"The Noughties"?

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

> Geoff: 
> > This is why, for example, the past tense of "travel" is "travelled",
> otherwise it would be pronounced 'tray-veld" or something akin to 
> that. Sssh - don't tell our American friends, they've been spelling it
> the wrong way for years.
> 
> Carol:
> Well, no. The "e" in "travel" isn't short. It's an unaccented vowel (a
> schwa), which isn't affected by consonant doubling. 

Geoff (today):
Sorry. I made a pig's ear of that one; it was completely the wrong 
example, I should have quoted examples such as "mat/matted",  
"pat/patted", "clip/clipping" and so on.

> Geoff: 
> > If I don't reply to this thread again today, have a good Leap Year
> Day and, guys, if you're not hooked already, watch out for low-flying
> maidens of the non-cricket variety.
> 
> Carol:
> "Low-flying maidens"?

Geoff:
Forget the "low flying". Today's the day when maidens can pop the
question to their possible beaux being the day it is. Mark you, they 
might be low-flying because they're trying a Rugby tackle on their 
prey to stop them getting away. We have had at least two live 
on-screen proposals on TV over here today.....
:-)