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battleborn

Patchwork_Girl wrote: »

Sorry - I started disagreeing with your comment that people nitpick out of spite, as I can be quite nit-picky myself. I'll admit that the rest of my post has little to do with what you said - I got a bit carried away! :rotfl:

Apology accepted x

NBLondon

Azari wrote: »

A very common error is using 'ect' instead of 'etc'.

I once saw a sign outside a pub advertising Sunday Roasts with Yorkshire Pud, Roast Potatoes, ect

Didn't really appeal to me " you haven't eaten your Brussels" zzzapp!:D

dodger1

I have no problem with being corrected. If someone doesn't let me know I've made a mistake then that mistake will probably be repeated. So correct away

Valli

There is a poster on this forum who, for a while, had, as her signature, a phrase along the lines of 'please correct my spelling and grammar as I am trying to improve my use of language'.
So, sometimes I would PM her; sometimes I would reply to her then point it out in my reply.
Once another poster took great exception to my corrections and made his/her opinion of me quite apparent.
I merely suggested poster 2 read poster 1's signature.

The only other time I have laid into someone for his/her poor grammar on a forum was when a poster was being blatantly racist and I was in full-on attack mode! Annoyingly, that whole thread was pulled.

Usually, although it does irritate, I try not to comment. There are a couple of posters, though, whose literacy skills are so poor I wish they would post elsewhere.

fluffnutter

Azari wrote: »

When I tried to do this on here, recently, all hell broke lose and the person in question protested he was dyslexic and was extremely indignant that I'd mentioned the subject.

Interestingly, although alerted to his mistake he continued to post 'ect' on a regular basis even though, considering the fuss that was caused, he must have been aware he was getting it wrong.

IME, dyslexics tend to write rather well as they're conscious of their difficulties and go to some effort to overcome them. It's lazy people who can't be arsed who don't. Or, being more charitable, a particular generation who were unfortunate enough to be schooled when it was fashionable to forget about spelling/grammar etc. in favour of 'ideas'.

But ultimately I agree with vyle's previous post - language is constantly evolving and each corruption is ultimately no more than a change. A change which can't, and shouldn't, be prevented. However, there is still a need to use the conventions of the day when writing, for example, your CV. Trust me, any hint of poor grammar, lazy spelling or, God forbid, text speak, and your job application is going straight in the bin.

It's wonderful to hear or read language used well. I find eloquence very attractive and compelling and find it strange if people don't understand that.

Azari

fluffnutter wrote: »

But ultimately I agree with vyle's previous post - language is constantly evolving and each corruption is ultimately no more than a change. A change which can't, and shouldn't, be prevented.

Generally, I agree with that. If I could no longer use terms that have gained currency since I was born I'd be missing some very useful words and expressions.

What I feel should be resisted are trends that take away from the language.

Examples are the merging of words that have subtle but useful distinctions, such as effect/affect, and insure/ensure and even assure.

Also unwelcome are usages which inevitably lead to misunderstandings. One current one is the use of 'sick' by some of the dimmer teenagers to mean both very bad or very good. When they use it in response to something that someone could reasonably be expected to have an opinion either way their meaning is completely opaque.

Similarly, 'I could care less' tends to be meant in a sense that is the exact opposite of that intended.

The important point is that no one is going to consider less of you for getting these things right but plenty of people are going to think less or you for getting them wrong.

Not too important when it's some random reader of an internet site but if it's a potential employer (or those considering a promotion) or a girl or boy you hope will consider you for a date, it can make a real difference to your life.

Doubtless the hardcore 'proud to be illiterate' brigade will try to tough it out and say they'd rather not work for/go out with people with such - in their minds - shallow views, but in reality they are going to lose out from time to time.

fluffnutter

Azari wrote: »

What I feel should be resisted are trends that take away from the language.

Examples are the merging of words that have subtle but useful distinctions, such as effect/affect, and insure/ensure and even assure.

There are some really useful words that are commonly misused.

Springing to mind is the use of 'concerted' to mean 'extra-special' when in fact it means 'joint' as in 'I'm going to make a concerted effort to lose a few more pounds this week'. You can't make a concerted effort on your own!

But top of the list is 'ambivalent'. It doesn't mean 'neutral'! It means holding two opposing views. If you're ambivalent about something it means you can see the pros and the cons, not that you couldn't care less. This one really gets my goat because it's a very useful word, invariably used incorrectly.

Azari

fluffnutter wrote: »

But top of the list is 'ambivalent'. It doesn't mean 'neutral'! It means holding two opposing views. If you're ambivalent about something it means you can see the pros and the cons, not that you couldn't care less. This one really gets my goat because it's a very useful word, invariably used incorrectly.

Agreed.

It's very similar to the often confused disinterested/uninterested.

fluffnutter

Azari wrote: »

Agreed.

It's very similar to the often confused disinterested/uninterested.

Yeah! Another one that gets me. Disinterested means 'impartial', although people use it interchangeably with uninterested. A judge is disinterested in the trial he's presiding over. Let's hope he's not also uninterested.

somethingcorporate

One that really gets my goat is lend/borrow.

"Who will borrow me a tenner?"
"I want to lend £10k from a bank."

Grrr.....!!