Bertha Venation
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:11 AM
Original message |
Workout is not a verb -- and other grammar peeves |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 11:21 AM by Bertha Venation
What's yours?
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Debi
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:11 AM
Response to Original message |
Deep13
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:15 AM
Response to Reply #1 |
4. Comparing people to Nazis when millions of people have not been murdered. |
DevonRex
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:12 AM
Response to Original message |
2. The use of apostrophes for plurals and not for possessives. |
geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:12 AM
Response to Original message |
ogneopasno
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:16 AM
Response to Original message |
5. All of them. But then, I'm a copy editor. |
RebelOne
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:49 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
18. I'm a copy editor also. Too many to even list. n/t |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 12:49 PM by RebelOne
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woo me with science
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Wed Mar-18-09 08:06 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
54. You split your infinitive. :) nt |
RebelOne
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:05 PM
Response to Reply #54 |
80. Hey, I'm not paid to copy edit my own writing. n/t |
timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:39 PM
Response to Reply #54 |
86. I have a feeling that some grammar nazi like Fowler made that |
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rule up.
Personally, I LIKE split infinitives, now and again.
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Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:36 PM
Response to Reply #86 |
106. The split infinitive BS was made up by some idiot who thought that because Latin... |
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Edited on Thu Mar-19-09 04:43 PM by Odin2005
...doesn't have split infinitives (since they are single words in Latin ("amare" = "to love") English shouldn't have any either. :eyes:
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Sheltiemama
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:16 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
102. Copy editor No. 3 here. |
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One of my biggies is when a TV chef says he's going to "plate" something. No, no and no. You put it on a plate.
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XemaSab
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:51 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
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Every time I read something for work I say, "Who writes this shit?" :P
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Deep13
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:18 AM
Response to Original message |
6. "Partner" is also not a verb. |
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And using "impact" as a synonymn for affect or effect. If it doesn't involve hammers, bullets or meteors, it is not an impact.
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geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:19 AM
Response to Reply #6 |
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"plate" used as a verb. *shudder*
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XemaSab
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:52 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
38. If it doesn't involve hammers, bullets, meteors, or environmental damage |
question everything
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:56 AM
Response to Reply #6 |
66. For people too lazy to think of the difference between effect and affect |
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impact is easier.
I agree, it is not the same.
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:41 PM
Response to Reply #6 |
87. I have to disagree with you. |
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"--part·ner v. part·nered, part·ner·ing, part·ners. --tr. 1. To make a partner of. 2. To bring together as partners. 3. To be the partner of. --intr. To work or perform as a partner." -- American Heritage, 3rd Edition
Please don't hate me because I'm beautiful.
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Deep13
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:46 PM
Response to Reply #87 |
98. Well, people use it so there has to be a definition. |
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I still don't think it is proper usage. Cooperate, assist, help, collaborate are all better choices.
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:34 PM
Response to Reply #98 |
105. Truth to tell, I don't use that particular construction, myself. |
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I was just showing off how quickly I could look something up on my electronic dictionary.
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Deep13
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Fri Mar-20-09 08:13 AM
Response to Reply #105 |
122. Yeah, I use the electronic dictionary all the time. nt |
Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:48 PM
Response to Reply #98 |
110. "not proper usage" to who? I use the verb "to impact" all the time. |
tishaLA
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:59 AM
Response to Reply #110 |
120. I had a professor who said |
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only two things are impacted: wisdom teeth and colons. Otherwise, it is simply a verb created in Washington to pretend something is happening. I happen to agree with her, so now I tell it to my own students.
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Odin2005
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Fri Mar-20-09 08:15 AM
Response to Reply #120 |
124. Your professor was spewing nonsense disconnected from any linguistic facts. |
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nouns become used as verbs all the time, and every time people criticized it for stupid reasons.
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Iggo
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Fri Mar-20-09 08:21 AM
Response to Reply #110 |
Odin2005
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #125 |
127. Only in formal writting, "Whom" is dead is informal speech. :-) |
Iggo
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:27 PM
Response to Reply #127 |
Deep13
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Fri Mar-20-09 08:27 AM
Response to Reply #110 |
126. I think word usage is inherently conservative. |
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The more the language changes, the less likely the reader or the audience will know what the speaker or writer is trying to say. Standard language is intended to be universally understood among the speakers of that language. Changes deviate from that standard. Even more, it will be less likely that a reader 100 years from know will know. I know a lot of people use impact as a synonym for affect (v.) or effect (n.) so that is unlikely to go over anyones head.
Where I do sometimes get confused is noun-subject, pronoun-object disagreement. Anyone, everyone, someone and no one are all singular (same thing if you replace "one" with "body.") Nevertheless, when gender is undetermined or mixed, it has been fashionable for a long time to say "they" or "their" as the object instead of "him" or "his." Well, when I read that, I am sometimes momentarily confused and have to remind myself that people make that substitution and that the writer is not introducing a new group of people to the story. I find it especially confusing when the writer does it when gender IS known.
"Every woman must obtain their necessary materials."
This makes my reading come to a screeching halt. Their? Who are "they?" Did the writer introduce a new group of people to the narrative that I overlooked? No, it is just that more or less standard screw-up.
Of course the correct way to express it is thus. "Every woman must obtain her necessary materials." Gender is known and the subject is singular.
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LanternWaste
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:19 PM
Response to Original message |
8. "S/He 'disrespected' me..." |
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"S/He 'disrespected' me..."
One is not "disrespected". One is *shown* disrespect, or someone has disrespect for you.
But my biggies are twofold-- "It's like" and "you know". Half of every conversation I'm involved is seems to be taken up by these two annoying fillers.
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HarukaTheTrophyWife
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:36 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
24. Oh man, you would not like talking to me |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 01:43 PM by HarukaTheTrophyWife
I say, "It's like" and "you know" constantly. Usually "you know" is in the phrase, "yo, you know what I mean, right?"
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LanternWaste
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:41 PM
Response to Reply #24 |
25. Stop disrespecting me, doggonnit! |
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Stop disrespecting me, doggonnit!
I mean it's like bad! :evilgrin:
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XemaSab
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:53 PM
Response to Reply #24 |
39. Dude, like, for real. |
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(And yes, that is how I actually talk too. :P )
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GoddessOfGuinness
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Fri Mar-20-09 01:59 AM
Response to Reply #8 |
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We are too often impatient listeners. If the speaker pauses in mid-sentence, we rush to inject our own comments, interrupting his or her train of thought. So we use those fillers to hold the conversation the same way dogs use their urine to mark their territory.
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jobycom
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:30 PM
Response to Original message |
9. Linguistic "rules" given precedence over true language. |
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Rules in grammar are meant to follow, not lead; explain, not limit; and opportunize, not restrict.
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Orrex
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Wed Mar-18-09 10:15 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
58. What the hell does 'opportunize' mean? |
question everything
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:57 AM
Response to Reply #58 |
67. And incentivize is now being used often (nt) |
Orrex
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:03 AM
Response to Reply #67 |
72. Yes, and more's the pity (nt) |
Lionel Mandrake
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Fri Mar-20-09 01:52 AM
Response to Reply #58 |
117. It might mean something like "empower". |
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When a dynamic leader uses either of these words, I generally run like hell.
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jobycom
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:32 PM
Response to Original message |
10. Didn't Mark Twain say that any English word could be verbed? |
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If it wasn't him, it should have been.
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Mollis
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:32 PM
Response to Original message |
11. When people say "huh??" when they heard you, |
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and they just sound like idiots by their tone.
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geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:33 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
Mollis
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:45 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
16. People always do that to me |
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right after I say that. :crazy: :P
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geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:53 PM
Response to Reply #16 |
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couldn't resist.
I find that annoying too.
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Mollis
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Wed Mar-18-09 05:28 PM
Response to Reply #19 |
WildEyedLiberal
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:46 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
27. I don't know if "huh?" or "WHUT?" is more annoying |
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I miss being in the UK, where people would simply say "Sorry?" in a normal tone of voice if they didn't hear what you said.
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trof
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:12 PM
Response to Reply #27 |
33. My Yale educated son-in-law says "Howzat?" |
Mollis
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Wed Mar-18-09 05:18 PM
Response to Reply #27 |
43. Oh, I wish people would do that. |
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I have gotten a few people to, though. People I hang around enough. They learned that I will usually not respond to either.
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friedgreentomatoes
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Wed Mar-18-09 10:12 PM
Response to Reply #27 |
KitchenWitch
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:06 AM
Response to Reply #57 |
74. I also say "pardon?" and also get strange looks. |
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It is as if "I beg your pardon" has no meaning anymore.
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:08 PM
Response to Reply #27 |
Starbucks Anarchist
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Thu Mar-19-09 09:19 PM
Response to Reply #27 |
113. I knew a guy from Iowa who said, "Whuzzuh-whuzzuh?" |
raccoon
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Fri Mar-20-09 07:44 AM
Response to Reply #11 |
121. Not quite as bad as "huh" is "What?" Just the word "What?" sounds rude. |
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How about, "What did you say?" or "Excuse me?"
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dbackjon
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:37 PM
Response to Original message |
13. If workout is not a verb |
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It is only because stuffy editors of the dictionary are behind the times.
Same with partner as a verb.
Both are legitimately used NOW as verbs.
Welcome to 2009...
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NJmaverick
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:44 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
15. If someone called me in the middle of my workout, I would say |
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I am working out. Not, I am workouting.
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DevonRex
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:47 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
17. You work out. Your workout consists of cardiovascular exercise and weights. |
MorningGlow
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:43 PM
Response to Original message |
14. Takeaway is not a noun unless you live in Britain |
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and are going to pick up a curry.
The latest execu-speak catchphrase "What's the takeaway from this?" makes me :puke:
Actually I hate all execu-speak. It's incorrect, clumsy, and stupidly "trendy".
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geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
22. but you really need to be proactive |
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and impact the new paradigm, thus thinking outside the box.
:puke:
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Bertha Venation
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Wed Mar-18-09 02:24 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:47 PM
Response to Reply #30 |
MorningGlow
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Wed Mar-18-09 03:14 PM
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DarkTirade
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:29 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
34. ... my brain hurts now. |
Orrex
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:13 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
59. Those executives need to find another way to incentivize you |
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Perhaps with some additional signage...
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CreekDog
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Wed Mar-18-09 12:57 PM
Response to Original message |
20. i don't like *reading* idioms |
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:rant:
i understand they are part of spoken conversation but they look stupid on paper. (the exception being transcribed interviews and conversations)
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Jokerman
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:28 PM
Response to Original message |
21. "9 AM in the morning" |
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I swear that at least half of the "newscasters" around here use this redundancy.
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Lionel Mandrake
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:07 AM
Response to Reply #21 |
119. That's plenty redundant enough to bother me. |
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I am also bothered by "warm temperatures", "the El Camino", "the hoi polloi", "ATM machines", "IRA accounts" and "PIN numbers".
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Strong Atheist
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:34 PM
Response to Original message |
23. I don't have none, because that is something up with which I can put. |
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Irregardless, to those of you who whine about double negatives, I say "Yeah, right".
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Tommy_Carcetti
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:43 PM
Response to Original message |
26. Misuse of the word literally. |
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I literally want to kill them. As in I will buy a gun and hunt them down and pull the trigger and shoot them.
Okay, not literally, then.
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WildEyedLiberal
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Wed Mar-18-09 01:47 PM
Response to Reply #26 |
28. "I literally walked a thousand miles yesterday" |
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Did you? Literally? You really walked ONE THOUSAND MILES?
:grr:
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Seeking Serenity
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Wed Mar-18-09 02:11 PM
Response to Original message |
29. The use of plural pronouns to refer to singular nouns. |
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"Everyone needs to get their books." "The lecturer had a difficult time clearing their throat." Ugh.
The use of the word "impact" when one means "affect" (verb) or "effect" (noun). "The impact of this policy will be bad." Arrrg.
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Seeking Serenity
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:51 AM
Response to Reply #29 |
78. I forgot one. "Alot." I see that all the time |
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and it drives me insane.
They are TWO WORDS, people!
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Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:33 PM
Response to Reply #29 |
104. Chaucer used singular "they", and "to impact" in a perfectly OK verb. |
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Edited on Thu Mar-19-09 04:37 PM by Odin2005
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cherish44
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:07 PM
Response to Original message |
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I just want to bitchslap people who say that. Oh and bitchslap, that's a very offensive and sexist term!(There, I beat the PC police to the punch! Most of them are on GD but they pollute this board with their whiney-ass indignation sometimes) Beat the the punch? WTF does that mean? Back to my antiquing rant....When you go shoe shopping, you don't say you're going "shoeing." When you go food shopping you're not going "fooding." When you go box shopping you are NOT boxing so don't delude yourself!
I love that there are so many fellow editors here. Hey editors! I get some really piss poor submissions sometimes, do you? I don't mean a few little mistakes, but things that make me ponder :wtf: to the point where I get a migraine.
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geardaddy
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Wed Mar-18-09 04:48 PM
Response to Original message |
36. "Where do you doctor?" |
namahage
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Wed Mar-18-09 05:03 PM
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fishwax
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:02 PM
Response to Reply #40 |
45. there is nothing grammatically wrong with "different than" |
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The arguments against it don't really hold water. The one I usually hear is that "than" should only be used with comparatives, but while it's true that it is primarily used after comparatives, that has never been the only way that it's been used. "Different than" has been used for centuries and by some of our best writers. (I'm not sure when people started objecting to it, but I would guess that it has been within the last hundred years; I should look into that sometime.)
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kentauros
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:25 PM
Response to Reply #45 |
48. Although I cannot profess to know grammar as some of y'all here |
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and remember to use such words like "comparative" in relation to the use of "than", I have observed a rather simple rule for both:
"Than" is a matter of Amount. "Then" is a matter of Time.
:D
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WinkyDink
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:30 PM
Response to Reply #45 |
50. Yes, there is: It's "similar TO" and "different FROM". And THAT is how one remembers. |
fishwax
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:59 PM
Response to Reply #50 |
53. I don't dispute that it *can* be "different from," but it can also be "different than" |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 07:05 PM by fishwax
Yours is a clever mnemonic, but not really an argument for why "different from" is grammatically incorrect :)
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Orrex
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:55 PM
Response to Reply #53 |
61. 'than' implies degree |
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As in the following: "Mary is taller than Bill."
But no degree is implied (nor even makes sense) in the following: "Chocolate is different than vanilla."
More simply, one thing differs from another, rather than one thing differing than another.
Regardless, I have the sense that the usage is sufficiently idiomatic and familiar that there's no point arguing about it, except as a matter of formality and compliance with the rules, such as they are.
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fishwax
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:21 AM
Response to Reply #61 |
70. it can, sure, but it also can imply something other than (tee hee) degree, as your penultimate |
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Edited on Thu Mar-19-09 01:26 AM by fishwax
sentence illustrates: "More simply, one thing differs from another, rather than one thing differing than another." In that sentence, the comparison isn't really one of degree, and yet "than" is perfectly appropriate.
In formal communication, (on edit: or communication with Brits, who have phased out "different than" along with the once popular "different to") it's often better to use different from, but that's not because there is any real rule against different than, but because some people think there is and so may judge you for it. (The same is true for things like the sentence-ending preposition.) That's my take on it, anyway, but I'm a sucker for sticking up for words and constructions that are unjustly attacked :)
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Orrex
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:03 AM
Response to Reply #70 |
71. You make an interesting point |
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I would suggest that "different than" only makes any sense at all because people are using it. Heck, I certainly use it, so I'm in no position to condemn anyone for it.
Also, I'd say that "different than" is different from (evilgrin) the sentence-ending preposition because the latter is almost always redundant. In itself that doesn't make it wrong, but it strikes me as a bit sloppy.
YMMV, of course.
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:46 PM
Response to Reply #61 |
88. Well, then, how about |
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John was differenter than Yoko.
Wouldn't that be ok?
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Orrex
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Thu Mar-19-09 02:35 PM
Response to Reply #88 |
94. He was the differentest |
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No one has ever been more differenter.
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fishwax
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Thu Mar-19-09 11:15 PM
Response to Reply #88 |
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Edited on Thu Mar-19-09 11:16 PM by fishwax
I misread the sequence of replies :)
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oregonjen
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Wed Mar-18-09 05:04 PM
Response to Original message |
41. "Noone" instead of "no one" |
skygazer
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Wed Mar-18-09 05:07 PM
Response to Original message |
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How about "where are you?" What's the "at" for?
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kentauros
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:18 PM
Response to Reply #42 |
47. If one is sitting at one's desk, doing the work you're supposed to be doing, |
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then when the boss comes up behind you and asks only "Where are you?" it's much more tempting to state simply "Sitting in front of you" than to point out where you are at in the job on which you're supposed to be hard at work :P
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:09 PM
Response to Reply #42 |
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My mom trained me not to do that at an early age.
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Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:56 PM
Response to Reply #42 |
111. "at" in that situation seems to be a tag indicating the preposition to be used in the answer. |
kentauros
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:14 PM
Response to Original message |
46. Not so much a P-P that such mistakes aren't caught, |
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but when it's stated "I'm just doing this for fun. Why should I spell/grammar-check?" That's when it's a true pet-peeve. Otherwise, it's a simple mistake (or laziness.)
Then again, my weirdo typing skills, even when I don't look at the keys, sometimes give me such memorable spelling mistakes as
mroe soemtimes IN case Missed capitalization Because i Can't Seem to Always coordinate my Shift Key with The Next Capitalized word
:P
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WinkyDink
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:27 PM
Response to Original message |
49. There is only one answer to this OP: The misuse of the nominative pronoun! "To he and I." "Between |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 06:28 PM by WinkyDink
she and I."
Ignorant AND TONE-DEAF!
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DevonRex
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:38 PM
Response to Reply #49 |
52. OMG. That's a horrible one. Drives me crazy. Or when they say, "Him and I are |
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Edited on Wed Mar-18-09 06:39 PM by DevonRex
going to the store." HIM?????
Or when they say, "Me and him are going to the store." Even worse.
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DevonRex
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Wed Mar-18-09 06:37 PM
Response to Original message |
51. I also hate it when people say "I'm going to get a coffee." It's either just coffee |
woo me with science
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Wed Mar-18-09 08:12 PM
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55. "I am giving it to whomever wins the contest." WRONG! |
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I see this one all the time from people who think "whomever" is the object of the preposition.
The object of the preposition is the entire clause, "whoever wins the contest." "Whoever" is the SUBJECT of that clause and thus takes the nominative case.
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Left Is Write
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Wed Mar-18-09 08:15 PM
Response to Original message |
56. You are right. "Workout" is a noun. |
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If you want to use it as a verb, it has to be two words: "I went to the gym to work out."
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Kat45
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Wed Mar-18-09 11:21 PM
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60. It is as two separate words. "I work out in the morning." |
Manifestor_of_Light
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:39 AM
Response to Original message |
62. "Tasked" as a verb, instead of "given a task". |
Mutley
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:41 AM
Response to Original message |
Oeditpus Rex
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:07 AM
Response to Reply #63 |
Mutley
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:42 AM
Response to Reply #69 |
77. And just who did ya think I was thinking about when I said that? |
Manifestor_of_Light
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:43 AM
Response to Original message |
64. The adverb shortage. It's worse than critical. |
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People don't use adverbs. Adverbs usually end in "ly".
"He ran fast." It should be "He ran quickly".
The Apple ads with "Think different" bugged the hell out of me. :banghead:
Apostrophe misuse.
People who don't use past perfect tenses. They put "ED" on verbs.
"Have went". It should be "Have gone".
"He done did". And all other mangled verb tenses.
"They seen", "They done". ARGGGGGHHHHH! :banghead: Ignorant, ignorant,ignorant.
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:10 PM
Response to Reply #64 |
timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:11 PM
Response to Reply #64 |
95. After reading this, I realize now |
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that I should of stood in bed.
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Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:42 PM
Response to Reply #64 |
108. Language changes and languages have dialects, deal with it. |
question everything
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:51 AM
Response to Original message |
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I am not a grammar maven, far from it. But this word really grates on me. And by now it is part of any dictionary.
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last_texas_dem
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:00 AM
Response to Original message |
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Apparently, it actually has more history to it than I had expected, possibly dating back to the seventeenth century with the word "anywise"... but it just makes me think of a Valley Girl attempting to say "anyway," despite the fact that none of the several people I know that use this term are Valley Girls! So, yeah, it just sounds dumb to me, but I'm willing to bet that it will be considered standard English before I'm dead and gone...
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:12 PM
Response to Reply #68 |
96. Oh, and my particular favorite, |
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"anywho"
Tra la la! How incredibly droll and folksy!
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:13 PM
Response to Reply #96 |
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that's a disgusting one.
Or "that's a hoot!"
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:37 PM
Response to Reply #97 |
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I kept seeing your avatar and thinking, "Isn't Cymru Welsh for Welsh?"
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 09:17 PM
Response to Reply #107 |
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Cymru is Welsh for Wales. Cymry is Welsh for the Welsh people.
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Brewman_Jax
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:06 AM
Response to Original message |
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one of the most overused, redundant, and useless prepositional phrases of all time. I want to yell back, "No shit, Sherlock! We know you mean right now!" :eyes:
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Deep13
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:11 AM
Response to Original message |
75. Verb. That's what's happening. |
Phentex
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Fri Mar-20-09 08:15 AM
Response to Reply #75 |
123. I love this statement! |
raccoon
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Thu Mar-19-09 08:25 AM
Response to Original message |
76. Using word "stepsister/stepbrother" when "half-sister/half-brother" is the right word. nt |
question everything
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Thu Mar-19-09 11:54 AM
Response to Reply #76 |
79. Interesting. Never thought of it |
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even though I have no step family..
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Bake
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:07 PM
Response to Original message |
81. Another one. "Task" is not a verb, either!! |
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"I have been tasked with ..."
GRRRRRRRRR!
Bake
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geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:13 PM
Response to Reply #81 |
93. People who say "tasked" |
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have been tasked with pissing you off. :D
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Deep13
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:47 PM
Response to Reply #81 |
99. Assigned, instructed to do, ordered to do... |
S n o w b a l l
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:30 PM
Response to Original message |
84. Using to instead of too |
madinmaryland
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Thu Mar-19-09 12:32 PM
Response to Original message |
85. "irregardless" It's NOT a word, folks! |
geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:12 PM
Response to Reply #85 |
92. That's one I really dislike |
Lucian
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:01 PM
Response to Original message |
89. The way people spell on Facebook or in text messages. |
geardaddy
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Thu Mar-19-09 01:11 PM
Response to Original message |
91. "He borrowed me his pen" |
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"funner" Mixing tenses such as "I had went"
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Deep13
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:49 PM
Response to Reply #91 |
100. That'll learn him. nt |
Deep13
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Thu Mar-19-09 03:52 PM
Response to Original message |
101. "Myself" as a subject. |
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I read that in trial transcripts when cops testify all the time.
"Myself and the other offices executed the warrant."
"The other officers and I executed the warrant."
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geardaddy
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:22 PM
Response to Reply #101 |
Odin2005
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:31 PM
Response to Original message |
103. I hate Grammar Nazis that hate language change and dialectical variation. |
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Edited on Thu Mar-19-09 04:59 PM by Odin2005
Most other European languages have no problem with double negative constructions ("I don't got no...") and "illogical" pronoun use ("me and Bill are..."), yet in English they are considered improper because some classist twits said so.
Oh, and using "they" in the singular as a impersonal or gender-neutral pronoun is not something new, Chaucer and Shakespeare used it.
"Ain't" was a perfectly fine contraction of "am not" until said classist twits decided that they didn't like it.
There is nothing wrong with split infinitives or ending phrases with a preposition, the "rules" against them were the inventions of idiots who though English should be like Latin.
Using "man" to mean "human" (as in "mankind") is not "sexist," as iit is often claimed. In Old English a "man" was any human, a "wer-man" or "guma" was a guy, and a "wif-man" or "cwen" was a gal. "Wif-man" became "women" in Middle English and the word "wer" fell out of use, surviving only in the word "werewolf" and "world" (from wer-ald, "man-time")
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timtom
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Thu Mar-19-09 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #103 |
109. Why, you insolent young pup! |
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You would deny the old drooling man in the corner his only pleasure of airing his linguistic grievances??
Damn you, sir!! And, again I say, damn you!
(Just kidding, of course. Having a little fun with no harm meant.)
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geardaddy
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:34 PM
Response to Reply #103 |
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Edited on Fri Mar-20-09 02:35 PM by geardaddy
it is INCORRECT to not use a double negative.
e.g.
"Does 'na neb yma" lit. "There's not no one here."
But in English, if taken literally, COULD mean "there is someone here"
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Iggo
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Thu Mar-19-09 10:38 PM
Response to Original message |
114. Just between you and I, it really bothers me... |
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...when people use the subjective form of a personal pronoun as the object of a preposition.
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Manifestor_of_Light
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Fri Mar-20-09 12:03 AM
Response to Original message |
116. People who won't "swear". |
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I mean, literally say the word, swear.
My grandmother was one of those prim-n-proper types. Would not say hell or damn.
Instead of "I swear", she said "I su-wan-ee". Made her sound like a prude from Mississippi.
Probably because she was.
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Tikki
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Fri Mar-20-09 02:56 PM
Response to Original message |
131. Yeah...it is...so says Jackie... |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJVcgP9ve-cJackie Wilson..."Baby, Workout" ...Now it's plain to see You put a hurtin' on me But it's a natural fact I like it like that, So workout!.......:) Tikki
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