What are your pet peeves re English usage?

@aidan,

Quote:

Maybe she didn't like to talk about what was work to her, in her free time.

That wasn't the case, Aidan. Look at page 1 of this thread. She loved to spread prescriptions far and wide to whoever would listen. When she was asked for further explanation or she was asked a why, that was the end of it for her.

0 Replies

@Joeblow,

Quote:

O.K. Perhaps “I seen it” has gone from nails on a blackboard to repetitive finger drumming.

Quote:

You must not read enough of his posts.

http://able2know.org/topic/132129-8#post-3739657
Post: # 3,739,657

See what I mean, Joe, no 'have'. Sometimes it's,

You must not have read enough of his posts.

sometimes,

You must notta've [with upper teeth placed against the lower lip with fairly strong aspiration] read enough of his posts

sometimes,

You must notta [with the upper teeth placed ever so slightly against the lower lip, and with almost no aspiration] read enough of his posts

sometimes,

You must notta [with no upper teeth placement on the lower lip and no 'v' aspiration at all] read enough of his posts

And sometimes these naturally occurring contractions carry over from speech to make their appearance in writing.

1 Reply

@JTT,

JTT that's ******* patronising and insulting.

4 Replies

@McTag,

Quote:

JTT that's ******* patronising and insulting.

Are you joking, Mac? That's all JTT does. The arrogant bastrad is one of the most patronizing, insulting and insufferable sons of bitches on this forum. He's a ******* asshole, in fact.

Now he'll make light of what I just posted and explain how my feelings about this rude son of a bitch are just sour grapes. He'll use the word 'prescriptive' half a dozen times.

Rot in hell, JTT!

1 Reply

Don't hold it in like that, MA, it'll give ya an ulcer . . . tell us how you really feel . . .

1 Reply

@Setanta,

I know, I know, Set. But I didn't want to get down to JTT's level and be insulting. Just briefly telling it like it is.

0 Replies

@McTag,

Quote:

JTT that's ******* patronising and insulting.

It was a bit, wasn't it, McTag? But it was also completely true.

And it's not anywhere near the patronizing and insulting tone that was expressed in her postings on language.

Here's number 1:

Quote:

Ah the serial comma! Yes, it is a(n) uniquely American thing, but becoming common over here (sorry, forgot for a moment I'm in Phnom Penh - I mean UK) too. It implies a breath before the and which would be SO tiresome.

But Grand Duke, giving something to Jeff and I is TERRIBLY INCORRECT - all you have to do is to remove Jeff and you will see how silly it sounds. This doesn't stop many people saying it, but they are hypercorrecting so they don't make the mistake of 'saying Jeff and me saw the film.

I am in the business - EFL publishing - and I know these things!

1 Reply

@Merry Andrew,

Quote:

... are just sour grapes

I really don't know what they are, Merry. I can only just wonder why someone would sit there and defend nonsense about language, as you have, with the facts staring you square in the face.

Now that's arrogance, and ... .

0 Replies

@JTT,

That's one of the things I liked about Clary JT.

Have you not read Stendhal? Or seen the scene in Reds where Jack Nicolson has been listening to Diane Keaton reciting her poetic compositions.

The other things I liked about Clary are too well known for me to take the trouble to expatiate upon.

I hope you all know that English Usage includes dress codes. They are a language. In ancient Greece the ladies of the equivalent rank to the ladies I saw in the pub tonight used to wear a one piece pale purple gauze thingie which it was impossible to see at a distance of more than an inch or two.

Imagine if Americans had adopted the dress code of the inhabitants they found on their land instead of the English style.

1 Reply

@spendius,

Quote:

That's one of the things I liked about Clary JT.

What would that be, Spendi?

As I mentioned, or think I mentioned, she was very likely a fine lady and a good person.

0 Replies

@spendius,

spendius wrote:

It's a silly question Becks.

To how many Becks r u addressing yourself ?

David

0 Replies

@spendius,

spendius wrote:

Two distinct ideas.

hence, the word "but"

0 Replies

@JTT,

I do think it’s interesting that we view what was written differently.

Where you saw *red,* I saw *reed.*

This isn’t a comment on the validity of your explanation.

I’m just not satisfied that your example was the best one to illustrate your point.

1 Reply

For Mac and Merry: You have to admit this is like shooting fish in a barrel. This thread has gone on so long, that no one is discussing their actual "peeves" any more...Two of the gents use it as a spring board to mouth their tiresome nonsense trying to appear as if they are actually serious. How rich is it when one of the pompii (I made that up as a plural for pompous ass) (I'm paraphrasing right now) that he and his friends all think the same and like to "delve into the 'real reasons' why others buy frigging boats. I can't speak for anybody else, but stupid crap like that does not keep me up at night. These self congratulating oafs are spurting one asinine idea after another.

One of my favorite comments from one of them is (loosely) "I think we owe it to (word missing) to make an effort to appear smart" You gotta love this stuff, every time I think they can't come up with anything more ridiculous, they suprise me again. And to who ever complained that "She couldn't be bothered to check back thru the thread to find out which one of the two used a certain word or phrase" I admit you are absolutely correct, I can't be bothered. But I will ask Merry and McTag to let me know if either JTT or splendiass ever express anything worth reading. I think this thread has close to 250 pages as of tonight. How big of a loser do you have to be to want to voluntarily and without compensation, go back and read all the pages? Apologies in advance to JTT and splendidass if you have read thru more than once.....but............come to think of it, that WOULD answer my last question.

2 Replies

@Joeblow,

Quote:

I’m just not satisfied that your example was the best one to illustrate your point.

That's certainly a good possibility, Joe.

0 Replies

@glitterbag,

You've really got to ask yourself, Glitter, why you keep posting all these long rants without EVER addressing the language issues you raised.

One good thing has come out of this, you haven't offered any more "advice" on language

You were wrong, dead wrong, with your silly little peeve. Why not show a small measure of honesty and admit it? That would be a grand lesson for your kids.

0 Replies

I been gone, so somebody please help me out here...

where was the sale on high horses, and do they have any left?

(I always thought it would be fun to play like that on one...)

1 Reply

@spendius,

David wrote:

Quote:

If so, then (by definition) I 'd have rejected social contact with them.

David wrote:
Note that the definition cited in the nested quote hereinabove set forth
was that of "snob". The last (pre-Spendius) time that I was accused of being a snob,
I was in hi school, at the age of 15;
it was by a young lady who complained of my failure to have taken sufficient notice of her.

spendius wrote:

Quote:

How do you define "uneducated" Dave?

I define it as: ignorant, uninformed, devoid of knowledge.

spendius wrote:

Quote:

If you reject social contact how do you make your invidious comparison with yourself.

Is that a question ?

I have seldom rejected social contact,
altho it has happened
with unpleasant people whose company I have avoided.
I deem that to be defensive (hence, well justified).

spendius wrote:

Quote:

And when you do use the word about others what do you do
when you are laughed at by those who know better than to
underestimate people and go on to, when they have managed to stop giggling,

That has never happened,
other than in your imagination. Therefore, I have done nothing.

spendius wrote:

Quote:

challenge your own education which,

The question that u raise entails a comparison of schools.
That has never happened either, in my experience.
I gather that u r particularly sensitive on this point, Spendius; a sore spot.
If I 'd thawt that I 'd hit a nerve, I 'd not have brought (brawt) it up.
Don 't take it too hard.

spendius wrote:

Quote:

viewed from here, seems pretty narrow as is invariably the case
with snobbish and disdainful persons

Note that I have not treated u with disdain.
Will u agree that there r people who merit disdain, Spendius * ?

spendius wrote:

Quote:

who's parents and teachers

That shoud be whose, Spendius, "not who 's".
( . . . I 'm sure that does not reflect upon the quality of your education. . . . )

spendius wrote:

Quote:

have led them up the garden path.

I have been a rather skeptical fellow, since my first years,
when I became verbally enabled.
Very ofen, I have challenged the legitimacy of propositions
with which I have been confronted. I have been careful
about being led and rejected it, when I deemed it appropriate,
a practice which I continue. ( I 've seldom taken much interest in gardens. )

spendius wrote:

Quote:

past the tulips and roses,
and up to the yawning door of their infinitely receptive egoflapper.

????
Maybe if I get drunk enuf,
some meaning will become attributable to what Spendius wrote.
(I might have missed that psychology class wherein thay explained the egoflapper;
maybe Spendius was right about my education.)

spendius wrote:

Quote:

Do you snarl--"reach!!!"

I don 't have occasion to snarl much.
Do u recommend it ?

* (I expect a negative ad hominem remark in reply to that question.)

David

2 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

Quote:

That shoud be whose, Spendius, "not who's".

In your spelling system, it shouldn't make any difference, Om.

0 Replies

I'm sorry JTT, didn't I state it clearly enough that I think you are behaving like an idiot? That's the real reason I haven't continued to humour you, I was willing for a few hours to treat your nonsense as if it had merit. So even if you need a little cheese to go with that whine, you are barking up the wrong tree. Ta and the horse you rode in on.

1 Reply

What are your pet peeves re English usage?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know