Conan the Grammarian

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

[ADDED LATER]
NOT TO PEOPLE FIRST COMING HERE--This thread is NOT meant to slam people. There are many folks who don't know anything about grammar, and here is a place to ask questions or be corrected. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT PEOPLE ARE ATTACKING--that is NOT what is supposed to be happening here.
[/ADDED LATER]

So, I've seen a lot of references to Rob being an apostrophe cop, and you all are aware of my GrammarForum. I guess if you've noticed the latter, then you can pretty much figure that I'm a big ole grammar snob. I have a lot of pet peeves about how people butcher language (sadly, I can only rant on English as I can't speak any other language). Anyway, I wanted to pass on these priceless gems for any of you who have not bothered (and why would you, really?) to read my longwindedness on my blog. If you have similar stories or comments, please share.

Instead of retyping, I offer the URLs to my blog. I know most of us don't like following links to pictures, but I figure if you are on the Off Topic forum, you're bored anyway, and so willing to do a little clickity-click.

http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=14
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=16
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=74
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=119
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=120
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=144
http://jocose.servatus.com/?p=155

Rob · Dec 13, 2005

Well I have to be the first to comment!

Good job sir. You have supporters. We will get those loser's

Rob

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

I flatter myself to think that I've always written and spoken well, but I knew very little about grammar until I met the queen of all grammarians--my advisor in grad school. She kicked my ass when it came to dangling participals and errant commas and the hussy actually gave me B once just because I accidently used it's instead of its. I assure you I have NEVER made that mistake again (and I still blame MS Word's spell checker for that--being able to write well and being able to type well are two different things!).

Anyway, now that I work the US federal government, it just makes me want to cry whenever I think about the money, time, and effort I put into trying to better my skills. It's not only embarrassing, it's appalling!!

So, if everyone wants Jo Cose to continue his rant, please feel free to post, otherwise I will shut up and stick to my personal blog

Corry · Dec 13, 2005

I'd say that bad grammar was one of my pet peeves, however, I tend to type so quickly while doing so many other things at once (work), that I tend to not think about 'rules'. I've made posts before (I think on other forums) where I was complaining about everyones bad spelling/grammar/use of puncutation/ect, and each time I did so, someone pointed out a gross error in my own post! :lol:

So...it happens to a lot of people when it comes to posts. Although I am in complete agreeance when it comes to printed signs and things.

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

Corry, I would argue that these posts here on the forum are more like spoken English (which I believe is different than written English). I would only point out errors on the posts of people I didn't like, but normally, here I wouldn't.

Emails at work, news people. newspapers/magazines, meetings, anywhere where you need to be more formal, then it's much worse.

My biggest pet peeves right now are the reflexive pronoun, the ":", and the me vs. I.

All are so simple to avoid:
--just don't use the relexive pronoun. Always use me, and 99 out of 100 times, you'll be right.
--just use a complete sentence before a : and you're fine, or don't use it and use commas instead (I would even excuse using commas in a list where they really should be ; instead of misusing the colon)
--when in doubt use me. IMHO, you ALWAYS sound better to use me where there should be an I, but you always sound like a jackass when you use I where it should be me. For example, consider these:

"Jim and I are going to the store" -- correct
"Me and Jim are going to the store" -- incorrect, but not offensive

"Would you like to come with Jim and me?" -- correct
"Would you like to come with Jim and I?" -- incorrect and offensive!

Thank you.

Rob · Dec 13, 2005

jocose said:
--just use a complete sentance before a : and your fine, or don't use it and use commas instead (I would even exuse using commas in a list where they really sould be ; instead of misusing the colon)

You spelt sentence incorrectly.

LaFoto · Dec 13, 2005

jocose said:
...
--just use a complete sentance before a : and your fine,...they really sould be ...

I know you meant to say "sentence", "you're" and "should" here. I just know it!!! Aren't I right?

Corry's typing experience brushing on you.

I have gone back to edit the nastiest mistakes out of my own posts here, such as a mix-up of "there" and "their", "its" and it's" and all such things. But with typing fast, it often happens to me that I write "no" when I mean to say "know" and other such things.

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

damn it. I do that all the time. That's one of the nice things about Word--it automatically fixes those sorts of things. I hate that I can't spellcheck on the Forum before I post. I have in the past composed in Word and then cut and pasted into the Forum, but it's way too bothersome.

Besides, I spelling and grammar are two different things :greenpbl: And I've nver clamed to bee a good speller (which really makes crosswords HARD!!)

JonMikal · Dec 13, 2005

jocose said:
damn it. I do that all the time. That's one of the nice things about Word--it automatically fixes those sorts of things. I hate that I can't spellcheck on the Forum before I post. I have in the past composed in Word and then cut and pasted into the Forum, but it's way too bothersome.

Besides, I spelling and grammar are two different things :greenpbl: And I've nver clamed to bee a good speller (which really makes crosswords HARD!!)

u can

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

JonMikal said:
u can

how? Oh, I just looked and found it.

LaFoto · Dec 13, 2005

You're forgiven (to be typing "your" is a grammatical error :greenpbl: ).

And leaving out "e's" in never or "i's" in "claimed" isn't too bad, either :greenpbl:

Sorry. Forgive me!

Corry · Dec 13, 2005

jocose said:
--just use a complete sentence before a : and you're fine, or don't use it and use commas instead (I would even exuse using commas in a list where they really should be ; instead of misusing the colon)

I was gonna point the sentence thing (which you've now fixed) too, but they beat me to it!!! Oh, and you also misspelled 'excuse'.

Sorry. Had to...just pickin on ya though!

jocose · Dec 13, 2005

LaFoto said:
I know you meant to say "sentence", "you're" and "should" here. I just know it!!! Aren't I right?

Corry's typing experience brushing on you.

I have gone back to edit the nastiest mistakes out of my own posts here, such as a mix-up of "there" and "their", "its" and it's" and all such things. But with typing fast, it often happens to me that I write "no" when I mean to say "know" and other such things.

Corinna, what are you talking about? I didn't do that! Surely, you misread. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT POST EDITED MESSAGE ABOVE.

You have an excuse. I pass no judgment on folks who English is not their native language. I have the biggest issue with people who were born and raised in English speaking countries.