Because everyone loves complaining about eBay
Summary: The discussion centered around the correct use of the word "vinyl" versus "vinyls," with opinions varying on traditional correctness versus modern usage trends. dissident_concepts and others expressed that "vinyl" should remain singular, while *vyolla* noted that younger generations often use "vinyls," reflecting evolving language norms. Participants also shared anecdotes about younger people's lack of familiarity with older media formats like vinyl records and VHS tapes. Additionally, there were comments on spelling errors in marketing and the difficulties with the new forum layout.
Just to really rub salt in the wounds,
The plural of vinyl is vinyl, there is no such thing as "vinyls" when referencing records.
Looks a bit unprofessional when a multinational corporate giant has infantile spelling mistakes on its home page.
New forum looks garbage by the way!
Hope everyone is well!
department28
·1 week agoI think if 'vinyls' is what the young folk(s) say, eBay will say it, hoping to appear 'on trend'.... 🙄
I'm not bothered about spelling errors etc from private sellers - when browsing shoes, I rather enjoy spotting misspellings of words like patent and suede, ie 'patient' and 'swede'... 😂
However, I do find it very off-putting if a business seller's description is full of errors. Same as looking online for plumbers & builders etc. Poor spelling, and things like 'no job to big, no job to small'... no thanks, I'll look elsewhere!
@dissident_concepts 'New forum looks garbage by the way!'
Couldn't help thinking how much nicer this topic would have been on the old forum... easier to follow, and much easier to reply to, instead of having to use this tiddly little reply box, with the mouse handbag-sized icons... 🐁
maujohwai
·1 week ago>>I'm not bothered about spelling errors etc from private sellers
Misspellings can be useful, in fact. Suppose you're looking for a Canon camera, which is continually misspelled Cannon: search for that as well, and you may find one that few others have done.
zobth92
·1 week ago · EditedNever really thought about it before, but my dictionary of choice (Oxford Dictionary of English) lists vinyl as a mass noun or modifier (as in vinyl record). However, this is nearly 20 years old so perhaps I should get a new one!
The Official Scrabble Word book accepts "vinyls" so usage must have changed.
"I have a lot of vinyl in my collection" sounds OK, but "I've got 5 vinyl by Barry Manilow" sounds wrong, and casts doubts on your linguistic skills as well as your musical taste.
zobth92
·1 week ago · Edited.
maujohwai
·1 week agoUnfortunately, the last printed edition (probably ever) of the Oxford Dictionary of English is the 3rd Edition of 2010, and that doesn’t have the noun sense ‘a vinyl record’, but it is in the current incarnation, in Oxford Dictionaries online.
Of course, ‘vinyls’ was always possible meaning ‘types of vinyl wallpaper’, which used to be a common countable sense (they were so washable!), as in ‘we stock a wide range of vinyls’, just like ‘we stock coffees from around the world’.
theelench
·1 week agoThe ignorance of the young, or even not so young, can come in handy sometimes. Now that some people seem to like living in 'minimalist' rooms without ornaments, I've picked-up one or two black glass plinths for next to nothing, being sold upside-down as 'ashtrays' :)
selective_distribution
·1 week agoAs a mainly vinyl record seller of a certain age, I have to agree that the use of the word Vinyls among younger collectors, is really annoying, but I am just grateful that they are collecting at all. This is an absolutely true story.....I was in a Charity shop last year looking for vinyl records and I found a couple that I wanted to buy, so I took them to the the counter where a young girl was serving. As the records did not have any prices on them, I asked her how much they were, she looked puzzled, and shouted to someone in the back room......."How much are these large CD things?"........ It was funny, but the more I thought about it the more I came to realize that there was no reason that she should have known what they were, she had probably never even seen a Vinyl album.
tressygirl
·1 week agoYour story reminds me of going to a boot sale a few months ago, standing next to a family with children, a boy perhaps 8 or 9 picked up a VHS video and asked , ' what on earth is this? '
Same boot sale another family, another child again around 8 / 9 years old, picked up some books, mum shouted at top of her voice ' Put those books down, you don't read books! '
It's a worry!
suelel1968
·1 week agoHi @dissident_concepts I used to work for someone who got worked up over the use of the word "folks" and he would say " the plural of folk, is folk". Took me right back.
*guinevere*
·1 week agoIt's called Poetic Licence, I believe!
*vyolla*
·1 week agoWhilst I agree that to be 100% correct that should read "Let that vinyl spin again' , a lot the youngsters now say "I bought 5 vinyls" as opposed to "I bought 5 vinyl" so I guess its a bit of a moot point these days.
Years ago, when I worked for a major record label, I do recall that if one of the pluggers was going up to radio they did say "Give me 3 vinyls please".
I think it's a bit of case of either or, but do agree that when used in any marketing campaign somebody should get it right.