Grammar Peeves

[MaggieTheCat]

Oh, and one that I just HATE:

"I'm, like, ..."

This is only appropriate when you are comparing yourself to someone or something else.

I will admit to being guilty of this. I probably use "like" way more than is appropriate when I'm actually speaking. I don't think it's quite valley-girl level, but it's probably still inappropriate.

[MoonCat]

Using the word "repeat" with the word "again." As in, "please repeat that again." Arrghhh.....

If you repeat something, you are by definition saying it again.

Also, I hate when people say "3 AM in the morning...." Well, DUH, there's no 3 AM in the afternoon or the evening, is there??

[BookstoreEscapee]

Was just skimming the last 5 pages so I don't know if anyone's mentioned this: People who use "whom" because they clearly think it makes them sound smart...they almost invariably use it wrong.

[Eireann]

Maggie got there ahead of me - yes, it is as she said. "Desert", in this context, is pronounced as "deserve", only without the final "ve".

Oh, and one that I just HATE:

"I'm, like, ..."

This is only appropriate when you are comparing yourself to someone or something else.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Around here, we have the tools who insist on ending every sentence with "you know what I'm sayin'?" No asshole, I *don't* know what you're saying. You sound like you have marbles in your mouth. Oh, and quit calling the city "Picksburg" while you're at it. Mainly, because the city's name is "Pittsburgh." Do you see a fucking C or K in it?

Hmmm. I thought one would be far more likely to mis-pronounce it "Pissburgh."

[strawbabies]

I worked with a woman who didn't know the difference between "when" and "whenever." For example, she'd say something like, "Whenever I was born..." Really? You were born more than once?

[MaggieTheCat]

Are you sure about this? Because honestly, that makes no sense. "Just deserts" with only one s would be pronounced differently, and would make it sound like you were talking about an arid climate (as in where I'm from), rather than the way we all pronounce it, as in a tasty dish following a meal.

I don't get it.

I was curious about this too, so I did a little research. Turns out "desert" has multiple meanings; it can mean an arid climate, as you were describing, but it can also mean "deserving." Thus, "Just Deserts" means "justly deserving (a reward or punishment)" or, in other words, a reward or punishment that someone deserves based on their actions. When used in this context, "deserts" is pronounced the same as "desserts."

[Jester]

Our friends had a beautiful orange/white cat named....Bert. Short for....Sherbert. Arrgh.

To be fair, when it comes to NAMES, there is no correct or incorrect, as you can name something or someone whatever the hell you want to. Which is why two of my nieces have very novel spellings of their names.

That being said, it was only very recently (a few years ago) that I realized that the ice cream-like dessert in question was NOT spelled with two r's. This despite my very first job, at the age of 16, being in an ice cream parlor, where we sold loads of sherbet.

You'd think I might have noticed....

Much to my surprise, it is "just deserts", NOT "just desserts". In other words, you are getting what you deserve. I discovered that one a few years ago, and just happened to think of it now.

Are you sure about this? Because honestly, that makes no sense. "Just deserts" with only one s would be pronounced differently, and would make it sound like you were talking about an arid climate (as in where I'm from), rather than the way we all pronounce it, as in a tasty dish following a meal.

I don't get it.

The overuse of the f-bomb.

FUCK AN A!

Sorry, couldn't resist!

[paxillated]

To slow or stop a car, one steps on the brakes, not the "breaks." If I was "breaking hard" during an accident, it would mean multiple fractures!

Those who... overuse... ellipses... or... substitute them... for punctuation...

Someone has already mentioned the delightful "Nome-zayn?"

"Seriously" and "really" used as expletives. I'd rather hear the f-bomb. (see below)

The overuse of the f-bomb. (I include myself, here.) It shows such a lack of creativity, and such a lack of class. We can do better. DIAF has a lot more punch than FOAD.

If you can't be bothered to use capitalization or punctuation when you write, please please please please (you should be picturing the Godfather of Soul*) double space between your sentences. That way the rest of us have some chance of understanding it.

*[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgyotG1mtN4"]

[telecom_goddess]

The lose/loose thing drives me nuts. And as for entitled books: maybe they want to be put on a higher shelf than all the other books?

I hadn't thought of that!

Speaking of pronunciations it drives me crazy when someone calls a picture a "pitcher". Yes there are pitchers to hold liquids...but pictures are what go in frames, on the wall etc.

Or when jewelry gets pronounced "joolery" or nuclear is pronounced "nukular"

[protege]

Around here, we have the tools who insist on ending every sentence with "you know what I'm sayin'?" No asshole, I *don't* know what you're saying. You sound like you have marbles in your mouth. Oh, and quit calling the city "Picksburg" while you're at it. Mainly, because the city's name is "Pittsburgh." Do you see a fucking C or K in it?

What can I say...other than I went to a Catholic grade school, and proper spelling and speech was drilled into us.

[Eireann]

Much to my surprise, it is "just deserts", NOT "just desserts". In other words, you are getting what you deserve. I discovered that one a few years ago, and just happened to think of it now.

[Lady Legira]

Mine comes from WoW - when you are looking to build a group, you are looking for a Rogue not a Rouge. I'm sure you would look lovely in blusher but it won't help you take down that boss.

[Food Lady]

I hate all of the above listed...lose/loose being my number one hate. I'm soooo sick of people saying "I don't want to loose that thing".....GAHHHHHH. I also hate when people don't call things by their correct names...taters being an example. But another one I hate that I see/hear all the time ...in JOURNALISM! is when they say "this movie/book/whatever is entitled blah blah blah" The correct usage, which I learned in journalism class, is "this movie is titled blah" Entitled means something completely different, as in entitlement whore

The lose/loose thing drives me nuts. And as for entitled books: maybe they want to be put on a higher shelf than all the other books?

[Chanlin]

"Sherbert" instead of the proper word, sherbet.

Bet bet bet bet bet. NOT bert. Bet. Sure, Burt. No.

Sherbet. Sherbet. Sherbet.

I'd be willing to bet the mispronunciation came first (though I've never found any etymological evidence of it) since the word was originally Arabic before it entered English. It shares the same roots with words like Syrup and Shrub (which all com from Arabic) and are all types of drinks. Since it is rare for English to not repeat consonant sounds the insert happens since our brains just want to put it in there even though it's not there.

Interestingly enough the OED and many many other dictionaries list the -bert ending as an acceptable alternative spelling.