When did "I seen" become acceptable?!?!? VENT!!!!

[freckles and boo]

I thought it was just a sout'side o' Chicago thing. "I seen dat de udder day!" I believed the SNL Superfans were an exaggeration until I met some of my in-laws. Fortunately my husband doesn't use "seen" for saw, but he does have a couple of other dialect issues that are far less annoying.

 

[momof1princess]

"i seen" is bad, but what i find even more irritating is using the phrase "he pleaded" instead of "he plead" (pronounced plehd). when did adding this unnecessary "ed" become widespread? i hear it on the news all the time and it makes me want to slap my tv!

 

[TerriP]

This may come out sounding wrong but I would not, absolutely would NOT, hire someone to work at my company if they used that kind of grammar. I don't care what kind of educational background they have, it sounds uneducated, lazy and just plain stupid! If they don't care enough to use the proper grammar, then I don't care enough to hire them.

I have to say, I have a co-worker with horrible grammar and I am often embarassed when she's speaking with someone outside of our organization. As I read through the posts here, I could check off almost ALL of them as things she says. "Do you know where we're located at?" "I seen that you turned in your paperwork late." "What do yous think we should do about this?" "You was behind me at the stop light yesterday."

She handles a lot of correspondence between our office and the Michigan Department of Ed...I can only imagine what they must think of us.

 

[FireDancer]

But what drives me bonkers is the attachment of superfluous prepositions to the ends of sentences.

That is a very Ohio thing to do I was told. I know not to but catch myself all the time.

The other grammer ticks that drive me insane are:

"Me and John are going to the store". No, John and I are going to the store.

"I ain't got no money". First, the proper way to say that is I don't have no money which is the same as saying I have money.

No knowing which version of to/too/two to use.

"What are your favorite deserts at Disney". Uh, they are pretty much in the tropics. While you are there (not their or they're) eating a dessert you are most assuredly not in a desert.

We just all need to talk gooder English!

 

[ctinct]

"Me and John are going to the store". No, John and I are going to the store.

This is the one that drives me nuts. I hear "I seen" once in a blue moon, but I constantly hear "me and so and so." I hear it everyday...in television interviews, news programs, sitcoms, conversation, etc. Unfortunately, because it has become so common, I have noticed my teen-aged daughter letting it slip out once in a while. Yuck! I always tell her the name of the other person always comes first (good manners), and if you wouldn't say "me" without the other name in there, as in "me am going to the store", it should be I.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

My DH is guilty of the misuse of the word seen and gets called out frequently by DD16(even with her public school education). Even though he knows it is wrong it seems to be a habit(he grew up in South FL by the way so I don't think it is a regional thing)and hard to stop. The big one around us is to use "ideal" instead of "idea", makes everyone in my household "wince" when we hear it.

 

[MushyMushy]

My mother used "I seen" on her death bed. I will always smile when I hear those words.

As an English teacher, I save the grammar lessons for my own children and for the classroom or tutoring. Of all the friends I have who are also English teachers, they never point out grammar flaws either. Interesting to me. You'd think it would drive us crazier than most.

 

[disykat]

My aunt used to say that. It always amazed me because it just seemed so glaringly wrong. It drove my dad nuts that his brother (my uncle) would say it too. He didn't growing up, but it became a habit for him that he picked up from his wife.

I think most people who use it honestly don't know it's wrong because it's what they grew up hearing.

My dh's family says "had went." It drives me nuts. The first time I heard my dh say it I was surprised. Later, I corrected him and he had to look it up to believe me that it was incorrect. He is a very smart guy, but having heard it all is life he honestly didn't realize it was wrong. I don't know how he missed that big of grammar instruction, but he did. To his credit, my dh doesn't say it anymore and now he notices when his family says it.

 

[Mom2Nick]

I hate hearing "I seen" as much as I hate hearing "she goes" or "he goes" in place of "she said" or "he said"

Sometimes I intentionally ask people "Where did they go?"

My MIL does this. She also uses wrong words."Well to be more pacific...."(instead of specific). Sorry I don't want to be more Pacific but I'd love to be more Mediterranean

 

[SandrA9810]

Using "er" on words that were never supposed to. Stupider is a word I hear a lot.
No... it's more or most stupid. And any other veriations you can possibly think of.

I also hate it when I get asked a question with a negative in it, and I respond with a negative to really mean positive. It's even annoying trying to explain it.

 

[MushyMushy]

My MIL does this. She also uses wrong words."Well to be more pacific...."(instead of specific). Sorry I don't want to be more Pacific but I'd love to be more Mediterranean

Now that's actually funny!

When my grandmother was alive she always said, "My Jimmy says, he says..." or "Jack goes, he goes..." always with that little repeat. Sometimes I'll say it just to be funny and also think of her.

 

[LoraJ]

I hate "I seen" almost a much as I hate "would/could of". My blood runs cold.

I don't say "would of" or "could of", but I do say would have or would've which could sound similar.

 

[dismom2]

I'm with you! I won't claim to have perfect grammar, but that is one of those things that isn't even close.

I agree. Another thing that drives me crazy is when people say, "I axed" (I asked). When did the word ask become ax?

 

[dismom2]

I don't say "would of" or "could of", but I do say would have or would've which could sound similar.

I had an English teacher that would write "would of" and "could of". I know a couple people who write it out that way, too---I always thought it was suppose to be the way you mentioned above. Are both acceptable? I also had a teacher who would spell the word "learnt". I did some research and found out it is acceptable, and used in Europe, where she is from.

 

[Scurvy]

I find "I seen" to be very irritating.

The thing that drives me insane on these boards is when people post that something is a "Mute point". No it isn't! It is a moot point. I don't bother pointing it out any longer, though. The last time I did, the person responded that they did in fact mean it was "mute" because it was "falling on deaf ears". I didn't even know how to respond to that.

"i seen" is bad, but what i find even more irritating is using the phrase "he pleaded" instead of "he plead" (pronounced plehd). when did adding this unnecessary "ed" become widespread? i hear it on the news all the time and it makes me want to slap my tv!

"Pleaded" is actually acceptable, and has been for quite some time. I think that actually used to be the preferred term. "Pled" or "Plead" are also acceptable.

 

[SandrA9810]

Let us not forget the wonderful made up words by combining words.

When we lived with Kari's friend, she got mad because I would leave my "hugenormous" cup on the counter. It's one of those insulated gas station cups that hold like 64oz of soda. Since I usually took it with me where ever I went, I never found a need to find a "home" for it in the cabinets.

 

[suejai]

We also have these grammar issues. My personal pet peeve is the mispronunciation of the words escape and especially - they pronounce them exscape and expecially. My son is forever doing this, makes me crazy.

 

[sbell111]

I seen a thread on this issue not too long ago, but I can't find where it's at.

 

[Cindyluwho]

Let us not forget the wonderful made up words by combining words.

When we lived with Kari's friend, she got mad because I would leave my "hugenormous" cup on the counter. It's one of those insulated gas station cups that hold like 64oz of soda. Since I usually took it with me where ever I went, I never found a need to find a "home" for it in the cabinets.

OK, now those words I actually like! My favorite is "regoddarneddiculous", well that's not exactly the word....but you know what I meaned to say

 

[momof1princess]

I find "I seen" to be very irritating.

The thing that drives me insane on these boards is when people post that something is a "Mute point". No it isn't! It is a moot point. I don't bother pointing it out any longer, though. The last time I did, the person responded that they did in fact mean it was "mute" because it was "falling on deaf ears". I didn't even know how to respond to that.




"Pleaded" is actually acceptable, and has been for quite some time. I think that actually used to be the preferred term. "Pled" or "Plead" are also acceptable.

i realize it is acceptable, at least grammatically. however, it seems to have come into widespread use in my area in the past couple of years, when "pled" or "plead" would have normally been used. it sounds very odd and awkward to me and gets on my nerves.