Totally unimportant thread: Verse or Versus?

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CraigD

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Aug 8, 2006
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I am pretty sure I know the answer already, but in case I've missed something here's my chance to get set straight.

I have noticed Kirk Herbstreit lately saying things like "Alabama verse Auburn" - instead of "Alabama versus Auburn". It seems to be an intentional change on his part (to use "verse" instead of "versus"). This irks me tremendously for some reason. I think it's because I have a very high opinion of him and this is, to my knowledge, an out-of-nowhere bush-league concoction that is flat wrong.

Again, maybe I am really missing something here, but to my knowledge "verse" and "versus" are not related. One isn't a different form of the other, as far as my research tells me. Herbie is using "verse" as if it is a singular form of the plural "versus" or something. He has now pretty much replaced "versus" with "verse" in his vocabulary.

Anybody else notice this? Anybody else think it's a little odd and out of character for him?


I think I have heard others do this lately, as well. I hope it's not spreading.
 

seebell

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Mar 12, 2012
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His use of verse is improper but language evolves. If Kirk says it enough on TV soon the entire world will be using verse.

I haven't noticed it myself but most of us around here barely speak English.

This is really not a football topic but I am not well versed in that!:)

Kids are using verse.

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/why-do-kids-say-versing

The phenomenon of using the word 'verse' instead of 'versus' seems relatively recent, but to this 56 year old's ears, it's driving me nuts. I first started hearing this about 15 years ago when my sons were interested in Wrestlemania. They and their friends would be talking about who was wrestling who and would use the word 'verse.' I would gently correct them and tell them the correct word is ‘versus’ ... Latin for 'against.' It seems like suddenly this mis-usage is rampant. I'm actually hearing professional sportscaster making this error!"
Jackie also provided an example. She wrote,
"Before a soccer game ... my kids say, 'we are versing' such and such team. I would love to know what kid started using the verb form of 'versus,' but it certainly stuck!"


 
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B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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Hmm, this thread reminds me that I might need to do laundry.

 
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