Guardian writer should go back to skool

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

I dare say this will be fixed quickly online, but as of now the piece linked below contains the following gem:

The Queen, masked, will travel in the state Bentley at the rear of the ceremonial procession and be accompanied by a lady-in-waiting who will then take a seat at the back of the chapel, away from the quire, where the main congregation will be seated

Prince Philip: William and Harry to walk apart as Queen sits alone at funeral | Prince Philip | The Guardian

I wasn't familiar with the word "quire" so did a google search in case it was some term of ecclesiastical architecture I was unaware of. But no, it seems to have only one meaning, namely a certain (small) quantity of paper. So, assuming the seating arrangements aren't being planned around some folded paper equal to one twentieth of a ream, it would appear that someone writing for the Grauniad can't spell "choir". Which I find more than a little surprising.

[sw2borshch]

[Balderdasha]

It's probably all auto written by AI now, or someone has dictated it verbally, and the system can't distinguish between the sound of quire and choir.

[tee rex]

Although antiquated now, the term "quire" was used for the specific area of the cathedral. I remember it from my church-going compulsory attendance, back in the days of yore.

Example: https://collections.st-andrews.ac.uk...thedral/122875

[Sporting]

Choir is a strange word, sound and spelling barely on speaking terms.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Ah, thanks tee rex, that's a lesson for me! Much egg on face at my end here. I thought it was an unlikely error, but Wiktionary et al let me down. I should have gone to the good old hard copy OED on my bookshelf instead of Prof Google.

[Sits]

The Quireboys really thought they looked good, didn’t they?

[Nocturnal Submission]

The Quireboys really thought they looked good, didn’t they?

Opinion was divided on the matter. They thought they looked amazing; everyone else disagreed.

[Bored Of Education]

"I first met (Lemmy) at the St Moritz Club in Wardour Street, opposite the old Marquee club. He’d stand there at the fruit machine and the head would tilt whenever someone walked down the stairs. If he knew you, there’d be a nod. I started to get that nod, which led to a “Hello, mate” and from there to “Do you want a drink?” When I told him I had joined this band The Queerboys, who became The Quireboys, Lemmy’s reply was, “You’ve got to change that name, mate.” And of course the pressure made us do just that, so he was quite right." Former Quireboys bass player Nigel Mogg.

[Patrick Thistle]

Webster and Collins have it down as an archaic spelling of choir. I have a feeling I've seen it preserved that way in a hymn - possible the carol The Holly & The Ivy. It is also often used in a cathedral or other large building for the area where the choir usually sit.

One of those words it's useful to know for Scrabble.

[Amor de Cosmos]

The Queen's going to wear a mask? Like the Lone Ranger? Or, even better, the Anonymous/Guy Fawkes mask?

[Amor de Cosmos]

Why is it compulsory not to smile if you're a musician these days? They all look they're about to mug me for spare change.

[treibeis]

"I first met (Lemmy) at the St Moritz Club in Wardour Street, opposite the old Marquee club. He’d stand there at the fruit machine and the head would tilt whenever someone walked down the stairs. If he knew you, there’d be a nod. I started to get that nod, which led to a “Hello, mate” and from there to “Do you want a drink?” When I told him I had joined this band The Queerboys, who became The Quireboys, Lemmy’s reply was, “You’ve got to change that name, mate.” And of course the pressure made us do just that, so he was quite right." Former Quireboys bass player Nigel Mogg.

Leave Nigels alone.

I went to school with a Nigel who went on to play gee-tar in Onslaught. He was Nigel Rockett, aka Nige Rockett. That's an all-right thrash-metal guitarist's name.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The only good thing in the Guardian some days is David's cartoon. And that's only once a week.

[Fussbudget]

I once won a game of Scrabble on my last go by scoring 75+ points* with a triple word score on 'QUIRE' and 'QI' simultaneously, definitely one of my life's top achievements (let me make a note of this for the next time a job interviewer asks.) Complete gamble on whether 'quire' was a word as I had to get rid of the Q - like anyone who's ever played Scrabble I knew 'qi' was one obvs.

* I think it was crossing to form at least one other 2-letter word as well

[treibeis]

I once won a game of Scrabble on my last go by scoring 75+ points* with a triple word score on 'QUIRE' and 'QI' simultaneously, definitely one of my life's top achievements (let me make a note of this for the next time a job interviewer asks.) Complete gamble on whether 'quire' was a word as I had to get rid of the Q - like anyone who's ever played Scrabble I knew 'qi' was one obvs.

* I think it was crossing to form at least one other 2-letter word as well

Your Scrabble opponent must have been pretty shit to let you do that. Or must have fancied you, seeing as it was your last go, and that.

[sw2borshch]

I have played Scrabble with Fussbudget once, I was winning something like 150-100 with around 20 letters left to play and lost 170-270 or so.

[Jah Womble]

It's probably all auto written by AI now, or someone has dictated it verbally, and the system can't distinguish between the sound of quire and choir.

The Royal Family itself should be AI by now. It ‘is’ 2021, for Christ’s sake.

[delicatemoth]

I like the one third from the left who doesn't know what to do with his hands. But which one's Nigel?

[Satchmo Distel]

The old headscarf concealing baldness trick.

[Nocturnal Submission]

He looks a bit like Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) from Silence of the Lambs.