Question of the Day | 10/14/2008 12:00 am
What do people always say to you that drives you crazy?

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Phyllis - lots of people on this board posted about grammar and I gotta say “I don’t get it”. i can honestly say that I don’t think i’ve ever even noticed someone’s grammar. not unless it’s something like Sarah Palin on a national stage saying “yuh” and “dont-chya”. I actually tend to like rather creative diction lol. I love someone who can cuss exactly “right”. Like a good comedian… like Chris Rock or Whoopie back in the day (sorry Whoopie if back in the day is present but i haven’t seen any of your stand up in awhile).
Of course… I’m sure I have terrible grammar!
Grammar Gurrls,
Actually, I think it would be fun to have a grammar thread. One of my favorite books is Elements of Style…the redo. A really stylish and slim hardback addition with wonderful Maira Kalman watercolors added. Couldn’t find the hardback on line but here’s the paperback:
http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-Illustrated-William-Strunk/dp/01431…
The Elements of Style has been dog-eared in my bookshelf for many years. Sounds to me like my complaints about grammar are shared by many WOW people. KEEP CORRECTING OTHERS. WE’LL GET ‘EM YET!
… same here, along with my Thesaurus. Tut. For some reason, I still enjoy referring to my hard copy reference books instead of going online. One treasure that I will save to my dying day is my huge, old dictionary with pages and pages of foreign phases in the back.
I actually think that this is a great idea…a grammar thread.
I think that, for the most part, I have a pretty reasonable grasp on how good English grammar works. There’s always room for improvement, though.
I’m sure that the Grammar Nazis, lurking in the Void, are going to say I have made mistakes in all of my posts. Meh. Point taken and filed for future use.
It all depends on how said grammatical offences are posed.
I personally think the name-calling and mean-spiritedness that creeps into our conversations has no validity. It’s just rude, mean behaviour that negates anything that’s meant to educate.
I think I actually have that book floating around here, somewhere. Perhaps I should find it and read it. Yer never to old to to learn something new.
Well, now cussing is another whole subject, Kelly. I was brought up Roman Catholic in an upper class, tight ass Republican family. Real cussing was just not an option then. But many years later, a darling lover, now deceased, taught me how to swear in all the right places and times. I probably offended every third person for a while, but now, when I can place an appropriate @%#$^%&^%@#$* in the right context, I think of him and silently thank him for rounding out my personality.
“tight ass republican family”… good Job! looks like your personality is sufficiently rounded :)
Not long ago my sister was visiting. she had a completely different upbringing. we have the same dad and different moms. she’s 13 years older than I am and much more conservative. She’s been under a microscope in a way for years. feeling judged and trying to be “proper”. my husband let loose a particularly inventive diatribe for some reason and my sister looks over at him totally seriously and says “I would cuss a lot more if I could sound just like him”… hilarious!!!
For me, poor grammar is something that sticks out…like a brown belt with black shoes. You know how a symptom of mild autism is an oversensitivity to things, especially physical sensations? (For example, having to completely remove the tags out of the backs of shirts so as not to feel them brushing up against one’s skin…) THAT’S how I am with grammar. Really, when someone is talking to me and says something that is just so completely wrong, my reaction is so strong, it’s almost visceral. In general, I am very sensitive to most things anyway.
I can’t help it; perhaps I AM mildly autistic to some extent - who knows.
But I really do believe that a good way to represent yourself and your intellectual capacity is by properly comprehending your own language. If you have a learning disorder, fine - there is no excuse, otherwise.
I agree. There is nothing to die for, except possibly the sweet relieving release of death itself.
The only time I use “well” is when I’m describing illness. Everything else - I just assume “good’ will suffice. LOL
Those were all good points, Phyll. I often hear people say, “Just between you and I”, when the proper use would be, “between you and me”, because “me” is the object of the preposition “between,” therefore requiring the objective case. Not that I’m into too much linguistical snobbery. For example, I’ll intermix “their” in place of the awkward him/her sometimes.
One of my pet peeves is the misuse of the word “however”. You used it correctly (obviously) in your last sentence. But, so often, I’ll something like: “I’d like to buy the world a coke, however, I don’t believe in drugs”. Many people don’t know how to use a semi-colon: “I’d like to buy the world a coke; however, I don’t believe in drugs.”
Another irritation is when people don’t add the “ly” when they should (“I walked quick down the road”, e.g.). That’s probably more common than those who over-use it, as in the examples above, wherein they mistakenly substitute the adverbial form for the proper adjective form.
Hello Extra Evil…(Kryssi)….”Don’t get me started…” (OK then, “I’m SO outa here”)
OK…I haven’t done anything recently that I could burn in hell for (oops, for which I might burn in hell?) so here goes: “AX” me about Ebonics..
Ok ….that went well…haven’t been struck by lightning…..So (brave now) What do you call a little girl who criticizes everybody all the time whether they deserve it or not?
“Judgementa”….
You are very welcome, love!
It’s nice to make people laugh. We need more laughter in the world. Unfortunately, that was one of my finer moments. I’m rarely funny on this site for some reason…

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