Gun Grammar

[GLOOB]

I'm something of a stickler for proper grammar and terminology. I think everyone is familiar with the "magazine" vs. "clip" debate. But here's one that just came onto my radar screen: the plural of FTE.

I say a video the other day where the guy kept saying "failure-to-eject's." He was otherwise well-spoken, and he represented himself as something of a gun expert. I know it's written as "FTE's." But c'mon. When it's spoken, can we all agree that it's "failureS to eject," so it looks like we, as gun owners, know how to speak english?

BTW, the gun in question was a G23 with an extended slide release, and you could clearly see he was hitting the slide stop. So this wasn't even close to a FTE in the first place! This was possibly a user-induced FTF, at best! Good grief!

Anyone else with a pet peeve concerning gun grammar? Post 'em here!

 

[Safjac]

For all I care, they can stick that clip up their magazine. (BTW, a gun is an artillery piece if we insist on killing chickens with cannons.)

Technically, you would both be wrong. See, there are multiple failures, and there are multiple ejections, so it should be "Failures to ejects"

Now that you are both wrong, kiss, make up/out, and live stress free.

 

[brandon_mcg]

i don't have a problem with it as long as i can get the idea of what the individual is trying to convey.

i'm kinda new to the gun terminology as well though. for example it took me forever to remember FTF as failure to feed. I work in the medical field and FTF refers to a face to face order received.

takes some getting used to.

 

[John Wayne]

The double standards are what get me the most.

FTE can be "Failure To Eject" or "Failure To Extract."

FTF can be "Failure To Feed" or "Failure To Fire."

Most everybody will jump down another person's throat over the magazine vs. clip thing but thinks nothing of slang like "ball ammo." It's not a ball. It's not solid lead. It's a bullet with a full metal jacket.

You can call a firearm a hogleg, peacemaker, or shootin' iron, but not blaster, heater, or gat.

 

[btg3]

Had a couple of other shooter plinking with my M&P whom both hit the mag release which resulted in FTF's. So these would be userS-induced failureS-to-fire, correct?

Anyone else with a pet peeves concerning gun grammar?

BTW, for lack of a verb, that is a sentence fragment. Additionally, the singular article "a" disagrees with the plural noun "peeves".

 

[wundudnee]

Winnies, Remmies, Annies etc.

Calvary pistols. ARRRGH. That would be a long, long time ago on a hill far away.

Hexagon barrel, really? Count the flats.

 

[22-rimfire]

My favorite that I tend to pick at is calling a bulk pack of 22LR a "brick". I bugs me no end when I ask if they have any bricks of Federal Lightning 22LR at Walmart and they hand me a bulk pack "brick".

 

[CraigC]

I agree, totally. What gets me is the interchanging of "FTF". It's 'supposed' to be autospeak for "failure to feed". If it doesn't fire, it's a misfire or dud, not an FTF. There's so much incorrect usage that it has no meaning anymore.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I just wish people could figure out your/you're and their/there/they're. If they can't get that right, how to you expect them to get technical terminology?

 

[therewolf]

Now, personally, I perceive multiple FTEs as "failure to ejects" because I deem all three words part of one term, hence the "s" for the multiple goes at the end, rather than in the middle.

As for using "clips" instead of "magazines", guilty,guilty,guilty. I come from a military family who used Garands in WWII and Korea, then just also started calling .45ACP mags "clips" also. Hey it's a free country, the people who made it that way can nickname the tools of the trade for generations however they like.

I refuse to stop. Look: Clip,clip, clip, CLIP! Clippity, clappity, clop.

 

[orionengnr]

FTE can be "Failure To Eject" or "Failure To Extract"

Bingo. Too many cases of FTDT (Failure To Define Terms).

I hereby propose:
FTX-Failure to Extract
FTE-Failure to Eject

 

[GNLaFrance]

A cartridge is not a bullet. A bullet is part of a cartridge.

 

[TH3180]

Really I am not trying to start something. I am new to guns and really don't know. What's the differance between a clip and a magazine? I guess when ever I am talking about any of my pistols I call it a magzine.

 

[A.H. Fox]

A clip is a small piece of metal with a flat spring type of metal to retain rifle rounds that are used to load rifle magazines as in the M1 or M14. Clips usually have five rounds of ammo that are then inserted in to a feeder that is attached to the magazine to rapidly load the magazine.

 

[A.H. Fox]

Cannon and artillery are interchangeable. A cannon adapted for use on ships is then called a gun. No kissing in public.

 

[TH3180]

A clip is a small piece of metal with a flat spring type of metal to retain rifle rounds that are used to load rifle magazines as in the M1 or M14. Clips usually have five rounds of ammo that are then inserted in to a feeder that is attached to the magazine to rapidly load the magazine.

Thank you.

 

[GNLaFrance]

What's the difference between a clip and a magazine?

Magazines and clips:

 

[Justin]

I say a video the other day where the guy kept saying "failure-to-eject's." He was otherwise well-spoken, and he represented himself as something of a gun expert. I know it's written as "FTE's." But c'mon. When it's spoken, can we all agree that it's "failureS to eject," so it looks like we, as gun owners, know how to speak english?

While I generally side with the grammar police on most issues, this is the first thing that came to mind upon reading the first post in this thread:

William Safire Orders Two Whoppers Junior.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...there are multiple failures, and there are multiple ejections, so it should be "Failures to ejects"...

...I perceive multiple FTEs as "failure to ejects" because I deem all three words part of one term, hence the "s" for the multiple goes at the end, rather than in the middle...

Nope, both of you are wrong.

It would be "failures to eject." There are multiple "failures", and the prepositional phrase "to eject" describes the nature of the multiple failures.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Additionally, the singular article "a" disagrees with the plural noun "peeves".

That struck me as odd too.

My pet language peeve is calling the slide stop, a slide release...even Beretta's 92, where you should be using it to release the slide, calls it a slide stop

 

[-eaux-]

and when your left foot engages the pedal on the left, you are actually DISengaging the clutch.
Are we really so hung up on semantics that we can't address a direct question?
A magazine holds multiple cartridges and feeds them into the action of your firearm. A clip is a small leafspring that holds a few cartridges in such a way that makes them easy to stuff into your magazine.

 

[franconialocal]

It's good to know I'm among English-snob friends here on THR! I'm generally good at word usage and sentence structure but it's proper punctuation that gets me every time. A purist would even pick apart my use of "It's" at the beginning of my reply. I can tolerate the general mix up, but it's outright SLAUGHTER of the English language that drives me up a wall!!

Check this blog out sometime. Very related, and very funny!! This is exactly what I'm talking about http://moronswithsigns.blogspot.com/

I'll get back on track to keep this firearm related. I have a friend that works at a nearby vehicle dealership who is somewhat of a "newbie" when it comes to the whole THR realm. I often find myself talking to him about the latest trends, planning range time, etc. He's a really great guy but EVERY time we get on the topic of "1911's" he insists on referring to them as "911's" (Nine-elevens). I even try to really stress the way I'm saying it so he'll pick up on it but I don't have the heart to tell the poor guy that every time he says it like that it has the same effect as fingernails down a chalkboard to me :banghead: Pretty funny really.......

 

[788Ham]

It torques me when folks are using the word "then" instead of "than"! As an example, "Its easier to use soft butter to spread "than"....." , instead of, "Its easier to use soft butter to spread "then"...", follow my meaning? Use the correct word here folks, its not that hard.

 

[Frank Ettin]

While I generally side with the grammar police on most issues, this is the first thing that came to mind upon reading the first post in this thread:

William Safire Orders Two Whoppers Junior.

Yup, that sounds wrong. I think it should be "Whopper Juniors."

Here, "Whopper Junior" is a proper name for a particular menu item. The "Junior" is part of the proper name, not an adjective modifying "Whopper." (But in "failures to eject" the prepositional phrase "to eject" is functioning as an adjective, which is something that a prepositional phrase can do, modifying "failures.")

 

[TexasBill]

Plurals of acronyms, like "FTE" do not use an apostrophe, the correct form is simply "FTEs."