…… A quick grammar note

Martinhouse

Deceased
Too many misspellings, bad grammar, poor punctuation or lack of it, and plain old misuse of words or expressions here...it would be hard to list them all.

I've decided that not many people care to be told they are doing anything wrong, so I decded it would be easier to teach myself not to cringe when I come across these things. I do hate skipping a new thread because the title isn't punctuated enough to have meaning, but I do skip most of those just to save time.

I would not mind being told I've used or spelled a word incorrectly because I don't want to ever stop learning...............

(but I REALLY wish people would stop using "woah" for "whoa" and "wallah" for "voila"!)
 

The Snack Artist

Membership Revoked
I corrected a younger man about the loose vs lose thing last night. He wanted to say lose but typed loose. I brought it to his attention and his response? As long as I can communicate verbally correctly, I think I'll be fine. Don't be the goofus! Don't be lazy! Use the correct grammar and pronunciation.
 

ShadowMan

Designated Grumpy Old Fart
BOTTOM LINE FOLKS......IT'S YOUR FRIGGEN LANGUAGE!! LEARN IT! USE IT!

There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for slaughtering your MOTHER tongue. My spelling SUCKS and I really work on it. My grammar is a challenge and I really work on it. My handwriting is IMMACULATE!! OK....I cheated in that I actually was taught and held accountable, i.e. graded on my handwriting all the way through high school, and I learned calligraphy in several fonts.

Sloppy handwriting is the sign of a lazy and SLOPPY MIND. (yes I said that!)

Back when I was subbing. I actually had to STOP teaching US History for nearly a week to TEACH four classes of Juniors and Seniors in HIGH SCHOOL how to both read and write cursive writing. Why? Because I was using original documents written in the late 1940's regarding the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan. Letters from President Truman and various government and international players. 2/3's of my four classes COULDN'T READ long hand!?!?!?

I was HIGHLY offended that so many of my students couldn't read or write in cursive English. I'm sorry, but there is NO EXCUSE for not knowing and communicating IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE!! NONE!! And yes I do break the rules from time to time and in using too many "......." between words, and so on. I accept that I've corrupted MY LANGUAGE somewhat, but that it is also the cool thing about ENGLISH. It is adaptable, malleable, however at the same time we should at least be able to use the basics and spell correctly.
 

AlaskaSue

North to the Future
Its, it's... I always have to think that one through.
Your, You're...just go with "yer."
Still can't spell "squirrell," without Spell Check, and it usually gives me only "squire," no matter HOW many variations I type.

SIMPLE, simple folks. There is no apostrophe in the possessive form of it. 'It's easy to say that my car is on its last legs!'
 

Hermantribe

Veteran Member
"I could care less" is my pet peeve. They mean the couldn't care less.

And misusing alumnus, alumna, alumni drives me crazy. Better stop now.....
 

ShadowMan

Designated Grumpy Old Fart
I really don't mean to be a PRICK, seriously I really really don't. There is nothing wrong with being proud of and trying to striving to being literate, correct and proper. You don't have to be a "pris" or "Grammar NAZI", but you if you can't communicate in your own language properly just how much credibility can you possibly expect to have. Seriously, people. Stop and think about it!
 

Walrus

Veteran Member
I have seen this over and over for months now; it's driving me up the wall. It's not just here either, it's prevalent throughout online media as well. It's like the english-speaking world is falling into illiteracy.

The past tense of the verb "to lead" is LED, not LEAD: I will lead, I am leading, I led.

The "lead" that rhymes with "led" is the name of the elemental metal.
A former pastor used to have a block of lead sitting on his desk. When I axed him what it was for, he said that sometimes during counselling, someone would say, "But Pastor, I just don't feel led". So he would shove the block over to them and said, "Here. Feel this. Now you've felt lead".
 

night driver

ESFP adrift in INTJ sea
Nah he was the audible soul of the Cubs. Cardinals.

'Bout a third of my typographical errors are keyboard-related (bouncing keys or short-stroking the keys).
Another third is speed-related (brain working MUCH faster than fingers).
And the other third is (often failed) attempts at dialect.

And I hate Grammarly. I have loud arguments with that biotch!!


And yes there were two actors of this name.
 

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
Beware! There is method in the madness of “anything goes grammar” dumbing down young Americans!

The problem with allowing/accepting one’s language to become corrupted and imprecise is that it won’t be long before you get laws so badly, imprecisely, written that you could build and fill Concentration camps with those people who interpret/obey those laws in a way that diverges from the real and evil intent of the people who deliberately wrote them with the broad “wiggle room” of interpretation, enough to justify and authorize their totalitarian aspirations!!

Now regarded as a joke, even here, but when employed as a weapon to “legally” oppress, it aintfunny at all!
 
Last edited:

FaithfulSkeptic

Carrying the mantle of doubt
I have seen this over and over for months now; it's driving me up the wall. It's not just here either, it's prevalent throughout online media as well. It's like the english-speaking world is falling into illiteracy.

The past tense of the verb "to lead" is LED, not LEAD: I will lead, I am leading, I led.

The "lead" that rhymes with "led" is the name of the elemental metal.
Technically, LED is Light Emitting Diode. Just saying ;)
 

zeker

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Poor spelling and incorrect word usage bug me, too. But I have come to realize that some people just do not have the gift of being a good speller, or being able to remember which word to use in a particular instance. Since there are some people in my own family who have these problems and I know they are of above-average intelligence and gifted in other areas, I've decided it's not worth getting upset over the few things they don't do well.

Kathleen

A friend and his family are all terrible spellers

I care not.

they are all great folks and would help out

at the drop of a hat

I won so many spelling bees when I was a kid

now, spelling sometimes escapes me

I think a lot of the poor spelling these days

is from texting

everything is abbreviated
 

zeker

Has No Life - Lives on TB
BOTTOM LINE FOLKS......IT'S YOUR FRIGGEN LANGUAGE!! LEARN IT! USE IT!

There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for slaughtering your MOTHER tongue. My spelling SUCKS and I really work on it. My grammar is a challenge and I really work on it. My handwriting is IMMACULATE!! OK....I cheated in that I actually was taught and held accountable, i.e. graded on my handwriting all the way through high school, and I learned calligraphy in several fonts.

Sloppy handwriting is the sign of a lazy and SLOPPY MIND. (yes I said that!)

Back when I was subbing. I actually had to STOP teaching US History for nearly a week to TEACH four classes of Juniors and Seniors in HIGH SCHOOL how to both read and write cursive writing. Why? Because I was using original documents written in the late 1940's regarding the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan. Letters from President Truman and various government and international players. 2/3's of my four classes COULDN'T READ long hand!?!?!?

I was HIGHLY offended that so many of my students couldn't read or write in cursive English. I'm sorry, but there is NO EXCUSE for not knowing and communicating IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE!! NONE!! And yes I do break the rules from time to time and in using too many "......." between words, and so on. I accept that I've corrupted MY LANGUAGE somewhat, but that it is also the cool thing about ENGLISH. It is adaptable, malleable, however at the same time we should at least be able to use the basics and spell correctly.

wasn't cursive brought up in the Saint Travon trial?

the states key witness stated "I dont read cursive"

I remember above the blackboard

in every classroom

was, each letter in cursive

with capitals and short form
 

FollowTruth

Phantom Lurker
One that's become more common is when the writer uses of instead of have. Grating examples are: could of; should of; would of. "I should of done it" rather than "I should have done it".

I think it's due to how people hear certain contractions: should've sounds like should of even though it's the contraction of should have.

:strs:
 

ohiohippie

Veteran Member
I was an above average student born and raised in Northern Ohio.
I transplanted to Southern Ohio over 40 years ago.
When I go back home within two days the way I speak reverts back to northern with a southern accent.
It’s pretty much about geography not intelligence.
I wonder how many ppl feel stupid reading this thread or want to say get over it?
I am thankful that God looks on my heart and not my ain’ts!!!
 
Last edited:

Catnip

Veteran Member
Best i remember Einstein had a problem with words and spelling them. He was made to sit in the back corner of the schoolroom wearing a dunce cap, this was in third grade i think. I'm not going to commit harry carry over a misspelled word or two from time to time.
Mike
Which just shows to go ya that no ones perfect.
 

alpha

Veteran Member
I'm guilty of judging people based upon what they claim to be versus what they are in actuality. Examples include 'enlightened' college degree holders who can't critically analyze cause/effect, religious leaders who, though great communicators, fail the personal lifestyle test and, of course, educators who teach what to think rather than how to think.
I was raised by a superb male role model who, though relatively crass (not foul), spoke two languages (neither well) yet was my hero and motivator to become all I could be.
Following in his footsteps, I won't judge a man by his education, but rather by his honesty.
 

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
I wonder how many ppl feel stupid reading this thread or want to say get over it?
I am thankful that God looks on my heart and not my ain’ts!!!
Clear written communication on a web forum is extremely important. Some of the gibberish that a few folks write barely qualifies as language. The problem is primarily caused by laziness and lack of proofreading. There are only a handful here who genuinely can’t write. I leave those people alone.
 

willowlady

Veteran Member
1) If this is what some of you consider worthy of your time right now you should consider psychological therapy.

2) Mind your own business and quit being whiney Karens.
The above mindset is exactly how this nation got where it is today. Nobody wants to pay attention to detail, nor uphold any standards -- except how they feel about things.
 
Top