Does poor grammar or word usage bother you?

[happygirl]

Nope

 

[SydneyBristow]

It use to drive me nuts, but now it doesn't even faze me.

 

[hellokitty86]

Yes!! Especially if it's in a book. That's the worst!

 

[bballmom56]

One of my pet peeves is in my tag!

I cringe at the misuse of I and me. The gift was for my brother and ME. My brother and I went to the store.

I have a very dear friend who pronounces the word trough (trof) as troth. I wonder if that is like the PP who has someone who pronounces deaf as death.

Also, the past tense of drag is dragged, not drug!

 

[PanamaMike]

It bothers me when my 4th grader is working on a current event and the grammar/spelling in our local paper is so bad that DD can find it and identify it. That bugs me.

It bugs me when news anchors come across as illiterate idiots.

It bugs me when a teacher or some other "instrument" of education has poor skills. My DD's 4th grade teacher is super smart when it comes to literature, science and social studies but the poor gal can't hardly add 2+2. She told me outright that she often gets stuck when the class is going over their math and has to wait to consult with another 4th grade teacher She sends home printouts that she has no clue how to do herself etc.

As for in speaking and places like here, it doesn't bug me. I notice certain things like the use of irregardless (for some reason that one really bugs me) and I notice when words are misused but I don't get myself all twisted over it and I would never think to correct it.

Well, I hate to correct you (okay, I don't really) but in a post about incorrect grammar you wrote "the poor gal can't hardly add 2+2".
Since you are trying to indicate her math skills are lacking, "the poor gal CAN hardly add 2+2" is what you should have written.

 

[Cindy B]

It drives me crazy. Poor grammar skills-written and spoken drive me equally nuts.

 

[mamacatnv]

Well, I hate to correct you (okay, I don't really) but in a post about incorrect grammar you wrote "the poor gal can't hardly add 2+2".
Since you are trying to indicate her math skills are lacking, "the poor gal CAN hardly add 2+2" is what you should have written.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.....thus the reason I don't correct people. I'm sure your spelling, punctuation and speech is always perfect too

 

[Talking Hands]

It gets to me at times. I'm living in the wrong state for poor grammar to bother me, but it really does. If I hear someone else say "We had went to Walmart" in my office, I think I may scream.

Or using the wrong word:

"There was a wreck on the interstate and the cars ended up in the medium."
No, the word is median!

"They took to garbage to the landfield." No, the word is landfill.

"i don't want to be held reliable." No, the word is liable.

I honestly could go on for pages. Please add some of your favorites.

Personally I feel that many of these are percieved and not true mistakes when in oral English. Our ears are not hearing the right thing and our mind is just putting something there.
An example:
Many years ago before discovering Disney's wonderful interpreters I went to see Beauty and the Beast. When Gaston sings his solo describing himself I heard "Now I'm as big as a barn" Later I went and saw the show interpreted only to discover that the line is "Now, I'm as big as a barge (signed BOAT). THe addition support of the interperting allowed me to hear and know the correct word.

 

[portocall]

As someone who has overcome a severe speech impediment, I say many words "wrong". I have reached the point in my life that I don't care anymore. It is my understanding that it is hard to tell that in one point in my life, I needed to be translated for by my mother and couldn't even get across my name to someone and have them understand it. I do know what the right way to say certain "offending" words, but it just doesn't come out right. Now, depending on who corrects me and how it is done... I have been known to used the offending word as many times as possible and get tickled by how much it gets to certain people. They tend to turn red, and if you look closely, you might even seem steam.

 

[Talking Hands]

What bothers me the most is poorly written English especially by people who are hearing and Englsih is there first language. I understand those for whom English is their second language including deaf people. I often proofread things for my deaf friends.
One mispronounciation bugs the heack out of me. Death instead of deaf.
And I get it in 3 modes, oral, written and signed. You can't imagine the times I've seen an interpreter use a sign that doesn't match the concept they are trying to convey.

 

[chager]

I have to admit I sometimes misuse words. Recently it has been even worse due to meds. However, I do have an excuse! When I was 4 I fell down the concrete steps at a relatives house and hit my head on every step. I had on a really stiff coat so I hit my head, flipped, and hit my head on the next step,etc. It messed up my speech and small motor abilities. Most people don't even realize I ever had issues, only occasionally when I mispronouce or misuse a word. (Or if they see me try to use scissors!1 ) I usually try harder around business associates then I do around friends and family. They all know I mess up words and will only ask if they need to clarify what I was trying to say.
So I would have to say usually it does not bother me. I have been known to answer the question "Can I use the restroom?' With "I don't know, can you?"

 

[mommy*RN]

Me luv the hoorible grammerrorical errers.

 

[marlynnp]

I work with a very diverse group of people
Over 1/2 the people I work with, English is their second language.
When these people make mistakes, it does not bother me because they are doing so much better with our language than I would be with theirs
However, one person I work with who is American born, massacures English.
She uses phrases like
We aint got none
He brung me some stuff
I could go on and on
ARGHHHHH
I make a lot of typing mistakes, because my typing skills stink
But I try very hard to use correct words in speaking
I can't even think in terms of we ain't got none

massacure <----- I think that requires attending a revival.
massacre <---- killing

 

[DebbieB]

People who spell "lose" as "loose" or "loser" as "looser". "I'm going to watch the Biggest Looser tonight". I see it all the time, not just on these boards but also at work.

 

[Babboo]

They'res nothing werse that when people use bad grammar in there sentences. It's like rele basic english isn't there problem ene more and their rele not too worried about how they sound or are percieved.

Bad spelling is another pet peeve.


THEY'RE going to climb a tree.

The tree is over THERE.

This is THEIR treehouse.

YOU'RE going to love it!

It's like YOUR dream house!


It's not trendy - it's not cool - it's LAZY - just like not pulling your **** pants up and leaving your butt hanging out so I can see what brand of boxers you wear (hopefully there's underwear).

 

[Babboo]

As someone who has overcome a severe speech impediment, I say many words "wrong". I have reached the point in my life that I don't care anymore. It is my understanding that it is hard to tell that in one point in my life, I needed to be translated for by my mother and couldn't even get across my name to someone and have them understand it. I do know what the right way to say certain "offending" words, but it just doesn't come out right. Now, depending on who corrects me and how it is done... I have been known to used the offending word as many times as possible and get tickled by how much it gets to certain people. They tend to turn red, and if you look closely, you might even seem steam.

A speech impediment is completely understandable - and is not bad grammar. I have a gentleman in my office who stutters and it visibly bothers him - especially when someone takes notice or tries to finish his sentences. I have found that it's easiest to try and get him to relax so he can concentrate on what he's trying to say and put his focus where he needs it. I have worked with others who had lisps, and it's the same thing. It seems that if it's noticed, has attention called to it, it becomes worse. Besides, it doesn't alter the importance of what they are trying to say - just may take a moment longer to get there. And correcting someone with a speech impediment is just plain wrong and mean-hearted.

Nope - having a severe impediment is completely understandable and is not a problem in my eyes. Poor grammar is someone who just doesn't bother trying to communicate clearly. I say keep right on making them red-faced with steam coming out their ears. See if you can't get that eye-bulge next time. :

 

[OK!]

It does..drives me batty. But I'm also the default spellcheck/grammar check in our house. If DH is doing a paper for work or whatever, he has me read it over before he makes a final copy to make sure his grammar, etc is all correct.

I also once read a book called "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" which was about grammar/spelling and got a kick out of it. The writer really WAS a grammar..uh..fiend.

I LOVE that book! I found myself saying, "YES!" and "THANK you!" so many times while I was reading it.

I'm also the spell-checker / grammarian in my family and have been for years. I probably drive everyone nuts because sometimes I can get a little overzealous about sentence structure, etc. ...I can't help it; I just loves me some semicolons!

 

[MarkFL]

Poor grammar bothers me, but hypercorrection annoys me much more than that.

 

[YoYoAurora]

... I also had a co-worker that used to call a manila folder - a vanilla folder. This was a guy with a college degree.

Uh oh! When I was a child, I convinced a friends that manila folders were called vanilla folders because they are vanilla flavoured. So, she tore off a piece of a manila folder, tasted it, and informed me that yes, it did taste of vanilla. Eek!

 

[novajeanjellybean]

Yes!! Especially if it's in a book. That's the worst!

Me too!!! Why am I paying for the book if you can't even spell or use grammar correctly?