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Grammar and the Peeves that Pet It

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,794
    'Amongst' is "British English?" :blush:

    I shall not be dissuaded from using that word (whilst there is breath in my body). :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Do as thou wilt then.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    When did "going forward" become the way of expressing "in the future"? I really dislike the former and hear and read it nearly every day. :mad:
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Just think of it as a paradigm shift. :)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Whenever I hear ANYONE say "paradigm shift" I always ask "Oh, what was the OLD paradigm exactly that we are shifting from?"
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    affect
    effect

    NOT interchangeable.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 237,100
    +1

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  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I always ask "Oh, what was the OLD paradigm exactly that we are shifting from?"

    Wait, Kirstie, I'm sure he meant to say "...from which we are shifting." ;)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That's one of those grammar rules to which 99% of the English speaking world pays no attention whatsoever, me included. I have no idea from where such a silly rule came. Probably from Germanic syntax or Latin, where the verb, on to the end of the sentence, is tagged.
    :P
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    lol... if it were any other thread, I never would have said a word.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    After the next paradigm shift, speaking like Yoda we will be, hmm?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I'd give a pair of dimes to see that phrase retired.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Never, or at least not until we see the demise of the middle management report writer.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,505
    Probably won't happen until the end of the day, after we've gathered up all the long poles in the tents & taken them to where the rubber meets the road, using a robust process.
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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,941
    haha.
    reminds me of another phrase I absolutely hate that seems to have stemmed from middle management.
    When someone says they can "speak to" a subject. No... you can speak to ME ABOUT a subject! But if you speak to the subject, don't expect an answer!

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,941
    yeah, i never understood the whole "don't end with a preposition" thing.

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  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I agree. That rule is really hard to put up with. :blush:
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    It is a rule up with which I am willing to put :)

    I do not know how many times this week I've seen pluralized words with an apostrophe before the "s." I simply cannot get over that one, and it rubs my fur the wrong way every time I see it.

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 237,100
    Yes, but you have an apostrophe fetish. :surprise:

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  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    I'm not privy to Kirstie's fetishes, but I certainly empathize with the irritation that issue causes, especially when combined with the incorrect application of it's and its.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I'm thinking there ought to be a licensing requirement before you can even attempt to use an apostrophe :P

    Some of my favorites...

    Back in 06'...

    The committee handled things on it's own...

    The book left on the desk was her's...


    The dollar sign is another one that seems to confuse some now.

    It cost 42.00$


    Get the duct tape before my head explodes!! :sick:
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    talking points... does a point even have dimension, let alone the gift of speech?
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    Another case of "point" abuse. It goes with the pointless: "at this point in time", meaning: "now" and "price point", meaning "price". It makes me crazy.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Ah, yes... redundicization and excessive verbosisocity.

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,941
    but what about "at that point in time," as in "then," not "now"?

    when will now be then?
    just now.
    when?
    just then. you just missed it.

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  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    I blame the lawyers. I think they used to get paid by the word when writing contracts. Clever and greedy lawyers?
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    The "bad" dangling prepositions are the ones that can be simply omitted, without altering the meaning of the sentence.

    Example: I don't know where he was going to.

    Example: Which staircase did you climb up?

    james
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    But in the stair example the word up does add information to the sentence. Because you could climb up or down the stairs, right?
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    I believe one climbs UP a stairway (or a mountain) and descends DOWN. Perhaps my example was not the best. I'm sure that, if you are aware of the dangle of prepositions, you with encounter better examples of omit-able ones in everyday speech. :blush:

    james
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Just came across one of felony grammar offenses - using "myself", generally in an attempt to sound more erudite, when "I" or "me" is actually correct, e.g., "We would like to hold a meeting with you, John, and myself..." "John & myself would like to invite you..."

    How ludicrous would it sound if you removed the other parties? "John & myself would like to invite you..."

    It is ONLY reflexive, people. I talk to myself. I look at myself. I gave myself a present. HOT TIP: If the subject is not "I," then you probably shouldn't use "myself."

    Whew, I think a broke a sweat ranting about that one. :surprise:

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Deplane de stairs....
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 237,100
    That reminds me of the Austin Powers movie. :)

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  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    And then there is the ever more increasing "Please do whatever with Jim and I." That drives me crazy almost as much as the misused apostrophes - and I have that fetish too, as you know. ;)
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Personally I believe, and I'm speaking for myself of course, that it's my personal opinion and from my own point of view, that I myself am the center of my own universe.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    "Please do whatever with Jim and I............and I have that fetish too"

    Sounds like hosts have more fun than is immediately apparent! :blush:
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    IMHO, of course.
    (and perhaps we should pick a word more universally perceived as benign soas not to confuse others into believing we have exciting social lives :))

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  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    "I'm thinking there ought to be a licensing requirement before you can even attempt to use an apostrophe :blush: "

    So it would no doubt illegal to use a semicolon unless you have an apostrophe license and five years experience.

    How about proactive, perhaps the most annoying non-word ever to be forced upon us. The opposite of reactive is active. It's a perfectly good word.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    'Obsession' maybe? Trouble is it has overtones that are more of a mental health ward than a dungeon.
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    So it would no doubt illegal to use a semicolon unless you have an apostrophe license and five years experience.

    Absolutely! Correct use of a semicolon is VERY rare. In fact, even the incorrect use is fairly rare these days.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/~russial/grammar/grambo.html

    I got one wrong because I was wrong, and one wrong for a stupid reason.

    Is THAT sentence correct? :P
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    They even tested for a semicolon!

    I did the same, getting two wrong. I'd say one for a stupid reason.
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  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hahaha, that's TERRIFIC! I also go two wrong. I'm annoyed at the last one I got wrong because I knew what was wrong but it's a common thing and I just let it go.

    That was really fun! :D
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    None wrong... but I bet I would've gotten 2 wrong if you all hadn't taken it earlier and put me on alert that there were tricky ones :)

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  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Three wrong, two through carelessness, one through ignorance.

    I guess that makes me inattentive, dumb, but honest. :(
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Don't worry, mac. We'll find an easier test :)

    Sorry, couldn't help it.

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  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    :cry:
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I took that test, in that I got all of them rong, although; I thought I did pretty good at the time at which I was taking it. At this point in time, it would apprear that its going to take me year's of study to understand all the stuff that you smart people do.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,941
    well, i also got 2 "wrong."
    3 if you count the bonus question ... but i don't count it because THEY are wrong on that one. They only counted the its/it's as wrong, failing to count the fact that the sentence makes NO SENSE as an error. ;b

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  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    LOL!!! :D
  • joe131joe131 Member Posts: 998
    ...when the lawyer has the husband on the stand? The lawyer asks, "Isn't it true that you were having an affair with the babysitter?"
    If the witness answers with a no, he is admitting his affair with her, even though some might misunderstand him and think he is denying the affair. If the jury ponders the point during deliberations, the plain language in the record will show he was having an affair with her which may have given him motive to kill his wife.
    If the witness answers yes, then the jury will likely wrongfully assume he was having an affair with the babysitter (even though he just denied it) and not even discuss it further behind closed doors.
    So either way he's screwed, even if the babysitter was not.

    Including negatives (or worse yet, double or triple negatives) in questions or statements often obscures their meanings. Negatives include the obvious no words as well as the words hardly, scarcely, barely and probably some others I can't think of right now.
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