• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Pet Peeves: Mangled English

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

ablethevoice

boatanchors rule!
Panteraguy had me laughing my dumb hiney off a few minutes ago when he said he'd seen ads in Craigslist for "rot iron" furniture. It's funny, but at the same time it's scary and sad to see folk who have such a dim understanding of the language they speak. I have several instances I see too many times a day somewhere on the web that I'd like to mention (IMDB is stuffed with such instances, BTW). Before I start, I also want to say that I look wherever possible at the location of the poster, blogger or writer of the article. If these folks are in ...ohhh... Pakistan or Portugal or Iceland I find myself saying "Gee, that guy handles English pretty well!", but if it's an American I have very little patience for:

Using "and" for "an" (" I ate and apple")
Using "where" for "were" ("We where walking to the store")
Using "of" instead of "have" ("He should of stopped when he was ahead")
The inability to distinguish "their", "there", or "they're"
Using "here" for "hear" or vice versa.
Runon sentences, with commas inserted, in the, weirdest of, places. Comes off sounding, like William Shatner chewing the, scenery.

I just read a review for a piece of audio gear on a Kenwood website where the writer had to return the rig to the dealer for repair of a bad "sotter" joint. Guess that guy didn't have a sottering iron.

And the one that gripes my ass from here to Alpha Centauri: The con'stant abu'se of the apo'strophe!!!! Some people 'seem to think every time they u'se the letter S it ha's to have an apo'strophe! Man that irk's the pi's's out of me! 'Seem's like every 'store I go to I WILL 'see a 'sign that 'say's "BANANA'S 49c/lb".
Rant over
peace and out
 
Register to hide this ad
William Shatner chewing the, scenery. Man that cracked me up! I see words misspelled or misused often on e-bay and even here on AK. I always assumed that the writers were foreigners.
 
Last edited:
Beal,
"Never judge a person till you've walked a while in their shoe's" I really hope this thread can be kept intact without turning tacky.

Peace Craig
 
The bananas' price was only 49c/lb? What store were you in?
My sister and I used to collect spelling mistakes when we were in high school. Our favorites were a bit rarer: "needles to say..." and a store window that all summer said "BANNAS 29c."

I would add to your list "try and" instead of "try to" - it just grates on me. I forgive those who say it in conversation, but no excuses for writing it - and I see it continually in the papers.

By the way, I recently got a spam email for a course purporting to make anyone proficient, speedy, and confident in matters of grammar, spelling and proofreading - in one day! I wish I had saved it to show it here.

I'd guess you are familiar with "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves":
http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592400876
 
For some people english and grammar is not their thing. Don't be suprised if some of the same people can work circles around you with a soldering iron or troubleshooting a circuit board or figuring mathematical equations. It's quite possible that something that you're lacking may be their pet peeve.
Remember... Whenever you point a finger at someone else there's always three pointing back at you. (Whatever the hell that means...):D
 
I was on another forum where a young lady who had just graduated from HS was speaking of the "valid victorian's" speech...Gue's's 'she 'slept through her Engli'sh cla's'se's.
 
By the way, re: Using "and" for "an" (" I ate and apple"): Although I know better, I have occasionally found my fingers typing this error. I don't know where the disconnect occurs, but as a result I give others a break on this one in quick communications like these posts.
 
elgato8905 said:
For some people english and grammar is not their thing. Don't be suprised if some of the same people can work circles around you with a soldering iron or troubleshooting a circuit board or figuring mathematical equations. It's quite possible that something that you're lacking may be their pet peeve.
Remember... Whenever you point a finger at someone else there's always three pointing back at you. (Whatever the hell that means...):D
Click to expand...
Whoa! I wouldn't doubt that for a nanosecond. Math and I are the worst of enemies. I've never been a good troubleshooter. I can identify a component, but when it comes to solving a problem in an old radio, it basically goes down to replacing ALL the caps and testing EVERY resistor. I can solder pretty good, though. And I really don't know how to "read" a schematic.
 
elgato8905 said:
For some people english and grammar is not their thing. Don't be suprised if some of the same people can work circles around you with a soldering iron or troubleshooting a circuit board or figuring mathematical equations. It's quite possible that something that you're lacking may be their pet peeve.
Remember... Whenever you point a finger at someone else there's always three pointing back at you. (Whatever the hell that means...):D
Click to expand...

:thmbsp: Elgato- there is something to be said for tolerance- sadly a character trait many don't feel is important these days. Everyone has postive points- personally I choose to focus on these, makes for much better conversation!
 
My jaw dropped when I heard Brent Musberger (sp?) - a reputable sportscaster - say on national TV 'irregardless' more than once.
 
ablethevoice said:
Actually, I am a tolerant person - I have two teens who are still alive.
Click to expand...

:lmao::lmao::lmao: I don't doubt it. I was not trying to knock you. I was just trying to throw a different light on the subject. Me personally... I'm an idiot when it comes to everything. A work in progress for sure.:yes:
 
I can't spell worth a crap, but some stuff bugs me to death. Off the top of my head, commercials that say "no one sells tires as cheap as insert place here". Well, if no one does, they don't either! They mean to say "no one ELSE" or "no one sells tires for less than..."

Another one that bugs me (ok I write ad copy for a living... or at least manage people who do) are ads that say "Save 20% off" when they mean "save 20% on".

There are a ton more, but those popped into my head.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom