MPG's??? (Language)

[Spumonti]

Can someone tell me when and why people started saying "MPG's" instead of MPG? MPG stands for Miles Per Gallon...it's already pluralized! Besides, you wouldn't say Miles Per Gallons! That seems to suggest how many miles you get to an entire tank.

[TMACK]

Originally Posted by Spumonti

Can someone tell me when and why people started saying "MPG's" instead of MPG? MPG stands for Miles Per Gallon...it's already pluralized! Besides, you wouldn't say Miles Per Gallons! That seems to suggest how many miles you get to an entire tank.

Well, one could always go with GPM, gallons per mile.
If my memory serves true, the M1 Abrams battle tank, (or is it the H1 Hummer battle tank; never could get that straight), gets around 17 GPM.

Don't know, man. The MPG's is just another popular idiomatic error.
You know, much like calling mounted troops the calvary.

[NCC1701]

Like calling an ATM an ATM Machine, or a PIN a PIN Number, or a smart a smart car.

Sort of like saying you're going to dial a telephone number ... how many people have rotary phones today? But, dial is entrenched, and sounds more natural than enter a phone number or whatever else you might say instead of dial.

The abbreviation MPG seems to have become a 'word' in its own right, and people compare their MPGs. It would feel odd to compare my MPG with your MPG, unless I did not use the abbreviation and just asked you about your miles per gallon.

JMHO.

[chumly]

Originally Posted by TMACK

Well, one could always go with GPM, gallons per mile.
If my memory serves true, the M1 Abrams battle tank, (or is it the H1 Hummer battle tank; never could get that straight), gets around 17 GPM.

Don't know, man. The MPG's is just another popular idiomatic error.
You know, much like calling mounted troops the calvary.

Calvary is the name of the place where Christ died ,the horse soldiers were the cavalry,taken from the french word for horse .,Common mistake.

[TMACK]

"...more natural than enter a phone number or whatever else you might say instead of dial."

Or "punch", "finger", "pound", "tap"...

Never mind, the wife is giving me a funny look.

[TMACK]

Originally Posted by chumly

Calvary is the name of the place where Christ died ,the horse soldiers were the cavalry,taken from the french word for horse .,Common mistake.

Yeah. I cringe everytime I hear this all to common reference to the mound(hill) of skulls.

If you want a real laugh, watch the 2003 movie "Gods and Generals": to a man, the actors mouth the death place of Jesus Christ in describing their mounted force, the cavalry.

[jetfuel]

Originally Posted by TMACK

"...more natural than enter a phone number or whatever else you might say instead of dial."

Or "punch", "finger", "pound", "tap"...

Never mind, the wife is giving me a funny look.

un-lock...contact....send...is one way ...or...just say...call bigpanda...don't know why...but it works...

jetfuel...not cell user..

[Spumonti]

Originally Posted by NCC1701

Like calling an ATM an ATM Machine, or a PIN a PIN Number, or a smart a smart car.

Sort of like saying you're going to dial a telephone number ... how many people have rotary phones today? But, dial is entrenched, and sounds more natural than enter a phone number or whatever else you might say instead of dial.

The abbreviation MPG seems to have become a 'word' in its own right, and people compare their MPGs. It would feel odd to compare my MPG with your MPG, unless I did not use the abbreviation and just asked you about your miles per gallon.

JMHO.

Except that only recently has all this talk of "MPG's" been conversational! I think it just shows that humans are on a downhill slope, with no brakes, headed straight for a trash heap...

We need the Calvary to save us!

Spumonti... waiting for a holy touchdown...

[forestacademy]

I have a rotory phone in My basement. And yes it works.

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by Spumonti

Except that only recently has all this talk of "MPG's" been conversational! I think it just shows that humans are on a downhill slope, with no brakes, headed straight for a trash heap...

Well, seems like you're picking on one instance. I'm in agreement with you, particularly in the way "texting speak" has become accepted as a way to communicate online. b4 gr8 prolly etc. Hogwash, I say. The bastardization of the language is seen by many as kewl. My grammar isn't great, and it's been a very long time since I studied sentence structure. I'm sure that shows.

English is, however, a living language. It will continue to change and mutate. And, what most of use do online is use kinda conversational text. It's a different animal than what you'd use if you were writing a business letter or proposal. However, I will resist nonsensical abbreviations which are popping up everywhere on the interwebs. My resistance, however futile, is to not use them myself.

BTW, JMHO. (intentional, some things have been around so long, even I use them. )