An extremely polite suggestion

135

Replies

  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    Used to bother me too. You get used to it. You have to. Sadly it's not going away.

    Every week there's a "It's not spelled loose" thread and everyday dozens of people spell it loose. It's not going to change. Best to just start ignoring it.
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
    I have no doubts that this topic has been posted before. I also have no doubts that the moderators have censored a fair number of these posts, citing that they were offensive.
    If you are suggesting that I should not have posted this topic because it's been done before, then perhaps one could argue that the backlash of complaining comments should also not have been posted. Those have also, most assuredly, been done before.

    I am sure that those of you who feel it's worth your time to comment in a negative manner didn't suffer too much in reading this topic. I'm also confident that you have grasped the difference between these words and don't need this "lesson." Congratulations. I'm glad that many people already have this knowledge.

    I have had two people PM me since this original post letting me know that they are still struggling with the difference between these two words and that they ARE embarrassed when they use the wrong one and have someone point it out to them in an attacking manner. I have chosen to discuss it in a polite way that encourages learning rather than a free-for-all whining session or grammatical gang bang.

    All for this. Why dis the OP about it? Who cares if you read it before. Just move on then.
    Here is the word in practice:
    Loose pants is a good thing for your tailor.
    O'Barry will lose in November.
    Class dismissed
  • Farfourah
    Farfourah Posts: 896 Member
    I never knew anyone could sound monotone though writing....Congratulations, on that part OP. Woohoo!
  • Loves418
    Loves418 Posts: 330 Member
    Here I thought bullying and being mean was only on the middle school level of my son. Yet again here it is picking on people making fun of people and in another post wanting to ban people.Silly me I thought we were all here to get healthy drop some pounds and inches. SMH (if you don't know what this stands for get a teenager to tell you!!)
  • This is not a personal attack on any individual or group.
    But the forums has a search engine where you can find out if a topics already been posted before you beat a dead horse :wink:
  • ullremo
    ullremo Posts: 1
    Thank you! As a speaker of English as my second language I have often struggled with when to use lose and when to use loose. Your memory aid has solved this problem now!
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
    I drink my exercise calories:drinker:

    I've been trying this for the last couple weeks. Hasn't been working out too great for me tho LOL
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    P.S.: Do you always write/talk like this or are you actually just being annoying on purpose? lol

    Just ****in' with ya, dude. Lighten up. Language is fluid but, more importantly, it's a tool for COMMUNICATION. Have fun with it. Bastardize it, even. Whether it's because you're ignorant or lazy or creative or just plain apathetic, use language as you wish. It's for YOU. And ME. And THEM. And US!

    I mean, if I tell you, "Hey! The caps lock key on my keyboard is sticky. If i type the word i lowercase one more time i am going to lose it!" Would you get all upset Miss Twisty Panties? Would you have absolutely no idea what I meant without those uppercase Is? Or would you just be a little annoyed because you think being annoyed by bad grammar means you're smarter than the average pedant?

    Yeah. That's what i thought.

    :tongue:
  • Silver_Star
    Silver_Star Posts: 1,351 Member
    AMEN to that!!...i love the MFP community...but it's a bit odd to read sentences in English with wrong spellings.....especially when it is not my first language i learnt in school.

    Oh and may i add.....

    it is "too" much, not "to" much.
    It is "you're" losing weight, not "your" losing weight. LOL!!
    It is "they're" losing weight, not "their" losing weight.

    That is all.
  • secrets_out
    secrets_out Posts: 684 Member
    Aww well bless your heart...bored aren't ya...
  • I am an English teacher, and I don't care about grammar on MFP; it's not a resume. However, if it bugs you, it bugs you. Get it out! We are here to support each other. Long threads bug me.

    (And, yes, I eat my exercise calories most days. In fact, I exercise so I can eat those calories most days.)
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    I know a lot of people think it doesn't matter because they get their point across so who cares about a little misspelling. I care. I have not seen a doctor long enough to have a complete diagnosis but ADD, dyslexic and autism are all in the running. I read by the shape of a word. If the shape is wrong, it takes me a second to figure out what it was supposed to be and it slows me down. I read very easily and very quickly when a post is written correctly but throw in a few spelling and grammar mistakes and I may just click to something else. I'm sure there are other people who feel the same way. If you want to be taken seriously, you can't write like a third grader.
  • Kennkaru
    Kennkaru Posts: 210 Member
    If dead horses aren't your thing, I suggest going the long way around one when you encounter it.

    I'm having a lot of great discussions about this post with people. I have also had five new friend requests since I posted it. Perhaps others have had new friend requests from people because they are bonding over how annoying my post is. As long as it's creating discussion, I have no complaints.

    Please keep in mind that this post was never to whine about people using the words wrong. It was simply a reminder and encouragement to those who wish to use them correctly. My being "new" to MFP is pretty irrelevant. I, too, have seen grammar topics in the forums. I'm wondering why this has so many people SO DEFENSIVE.

    If I was to post a gentle reminder in the forums for everyone to keep being positive and working toward those goals, because sticking to it is the only way to succeed, no one would start throwing their feces. That, too, would be an overdone topic that some would not view as a necessary reminder.
  • adrian_indy
    adrian_indy Posts: 1,444 Member
    I think you all need to loose the attitudes.
  • Farfourah
    Farfourah Posts: 896 Member
    P.S.: Do you always write/talk like this or are you actually just being annoying on purpose? lol

    Just ****in' with ya, dude. Lighten up. Language is fluid but, more importantly, it's a tool for COMMUNICATION. Have fun with it. Bastardize it, even. Whether it's because you're ignorant or lazy or creative or just plain apathetic, use language as you wish. It's for YOU. And ME. And THEM. And US!

    I mean, if I tell you, "Hey! The caps lock key on my keyboard is sticky. If i type the word i lowercase one more time i am going to lose it!" Would you get all upset Miss Twisty Panties? Would you have absolutely no idea what I meant without those uppercase Is? Or would you just be a little annoyed because you think being annoyed by bad grammar means you're smarter than the average pedant?

    Yeah. That's what i thought.

    :tongue:

    You were not just ****ing with her....I thought I was the only one....
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member

    This is simply a statement of fact that each and every one of us heard from multiple teachers,starting probably around 3rd or 4th grade and continuing thereafter.

    Censoring this post would be extremely paternalistic and excessive.

    I do find this extremely offensive to allude that I should have known this since 3rd grade - seeing that I did not get any english based education till much later in my life.....quite a few people on this site did not grow up with english as a mother tongue - and most of us does pretty good most of the time.....

    As I have said many times - until you can speak a second language as well as I speak english you have no right to judge my command of the english language!!

    On behalf of the moderators of this forum I also find it offensive that the OP speaks down to them - and basically "threatens" them with her statement above....

    OP - All I can hope for you is that your day is now happy and complete since you have gotten all of that off your chest - and managed to offend some of the users of this forum. The "lovely words" means nothing - it is the intent behind the words...

    OK - now I will toodle off and get back to the serious business of losing weight and getting healthy....
  • shellsie_j
    shellsie_j Posts: 132 Member
    Off topic, I have never seen so many profile pics ever for one person. Wish I had more!
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
    Here I thought bullying and being mean was only on the middle school level of my son. Yet again here it is picking on people making fun of people and in another post wanting to ban people.Silly me I thought we were all here to get healthy drop some pounds and inches. SMH (if you don't know what this stands for get a teenager to tell you!!)

    Humor burns calories...look it up...
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
    I do need to loose weight and I hope it never it finds me.

    This is not a grammar class. People from all over the planet come here to lose or loose weight. The goal is to support each other in that mission. Personally, I could care less how you spell something as long as I can understand what you are saying.
  • bmiller211
    bmiller211 Posts: 222 Member
    it amazes me that something so trivial can bother you so much! Do you never make a mistake?
  • babygurl48
    babygurl48 Posts: 1,237 Member
    "and I would like offer"...I think there should be a "to" in there. Glass houses and stones come to mind.

    Ouch...that has got to sting...

    I come here to loose weight, not learn to rite gooder.
    lol
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    First, I am also a "Grammar Nazi", so this is meant in jest, please take it as such.

    When comforting a Grammar Nazi, it's important to pat them on the back and say, comfortingly, "Their, there, they're".
  • Kennkaru
    Kennkaru Posts: 210 Member
    To clarify: I do not feel bullied. I knew there would be some negative reactions to this post, and I wouldn't have gone ahead and posted it if I couldn't handle a little criticism.

    Some of you have made extremely good points. Yes, I was being too general when I referenced 3rd and 4th grade education. Not everyone has had the same education. Not everyone learned English as their first language. I apologize to anyone who was offended by those statements.

    As for "if I'm really this annoying," I do not use formal language like this at all times. If you care to take the time to get to know me outside of this discussion, you will have the opportunity to find out. However, it's clear from the few of you who have chosen to focus on my typo that if I had used any more informal language I would have been criticized for that just as readily. It is unlikely that anyone will succeed in making me feel ashamed of using my language with some level of skill. Those who are struggling to learn English, either because of a lack of education or because their original language was something else, will likely embrace this reminder rather than immediately putting their claws out. Again, this was not meant to offend.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member

    This is simply a statement of fact that each and every one of us heard from multiple teachers,starting probably around 3rd or 4th grade and continuing thereafter.

    Censoring this post would be extremely paternalistic and excessive.

    I do find this extremely offensive to allude that I should have known this since 3rd grade - seeing that I did not get any english based education till much later in my life.....quite a few people on this site did not grow up with english as a mother tongue - and most of us does pretty good most of the time.....

    Wow Elle, who would have guessed English wasn't your first language. You Rock!

    As I have said many times - until you can speak a second language as well as I speak english you have no right to judge my command of the english language!!

    On behalf of the moderators of this forum I also find it offensive that the OP speaks down to them - and basically "threatens" them with her statement above....

    OP - All I can hope for you is that your day is now happy and complete since you have gotten all of that off your chest - and managed to offend some of the users of this forum. The "lovely words" means nothing - it is the intent behind the words...

    OK - now I will toodle off and get back to the serious business of losing weight and getting healthy....
  • dancecentral
    dancecentral Posts: 50 Member
    lol. I must be insecure because after reading this I had to check my profile to make sure I wasn't making this faux pas and felt better that I wasn't even though I shouldn't care. :smile:
  • brendansmom1
    brendansmom1 Posts: 526 Member

    This is simply a statement of fact that each and every one of us heard from multiple teachers,starting probably around 3rd or 4th grade and continuing thereafter.

    Censoring this post would be extremely paternalistic and excessive.

    I do find this extremely offensive to allude that I should have known this since 3rd grade - seeing that I did not get any english based education till much later in my life.....quite a few people on this site did not grow up with english as a mother tongue - and most of us does pretty good most of the time.....

    Wow Elle, who would have guessed English wasn't your first language. You Rock!

    As I have said many times - until you can speak a second language as well as I speak english you have no right to judge my command of the english language!!

    On behalf of the moderators of this forum I also find it offensive that the OP speaks down to them - and basically "threatens" them with her statement above....

    OP - All I can hope for you is that your day is now happy and complete since you have gotten all of that off your chest - and managed to offend some of the users of this forum. The "lovely words" means nothing - it is the intent behind the words...

    OK - now I will toodle off and get back to the serious business of losing weight and getting healthy....

    Wow....that was a tad angry. LOL

    Dunno, maybe the OP was just having a moment. There are some things like that that do make me grit my teeth....I don't judge people based on it, it is just something that bugs me...the lose vs. loose, they're vs their...but really...the one that gets me is breathe vs. taking a breath. LOL

    Anyway, good thing this was posted in chit chat fun and games...otherwise someone may have been offended. :huh:
  • Punctuationsaveslives.jpg

    Girly, I am afraid you are fighting a losing battle (hahaha). Let people be, there are far bigger things to try to improve. Thank you for letting people learn of their errors, but 1. Beating a dead horse only makes one tired, 2. You can't teach those who are not willing to learn, and 3. Often enough, my f***ing autocorrect makes me look like an illiterate hillbilly (no offense to all you hillbillies out there), even though I am highly educated.

    That being said. . . you don't see me spouting off words most people reach for the thesaurus for. The message wasn't offensive, but your method of delivery? Slightly.

    SO right on so many levels....SO wrong on so many levels.... I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.
  • natesangel
    natesangel Posts: 210 Member
    just because this thread needs a chuckle! thought i would share a great email i once received, don't shoot the messenger, it's a really good read!! i also agree that the poor grammar and speeling (haha) mistakes that are happening all over the internet, are getting out of hand :happy:

    I think a retired English teacher was bored. THIS IS GREAT!
    Read all the way to the end.
    This took a lot of work to put together!
    You think English is easy??

    1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

    2) The farm was used to produce produce.

    3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

    4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

    5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

    6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

    7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present thepresent.

    8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

    9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

    10) I did not object to the object.

    11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

    12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

    13) They were too close to the door to close it.

    14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

    15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

    16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow

    17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

    18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

    19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

    20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?


    Let's face it, English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is is a pig.

    And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

    If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

    How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down; you fill in a form by filling it out; an alarm goes off by going on.

    English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

    PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ?
    - Why cant you cant a cantilever?
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    It is unlikely that anyone will succeed in making me feel ashamed of using my language with some level of skill.

    You're trying to make it sound like I told you to dumb it down. You have an inference problem, muh'dear.

    P.S.: Utilizing contractions'll make you sound like you have a slightly smaller stick up your butt. :flowerforyou:
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    was that ridiculously long introduction/buildup and incessant thesaurus-humping supposed to be funny? if so, i am amused. if not, i am amused anyway


    Thesaurus-Humping! Genius! Love it... thank you for the new term :laugh:
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