Grammar that makes you cringe

[CAMRAMan]

"Controlled" used as a verb with respect to Audaxes, as in:-

"We controlled at the petrol station on the outskirts of Wibbletown."

When such "speak" is creeping into the Audax world, there can be no hope. 

Isn't this just a bastardisation of the verb "control" which is a homonym for the verb "check" in several European languages?

It should still be used in the passive though, surely?

[drossall]

No, not (necessarily) in the passive, but as I said it is a transitive verb and needs an object. You cannot control; you have to control something. You can even control yourself, but there must be an object even if it is you yourself.

Passive use implies that you are the object in the active sense; I control you, so you are controlled (by me).

[mattc]

Hmmm. How about:

He is very controlling.

That is either wrong, or there is an implied subject (either people in general, or maybe the speaker!) ?

[CAMRAMan]

Isn't it just the word "control" being used as an adjective? Then it is being used to describe someone/thing, which removes the need for a subject/object.

[mattc]

Of course it is - doh! Must stick to the easy stuff on Monday mornings ...

(So are we in agreement that The Audax Usage should be taken out and shot?!?

[Jaded]

Medalled. pah!

[Ian H]

Writing that is comprehensible and thoughtfully composed is good. If it's also witty, that's even better. Good grammar is made by people who write well.

[citoyen]

Re control/medal, may I remind you all of the useful axiom:

There isn't a noun that can't be verbed.

And the intransitive verb "to control" has a different meaning to the transitive verb "to control".

d.

[clarion]

I winced when I heard a BBC sports reporter saying that 'Britain has four medals in the pool'.  Eh?

[eck]

I winced when I heard a BBC sports reporter saying that 'Britain has four medals in the pool'.  Eh?

But not as bad as "four Brits have medalled". 

[Kathy]

I winced when I heard a BBC sports reporter saying that 'Britain has four medals in the pool'.  Eh?

But not as bad as "four Brits have medalled".  

And on that subject: "Dug deep". Will be heard at least twice in every post-event interview, and four times in the actual commentry of the event.  

"Wiggins has really dug deep here; he's giving it all he's got..."

He's not digging! There is no spade, and no allotment! He's cycling, not earth-moving!!!!

Even more annyoingly, I've heard it in swimming race commentry, when the term "digging deep" could potentially be used to describe the arm-stroke. If so, it would be an inefficient and poor technique, but the phrase has been used as if "digging deep" is a good thing!

[alan]

When some says or writes..
"should of"
instead of
"should have"

[border-rider]

And on that subject: "Dug deep".

As a contraction of "Dug deep into his/her reserves", which I think is where it came from,  it's probably OK, if you like that sort of thing.  Better than "gave 110 %" anyway.

[Ian H]

"The first person to compare a woman's lips to a rose was possibly a genius. The second was was certainly an idiot."


(points for attribution).

[nicknack]

Ok, it's not grammar, but I heard Griff Rhys Jones use that awful word "staycation" on Rivers last night.
 

[onb]

I hate missuse of their and there also where and were the rest I can live with .Apologies if mentioned upthread .

[peliroja]

I hate misuse of its and it's.

I may have mentioned this before. 

I also hate it when people talk 'around' an issue. Grr. I hope they make themselves dizzy.

[Zoidburg]

I hate it when people use the word "issue" instead of "problem"

A problem is something that needs to be solved or fixed, by saying that there is a problem though you quite rightly indicate that something has gone wrong, which in the end is something a good manager should hold up his or her hand up to. Sadly they don't so the weasle word "issue" is used instead.

[Mr Larrington]

I winced when I heard a BBC sports reporter saying that 'Britain has four medals in the pool'.  Eh?

But not as bad as "four Brits have medalled". 

I'll see your "medalled" and raise you a "I hope to podium in $EVENT"

If it hadn't been Victoria Pendleton who said it, I might have found myself re-inventing the instep borer.

[jellied]

I hate it when people use the word "issue" instead of "problem"

Like wise "software bug" instead of a FAULT. Don't try and dress up the fact that the programmer made a MISTAKE - there's a problem and it's needs fixing, not some cute cuddlely bug that needs dealing with.

[mattc]

I hate it when people use the word "issue" instead of "problem"

A problem is something that needs to be solved or fixed, by saying that there is a problem though you quite rightly indicate that something has gone wrong, which in the end is something a good manager should hold up his or her hand up to. Sadly they don't so the weasle word "issue" is used instead.

Ah, but you need a label for things that SOME think are a problem, but others think are By Design, Not Fixable (for software), Matter of Personal Taste,  etc ...

[Greenbank]

I hate it when people use the word "issue" instead of "problem"

Like wise "software bug" instead of a FAULT.

Take it up with Thomas Edison:-

"
It has been just so in all of my inventions. The first step is an intuition, and comes with a burst, then difficulties arise — this thing gives out and [it is] then that 'Bugs' — as such little faults and difficulties are called — show themselves and months of intense watching, study and labor are requisite before commercial success or failure is certainly reached.
"

Written in 1878. Source: Software bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Fault" is a somewhat overused term in computing. It's most common meaning relates to "page faults" which aren't issues or problems

A software "bug" isn't considered cute or cuddly, it has just the same implied lack of care by the programmer as "software fault". Calling them "glitches" is usually the programmers way of trying to shirk responsibility for the problem by making it sound like something other than his/her fault.

[peterh]

Saw a TV trail yesterday on C4 or More 4 for a programme called 'My monkey baby'  

The voiceover promised that it would be about 'three very unique families'.  Wrong in several ways!

[clarion]

What does he know?  Edison's biggest problem was when there wasn't a proper inventor around to plagiarise

[eck]

I winced when I heard a BBC sports reporter saying that 'Britain has four medals in the pool'.  Eh?

But not as bad as "four Brits have medalled". 

I'll see your "medalled" and raise you a "I hope to podium in $EVENT"

If it hadn't been Victoria Pendleton who said it, I might have found myself re-inventing the instep borer.

Ha!
I'll see your "to podium" and raise you an intransitive verb of any colour medal of your choice:
"Sharon is expected to silver in the $EVENT".