Author Topic: Grammar that makes you cringe  (Read 835135 times)

Mr Larrington

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6075 on: 21 April, 2021, 01:33:57 am »
There are an awful lot of optimists flogging used books via the auspices of the Mega-Global Big River Corporation of Seattle, USAnia.  Back in 2014 I spotted someone asking £4,500 for a copy of Mark L. Dees' "The Miller Dynasty".
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6076 on: 21 April, 2021, 07:05:35 am »
Algorithms, innit.

It’s a quirk in the system - the prices are automatically generated, with a mark-up based on a price shown elsewhere. No human involvement, and what’s more the seller probably doesn’t even have the book in stock.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6077 on: 21 April, 2021, 09:50:41 am »
"Derek Chauvin the former white police officer."

Heard several times last week.  Heard again tonight by the BBC.

"White former" sounds a bit awkward too.  And if you put "sacked" in place of "former"  you get "sacked white police officer" which to my ear sounds OK. "White sacked police officer" sounds as if someone's been painting his nethers.

They'd have done better with "ex-police officer". Oh well.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

ravenbait

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6078 on: 21 April, 2021, 01:43:06 pm »
Hmm, I'm pretty sure it wasn't that, but google tells me it was The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth
I have the box set of The Elements of Eloquence, The Etymologicon, and The Horologicon on one of my bookshelves, nestled comfortably between The Penguin Dictionary of Language and Attack of the Copula Spiders.

Sam
£782.99 on Amazon - used hardback.   :o

Paperback set £16.99.
JFC WHAT? Surely some mistake?

My mum gave it to me for my Christmas a few years back. Looks like it was around £35 when she got it.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

ravenbait

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6079 on: 21 April, 2021, 02:05:35 pm »
"Derek Chauvin the former white police officer."

Heard several times last week.  Heard again tonight by the BBC.

"White former" sounds a bit awkward too.  And if you put "sacked" in place of "former"  you get "sacked white police officer" which to my ear sounds OK. "White sacked police officer" sounds as if someone's been painting his nethers.

They'd have done better with "ex-police officer". Oh well.
The Royal Order of Adjectives specifies the categories in order:

  • Determiner (articles and other limiters: the book, your car)
  • Observation or opinion (a genuine fraud, an interesting book, an expensive watch)
  • Size and Shape (tiny, fat, square)
  • Age (young, old, new)
  • Color (blue, sea-green)
  • Origin (American, Chinese)
  • Material (describing what something is made of: silk, copper, wooden)
  • Qualifier (final adjective, often an integral part of the noun: vacation resort, wedding dress, race car)

I think the issue is that the phrase elides "person who is a" after "white". Police officer is a job, not a flavour of human being. The phrase "white person who is a former police officer" is accurate and not awkward. If I'd been the editor, I'd probably have reworded it as "the white man, who is now a former police officer," which has the added bonus of hooking in the underlying story, although considerably longer. Brevity is not always best.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6080 on: 21 April, 2021, 04:16:33 pm »
Glass houses and stones in your erudition, there, Sam!

Added bonus - just NO!

Edit:  Just been doing a little research.  It seems some think this is ok.  I uterly diskard them but in my defence cite the thread title!

ravenbait

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6081 on: 23 April, 2021, 12:45:24 pm »
Not entirely sure what I am being accused of there, Peter. But no bother, I was treating it merely as an editorial exercise.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6082 on: 27 April, 2021, 02:06:30 pm »
Punctuation that makes me cringe -

Quote from: Random PR
Hi Amy,
 
Hope you are well? ...

Yes, I do hope I am well!

The unnecessary question mark makes it read more like a threat than a polite enquiry after my health.

PS my name is not Amy. Except at weekends.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6083 on: 29 April, 2021, 05:55:47 pm »
Quote
In a groundbreaking ruling, the judges of the Karlsruhe court, Germany’s highest, said the government now had until the end of next year to improve its Climate Protection Act, passed in 2019, and to ensure it met 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goals more immediately.
Next time I'm late with something I'll say "I did it immediately, but less immediately".
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6084 on: 30 April, 2021, 09:52:33 am »
Punctuation that makes me cringe -

Quote from: Random PR
Hi Amy,
 
Hope you are well? ...

Yes, I do hope I am well!

The unnecessary question mark makes it read more like a threat than a polite enquiry after my health.

PS my name is not Amy. Except at weekends.

Somebody somewhere has told 'people' of a certain age (they're always in their 20s) that professional emails should start with a health enquiry.

I'm so tempted to answer them.  :demon:


Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6085 on: 30 April, 2021, 09:57:09 am »
Punctuation that makes me cringe -

Quote from: Random PR
Hi Amy,
 
Hope you are well? ...

Yes, I do hope I am well!

The unnecessary question mark makes it read more like a threat than a polite enquiry after my health.

PS my name is not Amy. Except at weekends.

Somebody somewhere has told 'people' of a certain age (they're always in their 20s) that professional emails should start with a health enquiry.

I'm so tempted to answer them.  :demon:

I have to admit, now that we're back into contracting round and I'm dealing with people I haven't spoken to/corresponded with for a while, I do sometimes ask after their health in relation to the Covid pandemic.  But normally I'd never do this.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Pingu

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6086 on: 03 May, 2021, 10:41:37 am »

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6087 on: 03 May, 2021, 11:06:18 am »
OT: I'm sure I read an information board wossname at Kluane Lake stating that a few centuries ago (but before the white man showed up in tha 'hood) the said lake used to drain south into the Gulf of Alaska until a landslide blocked the exit and forced the water to find a new route via the Mighty Yukon.  Must have been confusing for the migratory fishies.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6088 on: 05 May, 2021, 01:47:39 pm »
In response to an online enquiry about the availability of items, the response was:


we do sale Altberg Boots and some of the models come in various width fittings I would suggest that you visit are website to view are collection

kind regards Steve

Kim

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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6089 on: 05 May, 2021, 02:27:42 pm »
Given the punctuation and capitalisation, that shows all the signs of being written by autocomplete, if not speech-to-text.

That said, I've seen 'sale' used to mean 'sell' a few times, and wonder if it's more than just pseudo-homophonic spelling mistake.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6090 on: 05 May, 2021, 03:29:17 pm »
Nah. People are thick. Or more likely don't care about spelling and grammar. It's not as if you couldn't understand what Steve meant, is it?

My daughter quotes her (Yorkshire) supplier.

"you'll after order it seprit"


Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6091 on: 05 May, 2021, 06:28:23 pm »
It's not as if you couldn't understand what Steve meant, is it?

My daughter quotes her (Yorkshire) supplier.

"you'll after order it seprit"

I understand both Steve and Fboab's daughter's (Yorkshire) supplier. Which is, at the risk of undermining the raison d'etre of this whole topic, the main thing. Ain't it?

cygnet

  • I'm part of the association
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6092 on: 06 May, 2021, 10:52:58 pm »
I'll suggest that fboab's daughter's supplier is dialect and that "Steve"'s reply is poor grammar (or spelling) due to the repeated "are". Or S/he's taking the piss, for giggles.

But both could be speech:text software problems
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6093 on: 09 May, 2021, 08:46:52 pm »
Quote
...Jim Laker, who still holds the record for the most number to wickets taken in a test match...

Michael Rosen on Facebook yesterday.

I do hope the Covid hasn't affected his writing...

ravenbait

  • Someone's imaginary friend
  • Pudge controls the weather.
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Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6094 on: 12 May, 2021, 06:49:52 pm »
Quote
Gone are all the extra bells and whistles, anything that adds extra weight. The only thing you’ll find are functional lightweight solutions. In true X-Bionic® style everything is functional and engineered to allow you to perform at your best. The internal structure of the board, has been totally re-designed. We are using a technique that has never been used before in SUP race board, the details, remain our secret. Equipped with a variety of innovative technologies, the board is truly one of a kind and lets you reach new performance heights effortlessly.

Underwear manufacturer builds a piece of watersports (hush!) kit. One of its features is too, many, commas.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6095 on: 12 May, 2021, 07:11:28 pm »
Grammar which makes me cringe? That would be my own. It's never perfect but since I switched to a French keyboard, it's even worse. Far too many errors slip through.
Loving life in France (53 - Mayenne)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6096 on: 13 May, 2021, 09:47:37 pm »
Grammar which makes me cringe? That would be my own. It's never perfect but since I switched to a French keyboard, it's even worse. Far too many errors slip through.
I'm not sure I'd cope with a AZERTY keyboard or if I'd bother if I migrated. I can do accents with my UK English keyboard.

Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6097 on: 13 May, 2021, 10:32:45 pm »
Grammar which makes me cringe? That would be my own. It's never perfect but since I switched to a French keyboard, it's even worse. Far too many errors slip through.

Oh I've suffered french keyboards, no use for WWW addresses with shifting needed just for a .
Get a UK keyboard that you can plug in, or use BT or wiffy (see what I did there?).

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6098 on: 13 May, 2021, 11:52:02 pm »
Grammar which makes me cringe? That would be my own. It's never perfect but since I switched to a French keyboard, it's even worse. Far too many errors slip through.
I'm not sure I'd cope with a AZERTY keyboard or if I'd bother if I migrated. I can do accents with my UK English keyboard.

Miss von Brandenburg used, in the days before she emigrated for good, to bring her German keyboard with her when a-visiting.  It used to drive me carpet-chewingly bonkers.  These days she’s Gorn Native in the keyboard department, but natch she’s one of the Worshippers at the Altar of the Fruit God too.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Grammar that makes you cringe
« Reply #6099 on: 14 May, 2021, 08:00:25 am »
Grammar which makes me cringe? That would be my own. It's never perfect but since I switched to a French keyboard, it's even worse. Far too many errors slip through.

Un homme AZERTY en vaut deux.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight