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[andalucia]

Also pretentious pseudo-intellectual grammar-cop-wannabes.

Can't argue with that-- Seeing as my plan is to go to grad school for editing after I finish the cultural theory/philosophy degree, I've pretty much reconciled myself with being pretentious etc.


don't we have this conversation all the time?

[wombat]

Once I pointed out to someone that she had spelled 'a lot' incorrectly in a note she was leaving for a friend and she responded with "it's not even a real word."  I think she had a point.  

Lovely.  Almost makes me wish I still taught a class I could use it in.  

I will interject the ritual admonition, which is that, while some of these things drive me crazy too,  soon everyone who is bothered by all the usages mentioned herein will die, and those usages will become standard.  Resistance is futile.

I now return to my regularly scheduled frog-keeper persona.  Hopefully.

[AugustWest]

For me it's a delicate balance.  I believe there are an ever-changing set of prescriptive grammar, usage and spelling rules out there.  The rules are constantly, if slowly and subtly, changing through a descriptive process.

As a lawyer, I respect someone who knows the current state of the rules and is capable of navigating them artfully.  Artful navigation may also include flouting the prescriptive rules (see, Clemens, Samuel.)

[cellardoor]

Did I miss something?

[arkabee]

aaarrrrrrGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!
*gasp*
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
*bang*bang*bang*
*thud*
$%$#%FD~ no connection

[Carlos del Vaca]

"An historic" is only correct if you don't pronounce the h. So if you say "an 'istoric" that's fine but nobody actually says it this way.

Seriously.  Who says "An history of the world?"  Nobody, that's who.  So why all of a sudden "An historic thingie?"

[Bobby Isosceles]

This thread has given all it has to give, It is now a withered husk. Please lock it.

[Turbo Ninja]

"An historic" is only correct if you don't pronounce the h. So if you say "an 'istoric" that's fine but nobody actually says it this way.

Seriously.  Who says "An history of the world?"  Nobody, that's who.  So why all of a sudden "An historic thingie?"

I usually say "an hilarious joke," as in "There is no better way to kill an hilarious joke than to analyze clinically its diction and grammar."

[CortJstr]

You guys should really read The Slot. His big pet peeve us people resisting the singularfication of "media."

[Bobby Isosceles]

You guys should really read The Slot. His big pet peeve us people resisting the singularfication of "media."

How do you like your multiple steaks?

Media!

[revdj]

I apologize. It is just a pet peeve of mine.  It grips my brain like some kind of terrible.. gripping thing and compels me to correct you. It is like when you drink coffee and suddenly have to poop. IT IS EXACTLY LIKE THAT.

I compulsively correct people when they misuse the word "literally".

[Va]

Misuse of figures of speech is troublesome because it means that the speaker doesn't really know what they're saying.  If they don't even know what they're saying how am I supposed to figure out what they actually mean?

[Va]

Once I pointed out to someone that she had spelled 'a lot' incorrectly in a note she was leaving for a friend and she responded with "it's not even a real word."

There is nothing wrong with "a lot".  No, it is not "a real word", it is two real words.

[CortJstr]

Seeing "alot" on two different episodes of Good Eats made me die a little inside.

[miles]

Once I pointed out to someone that she had spelled 'a lot' incorrectly in a note she was leaving for a friend and she responded with "it's not even a real word."

There is nothing wrong with "a lot".  No, it is not "a real word", it is two real words.

I meant that she spelled it "alot."