Some common departures from STANDARD ENGLISH

As long as we have a thread to bitch about grammar (AAAH! I almost just spelled it "grammer"): "For all intensive purposes" is not right. Think about it. It sounds f***ing stupid.

It's "For all intents and purposes."

TITCR

Al Davis wrote:

This is a funny thread, not just because of these little parochialisms, but because it's discussing the usage of non-standard English. Most of you are Americans, and don't speak English. And certainly don't write it...

Huh? Are you stupid? American English is not non-standard English. Most non-native speakers learn American English not British English. You are pathetic. In fact in many ways American English is closer to older English than British English. But I guess you're from England and are by definition stupid, jealous, and have poor oral hygiene.

"Spelling tendencies in Britain from the 17th century until the present day (e.g. -ise for -ize, programme for program, kerb for curb (noun), skilful for skillful, chequered for checkered, etc.), in some cases favored by the francophile tastes of 19th century Victorian England, had little effect on American English."

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not technically incorrect, as I learned when NPR did an interview with the senior editor of the American Heritage Dictionary some years ago.

I get so frustrated when people say LESS when they mean FEWER. It is grating to my ears but I don't know why. Maybe it is because it was drilled into me. When I see commercials like the one for Gardasil I feel like yelling at the TV, "Its fewer!"

Bump to contribute to the "ban grammar police?" discussion.

Okay, another update on words that this board should be spelling correctly.

"Decathlon" and "pentathlon" (and other words ending similarly) are often misspelled. My general advice has always been: "Don't say *decathalon* if you wouldn't say *athalete*."

Well, it turns out that some recent posters on this board DO say "athalete" (or "athelete"). The word is "athlete." Its related word is "athletic" and not "atheletic."

Fewer not Less wrote:

I get so frustrated when people say LESS when they mean FEWER. It is grating to my ears but I don't know why. Maybe it is because it was drilled into me. When I see commercials like the one for Gardasil I feel like yelling at the TV, "Its fewer!"

It's true. These days many advertising copywriters have a poor grasp of English grammar. A week or two ago there was a large advertisement in a running magazine for Saucony's new "Cresent" spike range (it's meant to be "Crescent"). I hope the person responsible got a rocket up the arse.

Here we go with another update:

"Criterion" is the singular form of the noun (NOT "criteria"--the plural form).

picking nits wrote:

Here we go with another update:

"Criterion" is the singular form of the noun (NOT "criteria"--the plural form).

Similarly, "datum" is the singular form, while "data" is plural.

One should say, "The data are correct," not "The data is correct."

Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.

That's as, not like.

Ebonics

Vegan

5'7", 122lbs

Toyota Camry

Never heard of Phish

Never smoked MaryJ

Strait

monkey bread wrote:

Strait

Which, by a natural and easy transition, reminds me:

"Strait(s)" means narrow or difficult or confining or strict:

Straits of Gibraltar

straitened circumstances

straitjacket

straitlaced

Something that *is* straight (i.e. linear, roughly) is...a "straight"!

He gained ten yards in the homestraight, but couldn't quite catch the guy who had led (NOT "lead") the whole way.

Which also reminds me: cross-country has a finish *chute*--not "shoot").

Perhaps she was referring to George Strait. Why the hyphen in cross country?

picking nits wrote:

*chute*--not "shoot").

Okay:

*chute* (not "shoot").

Sorry for the typo. I told you I make plenty. Too bad we can't edit our posts.

The front page reminds me:

The past tense of "to plead" is *pled* (NOT "plead").

One more (though I sense this battle is just about lost):

If you feel like you're going to throw up, you're nauseated. Something that makes you feel like throwing up is nauseous.

[But again, it's not really a "battle"! The language changes: "awful" and "terrific" certainly have meanings that are different from what they used to be, and "nauseous" may soon, as well--if it hasn't already.]

100