Grammar Nazi

[susandennis]

Ok, I can handle poor grammar in conversation but national news people really should be setting an example. I just heard on CBS Evening News that less people are flying this summer. Now, I'm guessing that the people have not lost weight.

The other two that make my teeth hurt are: incorrect pronouns as in 'she gave it to Bob and I' and not using the posseive with a gerund as in 'i'm jealous of him winning.'

Someone told me not long ago that this intolerance of poor grammar was a factor of my age - in other words, I was being an old fuddy duddy and rules change. These rules haven't changed and anyway I can live with my being an old fuddy duddy.

Comments

[pheon.livejournal.com]

I think it is rather an age thing, resulting from the changes (not for the better) in education, especially grammar and spelling, over the past 40 years or so. Not to mention punctuation.

And I have a list of errors probably much like yours that set my teeth on edge --- infer/imply, effect/affect, less/fewer --- along with all the incorrect homophones --- there/their, to/too/two --- which never get caught by spellcheckers.

Ah, we must adjust, I suppose. Interestingly, I saw a comment recently in some blog to the effect that in the next 30 or 40 years, almost everyone in the world will be speaking English and the variants will be so different as to be unintelligible to each other.

[susandennis]

lay/lie, notrious/famous (and its evil twin pair) notariety/fame...

adjusting is difficult but probably easier than getting all worked up over the whole thing, I suppose...

[judith.livejournal.com]

Well, no, it isn't a factor of your age. Two reasons: 1) too many other people your age don't give a damn about grammar; and 2) a lot of younger people share this irritation. Proof is in the number of persons who post to grammar_whores and similar communities who are young. Some VERY young, 14 years old.

I share your complaint about these particular breaches of grammatical etiquette. Among many others.

AND ANOTHER THING. Those who suggest the world is changing and the language with it are leading us back to that world of a couple of hundred years ago, when nobody could even agree on one way to spell a word. This is progress?

[susandennis]

What a fun community! Thanks!!

[melodysk.livejournal.com]

I agree with pheon that it is an age thing ..but I do not think it will be an age thing in the future as grammar is not taught nowadays like it was. Tomorrows 40 somethings will not know or care whether or not the language is correct.

My pet hates are (especially) Sports commentators in the UK who will insist on saying things like *...and they are LITERALLY human kangaroos* ARGHH! also , the pronunciation of the word *amateur* as amachuh and not amatuh....no, no , no.

I have to be honest and say I do cringe somewhat at the change in the English language over the pond ;) But that is my cross to bear *g* (I mean to say .....aluminum??)

*giggle*

[susandennis]

Yeahbutt (don't you love that one!) even when you giggle, you probably sound ever so much more cultured... :)

[teasdale.livejournal.com]

The rules haven't changed but I think that today's society has become so visually and sound bite oriented that the written word is quickly falling out of use. If people don't read as much, they are not exposed to the proper use of grammar. I find that to be very sad.

Your journal entries have been quite thought provoking lately. You've got me contemplating again. :)

[greyandred.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's a function of being a fuddy-duddy. I'm 21 and I feel that way! Time to go check out grammar_whores-- thanks for the tip!

Sarah