'The word pedants' top 10 | It's specific, not Pacific...' blog discussion.

kneelbeforezod

Carslake wrote: »

I think I've seen "buy of" in some old (Victorian?) sources where we would today use "buy from". I wonder if "buy off" (and thus "got off") is derived from this.

This just reminds me of an old Fry and Laurie sketch.

Laurie asks Fry if he has a paperclip on him, to which Fry responds "No, I can't say I have a paperclip ON me" (accompanied by him looking up and patting himself on the head). Always brings a smile when I remember

emr_2

TSB bank
PIN number
NATO organisation

to name but a few

The word is contained within the acronym. No need to repeat it!

jools0001

sphrp2 wrote: »

I used to work behind a shop counter and when asked "can I get...", I would cheerily say "Yes" and wait for the customer to go and 'get' the thing they wanted from behind the counter. They never did. They usually just looked bemused, even after I'd asked "do you still want to get it, or shall I?".

Boss didn't like me trying to educate her customers. :cool:

From your description above it sounds like you weren't trying to educate the customers at all, you were belittling them. Correcting or mocking a customer's errors of speech is about as acceptable as pointing out that they have cheap shoes or their hair is a mess.

If I was your boss I'd have been furious.

If I was the customer I'd have found something about you to belittle in return.

Patr100

110% etc is irritating as overused by Apprentice candidates but surely it's the use of hyperbole - it's not usually implied in any true sense so it's wrong to flag it as some kind of unknowing mathematical mistake when it usually isn't.

I would however ban the word "gazebo".

kneelbeforezod

jools0001 wrote: »

From your description above it sounds like you weren't trying to educate the customers at all, you were belittling them. Correcting or mocking a customer's errors of speech is about as acceptable as pointing out that they have cheap shoes or their hair is a mess.

If I was your boss I'd have been furious.

If I was the customer I'd have found something about you to belittle in return.

That's the problem nowadays. Once people leave school many they believe all learning then ceases and they become resistant and recalcitrant to any attempts at assistance or correction, no matter how constructive

Robothell

With regards the "aitch"/"haitch" debate, this BBC News story may be helpful: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11642588. It would appear both are legitimate.

My personal pet hates are: misuse of the common apostrophe; saying "asterix" instead of "asterisk"; people who "axe" questions.

I once noticed a sign in a branch of a well known building society that read "Have our expert's look after you're morgage" - I nearly had kittens!

Neil_of_Stevenage

kneelbeforezod wrote: »

That's the problem nowadays. Once people leave school many they believe all learning then ceases and they become resistant and recalcitrant to any attempts at assistance or correction, no matter how constructive

If people are not corrected they never "learn".

Quite often, when I am out walking, a car will stop and the driver will wind down his window and ask "Do you know how to get to XXX?"

"Yes, thank you", I reply and walk on.

tuk585

lex wrote: »

One that gets me is when people are talking about the receiving of a gift..

"I got a book off my mum"

rather than

"I got a book from my mum"

I don't know why this bugs me and maybe it's correct in some way, but it irritates me anyway!

lex

Should it not be "Buy off of"? - Grrr, just joking!

djlester_2

"I’ll learn you how to do it" - I've use this occasionally as a change - even though I know it's wrong - think I picked it up from Mark Twain & Huckleberry Finn. Sorry.
"Should have" - Do you not think instead of saying "Should of" they might be saying "Should've"?

Otherwise, basically, to be honest, I literally couldn't agree, like, 110% more and wish I could have bought something more to the discussion...

:-)

jools0001

kneelbeforezod wrote: »

That's the problem nowadays. Once people leave school many they believe all learning then ceases and they become resistant and recalcitrant to any attempts at assistance or correction, no matter how constructive

You're so right. Having been taught the value of life-long learning, I always welcome being educated while I'm trying to do my shopping, as long as it can be done constructively.

Unfortunately that hasn't happened so far, but if it does I'll try to remember to report back.