A pet peeve

[CorsetLvr]

OK, I know I am being petty, but this is one of those things I see in stories that's just like a sore tooth. Annoying.

There is no such word as "grinded!"

The past tense conjugation of the word grind is ground, not grinded. I even looked it up to make sure I was right. Both Mr. Mirriam and Mr. Webster agreed with me. I even checked it on the grammer checker on MS Word. When used it in a sentnce it didn't come bask as a spelling error, but rather as a fragment. I know this is a minor thing, but its one that stops the flow of a story and makes me have to stop and think about it. I'm sure that some of you have had the same thing happen when reading a story. I don't want to seem like a grammar snob, but like I said earlier its just something that gets to me. Would one of you English major types jump in here and tell me I'm not wrong?

OK, I'm done venting. I'll let you return to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

 

[Guest]

i understand. for me, it depends on the context. if it's here on the boards, i couldn't care less but in a story, things like this can drive off readers.(a lot, is a good example.) hell, on the boards, i use my own damn language! oh and fuck the shift key...and commas have given way to ellipse.

 

[Kev H]

i understand. for me, it depends on the context. if it's here on the boards, i couldn't care less but in a story, things like this can drive off readers.(a lot, is a good example.) hell, on the boards, i use my own damn language! oh and fuck the shift key...and commas have given way to ellipse.

One of my pet peeves is the misuse of the geometric shape, the ellipse (the poor thing)! Not to be confused with the grammatical ellipsis points (ellipses is the plural form).




BTW, I'm just pokin', as I only made this distinction today while researching the issue of its conflicting/changing usages. And actually, sharing grammatical stumbling blocks (along with their solutions) is a wonderful thing. Have a pet peeve that can help us all out (ignore my poor example, hehe, as it's more anal than helpful)? Please, share it.

 

[gauchecritic]

One of my pet peeves is the misuse of the geometric shape, the ellipse (the poor thing)! Not to be confused with the grammatical ellipsis points (ellipses is the plural form).

Ellipsis points (or dots) are a printing mark

Apparently, and I may still be wrong about this but, because there are generally three dots to an ellipsis it is already a plural.

On the other hand, grammatically, when speaking eliptically (missing out clarifying instruction in the construction of sentences eg; I've been to Paris but they haven't [been to Paris]), then you can have a plural of ellipses.

Neither of which should be confused with fake Italian accents "I would alove to akiss these alips."

 

[TheEarl]

Ellipsis points (or dots) are a printing mark

Apparently, and I may still be wrong about this but, because there are generally three dots to an ellipsis it is already a plural.

On the other hand, grammatically, when speaking eliptically (missing out clarifying instruction in the construction of sentences eg; I've been to Paris but they haven't [been to Paris]), then you can have a plural of ellipses.

Neither of which should be confused with fake Italian accents "I would alove to akiss these alips."

Three dots are an ellipsis, just like several dogs are a pack. It's a singular. Several sets of three dots are some ellipses, like several sets of dogs are some packs.

I'm not sure what the plural is for Vella's posts. A gorgeous of posts? Maybe a lunatic of posts? <grins>

The Earl

 

[Grushenka]

Ellipsis points (or dots) are a printing mark
Apparently, and I may still be wrong about this but, because there are generally three dots to an ellipsis it is already a plural.

I don't know what you mean by the term "printing mark".

That three dots make a modern ellipsis does not make it plural, only the dots. The pl. form of the word (ellipses) refers to plural use. Do you know, an ellipsist is one who is addicted to use of the device.

At least through the beginning of the 19th century, the long dash used to indicate missing letters was called an ellipsis, e.g., F—k.

Grinded would put me off too, in a modern work, but it was once a common participial adjective, e.g., grinded teeth, grinded malt.