Do grammatical errors bother you? - Page 7

petermillard · 10-23-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks.

I first heard it on a Seinfeld episode back in the mid 1990s. The label maker episode. Now it's in the latest MW dictionary.

Well you live and learn; it isn't in any dictionary of mine, I can assure you, and certainly not in common usage where I live!

As for pet hates of mine, I particularly dislike it when when you ask someone how they are, and receive the response "I'm good" - as if you enquired into their moral wellbeing... Oh, and 'gotten' drives me nuts as well.

Pete

Andrew H. · 10-23-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The book that I'm currently proof-reading (Anthony Trollope's "The Small House at Allington") had a somewhat surreal scene in which, in the middle of a Sunday afternoon outdoor games party, people suddenly started "howling on the lawn". It made a little more sense when, checking against my printed copy, "howling" became "bowling"

.

I recently read the mobile reference version of the Barsetshire novels - while it doesn't have "howling on the lawn," it does have the phrase "to howl down the stumps of that young lady at Allington."

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

Well you live and learn; it isn't in any dictionary of mine, I can assure you, and certainly not in common usage where I live!...

Pete

Methinks it was pointed out that it is more prevalent on our side of the pond.

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

...As for pet hates of mine, I particularly dislike it when when you ask someone how they are, and receive the response "I'm good" - as if you enquired into their moral wellbeing...

Pete

Oh, I have fun with that one! If, after I have requested if they want something, they reply with, "I'm good" I respond with something like, "I'm sure you are but..." then repeat the question. It often take two or more tries before they figure out what is going on. It takes a dead pan delivery to pull it off.

Another one I have fun with is, "How do you do" or "How are you doing?" I respond with, "How do I do what?" or, "How am I doing what?" Gets them flustered every time. Often they think they can outwit me by changing their query to, "How are you feeling?" That results in a response of, "Mostly with my fingers."

One that drives me nuts are entertainers and media personalities who will end a show with, "Until next time, I'm (insert name)." And just who are they going to be after next time?

Fbone · 10-23-2010, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

Well you live and learn;

Pete

One of life's pleasures.

SeaBookGuy · 10-23-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

Well you live and learn; it isn't in any dictionary of mine, I can assure you, and certainly not in common usage where I live!

As for pet hates of mine, I particularly dislike it when when you ask someone how they are, and receive the response "I'm good" - as if you enquired into their moral wellbeing... Oh, and 'gotten' drives me nuts as well.

Pete

"Gotten" is the correct American participle - "got" sounds funny to us.

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

"Gotten" is the correct American participle - "got" sounds funny to us.

Doesn't it depend on context?

"I've got to get up now or I'll be late for work."

but:

"I've gotten a new computer".

SneakySnake · 10-23-2010, 05:37 PM

I like 'gotten'. It sounds very old. Now I guess I will have to 'google it'

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

I like 'gotten'. It sounds very old. Now I guess I will have to 'google it'

It is indeed old, and was used in British English prior to about the late 18th century (Shakespeare uses it a lot, for example). It's a word that fell out of use in British English, but continued in American English. Most British English speakers probably think of it as an "Americanism", but it isn't.

SneakySnake · 10-23-2010, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It is indeed old, and was used in British English prior to about the late 18th century (Shakespeare uses it a lot, for example). It's a word that fell out of use in British English, but continued in American English. Most British English speakers probably think of it as an "Americanism", but it isn't.

aha! as suspected. I wonder when the Americans will get the hang of the proper word 'arse' instead of 'ass'.

RDaneel54 · 10-23-2010, 06:57 PM

Misuse of loose and lose is one of my irritants.

I'm also not too crazy about hearing "me and my husband did this."

I do think we are seeing more people communicating in print (writing) then we did 10 or 15 years ago. It may only be tweets, facebook, texting or in forums, but I think there has been an increase in written communication and hence in word usage and grammatical errors.

If you really want to see fractured English writing, look up some letters written by Civil War soldiers. Like today, an increase in written communication existed among those who would not have written as much in different circumstances.

Victoria · 10-23-2010, 07:42 PM

[QUOTE
I will admit, if I notice grammatical errors, they can drive me crazy. My current thing is the use of "bring" versus "take". (And I have a feeling it's also gaining ground the "wrong way" as well).[/QUOTE]

Yes- mistakes do bother me.

Speaking of 'take', it seems that no one 'makes' a decision anymore, they just 'take' one. Like a banana; a few bruises but it will do.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

aha! as suspected. I wonder when the Americans will get the hang of the proper word 'arse' instead of 'ass'.

Hey! I do use arse and ass properly. Arse is my back bumper and ass is a donkey.

SneakySnake · 10-23-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Hey! I do use arse and ass properly. Arse is my back bumper and ass is a donkey.

yay it has started. good girl.

Maybe I should start a "lets keep arse alive" club.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

yay it has started. good girl.

Maybe I should start a "lets keep arse alive" club.

Are you kidding?

I want to minimize mine!

SneakySnake · 10-23-2010, 07:52 PM

I am loving my new big arse. Yoga is making it stronger every week. Although sometimes it is difficult to lie flat on my back.

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10-23-2010, 05:37 PM	#97
SneakySnake I'm watching you! Posts: 6,113 Karma: 22344652 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny Coast Qld, OZ Device: Sony PRS-900(unused lately) iPadAir2, want me Kindle Oasis	I like 'gotten'. It sounds very old. Now I guess I will have to 'google it'

10-23-2010, 06:57 PM	#100
RDaneel54 Aging Positronic Brain Posts: 633 Karma: 2155452 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Aurora (when off-Earth) Device: Amazon Oasis; iPhone, iPad Mini	Misuse of loose and lose is one of my irritants. I'm also not too crazy about hearing "me and my husband did this." I do think we are seeing more people communicating in print (writing) then we did 10 or 15 years ago. It may only be tweets, facebook, texting or in forums, but I think there has been an increase in written communication and hence in word usage and grammatical errors. If you really want to see fractured English writing, look up some letters written by Civil War soldiers. Like today, an increase in written communication existed among those who would not have written as much in different circumstances.

10-23-2010, 07:42 PM	#101
Victoria Wizard Posts: 1,017 Karma: 19767610 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nova Scotia Canada Device: ipad, Kindle PW, Kobo Clara; iphone 7	[QUOTE I will admit, if I notice grammatical errors, they can drive me crazy. My current thing is the use of "bring" versus "take". (And I have a feeling it's also gaining ground the "wrong way" as well).[/QUOTE] Yes- mistakes do bother me. Speaking of 'take', it seems that no one 'makes' a decision anymore, they just 'take' one. Like a banana; a few bruises but it will do.

10-23-2010, 07:52 PM	#105
SneakySnake I'm watching you! Posts: 6,113 Karma: 22344652 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny Coast Qld, OZ Device: Sony PRS-900(unused lately) iPadAir2, want me Kindle Oasis	I am loving my new big arse. Yoga is making it stronger every week. Although sometimes it is difficult to lie flat on my back.

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