grammar pet peeve

[kundalini]

whether / weather

 

[Derrel]

whether / weather

alot / a lot / allot

apprised/ appraised

effect / affect

 

[c.cloudwalker]

As a non-native speaker of the English language I seem to be a lot more alert to all the little "flaws" the native speakers consistently bring into their typed English ("on the internetz, so why bother"?) than the native speakers themselves are. I notice all that robintussin, rainking and Christie Photo are pointing out, and I care. More so even, when my daughter comes reading forum texts with me and stumbles across those errors and mistakes and them mistakes them for "the real thing", as it is native speakers who write like this. Then I have to be the intermediary between the faulty English of native speakers and the still shaky English of a high school learner of English as a foreign language! For in most cases it is NOT the English of members who had to acquire the language as their second or third language that gives reason to stop and think twice, it's the English of the native speakers. And that SHOULD be something to think about, whether this is "just the internetz" or not.

I first laughed at your post because, as a non-native speaker myself, I've been told so many times that I speak english better than most americans that it's not funny. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm a lover of language and books...

But when I got to the part about your kid, I stopped laughing. I had never thought about it this way but it is a very good point. How is your kid supposed to know the difference when constantly assaulted by bad english. Years ago, europeans learned their english from England but, today, with the internet, they are learning from every english speaking country out there and although they have to allow for local quirks, they shouldn't have to try and figure what is just plain bad english.

Quote: "It's bazaar because it's not that hard a concept. And seemingly educated people do it!"

No,no,no,no! A bazaar is a marketplace, a street market, usually in the Middle East.

The word you should have used is "bizarre"...meaning strangely unconventional, weird, or odd.

Hey, I have an idea for a new post: "I HATE it when people accidentally or stupidly use the word bazaar when they really ought to use the word bizarre! C'mon people, it's simple, and obvious! Bazaar and bizarre mean two wildly different things!! ACK!"

Glass houses, and all, dontcha' know?????

ROFL!

But, doesn't that mean we are all subject to making mistakes and we need to give in a bit. It is not those mistakes that are extremely annoying to me so much as the people who just couldn't give a hoot. "It's the internet" is no excuse because I know most of those using it can't do any better off the internet.

But as I said earlier, no skin off my bones. I'm not the one losing contracts because I can't write in an understandable way. Or should I say, just to make a bigger impression, that I'm not the one getting sued because my contract was so poorly written that it had a million loopholes...

 

[Rekd]

I had never thought about it this way but it is a very good point. How is your kid supposed to know the difference when constantly assaulted by bad english.

This.

I have never considered that on a forum before, but you're right. I'm on my kids about the silliest things when it comes to this. They have their moments when we're playing or whatever when they talk funny and laugh about it, but when it's serious discussion they do very well.

Of course, it doesn't help that I'm a lover of language and books...

I think it's safe to say that it DOES help that you have a love of language and books that you write English so well, having never heard you speak and all... :mrgreen:

 

[Rekd]

And for the record... I do like to use "and" as the first word in a sentence, it tends to make a point better. Kind of like a one word paragraph.

Thus.

 

[FemFugler]

I do try and use decent grammar on forums because while i see the whole 'itz only da internetz' point of view, i also completely understand the point about people whom do not speak English as their first language trying to read it. It not only makes it more difficult to understand and comprehend but is also not setting a great example for people to learn from.

At the same time, i do admit i often let my grammar 'relax' a bit on forums and when it comes to writing something for school or something more formal(say for work) my writing is a lot better.

I personally don't really have any huge grammar pet peeves, although one that is has been annoying me more and more it seems is when people say 'seen' instead of 'saw' or changing the 'I' to a 'I've'.

"I seen a camera in the store" "I seen it before'

On a side note, i also am guilty of sometimes starting sentences with 'and'. :|

 

[12sndsgood]

I am on the fence about this kind of thing, considering my spelling and grammer sucks in general. On one hand I do feel more comfortable from a business standpoint if the company I am dealing with uses good english and grammer, and I think you have to have some ability to make yourself not sound like an idiot.

On the other hand, there are people making millions of dollars using slang and improper english, and why is it that a few guys in the past got to decide what word is used for what, and what is proper and what is not, and now all the sudden its bad to change that. Kinda like saying, well we made all this up, but now its totally wrong for you to make anything up yourself.

Our language is quite silly when you get down to it. knife, why is there a k at the beginning. why are there silent letters, why do words have 30 diffrent meanings, as goofy as our language is, it seems silly to ridicule others for not saying it properly. kinda like having a clown tell you to be serious.

 

[skieur]

I am on the fence about this kind of thing, considering my spelling and grammer sucks in general. On one hand I do feel more comfortable from a business standpoint if the company I am dealing with uses good english and grammer, and I think you have to have some ability to make yourself not sound like an idiot.

On the other hand, there are people making millions of dollars using slang and improper english, and why is it that a few guys in the past got to decide what word is used for what, and what is proper and what is not, and now all the sudden its bad to change that. Kinda like saying, well we made all this up, but now its totally wrong for you to make anything up yourself.

Our language is quite silly when you get down to it. knife, why is there a k at the beginning. why are there silent letters, why do words have 30 diffrent meanings, as goofy as our language is, it seems silly to ridicule others for not saying it properly. kinda like having a clown tell you to be serious.

Study languages at university. I did. It will correct all your very serious misconceptions.

skieur

 

[pgriz]

Every language is a work in progress. Ultimately, common usage determines what stays, and what disappears. I speak several languages fluently and am very aware of the "imports" of words borrowed from other languages. There are regional variations, and then there are dialects, and of course we have trade- or occupation-specific verbiage. There is a difference, however, when the language is changed from accepted usage due to ignorance, and when it is changed as part of a creative process. The latter can be admired, the former... pitied, I guess.

Context plays a role in setting the permissible usage. A tweet will usually read very differently from a sentence in a newspaper, or from a literary work. The expectations are different, and the style follows. I am sure that once enough people get used to the short-cuts in tweets, we will see more and more acceptance of this form of expression in other text documents. But that is just the way language evolves. Eye spik lk dis cause i wanna. And then again, perhaps I don't.

 

[rocdoc]

Oh, oh, one more: "could of", "would of". Used instead of "could have", "would have". A particularly appalling one, as it points to complete ignorance of the common sense rules of communication.

 

[12sndsgood]

I am on the fence about this kind of thing, considering my spelling and grammer sucks in general. On one hand I do feel more comfortable from a business standpoint if the company I am dealing with uses good english and grammer, and I think you have to have some ability to make yourself not sound like an idiot.

On the other hand, there are people making millions of dollars using slang and improper english, and why is it that a few guys in the past got to decide what word is used for what, and what is proper and what is not, and now all the sudden its bad to change that. Kinda like saying, well we made all this up, but now its totally wrong for you to make anything up yourself.

Our language is quite silly when you get down to it. knife, why is there a k at the beginning. why are there silent letters, why do words have 30 diffrent meanings, as goofy as our language is, it seems silly to ridicule others for not saying it properly. kinda like having a clown tell you to be serious.

Study languages at university. I did. It will correct all your very serious misconceptions.

skieur

Will more likely make me realise people are a bit too uptight about things.

 

[farmerj]

who would of thought that you'd be able to get a whole lot of people upset just with the way you interpret your own thoughts to them.

Like you can be an new person and then they can come and cut you down for what you feel is right.

Don't sweat the little things....

Everything's a little thing.....

 

[Heck]

I don't blame the internet for my crappy grammar. I can say because of the internet I took notice of my faults and tried to improve. I did not care to put in a effort during my time in school to be able to write perfectly so I can only blame myself. You have to learn to accept the way people are and try not to judge them on a few grammar mistakes. It would be like judging someone based on how much money they make or what kinda car they drive. Yes grammar counts more when your trying to do something important but I'm not gonna hire someone to post properly for me on my forums

I dislike spelling and grammar nazis. Some seem like they just like to point out mistakes just to get a easy post and look smart/elite. If they really cared to point out errors then a simple PM will be more effective than a attempt to shame someone in a rude manner. That's just my take..

 

[skieur]

I am on the fence about this kind of thing, considering my spelling and grammer sucks in general. On one hand I do feel more comfortable from a business standpoint if the company I am dealing with uses good english and grammer, and I think you have to have some ability to make yourself not sound like an idiot.

On the other hand, there are people making millions of dollars using slang and improper english, and why is it that a few guys in the past got to decide what word is used for what, and what is proper and what is not, and now all the sudden its bad to change that. Kinda like saying, well we made all this up, but now its totally wrong for you to make anything up yourself.

Our language is quite silly when you get down to it. knife, why is there a k at the beginning. why are there silent letters, why do words have 30 diffrent meanings, as goofy as our language is, it seems silly to ridicule others for not saying it properly. kinda like having a clown tell you to be serious.

Study languages at university. I did. It will correct all your very serious misconceptions.

skieur

Will more likely make me realise people are a bit too uptight about things.

It has nothing to do with people being uptight at all. Pronunciation changes faster than spelling and spelling relates to the origin of the word which is likely from an ancient or foreign language. Meaning also relates to the origin of the word as well. In the word school, the spelling is related to German Schule but the pronunciation is more toward the Norse language.

The various cultures that came to English speaking countries during the course of history brought with them words, pronunciations, and meanings and some of them became "anglicized", creating the language "pudding" that is English.

That is how languages develop and why some characteristics may not seem to make sense. They do however make perfect sense historically.

skieur

 

[12sndsgood]

You somewhat hit on my point though, different words are brought over and included into our way of speaking. Sounds just like how slang words are being made up and added to our language these days. but people want to go "okay these words that were brought over are proper words, but these words you people have are not okay to use"