Feel sorry for me.

I am a pedant. I am also a teacher, marking coursework written by 16-year-olds.

Shakespeare spelled his own name 5 different ways

Don’t you mean that the person (or persons) who wrote "Shakespeare" couldn’t manage to be consistent at spelling his assumed name?

Don’t you mean that the person (or persons) who wrote "Shakespeare" couldn’t manage to be consistent at spelling his assumed name?

no, I mean, pre-dictionary, people were less hung up on spelling, particularly their names. I believe Walter Raleigh also pronounced his name ‘Rayley’ or ‘Rowley’ – it was more mutable…

ellipses

IS there a ‘…’ key ??

IS there a ‘…’ key ??

[option]+[;] on a Mac. I only said that to be sarcastic though 🙂

"my bad"…WTF??? it either ‘my fault’ or it isn’t

and "can you borrow me a pen?"….no,i can lend you one but i can’t borrow you one, idiot!!!

I was having a discussion with my mate who was insistent ‘bestest’ makes sense.

If something is the best, then can anything really be any better?

OMITN wrote:

Little of this affects (note, not "effects") our understanding, but that’s only because some of use have the brains to understand how it ought to work, but also have to compassion to make allowances for the illiterate and imbecilic.

Sod it.

Sod what?

IS there a ‘…’ key ??

Have to admit I wasn’t aware of one before, but a little research reveals Alt+0133 on a PC … – yep that works!

I’d suggest the much more serious issue is using 4 full stops in place of an ellipsis when 3 is perfectly sufficient….

… oooh, yes it works 🙂

but … is quicker!

actually, I do have an annoyance, which is the use of ‘visualise’ for ‘display’ when the former meaning was an act of cognition 🙁

alt+0133 doesn’t work for me 🙁

you have to use numeric keypad

Just coz u dont spk lk da queen dont mean nuffink, yeah?

It’s interesting to note that many people seem very attached to the idea of their knowing some details of grammar as an ipso facto proof of their supposed intellectual ability. Beyond that, there is an evident mood of intolerance in many of the above posts. Language evolves, and some examples of its use may be more subjectively pleasing than others. I wonder why this is such an emotive subject for some of you. Are you scared that the only thing that makes you better is an apostrophe?

I do [have] is perfectly acceptable?

To some perhaps, but not to me.

Seriously though, it is a bit odd to reply with a contraction of a different word to that used in the question.

I blame all those US sitcoms she watches.

Hear what you’re saying duntmatter, but surely ‘somethink’ is pushing it a little far?

"unique" – it either is, or it isn’t

Also the repetition of a word/phrase/statement using slightly different vocabulary to empahasise a point. Very common with tv ‘personalities’ and those in the workplace who seem to think that we are too stupid to understand a single statement or beleive that their words of wisdom are so important that we have to hear them twice eg. xyz football manager has had his contract terminated, he has been sacked and it is believed he is now longer employed by xyz football club ……..grrrrr

Yes Rich I concur, like. 🙂

I wonder why this is such an emotive subject for some of you. Are you scared that the only thing that makes you better is an apostrophe?

I have no idea where that train of thought emerges from, other than a feeling of inferiority? 😆 I never could figure out apostrophe use on anything other than the common applications. I refer to my other half when checking anything of importance before it goes "out of the door". That doesn’t stop people having pet hates.

I wonder why this is such an emotive subject for some of you

it is for me as evidence of pointless snobbery

sfb- Surely you meant "hic, HAEC, hoc"?

sfb- Surely you meant "hic, HAEC, hoc"?

um, I got grade 9 Latin ‘O’ level in 1969 (ie troll grade 🙂

I’ll let yer off, innit!

Soz, "Ego te absolvo", if you could visualise it for the moment.

Are you scared that the only thing that makes you better is an apostrophe?

Not at all. There are so many things which make me better. And having the capacity to understand the difference between written and spoken English being one of them.

It’s interesting those whose work requires them to maintain sufficient precision in their communication. As a lawyer, I would be embarrassed (personnaly and professionally) to have my written English corrected when negotiating a contract, not because my legal skills were not up to scratch but because I had failed to utilise elementary skills taught to me when I was a child.

Language does evolve, yes, as does the use of it; the skill that so many lack is to understand when to use or not to use certain langauge skills or modes of communication.

you have to use numeric keypad

Thanks…

🙂

the skill that so many lack is to understand when to use or not to use certain langauge skills or modes of communication.

I think rather the maintenance of arcane and readily misunderstood forms of language undermines many people’s confidence

Blimey it’s still going on.

Don’t you think the use of somethink and nothink makes people sound a little bit stupid?
It actually makes no sense, it’s not even easier to say!

Should people who say "somethink" be drownded?

Should people who say "somethink" be drownded?

isn’t it "sumfink" ??

I think rather the maintenance of arcane and readily misunderstood forms of language undermines many people’s confidence

You assume it is arcane. What is your justification for this?

isn’t it "sumfink"

No. People who say sumfink are stupid

I would be embarrassed (personnaly and professionally) to have my written English corrected

So would I. 🙂

The trouble is, Simon, it’s the misuse of language which is more likely to lead to misunderstanding (hence why lawyers have to get it right).

You assume it is arcane. What is your justification for this?

if you make all the arbitrary grammatical rules into a pile:
split infinitives
I not me
to be or not to be an apostrophe
and all the others brought up in this thread I can’t bring to mind just now

one begins to wonder if they’re not kept for any intrinsic worth but merely as a stick to beat the less well versed. To concentrate on these trivia is to deny the basic point of language, which is communication, not conformance 🙁

"basically its an eclectic mix that ticks all the boxes!….."

AAAAAAAaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhhh……..

LOL I noticed that one too Mark b. Not often you get to embarrass a lawyer with a superiority complex

There are so many things which make me better

😆

I said somefing the other day, I was horrified. Not only am I losing my welsh accent but now turning into a council estate chav. Where’s my velour tracksuit….

In the name of the dear, sweet little Baby Jesus who has a subscription to Angling Times….

As SFB has correctly pointed out, it’s SUMFINK. And, likewise, NUFFINK.

I despair, I really do, to be surrounded by a world full of imbeciles…

Mind you, whatever I say is not going to make any difference at all. In fact, if it was not for the fact that I know I am always right, and youse are always rong, I think I’d go stark raving mad.

Ah well, I spose it does not in any way matter….

Good spot, Mark B (and Woody). I’m pleased some people were paying attention at the back.

SFB seems to have retreated into semi- ee cummings territory, seeking to eschew certain rules of punctuation, while maintaining others (“…beat the less well versed. To concentrate on…”) to illustrate the point that, in spite of the nose on his face, he too must conform to certain rules for communication.

On an everyday basis, of course one can be lax with the “rules”, but when seeking to ensure a level of precision in language beyond the mundane, then it does become necessary to have sufficient common understanding of exactly what someone means. Take what I do: if I draft something which, as a result of my use or misuse of certain prevailing rules or accepted norms of written language, remains subsequently open to interpretation, then what I wrote was not sufficiently clear for all concerned to rely on it wholeheartedly. This is one of the prime reasons that the courts are full of arguments over the precise meaning of drafting and, ultimately, its commercial effect. Given how costly going to court is (not least because you need two types of lawyer on each side), it pays to get it right in the first instance.

There have been several occasions on internet forums where bad spelling and/or punctuation have lead to misunderstandings.