I am a word snob. I like words to be used properly and I like them to be spelt correctly.
Tragically, I usually write words out in full when texting.
I don't like it when people make nouns into verbs, such as turning 'impact' into 'impacted on', rather than 'the impact on'.
I don't like the (newish) verb 'to diarise'. It sounds too much like diarrhoea.
It's 'one fell swoop' not 'one foul sweep' (from Macbeth).
It's 'one fell swoop' not 'one foul sweep' (from Macbeth).
I prefer English/Australian spelling to American, although I accept that 'programme' has become 'program'.
I am amused every time I read of someone 'pouring' over a book instead of the correct 'poring'.
And why do people write 'past-time' instead of 'pastime', a hobby?
At school I learnt that sentences should not begin with 'and' or 'but'.
And I do that all the time.
But I shouldn't.
Do you have pet hates when it comes to grammar and spelling? What are they?
Postscript: A reader reminded me of one of my biggest pet hates, the misuse of apostrophe's. (Yes, that error was intentional!)
Just for the record, simple plurals NEVER require an apostrophe. Thus it's ponies not pony's and 1990s not 1990's (we would write nineties not ninety's).
Just had to get that off my chest.
Postscript: A reader reminded me of one of my biggest pet hates, the misuse of apostrophe's. (Yes, that error was intentional!)
Just for the record, simple plurals NEVER require an apostrophe. Thus it's ponies not pony's and 1990s not 1990's (we would write nineties not ninety's).
Just had to get that off my chest.
16 comments:
I'm an American who spent several months studying in Australia...I too love the English/Australian spellings more than American. Sometimes I head to the theatre rather than the theater. Just sounds more fun!
Oh, my gosh, I have so many pet peeves with words and grammer.
When did "by accident" become "ON accident"? Why? It's on purpose, BY accident.
Another one: Bored of. People, it's bored with, TIRED of.
The biggest one: improper use of "someone" and I. I even hear it in movies and on TV. "Come have dinner with Jack and I." Aren't they supposed to check those things in scripts?
One of my co-workers at work, a fresh-out-of-high-school aide, was always using that improperly. I finally told him to listen to the sentence and take the "Jack and" out of it. Would he say "come have dinner with I"?
Light dawned in his eyes.
Sorry. I'll get down off my soapbox now.
I can't decide which bothers me more: misused apostrophes or identical-sounding words using the wrong spelling.
There is so much laziness going on everywhere! I don't have a cell phone, but if I did, I'd be right there with you texting complete words. Seeing people's texts is painful to me.
Also I am surprised how little people read over their blog posts before putting them up (and I have even noticed a few errors in my own!). I can't decide if they don't know or if they don't care.
Oh, and I hope you have read Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss. If you haven't, I think you'd love it!
I always shake my head when I see alot and I see it a lot :0)
Hi Kate,
I don't like it when I see the word separate misspelled. It happens quite a bit. I was also not impressed by two teachers correcting my daughter's spelling of rehearsal because they thought it was spelled rehersal.
Another one I have noticed is that it is common now for the abbreviation M.C. (Master of Ceremonies), to be made into the word emcee. This beauty is usually in our local paper.
I guess if an incorrect use or spelling of a word is used enough, it probably becomes a recognised part of our language.
I hope I didn't make too many errors in this comment.
Tracy
I also spell things out in full in texts :)
My pet hate is 'text spelling' of words - especially in forums etc. The word 'norti' (naughty) gives me the chills every time I see it!
I bet you tune into ABC TV's Can we Help? to listen to Kate Burridge, the
resident linguist. I find her segments fascinating regarding word origins and meanings and changes over time. I think I am a word snob too and I like the sound of that!
My pet hate is when people say:
'She would of won' when we all know it is...
'She would have won'
and people saying apsolutely instead of absolutely! and Austrayan instead of Australian AAArrrgh!
Cheers - Joolz
First and foremost, I despise the use of the word "gotten". It sounds awful and is an American invention that should never have been allowed into the English language.
Next gripe: The misuse of apostrophes. "It's" and "its", for example.
The incorrect use of "their", "there" and "they're".
"Alot" when it should be "a lot".
Misspelling "definitely" (there's no 'a').
In political discussion, spelling Labor as L-a-b-o-u-r (I've seen that a few times today), which are two completely different things.
There is many more, of course, because I too am a WORD NERD. :)
~S.
Hello Kate
Well you've opened a can of worms here lol
Believe it or not 'gotten' is not an American invention
Have a look Here . Taken over to the New World by the Brits of the time
Looking forward to other pet hates that come to light - at the moment mine is 'cose instead of because - seen in so many blogs
Take care
Cathy
Canadians tend to use British spelling although we are permitted to use both American and British spelling at school. We were just encouraged to be consistent.
My pet peeves include the "its" and "it's" but I must say I can never quite get used to "color" and "favorite" without the "u". The misuse of "your" instead of "you're" is another.
Oh, and "jewellery" must be spelled in this form.
Lisa x
Im rite with ya, honey! Poeple who cant spel and hae no idea how to use gramar realy shouldnt blog.
So I gess Im a word snob too.
[*evil*]
Hmm I think you all scare me!!!! But that is okay as I am a big girl and I can take having my faults pointed out to me.....which is probably most of the mistakes that you have all pointed out
There are blogs that I had to stop reading because the poor grammar and spelling annoyed me so much!
Pet hates: "reticent" instead of "reluctant"; my sons saying "haitch"; the use of "like" instead of "um"; and the name of my country being mangled to Ashtraya.
I even heard our NZ Prime Minister refer to the plural of text as 'textses' Whaaaaa????
I love this post! The saddest part of all the text language used now on cell phones is that the children I teach think it's acceptable spelling!! As for apostrophes, don't get me started... :)
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