Not the grammar police

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  • Micheller1210
    Micheller1210 Posts: 460 Member
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    Given that this and most internet sites uses English as its primary language of communication and non-native speakers aside, that each of the English-speaking nations employs their own unique vocabulary and grammar rules, it beggars belief that anyone should be truly upset about the odd typo or grammar faux pas in an informal setting like MFP.

    Indeed, some mistakes are sloppy, but as more and more folks access the site on the hoof via phones and tablets and rely on spell checkers (or not as the case may be) it's more a question of getting a comment out and most of us are big and ugly enough to be able to work out what the poster means and if we don't, well is it really the end of the world?

    Some of the so-called grammatical errors pointed out in the above posts may in fact be perfectly grammatically correct within the context of local dialect. For example...
    It irritates me to no end when people say "I seen", instead of "I saw" or "I've seen."
    In Scots vernacular it is common parlance to use the past participle instead of the preterite form, especially of common irregular verbs like to see, to drink, to bring, etc.

    If this were a scientific or literary forum or an academic exercise then I would be the first to throw my hands up in horror, but it's a social network, so can we all take a deep breath and count to ten, before I start on why Americans spell colour and labour without a u or write their dates back to front :laugh:

    Love it, that is what I was thinking (etymology) getting to the root of dialects.
  • 2hungariangirls
    2hungariangirls Posts: 220
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    I am by far the grammar police (since I'm not perfect!), but there are some things that really bug me when people don't use correct grammar. Things like:

    There - as in "It's over there"
    Their - as in 'It's their thing over there"
    They're - as in "They're over there with their thing"
    Loose - as in "These pants feel loose now that I've lose weight"
    Lose - as in "I'd like to lose some more weight so these pants fall off"

    Got any grammar irritations?



    Loose - as in "These pants feel loose now that I've LOST weight"
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    I think I love you. Thank you.
    Given that this and most internet sites uses English as its primary language of communication and non-native speakers aside, that each of the English-speaking nations employs their own unique vocabulary and grammar rules, it beggars belief that anyone should be truly upset about the odd typo or grammar faux pas in an informal setting like MFP.

    Indeed, some mistakes are sloppy, but as more and more folks access the site on the hoof via phones and tablets and rely on spell checkers (or not as the case may be) it's more a question of getting a comment out and most of us are big and ugly enough to be able to work out what the poster means and if we don't, well is it really the end of the world?

    Some of the so-called grammatical errors pointed out in the above posts may in fact be perfectly grammatically correct within the context of local dialect. For example...
    It irritates me to no end when people say "I seen", instead of "I saw" or "I've seen."
    In Scots vernacular it is common parlance to use the past participle instead of the preterite form, especially of common irregular verbs like to see, to drink, to bring, etc.

    If this were a scientific or literary forum or an academic exercise then I would be the first to throw my hands up in horror, but it's a social network, so can we all take a deep breath and count to ten, before I start on why Americans spell colour and labour without a u or write their dates back to front :laugh:
  • bp1984
    bp1984 Posts: 38 Member
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    Ebonics and Texting make me want to slam my head into a wall.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    I am by far NOT the grammar police (since I'm not perfect!), but there are some things that really bug me when people don't use correct grammar. Things like:

    There - as in "It's over there"
    Their - as in 'It's their thing over there"
    They're - as in "They're over there with their thing"
    Loose - as in "These pants feel loose now that I've lose weight"
    Lose - as in "I'd like to lose some more weight so these pants fall off"

    Got any grammar irritations?

    Fixed it.
  • jlnk
    jlnk Posts: 188 Member
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    How painfully ironic for you that you've made grammatical errors in your rant about grammatical errors.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
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    the 'your fa!t' sign on a friends mirror in stead of 'you're fat' as in ' with this sign you'll do something about it"! you ARE fat lardo.... and stupid... I woulda said but he woulda beat me up...
  • bp1984
    bp1984 Posts: 38 Member
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    the snozberries taste like snozberries
  • LazyDaise
    LazyDaise Posts: 48 Member
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    What I like about your post is the use of by far. In England, "I am by far the grammar police" means the opposite of what you are saying! For example, " I am by far the fattest person at my gym" means that I am the fattest.

    I am a copy editor, it is my job to pick apart and restructure writing! I do it without realising. I even get doubts about my relationship when my boyfriend texts me the wrong their/there/they're. :S
  • Kal43
    Kal43 Posts: 2
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    Is this English 101?????
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    Affect and effect... also capitalization, it is the difference between:
    "I helped my uncle Jack off a horse" and "I helped my uncle jack off a horse"
  • fitaliciag
    fitaliciag Posts: 373
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    I can't stand it when people use shorthand way too much. Then to make it worse, they type improper English. ha! so sick of tYpInG LiKe ThIs aLL Da TimEz..... WTF!
  • fitaliciag
    fitaliciag Posts: 373
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    Affect and effect... also capitalization, it is the difference between:
    "I helped my uncle Jack off a horse" and "I helped my uncle jack off a horse"

    lmfao
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,081 Member
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    I have nail clippers.
  • BrendaPetersen
    BrendaPetersen Posts: 69 Member
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    x
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    I hate when my wife tells me no, and I know she really means yes.

    Freakin hilarious!!!! love it!

    Does this count in this thread?:

    I hate how people pronounce Tuesday ... like this "chooseday"... wtf.

    In the UK we think it is wrong when pronounced with a hard T as we use the soft ch sound but I have no idea which is correct, if either one is.:ohwell:
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
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    I don't understand why this thread (and pretty much any thread, really) upsets people so much. Is it because everyone on MFP is hungry?
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    Everyone makes errors when posting, emailing, writing letters etc but if you are going to point out other peoples errors it is always advisable to proof read your own work first.

    Loose - as in "These pants feel loose now that I've lose weight"

    I understood that you meant to say "now that I've LOST weight" and understanding what someone is trying to say is more important than whether they say it perfectly or not.
  • 1DEH
    1DEH Posts: 23
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    Ditto what KENNETHMGREEN wrote. I am by far the grammar police....Bahahaha!
  • jamiem1102
    jamiem1102 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    I don't understand why this thread (and pretty much any thread, really) upsets people so much. Is it because everyone on MFP is hungry?

    Yes. That's exactly why.

    Also, speaking of grammatical errors that irritate me when I'm hungry: to and too.

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