Author Topic: Grammar nazi  (Read 184584 times)

Philociraptor

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1131
  • Age: 34
  • Location: NTX
  • Eat. Sleep. Invest. Repeat.
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #600 on: March 27, 2017, 03:39:18 PM »
Might've been mentioned before, but: inoperative vs inoperable.

Inoperative means not working. Inoperable means can't be successfully surgically operated on.



And yet, http://wikidiff.com/inoperable/inoperative
Did you not read your own link? It provides the same two definitions to inoperable that google does.

Hell, the picture even says "not able to be used" and "not working" under definition 2 of inoperable.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #601 on: March 28, 2017, 05:50:23 AM »
never understand this kind of people...

there are more important things in life than "grammatical errors"

I see. And you are, at all times, focused on the most important thing in life?

I never understand this kind of people. Taking the time to hit reply on a forum, only to leave a dismissive comment insulting all prior posters of the thread.

There are more important things in life than needing to assert one's superiority over complete strangers on the internet.

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #602 on: March 28, 2017, 09:20:03 AM »
never understand this kind of people...

there are more important things in life than "grammatical errors"

Begging your pardon, there is very little more important than proper grammar.

MandalayVA

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1569
  • Location: Orlando FL
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #603 on: March 28, 2017, 09:53:03 AM »
never understand this kind of people...

there are more important things in life than "grammatical errors"

Like capitalization of the first word in a sentence?

:D

Rimu05

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 291
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #604 on: March 28, 2017, 02:36:54 PM »
I learn I've become less of a grammar Nazi with may language learning. There are certain mistakes I don't think native speakers should be making, but I also realize as a Swahili speaker that my grammar in literary form is horrendous simply because I rarely write or read in it and mainly speak it.

I don't pause to think of grammar rules yet when I write, I have to sit there and stew about very simple things.

On that note, find myself "learning" Swahili all over again because I've never stopped to think why I use cha, la or ya. It just comes to me naturally.

I attend a French meet up monthly and there's a lady who's a native Spanish speaker and since I'm learning Spanish from the bottom, we were discussing the Spanish alphabet and she could barely recite it.

My English simply happens to overpower every language because it is not only one of the official languages of Kenya but it's been beaten into me through my love for reading.


On this topic though, it does annoy me when I see people not capitalize I.

Tay_CPA

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 61
  • Age: 32
  • Location: Portland, OR
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #605 on: March 28, 2017, 02:45:41 PM »
"Sneak peak" drives me crazy!

MDM

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 11477
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #606 on: March 28, 2017, 02:52:08 PM »
"Sneak peak" drives me crazy!

You don't like those seamounts that suddenly break the surface?

Tay_CPA

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 61
  • Age: 32
  • Location: Portland, OR
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #607 on: March 28, 2017, 04:43:57 PM »
"Sneak peak" drives me crazy!

You don't like those seamounts that suddenly break the surface?

Tectonically speaking, those types of sneaky peaks are actually quite interesting!

daverobev

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3961
  • Location: France
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #608 on: March 28, 2017, 04:53:06 PM »
"Sneak peak" drives me crazy!

You don't like those seamounts that suddenly break the surface?

Tectonically speaking, those types of sneaky peaks are actually quite interesting!

You've peaked my interest!

MMMaybe

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 390
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #609 on: April 04, 2017, 02:56:07 PM »
Is this someone from this thread?! He is a self-styled grammar vigilante...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39459831

TheFixer

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 79
  • Age: 58
  • Location: Middle 'Murikah
  • Getting smarter, 1 facepunch at a time
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #610 on: April 07, 2017, 07:52:08 AM »
Peek.
Peak.
Pique.

Language is both a virus and a weapon. Please use it responsibly.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #611 on: April 07, 2017, 08:45:42 AM »
Peek.
Peak.
Pique.

Language is both a virus and a weapon. Please use it responsibly.

Rain
Rein
Reign

They're
There
Their
(although, when typing, I often make errors that I never used to make when writing these)

I also have found myself substituting won for one.  Is this a typing-brain thing?  or an Alzheimer's thing?  Should I be concerned about won/one? 

MandalayVA

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1569
  • Location: Orlando FL
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #612 on: April 07, 2017, 09:13:38 AM »

I also have found myself substituting won for one.  Is this a typing-brain thing?  or an Alzheimer's thing?  Should I be concerned about won/one?

One ton = unit of weight

Won ton = tasty snack

Maybe you're hungry.  :D

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22320
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #613 on: April 07, 2017, 10:14:41 AM »
Funny, BlueHouse. I struggle with "grateful". I always want to spell it "greatful" because being grateful does not "grate", it is "great". I know how to spell it, but my brain wants to do it differently, every time.

Dave1442397

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1646
  • Location: NJ
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #614 on: April 07, 2017, 11:06:31 AM »
I also have found myself substituting won for one.  Is this a typing-brain thing?  or an Alzheimer's thing?  Should I be concerned about won/one?

Our daughter used to call wonton soup "one time soup" when she was little. I thought, yeah, that works :)

FIPurpose

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2061
  • Location: ME
    • FI With Purpose
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #615 on: April 15, 2017, 08:34:52 AM »
We have too many people complaining about "word usage" in this thread. Let's get back to complaining about grammar.

http://m.ragan.com/Main/Articles/Cut_it_out_Grammar_usage_syntax_are_not_the_same__46273.aspx

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida

firescape

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 62
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #617 on: April 15, 2017, 08:42:38 PM »
This is the worse thread ever!

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #618 on: April 16, 2017, 01:58:37 AM »
This is the worse thread ever!

This reminded me of how often I hear people say "If worse comes to worse".

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #619 on: April 17, 2017, 10:51:02 AM »
This is the worse thread ever!

This reminded me of how often I hear people say "If worse comes to worse".

So common now.  I think someone stopped teaching bad, worse, worst in school!  kids today don't seem to know .

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22320
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #620 on: April 17, 2017, 07:42:17 PM »
This is the worse thread ever!

This reminded me of how often I hear people say "If worse comes to worse".

So common now.  I think someone stopped teaching bad, worse, worst in school!  kids today don't seem to know .
I think this happened around the time they stopped reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and teaching cursive writing. Hell in a handbags kettle, I tell you!

That was supposed to be "handbasket", but that autofill is too funny, so stet.

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #621 on: April 17, 2017, 08:44:44 PM »
I like "tough road to hoe". Yes, a road would be very hard to hoe. And why would you want to?

deborah

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 15961
  • Age: 14
  • Location: Australia or another awesome area
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #622 on: April 17, 2017, 09:16:33 PM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #623 on: April 18, 2017, 04:28:18 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?

Dave1442397

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1646
  • Location: NJ
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #624 on: April 18, 2017, 05:34:26 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?

I think it's more to do with people repeating what they think they're hearing. I just read posts on both the Lexus and Cadillac forums where people complained about their car having a "shutter" at certain speeds. I haven't seen a car with shutters outside of Mad Max movies.

We also have a neighbor who keeps posting about events in Hunt Track. She lives in Hunt Tract.

Maybe it's because most people don't read much, so they never see the words as they're written.

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #625 on: April 18, 2017, 09:09:38 AM »
Maybe it's because most people don't read much, so they never see the words as they're written.

I have the opposite problem. I see words, but never hear them pronounced. When I finally hear the word, it's not how I imagined it.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #626 on: April 18, 2017, 09:18:07 AM »
Maybe it's because most people don't read much, so they never see the words as they're written.

I have the opposite problem. I see words, but never hear them pronounced. When I finally hear the word, it's not how I imagined it.

This is true of my husband, as well. He has quite an extensive vocabulary -- probably bigger than mine is. But over the years, we have discovered a number of words he has only read and never heard, so has stumbled over pronunciations in conversations with me.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #627 on: April 19, 2017, 09:10:07 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?

I think it's more to do with people repeating what they think they're hearing. I just read posts on both the Lexus and Cadillac forums where people complained about their car having a "shutter" at certain speeds. I haven't seen a car with shutters outside of Mad Max movies.

We also have a neighbor who keeps posting about events in Hunt Track. She lives in Hunt Tract.

Maybe it's because most people don't read much, so they never see the words as they're written.
Howdy Neighbor,  I used to live on Bentwood Drive.  (A few blocks away from Hunt Tract). 

I also love it it when people are in udder disbelief.  ha!

Dave1442397

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1646
  • Location: NJ
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #628 on: April 19, 2017, 11:42:36 AM »
Maybe it's because most people don't read much, so they never see the words as they're written.

I have the opposite problem. I see words, but never hear them pronounced. When I finally hear the word, it's not how I imagined it.

This is true of my husband, as well. He has quite an extensive vocabulary -- probably bigger than mine is. But over the years, we have discovered a number of words he has only read and never heard, so has stumbled over pronunciations in conversations with me.

That's a different issue, though. I'm talking about people who just the wrong word, not those who mispronounce the correct word.

The funniest one I remember was reading Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke. I was maybe eleven, and pronounced rendezvous just the way it was spelled.

I also remember Harlan Ellison talking about mispronouncing a word on a TV interview. He knew how to spell it, knew what it meant, but had never heard it used in conversation.

Dave1442397

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1646
  • Location: NJ
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #629 on: April 19, 2017, 11:45:09 AM »

Howdy Neighbor,  I used to live on Bentwood Drive.  (A few blocks away from Hunt Tract). 


Hi, that's close to me :) I cycle up and down Covered Bridge Road all the time.

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #630 on: April 19, 2017, 02:14:43 PM »
The funniest one I remember was reading Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke. I was maybe eleven, and pronounced rendezvous just the way it was spelled.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I did the same thing, with the same book, at about the same age.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #631 on: April 19, 2017, 02:20:01 PM »
The funniest one I remember was reading Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke. I was maybe eleven, and pronounced rendezvous just the way it was spelled.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I did the same thing, with the same book, at about the same age.

When I was a very small child -- probably like six or seven -- I had a picture book that had the word Chicago in it. I knew from context that it was a town, but I had never heard of a place called CHICK-a-go.

Because of this book and reading it silently to myself only, it took me a ridiculously long time to associate the town whose name was written CHICK-a-go with the city pronounced shi-KAH-go.

Prairie Stash

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #632 on: April 19, 2017, 05:24:43 PM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?
Or hoeing has a new meaning? I can't tell if you're being witty or don't know the other meaning, either way your post deserves a response.

"A tough road to hoe" is correct in urban centers. The old saying evolved; strangely it conveys the same meaning.

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #633 on: April 20, 2017, 12:22:34 AM »

When I was a very small child -- probably like six or seven -- I had a picture book that had the word Chicago in it. I knew from context that it was a town, but I had never heard of a place called CHICK-a-go.

Because of this book and reading it silently to myself only, it took me a ridiculously long time to associate the town whose name was written CHICK-a-go with the city pronounced shi-KAH-go.

Ha - I've done it too, been so used to my imagined pronunciation that the correct one sounds weird.

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22320
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #634 on: April 20, 2017, 02:32:55 AM »
When my brother was young, he was going to join the For-ee-jin Lee-jin.

I was planning a trip to Yo-sem-ite.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #635 on: April 20, 2017, 05:40:19 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?
Or hoeing has a new meaning? I can't tell if you're being witty or don't know the other meaning, either way your post deserves a response.

"A tough road to hoe" is correct in urban centers. The old saying evolved; strangely it conveys the same meaning.
Is it correct because it has been used incorrectly so often that it is just accepted now?  and what is the other meaning of "hoeing".  Do you mean "ho" as in a slang form of whore?  I'm so lost.
Anyway, when does a misuse of a word or phrase become so common that it changes the meaning or adds an alternate meaning to the word or phrase? 
I hear literally is an example, but I don't accept it. What's next?  Irregardless because so many people make the error?  How are we going to continue to judge others if language is no longer a differentiator?  (Just kidding.  Sorta)

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #636 on: April 20, 2017, 06:05:31 AM »
It depends on whether you are a prescriptive linguist or a descriptive linguist. Language is constantly evolving. Take the use of the subjunctive. Is it "If I were a rich man" or "If I was a rich man"? I learned to say it the first way, but when I ask people which one is correct, most tell me that both sound right.

Johnez

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Southern California
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #637 on: April 20, 2017, 06:10:17 AM »
I just learned what an Oxford comma is thanks to this thread.  After struggling so often with the thing myself, I find it hilarious how this little comma ended up being the subject of million dollar lawsuits.

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22320
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #638 on: April 20, 2017, 07:09:35 AM »
It depends on whether you are a prescriptive linguist or a descriptive linguist. Language is constantly evolving. Take the use of the subjunctive. Is it "If I were a rich man" or "If I was a rich man"? I learned to say it the first way, but when I ask people which one is correct, most tell me that both sound right.
The first musical I ever saw was "Fiddler On the Roof", so I know which version sounds right to me and who's singing it, lol.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #639 on: April 20, 2017, 07:21:39 AM »
It depends on whether you are a prescriptive linguist or a descriptive linguist. Language is constantly evolving. Take the use of the subjunctive. Is it "If I were a rich man" or "If I was a rich man"? I learned to say it the first way, but when I ask people which one is correct, most tell me that both sound right.
I saw something about forensic speech analysis for crime analysis and I think it was 12 or 13% of English speakers use the subjunctive tense and those are usually considered upper income and from highly educated backgrounds.  That's why I love those things -- because experts (and I'm not one) can tell so much about people just from how they speak.   But I don't know if the same will be possible after people who are born texting start to rule the world. 

Prairie Stash

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #640 on: April 20, 2017, 08:02:26 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?
Or hoeing has a new meaning? I can't tell if you're being witty or don't know the other meaning, either way your post deserves a response.

"A tough road to hoe" is correct in urban centers. The old saying evolved; strangely it conveys the same meaning.
Is it correct because it has been used incorrectly so often that it is just accepted now?  and what is the other meaning of "hoeing".  Do you mean "ho" as in a slang form of whore?  I'm so lost.
Anyway, when does a misuse of a word or phrase become so common that it changes the meaning or adds an alternate meaning to the word or phrase? 
I hear literally is an example, but I don't accept it. What's next?  Irregardless because so many people make the error?  How are we going to continue to judge others if language is no longer a differentiator?  (Just kidding.  Sorta)
A hoe (or ho) is the slang form of whore. A tough road to hoe means the ho is having a tough time doing business, just like the original meant the field was tough to cultivate.

A phrase is acceptable when the person hearing it understands its meaning. When I talk to you I should use tough row to hoe, to an urbanite I could use tough road to hoe. In your example you used words that were used with incorrect meanings (literally), in my example there are two correct meanings; I judge when people just use the word incorrectly. Eventually though, literally will have a new meaning in the dictionary.  As the usage grows the new meaning will become the standard; that's the way English works or we would all still understand Shakespeare.
« Last Edit: April 20, 2017, 09:18:25 AM by Prairie Stash »

Prairie Stash

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #641 on: April 20, 2017, 09:22:13 AM »
It depends on whether you are a prescriptive linguist or a descriptive linguist. Language is constantly evolving. Take the use of the subjunctive. Is it "If I were a rich man" or "If I was a rich man"? I learned to say it the first way, but when I ask people which one is correct, most tell me that both sound right.
I saw something about forensic speech analysis for crime analysis and I think it was 12 or 13% of English speakers use the subjunctive tense and those are usually considered upper income and from highly educated backgrounds.  That's why I love those things -- because experts (and I'm not one) can tell so much about people just from how they speak.   But I don't know if the same will be possible after people who are born texting start to rule the world.
Its started already. Movies and music from the USA do more to influence and unify the English language than anything else. I grew up with certain regional words that were replaced by their American versions; you can tell when people started getting cable TV by their use of certain words. Backwater parts still use the old terms, people with the means to afford cable use the American terms.

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20746
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #642 on: April 20, 2017, 10:19:45 AM »
^And most of Canada basically has one accent thanks to the CBC.  Newfoundland only joined in 1949, which is why they have the only really distinct Canadian accent.



Rimu05

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 291
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #643 on: April 21, 2017, 08:03:28 AM »
When my brother was young, he was going to join the For-ee-jin Lee-jin.

I was planning a trip to Yo-sem-ite.

I remember pronouncing it yohs-might and everyone laughed. Then everyone was shocked that I didn't know what in heaven's name yoh-seh-me-tea (pronunciation here) was. Since, I wasn't born in the U.S, I'd never heard about it. The spelling is very misleading

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #644 on: April 21, 2017, 08:19:13 AM »
When my brother was young, he was going to join the For-ee-jin Lee-jin.

I was planning a trip to Yo-sem-ite.

I remember pronouncing it yohs-might and everyone laughed. Then everyone was shocked that I didn't know what in heaven's name yoh-seh-me-tea (pronunciation here) was. Since, I wasn't born in the U.S, I'd never heard about it. The spelling is very misleading

I hear ya. I did grow up in the U.S. and I've always had trouble with Yosemite.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #645 on: April 21, 2017, 08:21:06 AM »
When my brother was young, he was going to join the For-ee-jin Lee-jin.

I was planning a trip to Yo-sem-ite.

I remember pronouncing it yohs-might and everyone laughed. Then everyone was shocked that I didn't know what in heaven's name yoh-seh-me-tea (pronunciation here) was. Since, I wasn't born in the U.S, I'd never heard about it. The spelling is very misleading

I hear ya. I did grow up in the U.S. and I've always had trouble with Yosemite.


I am embarrassed to admit how old I was before I realized that La Jolla was actually what I'd always assumed was spelled "La Hoya."

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20746
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #646 on: April 21, 2017, 05:18:23 PM »
I grew up in Quebec so when I see French spelling I think French pronunciation.  Elsewhere, I have no idea how to say things with French spelling.  Des Moines?  And last names, that is a real mine filed when French has been anglicized, so many possibilities.


Dee

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
  • Location: Ottawa, Canada
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #647 on: April 21, 2017, 05:49:22 PM »
I recently misheard "parting of the ways" as "permanent malaise". (I know this was a pronounciation/hearing issue and has nothing to do with grammar but I found it amusing.)

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #648 on: April 22, 2017, 05:37:50 AM »
But it's ROW not ROAD! And you hoe a row, then another... until finally the whole field is weed-free. A tough row has too many deep rooted weeds, and probably stones.

Exactly. A linguistics professor of mine wondered if the shift from the original "row" to "road" was because of our increasingly urban society. Perhaps most people have forgotten hoeing?
Or hoeing has a new meaning? I can't tell if you're being witty or don't know the other meaning, either way your post deserves a response.

"A tough road to hoe" is correct in urban centers. The old saying evolved; strangely it conveys the same meaning.
Is it correct because it has been used incorrectly so often that it is just accepted now?  and what is the other meaning of "hoeing".  Do you mean "ho" as in a slang form of whore?  I'm so lost.
Anyway, when does a misuse of a word or phrase become so common that it changes the meaning or adds an alternate meaning to the word or phrase? 
I hear literally is an example, but I don't accept it. What's next?  Irregardless because so many people make the error?  How are we going to continue to judge others if language is no longer a differentiator?  (Just kidding.  Sorta)
A hoe (or ho) is the slang form of whore. A tough road to hoe means the ho is having a tough time doing business, just like the original meant the field was tough to cultivate.

A phrase is acceptable when the person hearing it understands its meaning. When I talk to you I should use tough row to hoe, to an urbanite I could use tough road to hoe. In your example you used words that were used with incorrect meanings (literally), in my example there are two correct meanings; I judge when people just use the word incorrectly. Eventually though, literally will have a new meaning in the dictionary.  As the usage grows the new meaning will become the standard; that's the way English works or we would all still understand Shakespeare.
Haha. Sorry prariestash, I am an "urbanite" and can safely say that I have never heard anyone use the slang word "ho" as a verb and certainly not to describe how difficult their job is!  I am familiar with the slang use of the word, but that doesn't translate into another version of the saying. No, what you described really is a misuse of the phrase, coupled with an attempt to legitimize it. Really?  Have you ever heard the phrase "I'm going to go ho this road"?  Well, okay, but it's a tough one!  Ha. That is ludicrous.   I think this is an actual egg corn.
As for literally, the second definition (it's literal opposite) has already made it into the dictionary as an alternate definition!  I'm not ready to accept it yet, but as you say, language evolves and so must we.

shelivesthedream

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6745
  • Location: London, UK
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #649 on: April 23, 2017, 03:43:53 AM »
People who use ellipses between sentences instead of full stops...I worked for someone who did that once...In her professional emails...I see it sometimes on Facebook too...Drives me absolutely nuts...In my head I read it out with a comically significant pause between each sentence and a meaningful "You know what I'm saying??" tone...

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!