Grammar Pet Peeves

[bubbadabut]

A very popular one on social media at the moment: "boarders" instead of "borders".

 

[Pawpaw365]

I was sat. Hate this. It's I was sitting.

Where I live a lot of people say "You was there" not "you were there." After 20 years in the area it still grates.

That sounds like quite a London / Essex thing?

 

[Al Fresco]

Of course but I bet you did it with a cheeky smile! I'm sure I've done it before too!

I have a weird diacotomy though because I became unwell a few years ago and lost the ability to spell and do some things language properly, after previously being a bit of a grammar pedant. It's like having a split personality. I do miss the old me a bit but I also have a much better understanding of say, things like dyslexia so now get how things don't always come easily to people. It's a weird one. The unnecessary 's at the end of names like James still deeply upsets me though .

I know what you mean. I feel like some things I was taught at school now seem to be deemed as incorrect. Don’t even get me started on plurals such as “roofs”

 

[E84Blair]

"Me either" really grates on me.

I used to get really irked by people who confuse than and then, but I've come to realise that it must be 99% of the population so I'm learning to let that one go.

 

[LittleMy]

People who consistently spell someone's name wrong, even when they've known them for years, or when the name is right there in front of them on an email or social media. I'm thinking Micheal/Michael, Jane/Jayne, Jackie/Jacqui, etc.

My husband gets this a lot with his name. He’s used to it by now so it doesn’t bother him.

 

[emm]

argh! the worst thing is that i very much know the difference between to and too. the shame!

At least you do know the difference, I am waiting for the day when I see someone that doesn't know the difference between the number and too or to

 

[MaineCoonMama]

If all the threads on Tattle I'd say the worst offender grammar and spelling wise has to be Katie Hayes. I get that not everyone is good at spelling or even cares how words are spelled but I've never seen anyone as bad as KH. Just atrocious.
I love the thread, it's hilarious but Katie's posts give me a headache.

 

[HoGi]

Do they mean the Hobson's house?

It's exactly that it's a possessive apostrophe rather than an apostrophe to denote a missing letter

But it would be the Hobsons’ house. The house belonging to the Hobsons. If it was just one Hobson who resided there, it would be Hobson’s House.

I disagree. If my surname was Smith. And your talking about my house, it's the Smith's house. I.e. the house belonging the the Smith's

If you said "the Smiths house" that would be grammatically incorrect.

Therefore "Christmas at the Smith's" is grammatical correct.

 

[TheGlossy]

That's an absolutely fine use of words

Definition of AS PER

in accordance with : according to… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

I'm not sure what your word - exteroize - means though?

Perhaps, but I’m pretty sure I was told all throughout law school not to use “as per”.

 

[HoGi]

At my primary school in the 80s, they actively encouraged us to avoid using "nice" to describe something. Even when writing it now, I still wonder if there's a better word I could use.

I think "amazing" is this generation's "nice". I always feel aware of how much it is used, and usually try to pick an alternative.

They were still teaching this in the 90s haha

 

[Mollywobbles]

I prolly shouldn’t say this but you lot was quite funny when you say, like ,its wrong with the way what I speak.
Of cause you lot think like you speak kind of proper but I know lots off people who could of told you that you is just to fussy.

 

[Wish_I_Weren't_Here]

A grocer's apostrophe is the incorrect addition of an apostrophe, when there should be none. Advertising "apple's" instead of apples.

 

[Loopy1981]

Do they mean the Hobson's house?

Christmas at the Hobson's

Christmas at the Hobson is what?

 

[bubbadabut]

Oooh guilty. I’m from Yorkshire and we don’t pronounce our ‘H’s so automatically say and write ‘an’ before any H words

I'm from Yorkshire too. Shame on you!

This. I cannot stand this and it's everywhere.

It's so rife on TV that I actually had to check the rules a few years ago, as I thought I must be getting it wrong.

 

[Happy Lady]

At my primary school in the 80s, they actively encouraged us to avoid using "nice" to describe something. Even when writing it now, I still wonder if there's a better word I could use.

I think "amazing" is this generation's "nice". I always feel aware of how much it is used, and usually try to pick an alternative.

And the word THING. That word is surely only used by lazy people. Just mention what you're talking about.

Whenever Mr H says THING, I always pretend I've not a clue what he means. Apparently, it will catch up with us all as we forget our thingies.

 

[Melanysus]

I get annoyed by Americanisms creeping in everywhere! My phone keeps correcting ill to I’ll. No, I won’t write « sick », as if I say I have been sick, that means I vomited, not that I was poorly/unwell.
Also nail polish instead of nail varnish annoys me no end, as does pants for trousers, said by an Irish colleague!
It annoys me that Brits make the effort to learn the US word ( elevator, trunk, pants…) but if you say lift, car boot and trousers in the US, you are met with blank stares. It just does my head in!

I had a friend who kept using the word 'panties' for underwear. My face resembled crumpled paper because I kept cringing hard.

Still, I can only breathe a sigh of relief to read someone that shares my frustrations. Overall, I find our (as in cultural 'our') gradual pandering to/aping of US culture rather mortifying. I don't mind learning the US words, naturally, but when it's overriding or replacing UK ones [e.g. a colleague at my workplace trying to correct my use of 'doughnut' before she had to be told it was the right spelling], it's a bit troubling. Naturally, the prevalence of social media, media streaming, etc. have contributed to this import and inevitably blurred the boundaries, but it's nonetheless disappointing.

I could go further and express my alarm at how this import has gone beyond merely language [for example, a UK job advert made the rounds on social media a while back, where the employer expressed they were an equal opportunities organisation recruiting people from 'indigenous groups'... ], but that's for another thread.

 

[greenvelvet]

I am usually not that bothered about grammatical errors, but it irritates me when teachers make them. Your greengrocer’s apostrophe and incorrect use of “their” isn’t the end of the world, but at least take extra care when you’re working with kids. They’re trying to learn from you!

 

[Pawpaw365]

Not seen on here but on FB the use of the lower case A, pronounced like a, instead of I. For example, 'a went to the shops today' 'a hate it when that happens'.
My grammar isn't the best but that one's taking the pee.

Isn't that a regional thing though? Like you know how sometimes people with a strong Scottish accent will type exactly as they talk?

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

Admittedly, I might have had a drink

Of course but I bet you did it with a cheeky smile! I'm sure I've done it before too!

I have a weird diacotomy though because I became unwell a few years ago and lost the ability to spell and do some things language properly, after previously being a bit of a grammar pedant. It's like having a split personality. I do miss the old me a bit but I also have a much better understanding of say, things like dyslexia so now get how things don't always come easily to people. It's a weird one. The unnecessary 's at the end of names like James still deeply upset me though .

 

[sheleg]

I once went up to a blackboard menu in a pub and wiped out all of the dodgy apostrophes.

Truly doing God’s work!