Comments on: Typos, Grammar Screw-ups, and Other Things that Tick Me Off

By: Tei

Tei — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Dude, did you come and rant with me in my long War on English post about the exclamation marks? It was a LONG post, because I was VERY upset.

And yes. Poor possessives must die. Also the misuse of 'breath' and 'breathe.' It makes me want to kill people.

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:20:00 +0000

They look like little eyelashes, don't they, Marijke? :))

I'm with you, sister. Death to the overuse of quotation marks!

By: Marijke

Marijke — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:03:00 +0000

I call it the “apostrophization of the English language.” People feel they just HAVE to put apostrophes. My pet peeve after the its/it’s is the 1950’s or 1880’s instead of 1950s or 1880s.

Now… for my grammar ACK: the use of quotation marks. Why “must” people “feel” that they “need” to “use” quotation marks when “they” are trying to “emphasize” something???? It drives me BATTY….

Ok, I know, I need a life.

By: Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Smith — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:54:00 +0000

I want to bring a red pen with me to the supermarket the next time I go.

If I see one more sign for “egg’s” or “potato’s,” I’m going to go “banana’s”!

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:17:00 +0000

Got an invite to a party this week, consisting of four sentences. Every bloody one had a spelling or grammatical error. I overlook it when it’s a kid’s party, but Mom wrote the invitation. And she wrote ” join the Smith’s as they celebrate….”

Oy.

By: Steph VanderMeulen

Steph VanderMeulen — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:51:00 +0000

I abhor seeing things like this: “The Grant’s.” Or finding things like this: “Egg’s sold here.” Or the misuse of quotation marks, like this: Vader’s “organic chicken.” Hmmm, what is it, then, if not organic chicken? Don’t want to find out. And when you say, I’m kind of a “bid deal” around here, do you understand that you’re really saying you’re not a big deal? (That was another tee-shirt, btw!)

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:56:00 +0000

Well maybe they HAVE loose weight. :))

The one that sends me off the edge: "then" instead of "than." I want to scream when I see seemingly intelligent people using those two incorrectly!

By: Eileen Coale

Eileen Coale — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Being on a low carb diet, I spend some time on diet forums. At least a third of the people who mean to say “lose weight” spell it incorrectly, “loose weight.” That one drives me batty. It’s almost as common as “it’s” instead of “its”.