"I've just brought a new car." I've read it so often I'm actually beginning to say it in conversation and having to correct myself.
I know the day is coming when I write "should of" and then I'm going to have to sit myself on the naughty step for a good few minutes!
Worryingly it is how language evolves - on QI Stephen Fry stated that orange was originally from the Spanish - "a norange", but people constantly said "an orange" until it became official.
I know the day is coming when I write "should of" and then I'm going to have to sit myself on the naughty step for a good few minutes!
Worryingly it is how language evolves - on QI Stephen Fry stated that orange was originally from the Spanish - "a norange", but people constantly said "an orange" until it became official.
It seems that Mr Fry (or his elves) may be wrong on this occasion - http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-norange.html - although the actual process of the n migrating from the indefinite article to the noun is not unknown. I hope that 'would of' never becomes accepted usage as it is simply wrong and actually makes no sense.
I'm a SPAG pedant, I don't mind admitting it. There are plenty of mistakes I see on this forum, Facebook and elsewhere which get my blood boiling.
But there are two particular ones that annoy me more than anything else. When I see either of them, I want to punch the nearest wall.
Breath instead of breathe.
Using a grave accent instead of an apostrophe.
There are of course others, but these two make me the angriest! I can't explain why.
What are yours?
I repeat, this is just a bit of fun. ;-) I am sure I have made at least one spelling or grammar mistake in this very post, so please feel free to point it out!
People who spell the noun licence (as in TV LICENCE) license.
'License' is the American spelling. Are we being taken over or what?
Drives me nuts
Oh and text speak. I would never have a relationship with a man who writes in text speak. What else is he going to take short cuts over? ;-)
Yes!!
Sadly I work for an American company who use the US version of licence as, of course, it's their show.
Each time I read it in emails etc I get irritated.
As for text speak. Ghastly.
I was complaining on here recently about using Xmas (*shudders*) for Christmas and someone took me to task asking if I objected to other abbreviations like LOL....of course I bloomin'do. :o In fact that is the first time I have ever typed the 'word' LOL.
I know the day is coming when I write "should of" and then I'm going to have to sit myself on the naughty step for a good few minutes!
Worryingly it is how language evolves - on QI Stephen Fry stated that orange was originally from the Spanish - "a norange", but people constantly said "an orange" until it became official.
Should of annoys me, too. However, there may be a case for of becoming a legitimate alternative to 've or have because on a mobile phone when texting, it takes two fewer key presses to type: 2 versus 4 or in the case of 'should of' 9 versus 11.
I'd forgotten about loose/lose. That annoys the hell out of me as well. >:(
I think it's sad in a way that these problems seem so prevalent. Then again maybe it's always been like this, but because of things like forums, texting, Facebook, email etc we see more of people's spelling on a day to day basis than we would of (;-)) in the past.
Someone who has left school without knowing the differences between there, their and they're (for example) has surely been failed by the education system!
Comments
'had went / have went' is one of my pet hates.
I know the day is coming when I write "should of" and then I'm going to have to sit myself on the naughty step for a good few minutes!
Worryingly it is how language evolves - on QI Stephen Fry stated that orange was originally from the Spanish - "a norange", but people constantly said "an orange" until it became official.
It seems that Mr Fry (or his elves) may be wrong on this occasion - http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-norange.html - although the actual process of the n migrating from the indefinite article to the noun is not unknown. I hope that 'would of' never becomes accepted usage as it is simply wrong and actually makes no sense.
That irritates me as well.
Less / fewer
Who's / whose
Lose / loose
Their / there / they're
All that said, I do struggle with tenses and personal pronouns. I mess up those all the time.
Yes!!
Sadly I work for an American company who use the US version of licence as, of course, it's their show.
Each time I read it in emails etc I get irritated.
As for text speak. Ghastly.
I was complaining on here recently about using Xmas (*shudders*) for Christmas and someone took me to task asking if I objected to other abbreviations like LOL....of course I bloomin'do.
I am hoping it is the last
Should of annoys me, too. However, there may be a case for of becoming a legitimate alternative to 've or have because on a mobile phone when texting, it takes two fewer key presses to type: 2 versus 4 or in the case of 'should of' 9 versus 11.
LOL as punctuation: just going to the shops LOL
People Who Capitalise The First Letter Of Every Word
Using........ too many dots...... for no .... real reason....
They're........ On My........ List LOL
Also:
CAPITALISING THE WHOLE POST FOR NO APPARENT REASON
Using a comma instead of an apostrophe
h8 txt spk
I think it's sad in a way that these problems seem so prevalent. Then again maybe it's always been like this, but because of things like forums, texting, Facebook, email etc we see more of people's spelling on a day to day basis than we would of (;-)) in the past.
Someone who has left school without knowing the differences between there, their and they're (for example) has surely been failed by the education system!
The thing is, I know that perfectly well, but sometimes my fingers do their own thing when I'm typing
Actually, that drives me mad and makes a person look as thick as pig shit.
I wonder how people feel about serial or "Oxford" commas placed immediately before words like "and" and/or "or" in sentences? Personally I like them.
Alot
Abit
..and yes using the grave accent rather than the apostrophe. Maybe I*ll start a new trend as it makes just as much sense.
My other hated slang is "gonna". It's everywhere, it's sloppy and I hate, hate, hate it!
Gonna make a note of that Fred
"Uzz" instead of "Us".
It's almost universal among TV presenters now.
Also 'everyday' when it should be 'every day'. There seems to be a current trend for being unable to use spaces where they're required.
I ... like ... abusing ... ellipsis. Take care to use 3 dots!
It's more of an aposiopesis thing ...
Lowering ourselves, right?
That's bad, but nowhere as bad as the people who use a comma instead of an apostrophe.