The nouning of "fail".

Not generally, but here is an example:

Every weekend, without fail, they leave the city for the quietude of the country.

And these.

A website dedicated to the nouning of "fail": http://www.todaysbigfail.com/view/20090624

Then, Googled:

Why Steven Sande's ability to adapt to a new keyboard is a fail.

We've got a possible ra

I hear that nouning of nouns is going on.

e.g.

"Hey, pass me some beerage, dude"

http://www.EnglishForward.com#error

Even the verb swear is being nouned.

e.g.

AnonymousWhile a human listener can intuitively grasp the meaning of a swear through inflection and other cues, a robot can't.

That's good news, because if the robots would ever take over the world, we humans have an undecipherable secret language to use for making a revolution and overthrowing them.

AlpheccaStarsThat's good news, because if the robots would ever take over the world, we humans have an undecipherable secret language to use for making a revolution and overthrowing them.

Good point. We could meet them with open arms and a smile while telling them to f*ck off, and they wouldn't know the difference. ;-)

The noun "fail" is unremarkable. It occurs in Middle English.

MrP

MrPedanticThe noun "fail" is unremarkable. It occurs in Middle English.

MrP

Many things that were unremarkable might be remarkable now, right?

Beyond the OED, circa 1287, example of "without fail", can you give more examples of its use in that period, MrP?

I don't need to, old chap. One counter-example is enough to falsify the notion that "fail" as a noun is a new development.

MrP

MrPedanticI don't need to, old chap. One counter-example is enough to falsify the notion that "fail" as a noun is a new development.

MrP


So, would you say that the speakers who now use it as a noun are/were aware of that one "ancient", yet extant, item? Do you think they developed the wider use from that single example?