What does 'depth' mean on a 1980's builder's certificate?

[Tranona]

Oh dear, so many willing to surrender, it is fortunate that we still publish dictionaries attempting to maintain the correct definition of our language, though if most do not want to use them, I suppose there is little point.
I realize it is my own fault, far too old and from a generation where a good understanding and correct use of English was regarded as worthy.

There is no one "correct" definition of our language. If you resort to the dictionary for guidance on spelling, or even meanings of words all you are getting is what is accepted at the date of the dictionary you use.

Being picky about the use of particular spellings or meanings does not mean you are correct, but only a reflection of when you learned them. Of course the older you get, if you do not move with the times, the more your understanding diverges from the current norm (or in this particular case a norm that has actually changed several times as illustrated by others who have done the research).

For me one of the joys of being in HE for 30 years dealing with students (and staff) from all corners of the earth was learning to gain understanding of what was being written for me by seeing through all the nit picking. Then for a small number, usually the ones whose research I supervised, identifying those who could convey meaning and helping them write for the audience they were addressing. I have on my bookshelf a PhD from a Syrian I supervised which was praised by the examiners for its clarity of expression, even though it has a number of US spellings and syntax, simply because his research subject drew on extensive US literature.

 

[BrianH]

My last say (not really PBO stuff now!), but language has always evolved.

Being an ancient and having lived in other countries long enough to have had to learn the local language to survive, so much so that my native English is now my second one and I have become a linguistic relic frozen in a time-capsule with a vocabulary that has changed remarkably in my lifetime. Enough so that I still rage internally at the use of "invite" as a noun, which appears common usage even by broadsheet leader-writers. The other adjectival corruption that shocks me is the increasingly common transatlantic usage, "my bad" ... ugh! No doubt the answer to that is "too bad" - with an added "suck it up". Yuck!

However, that is indeed language evolution and despite the above I somehow applaud the use of "draft" for "draught" - a homonym in either form and at least spelt as pronounced, surely helpful for those struggling with what has become the world's lingua franca.

 

[Quandary]

But it is not the 16th. century, even in here, and short cutting to phonetic spelling is convenient but dilutes the richness of our language. As for definition, I used that word because in the OED they take the trouble to define the meaning of both words.
I have loved English as a language ever since I learned to read, a lot of my enthusiasm came from my father who started taking me to the library as soon as I could read and from the librarian there who introduced me to literature. Now though I struggle to spell, type with one finger, so Seppo English would be a lot more convenient, but even with my failing faculties I appreciate the efforts of the OED and others to maintain standards for our language. I enjoy their updates every year even though as a dinosaur I find it hard to like some of the words.
My objection to misusing 'draft' is that that is already a word with its own meaning, not just a lazy spelling.
(I suppose I should be using the word 'American' to describe the language used in the U.S.A. but since they elected Trump I am reluctant to allow them to continue to claim the identity of a continent.)

 

[NealB]

But it is not the 16th. century, even in here, and short cutting to phonetic spelling is convenient but dilutes the richness of our language. As for definition, I used that word because in the OED they take the trouble to define the meaning of both words.
I have loved English as a language ever since I learned to read, a lot of my enthusiasm came from my father who started taking me to the library as soon as I could read and from the librarian there who introduced me to literature. Now though I struggle to spell, type with one finger, so Seppo English would be a lot more convenient, but even with my failing faculties I appreciate the efforts of the OED and others to maintain standards for our language. I enjoy their updates every year even though as a dinosaur I find it hard to like some of the words.
My objection to misusing 'draft' is that that is already a word with its own meaning, not just a lazy spelling.
(I suppose I should be using the word 'American' to describe the language used in the U.S.A. but since they elected Trump I am reluctant to allow them to continue to claim the identity of a continent.)

But you seem to be totally hung up on what is, to me, an arbitrary 'rule'.

Why is the OED the only dictionary that you trust?

I have many dictionaries beside me, and they don't always agree about everything.

I don't think you can apply such strict rigidity to a living language.

In spoken English, you'd have no idea of how the speaker thinks the word was spelt ( or would you prefer 'spelled'?), yet you'd have no trouble at all understanding what was meant.

So your insistence on on a particular spelling seems rather illogical to me.

Anyway.... enjoy your draught.

 

[Quandary]

The OED is the definitive one for UK English? though I do not have one here, just a cheap out of date Collins, but I did think it was worth checking the OED (on-line via Google before posting)
When I made my first post on this thread I confessed to pedantry, I should also have included stupidity, who but a buck eejit ( more 16th cent. English?) would worry about spelling of words on an internet forum. I write quite a lot using 'Word' and still get annoyed by its determination to force me to eliminate the letter 'U', how stupid is that?
Anyway enough of my stupidity, it is not really worth wasting time on this sort of thing any more.

 

[Bilgediver]

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/molded-depth


Lets now discuss molded