"my boss is demented "
No, not _my_ boss, really but I’ve heard this story from a native american friend who started teaching a new group – a team of clerks and their supervisor.
He asked each of them to say something about one of the others and everything went fine until one of the ladies said:
“And he is very dement…ing” pointing at the supervisor.
Now my friend, being a good teacher shot a quick hint before he could even think about it.
“-ed”
“Yes, he is demented” the girl corrected herself
“Ummm… he does not… look… demented” the teacher tried to smooth things down sensing the coming storm
“Oh yes, but I am demented” asserted the supervisor himself
What else could they have done not really aware of the difference between “dement” and “demand”.
