Your least favourite grammar mistakes

dxhound2005

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Ahem!

Did you mean A Hem or Ahem:)

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Liam Byrne

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Ahem!

Did you mean A Hem or Ahem:)

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

I know I was a-dressing your post but I had no reason to mention the hemline.

Giselle

Mistakes regarding the usual They're, There, Their, You're, Your, Been, being etc drive me to distraction.

Special venom is reserved for the misuse of spacing...like one before a comma, or even the odd time, a comma used instead of an apostrophe!

''i went to the shops to get they're bread , after been to you,re house''.

Lack of capitalisation is annoying too.

I know my grammar isn't perfect, but at least I try!

Dudess

I'm not a fan of all that stuff as I'm just that way inclined - it does stand out a mile to me, but that's fair enough I think, once you don't say it to the person, because they might not find it so easy. It's not always laziness or stupidity.

Nolanger

Hear this on RTÉ television all the time - people saying tenderhooks. It's tenterhooks.

dxhound2005

Nolanger wrote: »

Hear this on RTÉ television all the time - people saying tenderhooks. It's tenterhooks.

You need one of them tenderhooks to go along with a fine toothcomb.

Here's something to keep you pedants amused for a while:)

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#b

JuliusCaesar

I seen... It's 'I saw' or 'I've seen'. It's not that difficult!

What's with "gotten"? Has crept in more and more in the last few years. Are we all Americans now?

dxhound2005

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

I seen... It's 'I saw' or 'I've seen'. It's not that difficult!

What's with "gotten"? Has crept in more and more in the last few years. Are we all Americans now?

Gotten is an old usage which has persisted in America. Good to see it making the reverse journey.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_gotten_correct_grammar

Dudess

IsMiseLisa wrote: »

While I don't run round the internet correcting dodgy grammar, I do value good grammar - especially in a more formal setting. I also don't understand the hatred towards those who value grammar. It doesn't make you an idiot or a troll. 'S nothing wrong with using correct grammar.

I don't think anyone has said that - I've a fairly strong grasp of grammar/punctuation/spelling and nobody has ridiculed me for it. The hostility is towards correcting people whose grammar/punctuation/spelling isn't strong.

Nolanger

Voice of Ireland on the television are pairing off singers and saying things like 'may the best win'. Should be better not best.

Cedrus

up for anything

matrim wrote: »

Their are just do many I dont know where to start

You did, with a capital, but you should have ended with a full stop and maybe an apostrophe after the 'n' in don't.

sandmanporto

Loadsamoney wrote: »

Most of them seem to stem from laziness/leaving school at the age of 14.
My pet hate;

They + Are = "They're"

Not "there" Or "their"!

So what???
some people are better at English than others. I don't get annoyed at all. Once I know what they mean and I can understand them I don't get pissed off. I despise grammar nazis; there are way worse problems than a simple grammar or spelling mistake. WHO CARES!

Liam Byrne

sandmanporto wrote: »

Loadsamoney wrote: »

Most of them seem to stem from laziness/leaving school at the age of 14.
My pet hate;

They + Are = "They're"

Not "there" Or "their"!

So what???
some people are better at English than others. I don't get annoyed at all. Once I know what they mean and I can understand them I don't get pissed off. I despise grammar nazis; there are way worse problems than a simple grammar or spelling mistake. WHO CARES!

Why do people write posts ?

So people will read them.

If you want people to read what you write and take you in any way seriously, write properly.

Otherwise the "who cares" will be the response to your having a point of view.

LordSutch

furiousox wrote: »

I've heard teachers saying "I seen" so it's no wonder the kids are using it too.
Altogether now...

I seen
You seen
He seen
We seen
They seen

:mad:

Scary stuff if its really true. They also have their fair share of grammatical foibles across the water. I once knew a primary school teacher in South London who persisted in saying things like 'we was there', 'I was sat', 'he was stood' + many more variations, in what they call "non standard English". I always found it disconcerting to hear a school teacher using this 'modern speak' when she should be setting the example, preferably in standard English.

Noel Gallagher (Oasis) on the Late Late tonight "I was sat" . . . .

Irish people are much better with their 'I was sitting', we were standing, they were sitting etc, than many English people, but, as furiousox says, many Irish people really do have problems with I seen (I saw), he seen (he saw), they seen (saw) etc etc etc . . . . .

sandmanporto

Liam Byrne wrote: »

sandmanporto wrote: »

Loadsamoney wrote: »

Most of them seem to stem from laziness/leaving school at the age of 14.
My pet hate;

They + Are = "They're"

Not "there" Or "their"!

So what???
some people are better at English than others. I don't get annoyed at all. Once I know what they mean and I can understand them I don't get pissed off. I despise grammar nazis; there are way worse problems than a simple grammar or spelling mistake. WHO CARES!

Why do people write posts ?

So people will read them.

If you want people to read what you write and take you in any way seriously, write properly.

Otherwise the "who cares" will be the response to your having a point of view.

Yes people write posts so they can EXPRESS THEIR VIEW. So what if there are mistakes does that make them any less?
As long az it iznt txt spk den itz ok cz dts anyin! gt my pnt?

JuliusCaesar

people using "on my behalf" instead of "on my part" eg 'Well on my own behalf I believe yada yada yada'

pickarooney

You wouldn't be mixing up 'on my part' and 'for my part' there would you?

cloptrop

I never knew people felt so highly about the english language. I'm also very surprised people think you should have diploma level grammar skills to post in an internet forum . How petty are you people. Just cause johnners ma spent money on dutch gold instead of books for him doesnt mean he shouldn't have an opinion .I am just never arsed putting in commas and apostrophes , I find them the fat in the english language that needs to be cut.
Im making the english language more efficient

dxhound2005

cloptrop wrote: »

I never knew people felt so highly about the english language. I'm also very surprised people think you should have diploma level grammar skills to post in an internet forum . How petty are you people. Just cause johnners ma spent money on dutch gold instead of books for him doesnt mean he shouldn't have an opinion .I am just never arsed putting in commas and apostrophes , I find them the fat in the english language that needs to be cut.
Im making the english language more efficient

You are an eagle. Eagles are all about efficiency:)

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

fussyonion

I've noticed the same mistakes cropping up on Facebook a lot so these are the ones that really annoy me.
"Loose" as in "I need to loose weight". No, you need to lose weight.
"See you misses" as in that old Dublin word for "Mrs".
"I should of" as in "I should have"
"It's boltic cold out" as in "Baltic".

That's it for now but if I think of more, I'll come back!

Fluorescence

sandmanporto wrote: »

Yes people write posts so they can EXPRESS THEIR VIEW. So what if there are mistakes does that make them any less?
As long az it iznt txt spk den itz ok cz dts anyin! gt my pnt?

When they're extraordinarily simple mistakes that alter the entire meaning of a sentence, then yes they do matter.

I just tend to ignore posts that are full of mistakes as I can't be bothered trying to figure out what they mean. Many people are the same. In that case, the point that was trying to be made is just lost due to something as simple as poor grammar.

Liam Byrne

sandmanporto wrote: »

Liam Byrne wrote: »

sandmanporto wrote: »

Loadsamoney wrote: »

Most of them seem to stem from laziness/leaving school at the age of 14.
My pet hate;

They + Are = "They're"

Not "there" Or "their"!

So what???
some people are better at English than others. I don't get annoyed at all. Once I know what they mean and I can understand them I don't get pissed off. I despise grammar nazis; there are way worse problems than a simple grammar or spelling mistake. WHO CARES!

Why do people write posts ?

So people will read them.

If you want people to read what you write and take you in any way seriously, write properly.

Otherwise the "who cares" will be the response to your having a point of view.

Yes people write posts so they can EXPRESS THEIR VIEW. So what if there are mistakes does that make them any less?
As long az it iznt txt spk den itz ok cz dts anyin! gt my pnt?

They can express their view all they want.

If there are basic spelling and grammar errors people are more likely to ignore the post and therefore the said view, or at the very least not take the post seriously.

If you're the one who wants to make a point then it is up to you to make the point clearly and without basic errors.

Put it this way - if someone didn't ever research or check the spelling of a word what else didn't they check before formulating their opinion ?

Facts and figures, maybe ?

The King of Moo

sandmanporto wrote: »

Yes people write posts so they can EXPRESS THEIR VIEW. So what if there are mistakes does that make them any less?
As long az it iznt txt spk den itz ok cz dts anyin! gt my pnt?

cloptrop wrote: »

I never knew people felt so highly about the english language. I'm also very surprised people think you should have diploma level grammar skills to post in an internet forum . How petty are you people. Just cause johnners ma spent money on dutch gold instead of books for him doesnt mean he shouldn't have an opinion .I am just never arsed putting in commas and apostrophes , I find them the fat in the english language that needs to be cut.
Im making the english language more efficient

Some small mistakes do make a big difference. "Your" instead of "you're" for example, really interrupts the flow of a sentence for me as I expect to see a noun after "your" but am faced with an adjective. And there are many worse mistakes on here.
I can usually manage to understand a post riddled with small errors, but sometimes it's just too much work, trying to figure out which word was meant in place of the wrong one that was written, or what a misspelled word is supposed to be.
I could put in that work, but I shouldn't have to when reading the work of a native speaker. Sure there are learning difficulties which affect people's writing abilities, but there are too many poorly-written posts for them all to be accounted by that.
However, many mistakes are forgiveable. The occasional mistake is understandable, especially with a language with so many irregularities as English.
But lots of errors reflect poorly on the writer and requires too much effort from the reader.

No-one's asking for a perfect standard of English, as no-one has that. A little care in terms of looking after the basics and reviewing post before posting goes a long way.

Also, I don't think most posters here are demanding people improve their grammar. It's about one's least favourite mistakes. You can get annoyed by a mistake but still understand why people make it.

Cedrus

sandmanporto wrote: »

Yes people write posts so they can EXPRESS THEIR VIEW. So what if there are mistakes does that make them any less?
As long az it iznt txt spk den itz ok cz dts anyin! gt my pnt?

The clue is in bold, If the expression is inarticulate or jumbled then the view is not conveyed. It's a bit like the drunk guy in the pub who wants to join in the conversation but can't string a coherent sentence together.

Small irritating errors are exactly that, small and irritating, but often a minor error can change the nuance and meaning of an entire statement. Sometimes the change only affects one sentence and can be worked around, but if it's a strategic element of an argument then the argument is derailed.

I participate in several technical forums with international contributors, many of whose first language is not english, and discussions often stumble along through differing national conversational styles, the technical words are universal, the english is variable, but it can all collapse because of bad punctuation.

In fairness though each form/standard of written communication has it's own place.

• txt spk s fyn wen on mbl fon s qwk n ez
• Shootin the s**** in AH dunt require korectness its chat who cares if its lazy
• Discussions, in which we wish to share and compare opinions, should be presented in an manner designed to optimise communication.