Grammar Nazi

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DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
My 17 year old Grammar Nazi is always correcting me on my misuse of 'good' and 'well.' I've now taken to using 'goodly' to keep her guessing, and it drives her crazy.

As in affect/effect, I've come to accept that good/well will continue to be a mental block for all time. And 'that' & 'which' doesn't fall too far behind them. (Has it become acceptable to start a sentence with 'And?')

For Xmas I got her a t-shirt with the good vs well rule done with humor. She loves it. ;)
 
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Agincourt Concierge

Far and Away Member
Sep 10, 2008
6,759
10,368
60
the Wastelands
Three things that hurt my Aggie ears ...

February ... Library .. Duodenum ....

Say it with me ....

Fe-BRU-ary ....(not Feb-U-ary)
Li-BRA-ry .... (not Li-berry)
Duo-DEE-num (not .... du-ODD-num ... it's Latin ....)


Oh please please .... can we talk about sentence diagramming ?!!?!?!?
Myscreencast-DiagrammingSentences-draft2.png
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
That just makes my brain hurt. I haven't had to diagram since jr.high, and I'm not sure I could do it anymore. None of my kids had to learn it at all (Well, LilMan is in 2nd, so we have a while), and I'm not sure that's a good idea. They have (in general) a much harder time with proper sentence construction in essays than I remember ever having.
 

Sigmund

Waiting in Uber.
Jan 3, 2010
13,979
44,046
In your mirror.
Three things that hurt my Aggie ears ...

February ... Library .. Duodenum ....

Say it with me ....

Fe-BRU-ary ....(not Feb-U-ary)
Li-BRA-ry .... (not Li-berry)
Duo-DEE-num (not .... du-ODD-num ... it's Latin ....)


Oh please please .... can we talk about sentence diagramming ?!!?!?!?
Myscreencast-DiagrammingSentences-draft2.png


Yeah...that one.
Peace.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Three things that hurt my Aggie ears ...

February ... Library .. Duodenum ....

Say it with me ....

Fe-BRU-ary ....(not Feb-U-ary)
Li-BRA-ry .... (not Li-berry)
Duo-DEE-num (not .... du-ODD-num ... it's Latin ....)


Oh please please .... can we talk about sentence diagramming ?!!?!?!?
Myscreencast-DiagrammingSentences-draft2.png
My kids are always jibing at me because I insist on saying things properly (and that they do so also), because I've found that if you pronounce words properly you're more likely to SPELL them correctly. *sigh* It's a losing battle. How difficult is it to say COST-ume (long U) instead of cos-TOOM?
 

Agincourt Concierge

Far and Away Member
Sep 10, 2008
6,759
10,368
60
the Wastelands
My kids are always jibing at me because I insist on saying things properly (and that they do so also), because I've found that if you pronounce words properly you're more likely to SPELL them correctly. *sigh* It's a losing battle. How difficult is it to say COST-ume (long U) instead of cos-TOOM?

I whole-heartedly agree !
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
9,724
53,642
Colorado
I used to think it was 'til, till I actually looked it up. Both 'til and till are quite acceptable. Just not til.

----

The principal is a pal, and a principle is a rule.

----

As a verb, to affect is to change; to effect is to begin.
As a noun, an effect is a result; an affect is seen in the face (usually).

I don't know if those are intuitive to anyone else, but they've worked for me.

----

You know what English really needs: a gender-neutral singular pronoun. "He/she" is putrid, using "one" is often stilted, and you end up with noun-verb agreements because you throw in "they" or "them."

And a second-person plural pronoun. The Southerners have it figured out with "y'all," which I think is charming and pleasing, but it's not caught on. But it sure is handy.

----

I was having a conversation with a guy who was inveighing against the split infinitive and ending a sentence with a preposition. Now, we know that such things aren't rules more than handy guidelines, but that's what he'd been taught and he was sticking to it. He was a Star Trek fan. So I somewhat impishly pointed out that the intro to his favorite show went, "To boldly go where no one has gone before," which violated both of his rules in one fell clause. He was stunned. I'd ruined his night.
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
Three things that hurt my Aggie ears ...

February ... Library .. Duodenum ....

Say it with me ....

Fe-BRU-ary ....(not Feb-U-ary)
Li-BRA-ry .... (not Li-berry)
Duo-DEE-num (not .... du-ODD-num ... it's Latin ....)


Oh please please .... can we talk about sentence diagramming ?!!?!?!?
Myscreencast-DiagrammingSentences-draft2.png


Aggie- that brought back memories of nuns, rulers, standing in front of a blackboard praying for guidance to do it correctly.
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
9,724
53,642
Colorado
I wrote a whole article on the misuse of words. Still stand by it!

The Mad Logophile: Catachresis

Most of my button-pushers are in there. The rest have been covered in this thread. I will stand down, now ;)
Great article!

On a quick scan, is this word used correctly? "In referring to something, we allude to it. When we are trying to avoid something, we elude it. Hopefully." I have a friend who bristles, just a bit, at the incorrect use of "hopefully." I've never really quite grasped the nuance, but I think he'd deem this usage of it improper. I think. Like I said, I'm still unsure even after his patient explanation to the hopelessly (?) ignorant (i.e., me).

"Myself" bugs me. "He bought a round of coffees for Suzy and myself." Um, no.

Some made-up words are annoying, e.g., "intrical." Is it integral or intricate that you wish to use? Pick one or the other. There is no viable hybrid.