Improper use of words that drive me nuts (the morans are out to get us!)

[danek]

I know it's trivial, but it's like fingernails on a chalkboard when I read these mistakes:

Your/You're - like, "You're driving to the store in your car."

Their/They're/There - like, "They're driving over there in their car."

We're/Wear/Where/Were - as if, "What will I wear, when we're going out?" And, "Where were you going again?

Finally, Am I being too picky to let this bug me?

 

[Emmett]

I used to get upset over these, but then I realized that drivers who don't use their turn signals annoy me so, so much more.

 

[bythbook]

no I dont no if your to picky

 

[bradyarz]

i'm the same way. i always make sure i differentiate between your and you're when i'm sending a text message. my only foible is i generally type in all lowercase. meh

incidentally, i've always wanted to work the word 'whom' into my daily conversation. does anyone know the official rule?

 

[Chimensch]

I know it's trivial, but it's like fingernails on a chalkboard when I read these mistakes:

Your/You're - like, "You're driving to the store in your car."

Their/They're/There - like, "They're driving over there in their car."

We're/Wear/Where/Were - as if, "What will I wear, when we're going out?" And, "Where were you going again?

Finally, Am I being too picky to let this bug me?

I don't get it ... what are the mistakes?

 

[Zenas]

No, you're not being picky. I hate it when people use the possessive forms when they mean to use the contractions. It drives me up the wall.

I also hate it when people say "Can I have x,y, and z?"

Well of course you are able to have them. It has yet to be determined whether you MAY have them though.

Drives me crazy.

Lastly, I hate asking someone how they are doing, to which they reply they are doing "good". No one is "good". People are "well" or "not well". When asked how I am, I reply that I am "well".

Yesh.

 

[Emmett]

Whom is the object pronoun. "To whom am I speaking?"

 

[GoldenMonkey]

No, you are not alone...that drives me mad as well. You can have a perfectly sane and well thought out argument, and it will be completely undermined by improper use of these basic grammatical rules that we all learned in what...the fourth grade?

 

[bythbook]

OK, here's what makes me crazy: the use of 's to make plurals (as in: plural's).

almost ubiquitous here.


(incidentally, it's been maybe six months since the last one of these 'grammar' threads. I mean, six month's since one of these thread's.)

 

[danek]

I don't get it ... what are the mistakes?

There aren't any mistakes in the original post. However, those words are frequently misused. Someone will type "Were driving to slow to get their on time".

What they should have typed was, "We're driving too slow to get there on time.

 

[Emmett]

OK, here's what makes me crazy: the use of 's to make plurals (as in: plural's).

almost ubiquitous here.


(incidentally, it's been maybe six months since the last one of these 'grammar' threads. I mean, six month's since one of these thread's.)

You've seen this, then, surely?

 

[Emmett]

More fun.

 

[82R100]

Whom is the object pronoun. "To whom am I speaking?"

To expand on this,

Who is going to the dance?
Whom are you inviting to the dance?
Who wants ice cream?
Whom should I buy ice cream?
Who is the president?
Whom did the president appoint?

- Chris

 

[norton]

Then/Than: I don't know that you're pickier then anyone else.

 

[professorchaos]

I used to get upset over these, but then I realized that drivers who don't use their turn signals annoy me so, so much more.

Really? Drivers who use their turn signals annoy me! One of the dumbest inventions ever. Seriously, as in "thank you for the heads up but I can see that you are turning." Then there are the knuckleheads who change lanes as though putting on their turn signals entitles them to cut you off.

 

[ept000]

Okay, I freely admit that I am terrible at spelling, but I try.

Here is one that drove me nuts! I went to "Back to School Night" at my daughter's school. She was in Jr. High at the time. During the speach by one of her teachers I had to interupt when she said, "Everything you child needs to do good in this class is written on the chalk board." I couldn't help myself! I blurted out, "everything my child needs to do GOOD??? Are you kidding me? Are you qualified to teach?" Half of the parents looked at me like "What's wrong with that? Don't you want your daughter to do good?"





Sorry, I got a little carried away......


Eric

 

[winkydink]

i'm the same way. i always make sure i differentiate between your and you're when i'm sending a text message. my only foible is i generally type in all lowercase. meh

incidentally, i've always wanted to work the word 'whom' into my daily conversation. does anyone know the official rule?

all lowercase can get you in trouble. Consider:

i helped my uncle jack off a horse

 

[mmack66]

loose instead of lose
looser instead of loser

 

[knlgskr]

Good thread, thank you for starting it and the same to all those responding.

I used to get upset over these, but then I realized that drivers who don't use their turn signals annoy me so, so much more.

Amen! Why have them if you aren't going to use them?

No, you are not alone...that drives me mad as well. You can have a perfectly sane and well thought out argument, and it will be completely undermined by improper use of these basic grammatical rules that we all learned in what...the fourth grade?

That would interfere with someone's right to speak as they wish and we can't have that; can we?

Really? Drivers who use their turn signals annoy me! One of the dumbest inventions ever. Seriously, as in "thank you for the heads up but I can see that you are turning." Then there are the knuckleheads who change lanes as though putting on their turn signals entitles them to cut you off.

Good point, if only drivers wouldn't follow so close and amen on cutting off. "Can't u c it's all about me and there ain't no u in me." "Whadda ya mean I ain't the only driver on the road; as far as I'm concerned, I am 'u got a problem with that; get over it/get a life cuz u ain't (expletive deleted) to me'."

 

[castlebar]

These are minor but they do bother me:

a lot of people can't pronounce "subsidiary" correctly - they pronounce it like "library"

also, many people use the term "hoi polloi" when referring to the wealthy or upper class - in reality it means the exact opposite: commoners, the multitudes, etc.

it bothers me when people confuse, e.g. and i.e.
e.g. is "for example"
i.e. means "that is" (roughly)