Conan the Grammarian

[Corry]

"Borrow me that ruler."

WTF?

I know of people saying things like that around here (including me) and it's usually on purpose, as kindof a joke. At least in my case it is.

 

[jocose]

"Borrow me that ruler."

WTF?

You brits say that? I thought it was purely an Americanism...maybe y'all got it from Ricki Lake??

 

[jocose]

]

Oh goodness that one is disgraceful. But I fidn it funny when people say it.

Another one is "effect" and "affect". Not really that annoying but it's nice when someone gets it right.

oh and La Foto NASA is an abbreviation and also an acronym. They are for all intents and purposes the same thing.

Actually, Daniel, see my note above. Your sort of right. They are both abbreviation but an acronym is a very specific abbreviation. It is an abbreviation that becomes its own word. While all squares are rectangles, they are a ver specific kind of rectangle (one where all sides are equal), acronyms are like that as well.

 

[Rob]

We're approaching the territory one of my kindergarten teachers firmly occupied:

little boy: "Can I go to the toilet please?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "Please can I go to the toilet miss?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "Miss I really need to go to the toilet, can I go?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "I've wet myself miss!"
teacher: "you may go to the toilet now"

*true story*

 

[jocose]

We're approaching the territory one of my kindergarten teachers firmly occupied:

little boy: "Can I go to the toilet please?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "Please can I go to the toilet miss?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "Miss I really need to go to the toilet, can I go?"
teacher: "I don't know, can you?"
little boy: "I've wet myself miss!"
teacher: "you may go to the toilet now"

*true story*

good English public schools for ya!! That was soo my dad growing up...minus letting us wet ourselves of course.

 

[Rob]

Well it was worth the £800 per term then (a lot in the late seventies!). I shall inform mother that her strategy was correct.

lol

 

[jocose]

Well it was worth the £800 per term then (a lot in the late seventies!). I shall inform mother that her strategy was correct.

lol

That's what my poor man's private school cost in the 80s (well, about $1,600). And look at me...I speak real good!

 

['Daniel']

ROP = made up for the example but your explanation was good.

ten four on the acronyms jocose. I really don't understand why all this stuff isn't taught, it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[jocose]

ROP = made up for the example but your explanation was good.

ten four on the acronyms jocose. I really don't understand why all this stuff isn't taught, it doesn't make sense to me.

too true, my friend. It's very much like sex. You just need to learn it on the streets and as you go :mrgreen:

Fear not, that is why I have created this thread. So we can all ask and receive our grammar questions and answers. Hmmm, I've been toying with the idea of starting my own forum for this, but I think I would just attract a bunch of pedantic snobs...so maybe not.

 

['Daniel']

I've though of another one.


People say

"I should of done X"

instead of

"I should have done X"

soooo annoying.

 

[ferny]

"Borrow me that ruler."

WTF?

A "ruler" is someone who governs over people, it's called a "rule".

Or so my tech teacher always told us.

 

['Daniel']

It's also a linear object, with increments of recognised size to measure things

But yeah the whole thing is wrong and should be illegal.

 

[Corry]

I've though of another one.


People say

"I should of done X"

instead of

"I should have done X"

soooo annoying.

Are you talking about typed on the internet or spoken aloud? Because saying "I should've.." is perfectly acceptable, and sounds just like saying "I should of.." Typed out, no, it's not correct, but as has already been stated, on forums, a lot of people type how they speak...if that makes sense.

 

[jocose]

Are you talking about typed on the internet or spoken aloud? Because saying "I should've.." is perfectly acceptable, and sounds just like saying "I should of.." Typed out, no, it's not correct, but as has already been stated, on forums, a lot of people type how they speak...if that makes sense.

Corry, I have to nitpick on this one. Even if you type should of, it's still wrong...sorry

 

[Corry]

Corry, I have to nitpick on this one. Even if you type should of, it's still wrong...sorry

I didn't say it was right...what I meant was...it's one of those words/phrases that get mixed up because it is how they would normally speak it, so they don't think about it when they type it.