Sunday, January 16, 2005

Hang Ups

I have a hang up about grammar and spelling. I know it's rude to correct people and I bite my tongue a lot, I really do. However. There are some things that I believe any educated adult should know. Sometimes people learn things wrong from childhood and it's just hard to break the habit, such as my problem with the incorrect phrases "might could" and "used to could." I think these are examples of regional dialect and that's not really the issue I'm talking about.
By writing this post, I'm guaranteed to make some sort of grammar or spelling error just because that's the kind of luck I have, but here goes.
  • You're = a contraction of you are. Your = possessive.
  • A lot is two words. A dog, a cat, a lot. Make note of it.
  • Too = also or excess. To = an infinitive.
  • It's = a contraction of it is. Its = possessive.
  • They're = a contraction of they are. Their = possessive. There = location.
  • It's supposedly, not supposably.
  • It's agreement, not agreeance.
  • Apostrophes show possession, not that an object is plural. It drives me insane to see it on stores. "We sell T-shirt's!" or "Farmers Market: fresh green bean's." The farmer doesn't own the market, but those beans own something, buddy.

I try really hard not to hound people for these things because it just makes you feel bad when you are corrected. I just wish that people would realize that when you are writing or saying something to other people, that takes away so much from your message and lessens your credibility. Plus, except for supposedly and agreement, they are all fourth grade skills.

Little kids have cute ones that they do. These are no longer cute when you reach adulthood.

  • Pacific: "Well, you weren't very pacific when you gave us that assignment!"
  • Pasketti: "My mom made pasketti and garlic bread last night!"
  • Liberry: "Can I go to the liberry? My books are overdue." [related to the raspberry]

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I hope your not to mad that I said alot of pacific thing's about bad grammar. Its just me trying to make a difference out their. Supposably.

14 comments:

Strizz said...

Like your asking alot uf peoples; to do all that suppsedly making grammer mistakes. Good that your biting your tongue.

Hehe, j/k.

James said...

Don't forget to add "double negatives" to your list...it is on mine! "We don't need none of that around here!"

Panthergirl said...

God, I'm beginning to think you are me. To be sure, go axe your mother. ;)

Anonymous said...

"It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." - Andrew Jackson

:)

Catt
http://cativa.blogspot.com

B2 said...

Jack Diddley - "double negatives" is a phrase construed as plural, and so your reference to it should read "They are on mine."

As you can see, I too am prone to such corrective efforts.

w8in said...

Some more that bug me:

"I'm suppose to"
"That's halirious"
"definatly"

Editor in Chief said...

I have a thing with formatting. Comes from working with Engineers, who know nothing about any of the aforementioned English problems, let alone formatting, and I must deal with them every day. I hate it so much that I MUST left-justify all my blog posts! If I don't, I often, but not always, re-publish them, because it drives me crazy. Yes, I'm anal retentive. That's why I'm friends with Ginny! Love you sweetie! ;)

Anonymous said...

Dun mind me .... but I'm laughing my arse out right now!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

U indeed do hv some cute but ridiculous examples!!! KOOL! *thumbs up* ;)



Rgds
Agnes, Singapore
http://www.xanga.com/krazy_gal

Micah said...

I'm a grammar nerd, too. I know it doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but that's why the peeve is just a pet.

Anonymous said...

My favorite - "We do not except personal checks."

Jen said...

I was a copy editor for two years ... it's forever a curse. My problem is that I am not the best typist, so I'll use that excuse for any mistakes in my comments or blog!

Anonymous said...

The most annoying thing about the above is that those errors are routinely made by "high power" individuals; Presidents and CEOs, etc...

Andrea Knapp said...

I totally blogged about that the other day! I had three photographs taken from a street by my house and there were spelling mistakes in each sign, a gas station one, a drug store and a mall sign. Incredible.

Anonymous said...

While I usually agree, I can't stand it when people only comment on the spelling of a post, that means they couldn't argue any of the logic in it!

They attack my hurried spelling ...

Mistakes will happen!!

Also with the state of Schools in the US over the past 4 years an the next 4 to come, I don't think anyone will be spelling anything correct for a long time!!

Thanks!

tracyv
http://tracyandnicole.thedreaming.com/blogs/tracyv/what/