Author Topic: Grammar that makes you cringe (Read 856976 times)

citoyen · « **Reply #2675 on:** 26 April, 2013, 03:13:09 pm »

The very same.

However, far worse than their crimes against language is the fact that when m'colleague had his leaving do in there the other night, they ran out of beer before 9pm!

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #2676 on:** 26 April, 2013, 03:30:33 pm »

So now it's on the internet they can add "Famous" for running out of beer. Nearly as good as making fish and chips differently to everyone else.

citoyen · « **Reply #2677 on:** 26 April, 2013, 04:13:21 pm »

hellymedic · « **Reply #2678 on:** 30 April, 2013, 01:34:57 pm »

This URL came from my Twitter feed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/wales/10027400/Driver-takes-roof-off-bungalow-after-crashing-25000-Audi-convertible.html?utm_source=feedly
The story is shocking enough but the grammar is horrendous in places.
This is the Telegraph FFS. Could do better!

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2679 on:** 30 April, 2013, 06:00:41 pm »

And what the heck is the point of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth words in that article? Hardly germane!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2680 on:** 30 April, 2013, 06:21:07 pm »

It's to appeal to the GTRGPM (Geriatric Telegraph-Reading Grand-Parental Market). You just don't appreciate how much that snippet of information turns on the empathy switch of a certain type of reader.

citoyen · « **Reply #2681 on:** 07 May, 2013, 02:47:35 pm »

"The ugly face of prescriptivism" - excellent blog by David Crystal:

http://david-crystal.blogspot.ie/2013/05/on-testing-time.html

clarion · « **Reply #2682 on:** 12 May, 2013, 10:48:15 am »

Apostrophes again:

hellymedic · « **Reply #2683 on:** 12 May, 2013, 02:44:45 pm »

Mixed font choice is rubbish too!
Wording's not too clever either. 'Mum's to be Room' suggests women will magic into something else.

citoyen · « **Reply #2684 on:** 12 May, 2013, 07:07:21 pm »

Tautology, innit?

("Antenatal mums-to-be", I mean - not "mums-to-be room")

De Sisti · « **Reply #2685 on:** 13 May, 2013, 11:12:35 am »

The BBC website takes up the case today.

citoyen · « **Reply #2686 on:** 13 May, 2013, 11:30:04 am »

Sample question from the new test:

Quote

A pair of commas can be used to separate words or groups of words and to clarify the meaning of a sentence. Insert a pair of commas to clarify each sentence below:

a) My friend who is very fit won the 100-metre race.

Illegal Combat Ant · « **Reply #2687 on:** 14 May, 2013, 05:17:31 pm »

The last sentence makes me shudder.

https://twitter.com/timothy_stanley/status/334005361860308992/photo/1

Rhys W · « **Reply #2688 on:** 21 May, 2013, 09:08:24 pm »

Audaxers who keep saying they've been to "Menai" - there's no such place. The name of the town is "Porthaethwy".

hellymedic · « **Reply #2689 on:** 21 May, 2013, 10:33:53 pm »

Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 14 May, 2013, 05:17:31 pm

The last sentence makes me shudder.

https://twitter.com/timothy_stanley/status/334005361860308992/photo/1

Touchy-feely or what?

Arch · « **Reply #2690 on:** 21 May, 2013, 10:53:00 pm »

Our resident Mrs Malaprop at work said today that she'd not taken cornflour on her recent self catering holiday, and that this proved to be an "undersight".

Jasmine · « **Reply #2691 on:** 22 May, 2013, 10:40:53 am »

Quote from: Rhys W on 21 May, 2013, 09:08:24 pm

Audaxers who keep saying they've been to "Menai" - there's no such place. The name of the town is "Porthaethwy".

Ah, I am not alone. Does it conjure up images of cyclists having fallen into the Menai Strait?

Which reminds me about another thing that annoys me. I hate the use of "Menai Straits", which is used by most people here. There's only one, so it's "Strait".

Bledlow · « **Reply #2692 on:** 28 May, 2013, 11:53:03 pm »

From the organiser of the local Job Club -

Quote

I hope you all had a lovely long bank holiday weekend. Wasnt the weather lovely for it. Im sure lots of BBQ's were had.

Just a small reminder about tomorrows job club, Reading Voluntary Action are coming in again to do a session. They was very good last time and I think volunteering is a great way to start back into the world of work. Some of you may of been out of work a long time . . . . so i know where i can take the club further ... We are running the club up until 17th July 2013 to which we will need break ... return back ... I cant help ...

The current co-ordinator has asked for feedback re the fall-off in attendance since he took over.

jsabine · « **Reply #2693 on:** 06 June, 2013, 09:39:39 am »

I'd go for number 2.

citoyen · « **Reply #2694 on:** 06 June, 2013, 10:01:28 am »

Quote from: road-runner on 06 June, 2013, 09:08:20 am

how do you correctly quote inside a quote?

I'd say that's a style thing more than a grammar thing. Usually single quotes inside double quotes or vice versa, depending on preference. But grammatically, there's nothing wrong with double quotes inside double quotes.

Personally, of your examples, I think the third looks neatest, leaving out the nested quotes.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2695 on:** 09 June, 2013, 06:23:12 am »

From the WNBR, so clearly NSFW. I chatted briefly to this chap and asked him if he was a founder member of GTAOD (Grammar Teachers Against Oil Dependency).

(click to show/hide)

Guy · « **Reply #2696 on:** 10 June, 2013, 11:34:27 am »

Dunno if it's cringeworthy or more suitable for a full-on rant.

expedia.co.uk

Just what the @#~

%>} is "Travel yourself interesting" supposed to mean?

citoyen · « **Reply #2697 on:** 10 June, 2013, 11:44:02 am »

Quote from: Guy on 10 June, 2013, 11:34:27 am

Just what the @#~ %>} is "Travel yourself interesting" supposed to mean?

I quite like that. "X yourself Y" is a common enough format.

mattc · « **Reply #2698 on:** 10 June, 2013, 11:47:11 am »

You can't just take an existing correct bit of grammar, swap 2 of the words for new ones, and expect it to stay correct!

citoyen · « **Reply #2699 on:** 10 June, 2013, 12:12:21 pm »

Correct schmorrect.