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Pedants' corner

Fayre!

(21 Posts)
Witzend Fri 07-Jul-23 17:23:45

Does anyone else hate it? What on earth is wrong with ‘fair’ (as in e.g. the sort of fundraiser Gdcs’ school is holding today, or ‘fare’ if we’re talking food.

choughdancer Fri 07-Jul-23 17:28:20

Yes I do too! It's pretentious and unnecessary.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 07-Jul-23 17:31:28

Yes, it’s silly and incorrect. Really grates when I see it.

Blondiescot Fri 07-Jul-23 17:35:53

Think the pub chain Brewers Fayre spell it that way, don't they? It annoys me too.

Casdon Fri 07-Jul-23 17:37:02

Yes I hate it, and also Ye Olde whatever -who are they kidding?

MrsKen33 Fri 07-Jul-23 18:03:43

Probably believe it is medieval, or some such rot. Lend it another dimension.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 18:46:21

Fayre means food in fact eg local fayre

Not a School Fair

Foxygloves Fri 07-Jul-23 18:51:12

I thought that was fare

Witzend Fri 07-Jul-23 20:41:28

Maybe you’ve never seen a fair advertised as a fayre, Callistemon - I’m afraid I have. Too often.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 20:47:21

Oh, I have.

But the correct use is for food.

Witzend Fri 07-Jul-23 21:30:56

Out of interest I just looked up ‘fayre’ in my very big fat Oxford dictionary.

It just says, ‘pseudo-archaic spelling of ‘fair’.’

TBH I would have thought it’d be ditto of ‘fare’ but I’m not arguing with the OED.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 21:38:51

A Ladye Fayre too.

Oreo Fri 07-Jul-23 22:53:47

Ye Olde Christmas Fayre 😁
Ye just means the in any case.
How about ‘ Gransnet for ye olde people of ye UK’ 😊

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:02:00

Gransnet for Ye Fayre Ladies
And Ye Merry Gentlemen

Oreo Fri 07-Jul-23 23:05:49

Are they merry or drunk tho? wine

Oreo Fri 07-Jul-23 23:06:48

How fare the fayre ladies?

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:10:49

Drowning their sorrows

Oreo Fri 07-Jul-23 23:17:40

Oh that’s not fair!

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:20:10

Cheers🥂🍾

Wyllow3 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:22:43

Oreo

Are they merry or drunk tho? wine

A bit.

grandtanteJE65 Sat 08-Jul-23 12:29:17

Oreo

Are they merry or drunk tho? wine

Hard to say, it depends entriely on how you understand the first line of the carol. Does it mean

May God let you remain merry, gentlemen and let nothing you dismay?

Every year when we sang it as school there were discussions amongst the staff as to whether there be a coma before or after merry.

God rest ye, merry gentlemen
and
God rest ye merry, gentlemen

are too different things after all.