Sheath or Sheaf?

[Jedadiah]

Don't really want to cause a stir but i'm finding more and more, reference to 'Sheafs' and Sheaf Knives'.

Now i was always under the impression that you used a 'Sheath' for your 'Sheath Knife'. Bearing in mind dialects and translations, i wondered if anyone else here had opinions one way or another?

Maybe it's just me with to much time on my hands, i don't know.

My Mrs thinks i'm a little picky. i was enraged (again!) the other day when a TV news reporter insisted on saying '4.00am in the morning'. Surely 4.00 am MEANS the morning. I've noticed this more and more often and suspect it is what is called in the popular press 'Dumbing down'.

Back to the main subject, poll, Sheath or Sheaf?

 

[g4ghb]

I'm with you mate! - SHEATH!!!!

and to add oil to the fire.........

Wikipedia says,

A sheaf is one of the large bundles in which cereal plants are bound after reaping.

and dictionary.com,

sheaf , plural sheaves, verb

–noun
1.one of the bundles in which cereal plants, as wheat, rye, etc., are bound after reaping.
2.any bundle, cluster, or collection: a sheaf of papers.
–verb (used with object)
3.to bind (something) into a sheaf or sheaves.

 

[John Fenna]

Or is a "sheaf knife" a specialist tool for trimming sheaves?
If so - piccies please!

 

[scanker]

Without doubt, it's sheath.

 

[Toddy]

It ought to be sheath.
Sheaf used instead is lazy slang.
I have heard it used for the cover for a shiv or chib,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiv_(weapon)

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Ogri the trog]

You don't need a poll to find out information thats in a dictionary.
The use of "Sheaf" as a word pertaining to knives is a representation of the "Yoof culture" who find it impossible to speak in the Queen English, prefering instead their own dialect of "Fuggery" and "Ignurunce - innit".
It doesn't take much effort to listen, and then repeat correctly, the pronunciation of any word - but it sadens me that so few folk actually do it these days.

Rant ended

Ogri the trog

 

[Jedadiah]

Likewise Ogri, i agree. The poll is really intended to bring this to the attention of some of the people who don't seem to know better without pointing fingers or picking on individuals. I seem to be running into a number of situations where i don't seem to understand what someone is refering to, until, that is, it is explained to me and i realise, it's a misspronunciation or slang, then i get called an old g*t for picking them up on it! ME, at 38! I must be turning into my Dad!

Oh yeah, Happy Fathers day everyone that applies to, for Sunday!

 

[sxmolloy]

Sheath

 

[Dougster]

Call me a miserable old bu**er but not bothering to use a spell check or any form of grammer is tantamount to bad manners in my book. If it's wrong it's wrong, even if you don't agree.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Iz it maybe coz they iz too ingorant an' lazy to form their gobs into a 'th' shape? It must be eezyer to jus' use the 'f' shape. I've come to the konklooshun that ppl hoo say sheaf are a bit corny.

E.

 

[John Fenna]

At last - folk who will stand up for the use of good English!

Now, how about the use of the (correct and non sexist as in Hu-man) Chairman, rather than "chair" or "chairwoman"....

 

[mick spain]

Yep it's SHEATH I get annoyed when people say 4 AM in the morning My sister inlaw is one of them, I tell her about it and she looks at me as if I'm mad, another one that really gets up my back when knife makers call the Pommel of a knife a Pummel

 

[Ogri the trog]

There is far worse....
Prolly for Probably :yikes:
People who say Somethink
And the ever occuring addition to every sentence "Innit" or "You know what I mean?" or "Yea!"

We really should be able to shoot these dimwits on first utterance - the average IQ of the country would skyrocket within days!

Ogri the trog

 

[Dougster]

You're, like, soooooooo right.

 

[dommyracer]

Bad spelling, its been going on for thousands and thousands of years....

nowt wrong with 'chair' or 'chairperson' IMO.

remember, language evolves - don't try and stop it!!

 

[John Fenna]

Wotevah! Innit: volvin: yea: rite......

 

[Dougster]

Bad spelling, its been going on for thousands and thousands of years....

nowt wrong with 'chair' or 'chairperson' IMO.

remember, language evolves - don't try and stop it!!

There is a difference between evolving and degenerating I think.

 

[Jedadiah]

Have you noticed that no one is admitting to calling it a 'Sheaf'?

Another thing, why do people say 'uumm' when they are thinking about what they are going to say?

Or is that going down the same line as Why do 24hr shops have locks on the doors? and Why did Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

 

[dommyracer]

There is a difference between evolving and degenerating I think.

Haha yeah, I was referring more to the 'chair' thing than just lazy and bad spelling.

to be honest, I don't have a problem with words getting shorter, much more economical use of space and time. U no wot I men?

 

[maverix]

My Mrs thinks i'm a little picky. i was enraged (again!) the other day when a TV news reporter insisted on saying '4.00am in the morning'. Surely 4.00 am MEANS the morning. I've noticed this more and more often and suspect it is what is called in the popular press 'Dumbing down'.

Ahh a classic case of 'RAS syndrome' (Redundant Acronym Syndrome)

It used to feature fairly regularly in new scientist

This thread also brings to mind the leader of the pedants revolt.....


Which Tyler