Grammar Nazi

[BookBint]

FYI I work in publishing. We get a manuscript in a word document, format (put the text in styles so it can be put in a paging programme on a Mackintosh) and edit it. It is then paged by the design department, we check it over and send it to the author to do their own corrections and the index.

Why oh why, when I get back paged proofs from authors, have they written all over them putting the incorrect grammar and spellings BACK into the text??? As today, when I got a set covered in red pen changing, for example:

the troops went over the ridge back into the troop's went over the ridge

It may not look like a big thing, but that apostrophe SHOULD NOT BE THERE.

Or, another example:

General Horne's superior was nowhere to be found he wanted as General Hornes' superior was nowhere to be found

Now, it is not my job to correct the grammar of my friends, family, randoms in the street, but it IS my job to correct books that are going to be published and will reflect on the company I work for. Therefore if I have consistently changed your grammar, oh ham-brained author, perhaps that is a sign that it is WRONG. Because, you know, grammar is my job. Therefore, perhaps you should check out Fowler's Modern English Usage before you use up all that pretty red ink.

[seigus]

Poor grammar and spelling, particularly the "grocer's apostrophe", as it has been called, are pet peeves of mine (along with the baffling confusion of there, their and they're as well as you're and your). I would be happy an editor caused me to look less incompetent as a writer. Putting them BACK in is rather puzzling to me.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I realize that my posts here don't always reflect it (as I tend to write like I talk) but I do know proper grammar and punctuation. I feel your pain. I'm a graphic designer and I can't tell you how many times people in my department used to not only send bad copy my way, but would then sit and argue with me when I tried to correct it. One guy was particularly bad, and was way too stupid to be helped (I've complained about him before, or at least wanted to. Spoiled southern rich boy, starched shirt, soft hands, balls haven't dropped yet. You know the type). I just washed my hands of him one afternoon and said "Fine. Send it to print as it. However, you need to sign a waiver saying you printed this against my advice, because I'm not okaying 50 thousand pieces from a printer with a typo on it. You own it, I'll send it."

Later, K, my buddy (from the Crazy Fan Lady story) was over there saying, "Let her change it! Are you even joking me? Why would you not let her change it!?"

He said, and I quote, "But I don't know what's right." What a dumbass. I just piped up over the wall, "However, I do. Go ahead and send it to print, I don't even care anymore. Just sign off on the proof with your name so there's no confusion as to who made the colossial fifty thousand piece fuck up."

Guess who didn't have the plums to sign off on the proof? Guess who ended up letting me change it?

Pointless little fuck.

People think if they typed or wrote it, it's sacred or something. And the stupider and more clueless the person is, the harder they argue. There's no shame in beinhg unsure of your copy, but geeze, when someone who is paid to fix stuff like that, as in your case, tells you it's wrong, it's wrong!

[AccountingDrone]

I would be happy an editor caused me to look less incompetent as a writer. Putting them BACK in is rather puzzling to me.

pwecious snowflake is perfect and doesn't need that pesky grammar ....

I adored my first computer word processing program ... SPELL CHECK <squeee> though I was always baffled as to why it compared documents to writings by Hemmingway to 'grade' it on writing competence ... though the word count feature was sort of nice, but I always wanted to whack someone of the insistence that passive voice was somehow 'wrong' for everything ...

[Red_Dazes]

*sigh* I would hope (in the event I ever get something published) I will be able to remember that grammar was never my strong suit and leave that to the professionals.

[gremcint]

There is a podcast with Penn and Teller and Adam Savage talking in part about publishing books, Penn comments that the publisher will actually put errors into your books.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Actually, yeah, passive voice is almost always a no-no. I imagine there are times you might play it for humor or an interesting turn of phrase, but I'd be extremely wary of doing that.

I have seen something written almost entire in passive voice...and not on purpose, either.

Oh, it burns. It FREEZES.

[artifical sweetner]

..and english majors everywhere cringe at the apostrophe abuse (including me)


it also irks me how so many people don't know the difference between "your" and "you're" ooooo how texting and AOL chat has ruined the english language

ETA: it's also very sad how many people working in publishing lack any sort of grasp on the use of proper grammar (i work in same industry).

[technical.angel]

Guess who didn't have the plums to sign off on the proof? Guess who ended up letting me change it?

Recovering Kinkoid FTW!!

Congrats!

[shenzee]

Along the lines of the your/you're debate seems to the are/our debate, although I don't know why! I saw a sign at a car wash the other day that said "pray for are troops"!

Except/accept also seems to be a problem for some people, i.e. I saw a sign that said we now except credit cards. Dummies!

[Dave1982]

Well, since you brought up the subject of grammar and misspellings.....

It's "Macintosh" not "Mackintosh." "Mackintosh" is a type of raincoat made in Scotland.


*ducks*

Oh, and the guy who put all the mistakes back in is an idiot. If he worked for my father and did that, he'd be in serious hot water at the very least.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Half the churches in town say "have a bless day" on their movable type sign.

And I told ya'll about when I went to vote IN A SCHOOL and the sign on the loo read simply "boy's".

Might explain it all.

[Kittish]

General Horne's superior was nowhere to be found he wanted as General Hornes' superior was nowhere to be found

It's just barely possible that the author might actually be correct on this one (though I'm going to bet that he actually wasn't). IF the character's name was actually General Hornes, then the apostrophe after the final s to indicate the possessive would have been correct. Or at least, that's what I remember my grammar lessons all those many decades ago teaching me.

[RayvenQ]

It's just barely possible that the author might actually be correct on this one (though I'm going to bet that he actually wasn't). IF the character's name was actually General Hornes, then the apostrophe after the final s to indicate the possessive would have been correct. Or at least, that's what I remember my grammar lessons all those many decades ago teaching me.

Not if it's this General Horne

[mikoyan29]

Maybe there were multiple General Hornes....

I saw a sign that said We now except credit cards as well. It was on a Dairy Queen about 2 blocks down from a University. At least they had a sense of humor because about a week later it said, "Yes, we do accept credit cards".

I don't get the you're and your thing. Nor do I get the they're, their and there thing. But I don't mind if I see it on the INternet but when I see it on work e-mail....