZKplL3WtBeXA0 by grammargirl@zirk.us
2023-07-28T21:38:24Z
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@PeteZ That's totally weird and not what I see when I look at the results. Mine add up to 100%.
(DIR) Post #AYANOGvBDlfJk5JbXs by PeteZ@mastodonbooks.net
2023-07-28T22:03:17Z
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@grammargirl Interesting.
(DIR) Post #AYBgd97CcQ9uAAhkRs by leebennett@mastodon.social
2023-07-29T13:13:37Z
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@grammargirl It’s just the wrong word. If you’re anxious, you have anxiety. A better use would be that you’re anxious about whether people will like the new show.
(DIR) Post #AYFa1x1qlom8s2vCkK by qubex@body.social
2023-07-31T10:18:29Z
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@grammargirl I suppose it depends what you want to imply. By writing that you’re ‘anxious' you're implying you're dreading the event or the reaction; that you anticipate negative consequences.Usually one would say one is "looking forward" to something that they have optimistic feelings about. Just don't use those corp-speak terms like "we're enthusiastically anticipating the response" bla bla bla because that makes most people cringe.