Author Topic: Grammar that makes you cringe  (Read 834792 times)

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #925 on: 26 July, 2010, 07:56:35 pm »
Oh, golly. I've just received a fundraising letter from a university---with an internationally respected publisher attached, too.

It's entitled "Oxford Thinking. And Doing." and the punctuation only gets worse. There are nine pages of captioned pictures which have full stops at the end of all, and only, those phrases which aren't actual sentences. There's a letter signed by the V-C telling me "We are becoming one world. Our world." 

Among all this horrorshow syntax the opening sentence of the letter, "Today, the defining struggle in the world is between relentless growth and the potential for collaboration" is almost invisible, but deserves honorable mention for tendentious vacuity.

Surely, surely, decent grammar is one of the first requirements for professional curmudgeon-squeezers?

"Tendentious vacuity" is my favourite phrase of the day.  I'm going to crowbar it into a meeting at work tomorrow.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #926 on: 26 July, 2010, 07:57:04 pm »
Farm where I get my eggses has put up a sign giving the date when the eggs were picked and their use-by date.

Do eggs grow on trees in Northamptonshire? ITWSBT.
 ;) ;D

Zoidburg

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #927 on: 26 July, 2010, 08:00:39 pm »
Farm where I get my eggses has put up a sign giving the date when the eggs were picked and their use-by date.

Do eggs grow on trees in Northamptonshire? ITWSBT.
 ;) ;D
Nothing wrong with that.

Picked (as in to pick) entails a sorting and selection process - it does not have to mean it came off a branch or grew in the ground.

You can indeed pick eggs.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #928 on: 26 July, 2010, 08:06:23 pm »

Picked (as in to pick) entails a sorting and selection process...

I didn't select my nose.

Zoidburg

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #929 on: 26 July, 2010, 08:07:07 pm »

Picked (as in to pick) entails a sorting and selection process...

I didn't select my nose.
You refer to pick as in the old anglo saxon word "pike".

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #930 on: 26 July, 2010, 08:23:15 pm »

Picked (as in to pick) entails a sorting and selection process...

I didn't select my nose.
You refer to pick as in the old anglo saxon word "pike".
Yup. Pick is from either pike or pitch, though my ancient Chambers' Etymological dictionary gives some entertaining Gaelic and Welsh options.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #931 on: 26 July, 2010, 09:23:13 pm »
Some pikey pitched a pick through it.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Pingu

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #932 on: 28 July, 2010, 10:50:03 pm »
Quote
How did you hear about us:   

i.e. a search engine, an existing user, an advertsiement [sic], saw usage on another website, in a dream, ...

I know I've moaned about this before  ::-)

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #933 on: 28 July, 2010, 10:58:36 pm »
You'd think they could proorfead! ::-)
Getting there...

Wowbagger

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #934 on: 28 July, 2010, 11:20:28 pm »
Hmm. The original article has a footnote here explaining that her use of "regularly" instead of "frequently" was ironic. OK, I'll let her off this time.
For those who struggle with "regular" and "frequent":
The UK railway station with the most REGULAR train service is Fishguard Harbour.  A train at 0300 each day, and another at 1500 each day - Monday to Sunday.  That means a train every 12 hours.

By no means frequent.


Indeed. Wound up partner big time when he told me I should clean my teeth regularly so I told him I'd do them every year.  ;) ;D :demon:
He didn't see the joke.
(TBF I'd crashed out without my customary nocturnal toothscrub.)

I've forgotten how many years ago it was that Alan (as he was then known) organised a YACF trip to Hartington in Derbyshire.

During one of the rides we visited the George and Dragon in Alstonefield (which I think is actually over the border in Staffs). I mentioned to the landlady that I was a regular customer and she replied that she didn't remember seeing me before.

"You probably don't," I replied "because I was 18 the last time I came here. That was 34 years ago and I'm intending my next visit should be when I'm 86!"
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Mr Larrington

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #935 on: 29 July, 2010, 10:37:28 am »
Mercifully I cannot recall the name of the Stupid Thick Fucking Thick Stupid Bastard Tory Bastard on the BBC Londonton News the other day, but should I ever encounter Mr Stupid Thick Fucking Thick Stupid Bastard Tory Bastard in person, then he will be on the tooth-filled end of The Bear.

When referring to the legacy of the Londonton Olympics, Mr Stupid Thick Fucking Thick Stupid Bastard Tory Bastard, be advised that there is but one Olympic stadium.  Didn't they teach you anything at fucking Eton?
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #936 on: 29 July, 2010, 04:11:17 pm »
Just read in a paper.  It was at the bottom of the page before it sank in, so I had to turn back to ensure I hadn't made it up:

'...a degree of immortality...'
Getting there...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #937 on: 29 July, 2010, 04:16:12 pm »
A degree of immortality is nothing. You even get a PhD in the subject from any on-line "university".  :)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #938 on: 29 July, 2010, 04:19:15 pm »
;D

Like 'Doctor' Gillian McKeith? ;D
Getting there...

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #939 on: 29 July, 2010, 04:31:39 pm »
I've just heard from a colleague that our mutual customer will "defiantly" be needing help.

Me: "So, how can I help you?"
Customer: "Bollocks!"
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #940 on: 29 July, 2010, 05:32:14 pm »
Somebody here in a thread on another board used 'defiantly' instead of 'definitely'.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #941 on: 29 July, 2010, 07:55:54 pm »
Just read in a paper.  It was at the bottom of the page before it sank in, so I had to turn back to ensure I hadn't made it up:

'...a degree of immortality...'

Lesser angels - you know, the ones on the heads of pins.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #942 on: 31 July, 2010, 12:54:40 am »
I know it's been raised many times before but:  principle/ principal  - how can I explain it so that graduates in my team get it?  I'm a bit tired of correcting it.

@SandyV1 on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/SandyV1

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #943 on: 31 July, 2010, 07:26:41 am »
Best to point out the separate meanings, I'd have thought. If you start going into common roots, it just emphasises the similarity and makes it easier to confuse the words.

Then you just have to remember which is which - as with stationary/stationery.

HTFB

  • The Monkey and the Plywood Violin
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #944 on: 31 July, 2010, 07:39:22 am »
I know it's been raised many times before but:  principle/ principal  - how can I explain it so that graduates in my team get it?  I'm a bit tired of correcting it.


Unless you mean the boss, "principle" is a noun, "principal" an adjective.

Not especially helpful or mature

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #945 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:06:53 pm »
Advanced warning

Is that as in: a warning offered? 

Of course, Advance Warning is pretty silly too when you think about it. 
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #946 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:16:28 pm »
Advanced warning


I think it means it's a sophisticated warning, as distinct form the basic sort.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #947 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:21:16 pm »
shipping cost (everywhere in the world)
under 10 € = 3.30 €
up to 10 € = 4.50 €

From the bottom of this page.

What is the postage if I buy 10 or more euros worth of goods?
The rest of that page is in French, it's clearly a case of (very) bad translation. Yes, they should have had it checked, but is is different from crap grammar in your native language. I promise not to point out similar mistakes in your Slovak if you don't in my Polish.  :)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #948 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:27:15 pm »
"The person, who cleans this toilet maybe male or female"

Crap sign at Wigan NW station. I quite often see "maybe" when it should be "may be".
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Jaded

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #949 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:28:40 pm »
You can indeed pick eggs.

Indeed. Ask Oscar's Dad!!!
It is simpler than it looks.