Author Topic: Grammar that makes you cringe (Read 856869 times)

SandyV · « **Reply #2525 on:** 21 November, 2012, 11:52:03 am »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 20 November, 2012, 09:43:50 pm

Quote from: SandyV on 20 November, 2012, 09:29:45 pm
De-escalate!
Does that mean take the stairs?

Perhaps throw down the stairs like defenestrate?

citoyen · « **Reply #2526 on:** 21 November, 2012, 04:59:18 pm »

Quote from: nicknack on 21 November, 2012, 10:13:24 am

Indeed, but I think I disagree when he says, "nor do they need which changed to that." I'd change them.

You wouldn't be wrong to change them but the point is that they don't need to be changed. It's one of those rules like not splitting an infinitive and not ending a sentence with a preposition that serves only itself and adds nothing to communication. And as his example shows, dogmatically following the rule can create rather than solve problems.

d.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2527 on:** 22 November, 2012, 09:18:08 pm »

This is where ending a sentence with a preposition is really wrong!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2528 on:** 22 November, 2012, 09:19:10 pm »

Another one from today's ride:

There's something deeply wrong about the last word (the whole sentence is unnecessarily passive) but I'm not sure why it is so grating.

citoyen · « **Reply #2529 on:** 23 November, 2012, 11:13:52 am »

I'm just amused by the name of the garden centre in that context.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2530 on:** 26 November, 2012, 11:49:35 pm »

Hertz makes sense!

Andrij · « **Reply #2531 on:** 27 November, 2012, 03:04:56 pm »

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2532 on:** 27 November, 2012, 05:24:55 pm »

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2533 on:** 29 November, 2012, 10:14:08 am »

This morning I found myself saying "She's a policeman." Should I report myself to the nearest Grammar Police~~man/woman/constable/officer~~ the next reader of this thread?

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2534 on:** 29 November, 2012, 10:41:35 am »

Your in Twitter speak Tweet

clarion · « **Reply #2535 on:** 29 November, 2012, 10:45:38 am »

I like that.

citoyen · « **Reply #2536 on:** 29 November, 2012, 11:39:16 am »

In a similar vein, I like this (mainly for the enraged responses):

http://laughingsquid.com/stealth-mountain-twitter-bot-that-corrects-misuse-of-sneak-peak/

d.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2537 on:** 29 November, 2012, 02:35:25 pm »

Just washing my Altura Night Vision jacket.

Now how many times do I need to fill the cap with the liquid?

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2538 on:** 02 December, 2012, 02:35:27 pm »

ON the Facebook posting from my local pub:

Quote

Roasts Today Beef,Pork and Chicken ..not a Turkey insight £8.50 or 2 course £9.95 ,3 course £12.95 Open All Day today as usual

Bledlow · « **Reply #2539 on:** 02 December, 2012, 03:13:47 pm »

I think they could do with some insight.

citoyen · « **Reply #2540 on:** 05 December, 2012, 04:28:53 pm »

Not strictly grammar, but I was amused by the elegant variation in this piece:

http://londonist.com/2012/12/horniman-walrus-goes-on-tour.php

clarion · « **Reply #2541 on:** 05 December, 2012, 04:39:18 pm »

Not cringeworthy at all. That's funny.

citoyen · « **Reply #2542 on:** 05 December, 2012, 04:48:59 pm »

Agreed, but it still jars a bit - it's obviously self-conscious silliness on the writer's part but it distracts from the story. Just because it's a light-hearted piece, you don't have to come over all PG Wodehouse. Unless you are PG Wodehouse and thus have the skill to pull it off.

d.

Arch · « **Reply #2543 on:** 05 December, 2012, 08:57:23 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 05 December, 2012, 04:39:18 pm

Not cringeworthy at all. That's funny.

I particularly like 'bulky pinniped'. I will try to remember that for the next time I want to mildly insult someone!

RJ · « **Reply #2544 on:** 06 December, 2012, 09:21:42 am »

All users e-mail from a service dep't, titled: "Thanks for baring with us"

$:-\$

Bledlow · « **Reply #2545 on:** 06 December, 2012, 02:20:40 pm »

The service department of this publication?

NSFW
http://www.henaturist.net/joom2/

FatBloke · « **Reply #2546 on:** 06 December, 2012, 07:16:43 pm »

Recently I've been dealing with ~~fecking lowlife pond-sucking scumbags not fit to exist in this world or any other~~ recruitment consultants. One phrase that they love, which is driving me to kill, is "My client are..." For <insert diety of your choice>'s sake, don't they realise that "client" is singular??!

orienteer · « **Reply #2547 on:** 09 December, 2012, 10:46:10 am »

Always understood it to be roofs.

otherdave · « **Reply #2548 on:** 09 December, 2012, 10:52:13 am »

Quote from: road-runner on 09 December, 2012, 10:37:14 am

The plural of roof is what?

At school I was taught the pural of roof is rooves (as well as hooves, calves, shelves, etc.) but reading the Bible, where I don't expect to find grammatical errors, I read Luke 12:3 (TNIV): What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

It seems odd that the Bible includes a grammatical error so I checked in my computer's dictionary: roofs. I checked my Oxford English Dictionary; it doesn't mention the plural. I searched YACF: 30 roofs and 3 rooves. If the internet is to be believed it appears that rooves is old fashioned and not used anymore apart from in New Zealand English. Really?

What do you say and write: roofs or rooves?

Roofs is the most widely accepted plural of Roof both spoken and spelt,
it is often pronounced as "Rooves" which has lead to all this confusion!
http://www.matchatile.co.uk/roofing-articles/35-rooves-or-roofs.html

citoyen · « **Reply #2549 on:** 09 December, 2012, 12:36:13 pm »

Quote from: road-runner on 09 December, 2012, 10:37:14 am

It seems odd that the Bible includes a grammatical error