Do grammatical errors bother you? - Page 5

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Yes, language changes over time. So, for some, that means there is nothing in language that is correct usage. It's rather like the dolts who refer to a lie as someone else's reality. No, it's a lie. "Womyn" is not simply an alternative spelling of "women" as some dictionaries state.

I do try to not be pedantic but I recently read a book in which people "whaled" instead of "wailed". Oh, well, language changes, you know, and perhaps that's just his reality. Maybe I don't know where his head is at.

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"

.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 09:39 AM

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"

.

But "howling" is so much more...ah...interesting!

TGS · 10-23-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

But "howling" is so much more...ah...interesting!

If the people on the lawn had had to read an Anthony Trollope novel, then howling might have been precisely what they were doing!

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGS

If the people on the lawn had had to read an Anthony Trollope novel, then howling might have been precisely what they were doing!

Each to his own. Trollope is one of my favourite authors

.

L.J. Sellers · 10-23-2010, 10:27 AM

I'm an editor as well as a novelist, so I notice almost everything. Yet our language is fluid and changing, and I try to be mentally flexible. Still, some things bug me, such as the use of alright rather than all right. I love discussions like this because they increase my awareness of language uses.
L.J.

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I'm an editor as well as a novelist, so I notice almost everything. Yet our language is fluid and changing, and I try to be mentally flexible. Still, some things bug me, such as the use of alright rather than all right. I love discussions like this because they increase my awareness of language uses.
L.J.

Do you also object to "also", "although", "altogether", "almost", etc? Why pick on "alright"?

Bilbo1967 · 10-23-2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I'm an editor as well as a novelist, so I notice almost everything. Yet our language is fluid and changing, and I try to be mentally flexible. Still, some things bug me, such as the use of alright rather than all right. I love discussions like this because they increase my awareness of language uses.
L.J.

'alright' is in the OED as an acceptable alternative to 'all right'. I'm not sure under what circumstances which would be considered more appropriate.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

...some things bug me, such as the use of alright rather than all right...
L.J.

According to the Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1985) that is in easy reach of my computer (I have several dictionaries), alright is alright (couldn't resist

) although it was falling out of usage at the time. When I was in school (I graduated from college with a four year degree in 1971), all right was considered improper. Now, the reverse seems to be true. I have a penchant for archaic words and phrases (some which comes from my Renaissance Festival activities and some from just being old) so I continue to use alright.

Of course, there are times all right would be incorrect, such as when someone assumes I'm all right (actually, half of me is left

).

tompe · 10-23-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Poor grammar annoys me a lot - especially the simple stuff (such as mixing up "its" and "it's"). I just feel like saying to the author "if you can't be bothered to get it right, why should I bother to read your book?"

You should blame the publishers whose job it is to correct such things. It is not uncommon that authors are dyslectic but they can tell a story.

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

You should blame the publishers whose job it is to correct such things. It is not uncommon that authors are dyslectic but they can tell a story.

When there is a publisher, I agree - it is their responsibility. I was thinking more of independently published books, where it's down to the author to get it right.

dmacmart · 10-23-2010, 10:52 AM

I remember my grade 5 teacher saying "All right is all wrong unless there are two words". (1965) I assume alright is a relatively recent addition to the language and it does bug me alot(sic) too.

One thing that bugs me is
1) I learned to spell e.g. as eg. in high school (70's - do the math from my grade 5 year). Still looks wrong to me to see "e.g."
2) mixing up i.e. and e.g. They're note equivalent. The former is explaining (id est = that is); the latter is giving an example (um - short for egsample?? what is the etymology). Looked it up: exempli gratia.

petermillard · 10-23-2010, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

as an example

"...he gifted the player the goal."

Yes, I understand the (mis)use of 'gifted' - it was 'regifted' that confuddled me - and I think I've just figured out that the OP probably meant "Regarding gifted..."

Thanks though

Bilbo1967 · 10-23-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

You should blame the publishers whose job it is to correct such things. It is not uncommon that authors are dyslectic but they can tell a story.

Well, I was going to complain about 'dyslectic' (I've always said 'dyslexic'), but according to the OED either is perfectly correct (shows how much I know).

Instead, I'll mention an ex-colleague at work who was dyslexic (or dyslectic if you prefer). I often used to be called on to check through his work and once read through a long report he had written throughout which he used the word 'pesticide' where he meant 'postcode'. It certainly added an unexpected note to an otherwise dry discussion of a pretty boring piece of software testing.

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-23-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmacmart

I remember my grade 5 teacher saying "All right is all wrong unless there are two words". (1965) I assume alright is a relatively recent addition to the language and it does bug me alot(sic) too...

Actually, both all right and alright date back to the 14c. In Spring of '65, I was a sophomore in high school.

bjones6416 · 10-23-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

Yes, I understand the (mis)use of 'gifted' - it was 'regifted' that confuddled me - and I think I've just figured out that the OP probably meant "Regarding gifted..."

Thanks though

No, he probably meant "regifted," as in, "I didn't need that vase my sister gave me for my birthday, so I regifted it to my babysitter for Christmas." That term is pretty common here in the U.S. now, although I hate it.

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10-23-2010, 10:27 AM	#65
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	I'm an editor as well as a novelist, so I notice almost everything. Yet our language is fluid and changing, and I try to be mentally flexible. Still, some things bug me, such as the use of alright rather than all right. I love discussions like this because they increase my awareness of language uses. L.J.

10-23-2010, 10:52 AM	#71
dmacmart Fanatic Posts: 531 Karma: 696908 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Glo, Arc, H2O, iPhone, iPad 2, (husband)Touch	I remember my grade 5 teacher saying "All right is all wrong unless there are two words". (1965) I assume alright is a relatively recent addition to the language and it does bug me alot(sic) too. One thing that bugs me is 1) I learned to spell e.g. as eg. in high school (70's - do the math from my grade 5 year). Still looks wrong to me to see "e.g." 2) mixing up i.e. and e.g. They're note equivalent. The former is explaining (id est = that is); the latter is giving an example (um - short for egsample?? what is the etymology). Looked it up: exempli gratia.

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