Author Topic: Grammar nazi  (Read 184547 times)

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #200 on: March 07, 2015, 06:30:18 PM »
I see "lose/loose" a lot these days.

than/then
your/you're/youre (?)

Before I read this forum I'd never encountered "spend" as a noun, e.g. "my annual spend". It grates against my eyeballs. Should be "spending".

Grid

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 463
  • Age: 10
  • I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #201 on: March 07, 2015, 06:34:38 PM »
Before I read this forum I'd never encountered "spend" as a noun, e.g. "my annual spend". It grates against my eyeballs. Should be "spending".

Me neither, but I use it now.  Is it a British thing?  Or an Australian thing?  Or even a Canadian thing?  Because it's a more efficient way of getting the point across (spend instead of spending), I embrace it.

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #202 on: March 07, 2015, 07:45:18 PM »
Before I read this forum I'd never encountered "spend" as a noun, e.g. "my annual spend". It grates against my eyeballs. Should be "spending".

Me neither, but I use it now.  Is it a British thing?  Or an Australian thing?  Or even a Canadian thing?  Because it's a more efficient way of getting the point across (spend instead of spending), I embrace it.

I dunno where it originated. I don't know where any of the things that bug me originate: starting a reply to a question with "So...", constant use of "right?" as an emphasizer, etc. You hear it once and then all of a sudden it's all over the place, like the decision has been made in a smoke-filled room somewhere that this is how we're going to talk from now on. (Don't get me started on "in the future" or "from now on" being replaced by "going/moving forward".)

It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #203 on: March 07, 2015, 07:54:43 PM »
Before I read this forum I'd never encountered "spend" as a noun, e.g. "my annual spend". It grates against my eyeballs. Should be "spending".

Me neither, but I use it now.  Is it a British thing?  Or an Australian thing?  Or even a Canadian thing?  Because it's a more efficient way of getting the point across (spend instead of spending), I embrace it.

I dunno where it originated. I don't know where any of the things that bug me originate: starting a reply to a question with "So...", constant use of "right?" as an emphasizer, etc. You hear it once and then all of a sudden it's all over the place, like the decision has been made in a smoke-filled room somewhere that this is how we're going to talk from now on. (Don't get me started on "in the future" or "from now on" being replaced by "going/moving forward".)

It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

I love the verbification-of-nouns trend. 'Math' is a great example. We here on this forum know how to math, but those poor suckers on the outside can't math worth a crap.

TheBuddha

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #204 on: March 07, 2015, 08:08:28 PM »
Before I read this forum I'd never encountered "spend" as a noun, e.g. "my annual spend". It grates against my eyeballs. Should be "spending".

Me neither, but I use it now.  Is it a British thing?  Or an Australian thing?  Or even a Canadian thing?  Because it's a more efficient way of getting the point across (spend instead of spending), I embrace it.

I dunno where it originated. I don't know where any of the things that bug me originate: starting a reply to a question with "So...", constant use of "right?" as an emphasizer, etc. You hear it once and then all of a sudden it's all over the place, like the decision has been made in a smoke-filled room somewhere that this is how we're going to talk from now on. (Don't get me started on "in the future" or "from now on" being replaced by "going/moving forward".)

It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

I love the verbification-of-nouns trend. 'Math' is a great example. We here on this forum know how to math, but those poor suckers on the outside can't math worth a crap.

You're right that is kinda cool. People on this forum also know how to grammar :)

Megma

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 744
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #205 on: March 07, 2015, 08:21:22 PM »
When people say less instead of fewer! Countable vs uncountable nouns people, it's not that hard!

Sunnymo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 103
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #206 on: March 14, 2015, 02:53:03 AM »
When people say less instead of fewer! Countable vs uncountable nouns people, it's not that hard!

This has long been a family pet peeve. Supermarkets are very visible main offender; '12 items or less' grrrrr!

I am surprised that can vs may has not come up. Can = ability; may = permission

Another one I call irregular plurals; Attorneys general not Attorney generals or sisters in law not sister in laws.

My final one for now is 'repluralising'; 'agendas'. Agendum is singular, agenda is plural, agendas is nonsense.

Gerard

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1570
  • Location: eastern canada
    • Optimacheap
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #207 on: March 14, 2015, 04:35:53 AM »
Can = ability; may = permission
Attorneys general not Attorney generals or sisters in law not sister in laws.
My final one for now is 'repluralising'; 'agendas'. Agendum is singular, agenda is plural, agendas is nonsense.

I think 2 and 3 here are examples where the "right" way makes sense only if you know how the word came into English. But I wouldn't want to take that to its ridiculous conclusion, because then we'd need "attorneys generals", because the word order has been retained from French, so why not the agreement on the (original) adjective, too?

Also, if we do the history thing, can/may falls apart, as they both come from words relating to ability ('can' is related to 'know' and 'cunning', 'may' is related to 'mighty').

[Sorry, my inner Word Nerd needs to jump out whenever it gets the chance!]

Sunnymo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 103
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #208 on: March 14, 2015, 05:41:30 AM »

[Sorry, my inner Word Nerd needs to jump out whenever it gets the chance!]


That might be a nerd too far for me.

We would always get corrected on the can/may as children and took great delight in catching out the parents on rare occasions. My father was a German teacher and I think I pick up more grammar from him and studying German in school than all the lessons in English.

My sister has studied Latin and German as a double major at university and achieved a 4.0 GPA in Latin so she can at times be very extreme on the GN scale.

Sunnymo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 103
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #209 on: March 14, 2015, 05:49:02 AM »
I am surprised we are this far in and no one has posted the following (warning really NSFW or small children) (it might be best to listen with headphones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt8_HybhM5Q

I understand that most people believe this to be Monty Python but is in attributed to other parties. It is a grammar lesson that may be the only way to get the attention of some people.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2015, 04:15:38 PM by Sunnymo »

Grid

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 463
  • Age: 10
  • I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #210 on: March 14, 2015, 10:58:09 AM »
Agendum is singular, agenda is plural, agendas is nonsense.

TIL:  agendum.  You learn something new every day.

FIPurpose

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2061
  • Location: ME
    • FI With Purpose

solon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2359
  • Age: 1823
  • Location: OH
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #212 on: March 14, 2015, 04:28:47 PM »
Agendum is singular, agenda is plural, agendas is nonsense.

Sorry. This one might make you an actual nazi. Agenda/agendas in English. Agendum is from some other language that is irrelevant here.

frugalnacho

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5055
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Metro Detroit
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #213 on: March 16, 2015, 09:10:48 AM »
Agendum is singular, agenda is plural, agendas is nonsense.

Sorry. This one might make you an actual nazi. Agenda/agendas in English. Agendum is from some other language that is irrelevant here.

I agree.  Agendum is latin and not used in english.  Agenda/agendas is correct.

Apples

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1372
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #214 on: March 17, 2015, 03:42:55 PM »
I hate when someone uses "learn" when the mean "teach".  It drives me bonkers.  I work with guys who have no idea about their/there/they're to/too, or bring/take and I try to let it all slide.  But learn/teach pushes my buttons.

Apples

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1372
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #215 on: March 17, 2015, 03:50:28 PM »
I've noticed a disturbing trend of people dropping 'to be' in typing . . . writing that something 'needs done' makes me wince.

I think that might be a southern thing. I used to hear that all the time in the South, but I don't hear it too much in the mid-Atlantic region.

I first heard Scottish friends say it (needs done, needs fixed, needs murdered etc.), but I do hear it occasionally from other people these days and I suspect I have said it myself.  I like it.  It has a ring of brisk practicality to me.  :)  I have yet to see it written, aside from the above.

P.S.  Was it a faux pas to use :) in a grammar thread?

This is from a few pages ago, but I live near the Mason-Dixon line, and I skip "to be" ALL THE TIME when speaking.  In writing I go back and forth, and sometimes need someone else to proofread an important document for me, because I don't notice that "to be" is missing.  I guess it's implied inside my head?  However, my family is also Scotch-Irish and definitely fall into the thrifty/Presbyterian Scots group, so maybe it's just been passed through the generations.  Or it could be a regional thing.  But I had a friend in college who called me out on it at least once a week, and until then I didn't know I was doing it. 

a moist sack of nickels

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #216 on: March 17, 2015, 07:32:03 PM »
My pet peeve is people presuming to demand a rigorous approach to language despite the max planck institute linguistika having established that spoken language is universally fraught with irregularities and errors which are forgiven because conversation exists in a space of cooperation and generosity. Also when the people complaining about a supposed error are literally blind to whether the supposed error is in fact in error.

MMMaybe

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 390
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #217 on: March 18, 2015, 03:21:21 AM »
I've noticed a disturbing trend of people dropping 'to be' in typing . . . writing that something 'needs done' makes me wince.

I think that might be a southern thing. I used to hear that all the time in the South, but I don't hear it too much in the mid-Atlantic region.

I first heard Scottish friends say it (needs done, needs fixed, needs murdered etc.), but I do hear it occasionally from other people these days and I suspect I have said it myself.  I like it.  It has a ring of brisk practicality to me.  :)  I have yet to see it written, aside from the above.

P.S.  Was it a faux pas to use :) in a grammar thread?

I would say, it needs doing. But thats a turn of phrase in England.

MMMaybe

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 390
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #218 on: March 18, 2015, 03:35:55 AM »
What a great thread. Most of my little annoyances have been covered already. I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

I live in Asia so I do see a lot of absolute corkers but some of my favourites are the ones that are pretty close but just not quite there...examples include...

I can see a sign out of my window for an insurance company called Insular Life. (Insurance for the small minded or isolated?)

I walked past a restaurant today offering Subversive Filipino Cuisine. (Shall we alert the authorities about an impending culinary takeover with force involved?)

Oh and something I see a lot is the misuse of the word serviced. I saw an ad for a real estate agency that has claimed to have been servicing the senior management of many high profile companies for years. (Now this may not come across as rude to Americans but the Brits would have a field day with that.)

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22318
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #219 on: March 18, 2015, 07:38:04 AM »
"...this is how we're going to talk from now on. "

It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

Ouch, I can feel my second-grade teacher rapping my knuckles for using "talk" when I should say "speak".

In the non-profit world, an "ask" is a request for support, typically monetary. I'm so used to the term that I'm surprised at the blank looks it generates should I unthinkingly use it outside of non-profit circles.

I love that this thread is still generating new input. It offers great food for thought and reminds me that perfect grammar is a myth. Excellent grammar is worth striving for, but pursuit of absolute grammatical perfection is folly.

Malaysia41

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3311
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Verona, Italy
    • My mmm journal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #220 on: March 18, 2015, 05:19:22 PM »
What a great thread. Most of my little annoyances have been covered already. I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

I live in Asia so I do see a lot of absolute corkers but some of my favourites are the ones that are pretty close but just not quite there...examples include...

I can see a sign out of my window for an insurance company called Insular Life. (Insurance for the small minded or isolated?)

I walked past a restaurant today offering Subversive Filipino Cuisine. (Shall we alert the authorities about an impending culinary takeover with force involved?)

Oh and something I see a lot is the misuse of the word serviced. I saw an ad for a real estate agency that has claimed to have been servicing the senior management of many high profile companies for years. (Now this may not come across as rude to Americans but the Brits would have a field day with that.)

As an American this claim would make me giggle. 

As a senior manager in a high profile company, this claim would prompt me to ask for an in-person meeting before deciding to hire them on.

a moist sack of nickels

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #221 on: March 18, 2015, 09:21:20 PM »
It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

Shakespeare turned tons of nouns into verbs and verbs into adjectives and so on

Cressida

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2376
  • Location: Sunset Zone 5
  • gender is a hierarchy
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #222 on: March 18, 2015, 10:10:58 PM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #223 on: March 19, 2015, 10:39:37 AM »
"...this is how we're going to talk from now on. "

It just struck me as another example of the nounification-of-verbs trend. Although it appears to be common in some circles, I only recently encountered "ask" as a noun, e.g. "that's a big ask". No matter how hard I tried, I could not un-hear it.

Ouch, I can feel my second-grade teacher rapping my knuckles for using "talk" when I should say "speak".

In the non-profit world, an "ask" is a request for support, typically monetary. I'm so used to the term that I'm surprised at the blank looks it generates should I unthinkingly use it outside of non-profit circles.

I love that this thread is still generating new input. It offers great food for thought and reminds me that perfect grammar is a myth. Excellent grammar is worth striving for, but pursuit of absolute grammatical perfection is folly.
I think it has to do with the novelty of the word and how accustomed you are to hearing it.  For example, does it bother you if someone says they'll be "making a call"?  Instead of calling someone?  I'm sure the first time that was used, it was considered non-standard. 

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #224 on: March 19, 2015, 10:40:55 AM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.
A family member likes to describe food as "delish"   Yikes!!

MandalayVA

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1569
  • Location: Orlando FL
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #225 on: March 19, 2015, 02:44:26 PM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.

I already noted that.  I actually don't really mind "glam" for some reason but may God have mercy on your soul if you say or write "totes," "deets," or something like that to me because I will not.

Grid

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 463
  • Age: 10
  • I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #226 on: March 19, 2015, 03:13:13 PM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.

I already noted that.  I actually don't really mind "glam" for some reason but may God have mercy on your soul if you say or write "totes," "deets," or something like that to me because I will not.

I use "maybs" every so often in in-person conversation.

Bardo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 212
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #227 on: March 19, 2015, 03:25:25 PM »
Just curious, how many people were taught the subjunctive mood and how many still use it?  (If I were rich vs If I was rich)

I notice as time goes by and I have fewer people to converse with that were taught this manner of speech, it's disappearing from my conversations. Sometimes I hear myself and then think ooooh, where did THAT come from? 
I've also read that there was never any basis in the language for subjunctive mood, but that it was introduced in some fancy school in England in the 19th century as a shibboleth to identify who did or didn't have proper breeding, schooling, etc. there is something to say about language evolution if words can be bred IN for the exclusive purpose of selective exclusion.  But I guess that's where all slang starts too?

Not using the subjunctive is one of those grammar things that secretly drives me wild.  I can't hear anyone say "If I was.." without mentally editing it to "If I were.."

I haven't looked into it, but I would think that there is a historical basis for it.  Don't most languages related to English have the equivalent? 

It's not grammar, but while I'm griping I would toss in my dislike of using nouns as verbs ("I would like to gift you a punch in the mouth.")




Eric

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4057
  • Location: On my bike
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #228 on: March 19, 2015, 03:31:38 PM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.

I already noted that.  I actually don't really mind "glam" for some reason but may God have mercy on your soul if you say or write "totes," "deets," or something like that to me because I will not.

Whatevs!

But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)
« Last Edit: March 19, 2015, 03:35:09 PM by Eric »

Gerard

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1570
  • Location: eastern canada
    • Optimacheap
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #229 on: March 19, 2015, 06:15:38 PM »
But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)

Yeah, what Eric said. Maybe the new shortenings seem to be mostly tech words (ooh, I didn't write "technology", bad bad me) because older shortenings are invisible to us (as shortenings). Taxi, bus, cab, mob, pop (music)... hmm, I guess some of those are tech words, just older tech.

And if you think "weblog" will get you funny looks, try hailing a taximetered cabriolet some time!

Cressida

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2376
  • Location: Sunset Zone 5
  • gender is a hierarchy
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #230 on: March 19, 2015, 07:29:15 PM »
But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)

Yeah, what Eric said. Maybe the new shortenings seem to be mostly tech words (ooh, I didn't write "technology", bad bad me) because older shortenings are invisible to us (as shortenings). Taxi, bus, cab, mob, pop (music)... hmm, I guess some of those are tech words, just older tech.

And if you think "weblog" will get you funny looks, try hailing a taximetered cabriolet some time!

Yeah ... I think it's just really subjective and not especially rational. I don't mind "blog" or any of the words Gerard listed. But I hate "comfy," "cray," "veggies," and "din" (which my spouse regularly uses to refer to "dinner" even though he KNOWS I hate it). For example.

*cue outraged posters who say "veggies" all the time and are super offended about my personal word preference*

frugalnacho

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5055
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Metro Detroit
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #231 on: March 20, 2015, 09:02:08 AM »
I will add to the list, shortened versions of words being used instead of the whole word. I hear people calling things glam, for example. That makes my skin crawl.

oh god I hate this so much. thank you for the validation.

I already noted that.  I actually don't really mind "glam" for some reason but may God have mercy on your soul if you say or write "totes," "deets," or something like that to me because I will not.

Whatevs!

But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)

I think you mean cell as in cellular phone.  Get it right you damn hippy.  But totes on everything else.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #232 on: March 20, 2015, 10:09:02 AM »
But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)

Yeah, what Eric said. Maybe the new shortenings seem to be mostly tech words (ooh, I didn't write "technology", bad bad me) because older shortenings are invisible to us (as shortenings). Taxi, bus, cab, mob, pop (music)... hmm, I guess some of those are tech words, just older tech.

And if you think "weblog" will get you funny looks, try hailing a taximetered cabriolet some time!

Yeah ... I think it's just really subjective and not especially rational. I don't mind "blog" or any of the words Gerard listed. But I hate "comfy," "cray," "veggies," and "din" (which my spouse regularly uses to refer to "dinner" even though he KNOWS I hate it). For example.

*cue outraged posters who say "veggies" all the time and are super offended about my personal word preference*
I want to jump off a 12 story building every time I hear an adult use baby-talk.     Jammies (pajamas), din-din (dinner), etc.     My 75-year old mother has recently started doing this, despite the fact that we were NEVER allowed baby-talk even when we were babies!  We skipped directly from "Da-da" to "Good morning, Mother.  Please pass the fruit spread"

Bardo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 212
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #233 on: March 21, 2015, 06:38:59 AM »
But seriously, what's the cutoff for shortened versions?  You'd be looked at like you had a third head if you used web log now instead of blog, even though Blog is the shortened version.  Many other examples exist, although most of them seem technology based that I can think of off the top of my head (fax, cell (as in phone), etc)

Yeah, what Eric said. Maybe the new shortenings seem to be mostly tech words (ooh, I didn't write "technology", bad bad me) because older shortenings are invisible to us (as shortenings). Taxi, bus, cab, mob, pop (music)... hmm, I guess some of those are tech words, just older tech.

And if you think "weblog" will get you funny looks, try hailing a taximetered cabriolet some time!

Yeah ... I think it's just really subjective and not especially rational. I don't mind "blog" or any of the words Gerard listed. But I hate "comfy," "cray," "veggies," and "din" (which my spouse regularly uses to refer to "dinner" even though he KNOWS I hate it). For example.

*cue outraged posters who say "veggies" all the time and are super offended about my personal word preference*

100% agree with you on the annoying trend of adults using baby talk.  I'm a grown man, and I would no more say "veggie" than I would call a cow a "moo-moo".  Little kids can get away with it, but beyond that it's just bizarre.


johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #234 on: March 22, 2015, 01:01:42 PM »
This is not a grammar mistake but a commonly misunderstood term.

People like to say some technology is light-years ahead of some other technology. This drives me crazy, as a light year is a measure of distance, not time!

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #235 on: March 22, 2015, 08:10:49 PM »
How about the misuse of the term begging the question! 

MandalayVA

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1569
  • Location: Orlando FL
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #236 on: March 27, 2015, 08:30:47 AM »
Another one (I'm so anal):

If you're an engaged woman, he is your fiancé or she is your fiancée.

If you are an engaged man, she is your fiancée or he is your fiancé.

Man--one E
Woman--two E's


Kriegsspiel

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 962
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #237 on: March 27, 2015, 12:18:02 PM »
This is not a grammar mistake but a commonly misunderstood term.

People like to say some technology is light-years ahead of some other technology. This drives me crazy, as a light year is a measure of distance, not time!

Do you get pissed when someone says they're 'miles ahead of you' or 'three steps ahead' or 'way out in front' or 'lagging behind' or other measures of distance too, or do you just hate space?

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #238 on: March 27, 2015, 12:26:52 PM »
This is not a grammar mistake but a commonly misunderstood term.

People like to say some technology is light-years ahead of some other technology. This drives me crazy, as a light year is a measure of distance, not time!

Do you get pissed when someone says they're 'miles ahead of you' or 'three steps ahead' or 'way out in front' or 'lagging behind' or other measures of distance too, or do you just hate space?

It also doesn't make sense to me when people say they're miles ahead of me (unless they are literally miles ahead of me in a race or something).  Being steps ahead makes sense, because they're not steps ahead in distance, they're steps ahead as in steps in a plan.
This is particularly true for technology. Would you say some technology is miles ahead of some other technology? I don't. I think its weird. I would say it's years ahead.

Grid

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 463
  • Age: 10
  • I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #239 on: March 27, 2015, 02:39:21 PM »
This is not a grammar mistake but a commonly misunderstood term.

People like to say some technology is light-years ahead of some other technology. This drives me crazy, as a light year is a measure of distance, not time!

Do you get pissed when someone says they're 'miles ahead of you' or 'three steps ahead' or 'way out in front' or 'lagging behind' or other measures of distance too, or do you just hate space?


 I don't. I think its weird.

*it's



(Sorry johnny847.  I couldn't care less on any other thread.  ;) )
« Last Edit: March 27, 2015, 02:41:03 PM by Grid »

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #240 on: March 27, 2015, 04:27:05 PM »
This is not a grammar mistake but a commonly misunderstood term.

People like to say some technology is light-years ahead of some other technology. This drives me crazy, as a light year is a measure of distance, not time!

Do you get pissed when someone says they're 'miles ahead of you' or 'three steps ahead' or 'way out in front' or 'lagging behind' or other measures of distance too, or do you just hate space?


 I don't. I think its weird.

*it's



(Sorry johnny847.  I couldn't care less on any other thread.  ;) )

Haha this is what I get when I'm typing on my phone and don't pay attention to what autocorrect fills in =P

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #241 on: March 28, 2015, 04:12:04 AM »
I typed accept when I meant except recently. It really worried me as it's not the first time something like this has happened. I've found a few instances but only when I type with my thumbs.
Is this a known thing that our brains may swap out homonyms when our thumbs are working.  I'm pretty worried that this could be the first symptom of dementia. I don't know if I've done it other times and not caught it. I realize when I type with thumbs I look at keyboard and not at written words, so maybe that's part of the problem.
Either way, it's embarrasing.

MandalayVA

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1569
  • Location: Orlando FL
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #242 on: March 28, 2015, 07:31:24 AM »
I typed accept when I meant except recently. It really worried me as it's not the first time something like this has happened. I've found a few instances but only when I type with my thumbs.
Is this a known thing that our brains may swap out homonyms when our thumbs are working.  I'm pretty worried that this could be the first symptom of dementia. I don't know if I've done it other times and not caught it. I realize when I type with thumbs I look at keyboard and not at written words, so maybe that's part of the problem.
Either way, it's embarrasing.

This is why you shouldn't use your phone as your primary internet communication device and particularly not when you're sending important emails or something like that.  It's way too easy to misspell or not capitalize a word or miss punctuation.  I can almost always tell when someone sends me an email from their phone because of the spelling and punctuation mistakes.  Oh--and the handy "sent from my (device)" message at the bottom tips me off too.  :D

NinetyFour

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 6875
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Southwestern US
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #243 on: March 28, 2015, 07:57:48 AM »
I typed accept when I meant except recently. 
Either way, it's embarrasing.

I'm pretty sure this word is missing an "s".  ;-)

Gerard

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1570
  • Location: eastern canada
    • Optimacheap
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #244 on: March 28, 2015, 08:00:49 AM »
Is this a known thing that our brains may swap out homonyms when our thumbs are working.

I'm pretty sure it's not dementia and not thumb-based (I'm making some of this stuff up, but I'm extending from work on errors in speech and writing). One thing that's probably going on is that routinized typing encourages you to replace infrequently-typed words with frequent ones (or ones that are frequent or salient in your life); the other is that thumb typing is kind of a pain in the ass, especially for us elderly (over 30) folks, so our attention is focused on the thumb thing rather than the word/spelling retrieval thing.

I mean, you could have dementia, but this is probably not evidence of it.

Kris

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7335
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #245 on: March 28, 2015, 09:48:17 AM »
My husband absolutely despises it when someone talks about e.g. "Agreeing 110%."

My personal noun to verb "favorite" is when people use "office" as a verb: "I office from home two days per week."

My hand involuntarily curls into a face-punching fist whenever I hear that.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #246 on: March 28, 2015, 05:58:13 PM »
Is this a known thing that our brains may swap out homonyms when our thumbs are working.

I'm pretty sure it's not dementia and not thumb-based (I'm making some of this stuff up, but I'm extending from work on errors in speech and writing). One thing that's probably going on is that routinized typing encourages you to replace infrequently-typed words with frequent ones (or ones that are frequent or salient in your life); the other is that thumb typing is kind of a pain in the ass, especially for us elderly (over 30) folks, so our attention is focused on the thumb thing rather than the word/spelling retrieval thing.

I mean, you could have dementia, but this is probably not evidence of it.
I feel so much better.   Thanks!

Malaysia41

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3311
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Verona, Italy
    • My mmm journal
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #247 on: March 28, 2015, 08:19:59 PM »
My husband absolutely despises it when someone talks about e.g. "Agreeing 110%."

I couldn't agree any more than the 100% with which I already agree.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #248 on: March 28, 2015, 08:45:35 PM »
My husband absolutely despises it when someone talks about e.g. "Agreeing 110%."

I couldn't agree any more than the 100% with which I already agree.
And I can't stand 24x7x365.  Do the math! 

Bardo

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 212
Re: Grammar nazi
« Reply #249 on: March 29, 2015, 11:14:34 AM »

My personal noun to verb "favorite" is when people use "office" as a verb: "I office from home two days per week."

My hand involuntarily curls into a face-punching fist whenever I hear that.

My "favorite" is when "gift" is used as a verb.  I spit up in my mouth a little every time I see it.  Is there something wrong with "to give"?  Why do people do this?