that's it... the world has gone to pot

[Rachel Caldecott]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/...down-because-ignorance-has-won-a4301391.html?

Perhaps my husband should start another society to correct all the people on tv that say things like, "there is many things..." which bothers him greatly.

 

[Carol Rose]

Language is fluid. Think of how people used to speak 100 years ago. 50 years ago, even. It's different than now. Do I like it that people can't use a freaking apostrophe the right way? No. I think it's absurd. But that's because I understand them and a lot of people do not. I don't know why. It's still taught in school, right? But that doesn't mean anything. So is complex math and I can't understand anything beyond simple geometry and algebra. We all have our skills, right?

 

[KateESal]

Yes. I must admit, part of me gets highly irritated by SPAG misuse, while the other part of me goes with the flow of linguistic evolution.

T'was ever thus.

 

[Dean Baxter]

Recent misuse of 'literally' has been grinding my gears: 'I literally had kittens.' Did you? Did you literally have kittens?

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Recent misuse of 'literally' has been grinding my gears: 'I literally had kittens.' Did you? Did you literally have kittens?

Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory) has pulled people up on that too. He might be responsible for people thinking twice before saying it. It certainly worked with my kids.... literally!

 

[Matthew Snoding]

I agree with your husband Rachel, the constant misuse of 'is' and 'are' on the BBC (it's the BBC everybody!!) has been really 'yanking my chain'.

 

[Dean Baxter]

Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory) has pulled people up on that too. He might be responsible for people thinking twice before saying it. It certainly worked with my kids.... literally!

Oh no. I think like Sheldon.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I agree with your husband Rachel, the constant misuse of 'is' and 'are' on the BBC (it's the BBC everybody!!) has been really 'yanking my chain'.

If we had a pound for every time we heard is/are confusion on the telly, our money troubles would be over.

 

[Eva Ulian]

Makes you think if the real English now is spoken only by foreigners because they had to learn it the hard way, which means with grammar and apostrophes too!

 

[RK Wallis]

It's sad

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Language is fluid. Think of how people used to speak 100 years ago. 50 years ago, even. It's different than now. Do I like it that people can't use a freaking apostrophe the right way? No. I think it's absurd. But that's because I understand them and a lot of people do not. I don't know why. It's still taught in school, right? But that doesn't mean anything. So is complex math and I can't understand anything beyond simple geometry and algebra. We all have our skills, right?

I have an old cassette tape of something called Changing English, in which the presenter read out the same passage from the Bible in the language of King Alfred, Chaucer and Shakespeare (there might have been others, but I can't remember). The tape was in sections: The Sound of English, Present and Future, Accents and Attitude, the Sound of English Outside GB, Fashions in Words, and New words. If I had the technology I'd transfer it onto a cd. It was wonderful.

 

[Ancora Imparo]

I only get cross when it's people who should know better. I don't mind if the grocers has Carrot's on his sign – just so long as the carrots are good. But when I see magazines (and websites) purporting to be professional, which have apostrophes round the wrong way (because they don't know how to figure out Microsoft Word), in the wrong place or not at all then I want to kick their ankles. And then the rest of them.

 

[Dean Baxter]

I only get cross when it's people who should know better. I don't mind if the grocers has Carrot's on his sign – just so long as the carrots are good. But when I see magazines (and websites) purporting to be professional, which have apostrophes round the wrong way (because they don't know how to figure out Microsoft Word), in the wrong place or not at all then I want to kick their ankles. And then the rest of them.

My mum worked in a cafe for many years and they had 'Can of Larger- £1.25' on the chalk board. It bothered me every time I went in there, after school. They gave me free chips and cola. I just left it.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I only get cross when it's people who should know better. I don't mind if the grocers has Carrot's on his sign – just so long as the carrots are good. But when I see magazines (and websites) purporting to be professional, which have apostrophes round the wrong way (because they don't know how to figure out Microsoft Word), in the wrong place or not at all then I want to kick their ankles. And then the rest of them.

I have noticed quite a few individuals and organisations that offer help to Indie authors - copy editing and such - and their websites/blogs are full of boo-boos. A tad off-putting when they are offering their services for £££.

 

[Dean Baxter]

I have noticed quite a few individuals and organisations that offer help to Indie authors - copy editing and such - and their websites/blogs are full of boo-boos. A tad off-putting when they are offering their services for £££.

I see it all the time. I'm into classic cars, and some of the articles in hobbyist magazines are practically unreadable. My wife works in PR, and she's always showing me crap press releases that somebody has paid good money for.

 

[Dean Baxter]

Oh, and I'll give you one more example that's been killing me (not literally), and then I'll shut up forever, because I could go on and on and on...ad nauseam: I've noticed that some people (largely grunting thickos on Facebook) seem to be using 'his' when they should be using 'he's'. Example: 'Your son has grown.' 'Yes, his getting bigger everyday.' I know language is evolving, but what the heck is that all about?

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Example: 'Your son has grown.' 'Yes, his getting bigger everyday.' I know language is evolving, but what the heck is that all about?

It's about sheer laziness and an arrogant indifference to accurate communication. Not the evolution of language, the bastardisation of it. You're right, there are so many examples. We could go mad thinking about them

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

 

[Patricia D]

Oh, and I'll give you one more example that's been killing me (not literally), and then I'll shut up forever, because I could go on and on and on...ad nauseam: I've noticed that some people (largely grunting thickos on Facebook) seem to be using 'his' when they should be using 'he's'. Example: 'Your son has grown.' 'Yes, his getting bigger everyday.' I know language is evolving, but what the heck is that all about?

Autocorrect may be behind this one

 

[Patricia D]

Bottom line is communicating, and screwing up grammar and punctuation can lead to miscommunication.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

And we all know the story of Uncle Jack and the horse!

 

[AgentPete]

Bottom line is communicating, and screwing up grammar and punctuation can lead to miscommunication.

Programming languages are totally unforgiving of bad grammar. Why should humans accept less?

 

[Leonora]

Amen to all this, but I'm finding myself much more forgiving these days, as I assume it's autocorrect what's done it.

 

[AgentPete]

... autocorrect who done it.

 

[Emily]

kick their ankles.

Thank you. That's my Holiday Threat sorted.

but I'm finding myself much more forgiving these days,

So am I. I've just given up on the rogue apostrophes, "done"s and larger lagers... (I am not adverse to doctoring posters in public places, though. A Sharpie is a useful tool).

 

[KateESal]

Just leaving this here. Especially for @Leonora and her Sharpie.

The Bristol Grammar Vigilante