A bit extreme, perhaps, but usage is important. In my estimation it is very critical when educated people misuse grammer, spelling, and punctuation. The uneducated think that is the way it should be said. We have a local news anchor that, when covering a story in the field, referred to a helicopter 'hoovering' over the scene. I had visions of a giant vacuum sweeper moving across the land sucking up everything in its path.
The excuse often given in our area is that that is way one person speaks, so we should not criticize. Where did all the good English teachers go?
I am 75 years old, so maybe the standards of my generation are lost forever.
Exactly! Those little punctuation marks are important, especially that Oxford comma, the use of which was gospel for years until the journalists came along.
Having been an English composition and mechanics teacher for forty years, I very often cringe when reading social media posts, the newspaper, and especially many posts here on UHH.
John, I agree with you. Some of the news reports posted on azcentral.com are abysmal, to put it as kindly as I can. Commas and apostrophes are somewhat important. There's a huge difference between let's eat, grandma and let's eat grandma. Correct punctuation saves lives. In the case featured in the original post, possibly, a good deal of money.
--Bob
jaymatt wrote:
Exactly! Those little punctuation marks are important, especially that Oxford comma, the use of which was gospel for years until the journalists came along.
Having been an English composition and mechanics teacher for forty years, I very often cringe when reading social media posts, the newspaper, and especially many posts here on UHH.
rmalarz wrote:
John, I agree with you. Some of the news reports posted on azcentral.com are abysmal, to put it as kindly as I can. Commas and apostrophes are somewhat important. There's a huge difference between let's eat, grandma and let's eat grandma. Correct punctuation saves lives. In the case featured in the original post, possibly, a good deal of money.
--Bob
One of my all-time favorites was in the meat section of a grocery store. The sign said, “Cut Up Friar’s."
Whoa, selling parts of men of the cloth should be banned. That caught me by surprise and I almost spit coffee on my keyboard.
--Bob
jaymatt wrote:
One of my all-time favorites was in the meat section of a grocery store. The sign said, “Cut Up Friar’s."
Grammar: the difference between 'feeling you're nuts' and 'feeling your nuts.'
That does seem a bit frivolous.
Grammar: the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit.
I’m also a retired language arts teacher and often cringe at what I read.
“Students get first hand job experience,” for instance.
nikon_jon wrote:
A bit extreme, perhaps, but usage is important. In my estimation it is very critical when educated people misuse grammer, spelling, and punctuation. The uneducated think that is the way it should be said. We have a local news anchor that, when covering a story in the field, referred to a helicopter 'hoovering' over the scene. I had visions of a giant vacuum sweeper moving across the land sucking up everything in its path.
The excuse often given in our area is that that is way one person speaks, so we should not criticize. Where did all the good English teachers go?
I am 75 years old, so maybe the standards of my generation are lost forever.
A bit extreme, perhaps, but usage is important. In... (
show quote)
I have a year on you and I have to say, American English is just horrid these days. Makes me think that there must be no reputable English teachers anymore...but more likely, we oldsters have stumbled into a generation which simply doesn't care. The young, newscasters, college professors...it doesn't make any difference. Proper English is dying before our eyes and ears.
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