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Post by lucyg on Apr 9, 2016 17:14:30 GMT
I am embarrassed to ask, but I see this a lot on the boards and I have to ask. "Meh" - I have never heard anyone use that word, and have no idea how to pronounce it (or what it means). I type it more often than I actually say it, but I do say it out loud occasionally.  It's pronounced like "men," if you drop the n at the end and stretch out the short e sound a little bit. mehhh. And to me, it means, like, "Whatever. I'm bored. I don't care. This is what I'm currently stuck with." All or any of the above. I guess it's like a way of putting a grunt into words.  |
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 9, 2016 17:14:46 GMT
It doesn't normally bother me. I do flinch when I see "your" and the writer meant "you're" and other such mistakes. Mostly I find changes in language to be interesting.
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Post by chlerbie on Apr 9, 2016 19:24:16 GMT
I think adding the extra preposition like "off of" is partly a regional thing. It was pretty much standard where I grew up and I have a hard time shaking it even now. One of my worst is "Where is the store at?"
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,378 
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Post by katybee on Apr 9, 2016 19:49:42 GMT
Here is the grammar faux pas I make on a regular basis – and don't give a flippity flip:
The incorrect use of the plural possessive THEIR when it should be a singular his or her. And them, too. I have to use it frequently when writing numerous emails and reminders to the parents of the children in my class. For example –
Your child may wear his or her pajamas to school tomorrow, but please remind him or her to bring his or her tennis shoes with him or her because we have PE.
Of course, that is an extreme example, but I run into that situation numerous times a day. And I know I could go with the singular male pronoun, but that's just sexist. So I go with the incorrect plural pronoun. I even tell my parents at the beginning of the year that I'm going to do that so they don't think I am a complete dummy.
I know I must make 1000 other grammar mistakes on a daily basis, but I think I sound intelligent enough. If I was writing a formal paper, I would be more careful. So, in my opinion, if people do not like the way I write or speak, that is their problem not mine.
One more thing – I use the dictation feature of my phone almost every time I post. So I'm just going to blame all of the grammar and spelling mistakes on Siri.
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Post by HelenaJole on Apr 9, 2016 20:48:51 GMT
In Newfoundland they use "ye" for plural you. I loves it.
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Post by lucyg on Apr 9, 2016 20:50:38 GMT
Here is the grammar faux pas I make on a regular basis – and don't give a flippity flip: The incorrect use of the plural possessive THEIR when it should be a singular his or her. And them, too. I have to use it frequently when writing numerous emails and reminders to the parents of the children in my class. For example – Your child may wear his or her pajamas to school tomorrow, but please remind him or her to bring his or her tennis shoes with him or her because we have PE. Of course, that is an extreme example, but I run into that situation numerous times a day. And I know I could go with the singular male pronoun, but that's just sexist. So I go with the incorrect plural pronoun. I even tell my parents at the beginning of the year that I'm going to do that so they don't think I am a complete dummy. I know I must make 1000 other grammar mistakes on a daily basis, but I think I sound intelligent enough. If I was writing a formal paper, I would be more careful. So, in my opinion, if people do not like the way I write or speak, that is their problem not mine. One more thing – I use the dictation feature of my phone almost every time I post. So I'm just going to blame all of the grammar and spelling mistakes on Siri. Wait, I can dictate my posts to Siri? How do I do that? I always forget she even exists. also just wanted to say, if you really cared about not using their in place of he/she, there are other options besides your extreme example: Your child may wear pajamas to school tomorrow, but please remind him or her to bring tennis shoes because we have PE. (one use instead of many) or Your children may wear their pajamas to school tomorrow, but please remind them to bring their tennis shoes because we have PE. (change subject to plural) I understand the reasoning behind using they/them/their in place of he and she, but I still try to avoid it as much as possible. |
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Post by petenthusiast on Apr 9, 2016 20:56:55 GMT
Chaucer's disciples should have ensured we never progressed past Middle English, but here we are mucking it up.
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Post by maryland on Apr 9, 2016 23:09:47 GMT
I am embarrassed to ask, but I see this a lot on the boards and I have to ask. "Meh" - I have never heard anyone use that word, and have no idea how to pronounce it (or what it means). I type it more often than I actually say it, but I do say it out loud occasionally. It's pronounced like "men," if you drop the n at the end and stretch out the short e sound a little bit. mehhh. And to me, it means, like, "Whatever. I'm bored. I don't care. This is what I'm currently stuck with." All or any of the above. I guess it's like a way of putting a grunt into words. Thanks for explaining it to me! I have never heard it said before, just read it on 2peas.  |
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Post by Delta Dawn on Apr 10, 2016 4:23:11 GMT
I have issues with lots of language things.
One thing I don't remember and I can't find my grammar book otherwise i would look it up, I don't remember yours or her/hers. I don't have any idea how to use pronouns like that anymore. I have a really awesome grammar book but i can't find it (and I haven't looked for it either). It explains everything exceptionally well. I wish I knew where it was.
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Post by femalebusiness on Apr 10, 2016 5:05:19 GMT
The problem with using the correct chaise longue instead of chaise lounge is that chaise lounge is how everyone thinks it is supposed to be spelled. When one writes chaise longue the average guy thinks you don't know how to spell. My iPad just corrected longue to lounge.  |
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AmeliaBloomer
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Apr 10, 2016 13:33:36 GMT
The truly awkward stage of language evolution is the weird tipping point when the by-the-book usage is viewed by the majority of users as incorrect.
F'r'instance, I get reactions ranging from raised eyebrows to outright corrections when I say/write things like:
-I feel bad about...
-That package is for my supervisor and me. I gave the other packages to her and them.
-It was he who... Yes, those are they.
-If I were...
-None of us is happy about that.
-Yea for our team!
I have the double whammy of being educated by nuns of a certain generation and growing up in a house where we said all these things regularly. So, "Those are they," springs to my lips naturally, but I realize this usage is unknown to the majority of people, so I often actually make an effort to stop myself and say it "wrong" - 'cause the tipping point phenomenon reflects negatively on me as the user. (Weirdly, I think attempts to teach pronouns as predicate nominatives in school backfired and explains why we have this weird tendency to favor subject pronouns by saying things like "...gave it to my husband and I.")
On the other hand: A young colleague recently asked me - she was genuinely perplexed - why I always write "Hi, Colleague" instead of "Hi Colleague" in emails. I know we've definitely reached the tipping point there, but I just can't lose that comma yet - even though Colleague seemed a tad bit embarrassed for me!
Tl;dr: The language judging goes both ways.
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Post by HelenaJole on Apr 10, 2016 14:03:39 GMT
My understanding is that "yea" just means "yes." As in "Yea, verily," or "yea or nay." The hooray kind would be "yay." |
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Post by joblackford on Apr 11, 2016 15:46:57 GMT
Oh, I just thought of another mistake that irks me so bad, that I see all the time, usually found in writing, but people might say it as well: "Her and John did whatever" UGH. I want to scream at the writer "would you say "her did whatever?" NO!" I read a lot of amateur transformative works published online, i.e. fanfiction. So I have seen all kinds of skill levels of writing -- from one long paragraph, no punctuation, unreadable dreck, to the most amazingly beautiful writing that deserves to be printed on paper (if only it wasn't p0rny versions of a Disney TV show). There are some mistakes that make me want to throw my computer out the window. But then I remind myself that these are young people (for the most part) writing for the love of writing, sometimes even in a second language, edited/beta-ed by another person who edits for the love of the reading/writing, and that's pretty darn awesome. More people are writing more, between Facebook posts and texts and message boards posts, than ever before. So that makes me happy even if the pronouns are wrong |
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,732
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Apr 11, 2016 17:34:39 GMT
I have one friend who regularly uses "Walla" and was the first person I ever noticed saying "Mark and I's" as in "thanks to everyone who came to Mark and I's wedding". I never came across that one before I met her, and now I see it all the time. It gives me almost physical pain. Yeah, I know. I sit in front of the TV in the evenings, surfing, (not) watching the news but hearing it, and making comments like "give it to HIM and ME not he and I". AmeliaBloomer, I'm with you on all of those, and joblackford, count me as another of your fans! OP, yes, Facebook is an informal place. It is also a very public place, and poor writing skills are the modern version of hanging out grey laundry for the neighbours to whisper about. You (one - haha!) can believe that grey is the new white all you want, but people are going to judge. The thing that bugs me is when people go to the trouble to create memes with a gorgeous sentiment and beautiful artwork, let down by misspelling, and bad grammar and punctuation. There are so many that I have seen that I would share or at the very least Like, but because of their errors, I won't even acknowledge. Such a shame. |
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Post by gar on Apr 12, 2016 1:37:36 GMT
I have one friend who regularly uses "Walla" and was the first person I ever noticed saying "Mark and I's" as in "thanks to everyone who came to Mark and I's wedding". I never came across that one before I met her, and now I see it all the time. It gives me almost physical pain. Yeah, I know. I sit in front of the TV in the evenings, surfing, (not) watching the news but hearing it, and making comments like "give it to HIM and ME not he and I". AmeliaBloomer, I'm with you on all of those, and joblackford, count me as another of your fans! OP, yes, Facebook is an informal place. It is also a very public place, and poor writing skills are the modern version of hanging out grey laundry for the neighbours to whisper about. You (one - haha!) can believe that grey is the new white all you want, but people are going to judge. The thing that bugs me is when people go to the trouble to create memes with a gorgeous sentiment and beautiful artwork, let down by misspelling, and bad grammar and punctuation. There are so many that I have seen that I would share or at the very least Like, but because of their errors, I won't even acknowledge. Such a shame. I agree with everything you wrote:smile: |
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Post by AussieMeg on Apr 12, 2016 1:51:35 GMT
Can I tell you how much I dislike the subjunctive “If I were….” I know it is correct (most of the time), but I can’t stand that stupid grammar rule. I say it only because it is correct, but it annoys me every time!  I remember having an argument with a friend about the use of “I” or “me”. She was trying to tell me that the correct sentence would be “She is taking Jenny and I to the beach”. I told her that was not correct, and it should be “She is taking Jenny and me to the beach.” She continued to argue, saying “No you’re wrong, my dad told me it should be “I”!” I felt like saying “Well your dad is an idiot.” I didn’t of course, she is one of my dearest friends! |
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Post by lesserknownpea on Apr 12, 2016 7:03:01 GMT
Can I tell you how much I dislike the subjunctive “If I were….” I know it is correct (most of the time), but I can’t stand that stupid grammar rule. I say it only because it is correct, but it annoys me every time! I remember having an argument with a friend about the use of “I” or “me”. She was trying to tell me that the correct sentence would be “She is taking Jenny and I to the beach”. I told her that was not correct, and it should be “She is taking Jenny and me to the beach.” She continued to argue, saying “No you’re wrong, my dad told me it should be “I”!” I felt like saying “Well your dad is an idiot.” I didn’t of course, she is one of my dearest friends! It is so easy to correct this thinking by taking the other person out of the equation. Even people who struggle with grammar get that you would not say "she is taking I to the beach". |
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It's pronounced like "men," if you drop the n at the end and stretch out the short e sound a little bit. mehhh.
