Cheyenne
Ms. Smarty Pantsless
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2000
- Posts
- 59,553
Okay, I admit to getting caught on one or two of these. How about you? 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
GOOD GRAMMAR IS SWEET MUSIC TO ANY LANGUAGE-LOVER'S EARS
DEAR ABBY:
I wish you would run your collection of "pet peeves" again.
Seventy years ago I learned to conjugate verbs, and I am
amazed at the number of people who use "got" when they should say "have." Thank you. -- MR. J.W. ANDERSON, LEVITTOWN, PA.
P.S. Remember, Abby, "Got has got to go!"
DEAR MR. ANDERSON:
It has been nearly 10 years since these rules of basic grammar
appeared in my column -- and we can all use this refresher
course. Read on:
DEAR READERS:
A while back, I wrote a column on the misuse of words and
other irritants and named a few. I then asked readers to send
their pet peeves concerning common mistakes in grammar and
pronunciation. How's this for a collection?
The "lie" and "lay" confusion: To "lay" means to set or put;
to "lie" means to recline. Remember, chickens lay eggs. People
lie down.
The use of "all are not" when the person means "not all are."
Example: Saying, "All women are not beautiful," when one means, "Not all women are beautiful."
We frequently hear "between you and I." Wrong! It's "between
you and me." Another irritant is "try and" instead of "try
to." For example, one may try to win -- then lose. But how
can one try and win -- and then lose?
One hears supposedly educated people say "between she and I"
instead of the correct "between her and me."
And how about the word "irregardless"? Just plain "regardless"
will do, but regardless of how "irregardless" grates on one's
nerves, it has nosed its way into the dictionary. (It means
"regardless.")
Talk about overusing a word, I nominate "basically." People
who start every other sentence with the word "basically"
usually have limited vocabularies.
My pet peeve -- double negatives: "I don't know nothing" and
"We don't go nowhere" are the worst offenders.
Some people think the plural of "you" is "youse." It's not.
"You" is both singular and plural.
The word "forte" (meaning strong point) is pronounced "fort"
-- not for-tay.
Also, people use the word "snuck" instead of "sneaked."
Although "snuck" somehow sneaked into the dictionary, it's
not used by people who use proper English.
Ask someone to define "hoi polloi," and it's a good bet that
he will say "high-tone or upper class." Actually, it means
"the masses" -- or the general population.
"Nuclear" is pronounced "nuke-lee-er," not "nuke-you-ler"!
And how about "he's got," "she's got" and "they've got"? The
better word is "has." ("He has," "she has," etc.) "Got" has
got to go!
The month of February has two "R's" in it, but we keep hear-
ing "Feb-yoo-ary."
We frequently hear that a man has "prostrate" trouble, when
actually he has "pros-tate" trouble.
Another error -- using the word "myself" instead of "me."
Example: "If you have any questions, see Bobby or myself
after the meeting." "See Bobby or me" is correct.
The "infer" and "imply" mix-up: The writer "implies"; the
reader "infers." (It's like pitching and catching.)
Please do not say "o" instead of "zero." Or use the word
"that" when "who" is correct. ("That" refers to inanimate
objects, "who" to people.)
Now, lend me your ear: Don't use "loan" as a verb, as in,
"Loan me a 20." It should be, "Lend me a 20." "Loan" is a
noun; "lend" is a verb.
Finally, the misuse of the word "ask": Some say "ax" instead
of "ask." I would much rather be "asked" than "axed." Wouldn't
you?
Pauline Phillips and her daughter Jeanne Phillips share the
pseudonym Abigail Van Buren. Write Dear Abby at
<a href="http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/dearabby_form.cfm"
">www.DearAbby.com</a> or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
GOOD GRAMMAR IS SWEET MUSIC TO ANY LANGUAGE-LOVER'S EARS
DEAR ABBY:
I wish you would run your collection of "pet peeves" again.
Seventy years ago I learned to conjugate verbs, and I am
amazed at the number of people who use "got" when they should say "have." Thank you. -- MR. J.W. ANDERSON, LEVITTOWN, PA.
P.S. Remember, Abby, "Got has got to go!"
DEAR MR. ANDERSON:
It has been nearly 10 years since these rules of basic grammar
appeared in my column -- and we can all use this refresher
course. Read on:
DEAR READERS:
A while back, I wrote a column on the misuse of words and
other irritants and named a few. I then asked readers to send
their pet peeves concerning common mistakes in grammar and
pronunciation. How's this for a collection?
The "lie" and "lay" confusion: To "lay" means to set or put;
to "lie" means to recline. Remember, chickens lay eggs. People
lie down.
The use of "all are not" when the person means "not all are."
Example: Saying, "All women are not beautiful," when one means, "Not all women are beautiful."
We frequently hear "between you and I." Wrong! It's "between
you and me." Another irritant is "try and" instead of "try
to." For example, one may try to win -- then lose. But how
can one try and win -- and then lose?
One hears supposedly educated people say "between she and I"
instead of the correct "between her and me."
And how about the word "irregardless"? Just plain "regardless"
will do, but regardless of how "irregardless" grates on one's
nerves, it has nosed its way into the dictionary. (It means
"regardless.")
Talk about overusing a word, I nominate "basically." People
who start every other sentence with the word "basically"
usually have limited vocabularies.
My pet peeve -- double negatives: "I don't know nothing" and
"We don't go nowhere" are the worst offenders.
Some people think the plural of "you" is "youse." It's not.
"You" is both singular and plural.
The word "forte" (meaning strong point) is pronounced "fort"
-- not for-tay.
Also, people use the word "snuck" instead of "sneaked."
Although "snuck" somehow sneaked into the dictionary, it's
not used by people who use proper English.
Ask someone to define "hoi polloi," and it's a good bet that
he will say "high-tone or upper class." Actually, it means
"the masses" -- or the general population.
"Nuclear" is pronounced "nuke-lee-er," not "nuke-you-ler"!
And how about "he's got," "she's got" and "they've got"? The
better word is "has." ("He has," "she has," etc.) "Got" has
got to go!
The month of February has two "R's" in it, but we keep hear-
ing "Feb-yoo-ary."
We frequently hear that a man has "prostrate" trouble, when
actually he has "pros-tate" trouble.
Another error -- using the word "myself" instead of "me."
Example: "If you have any questions, see Bobby or myself
after the meeting." "See Bobby or me" is correct.
The "infer" and "imply" mix-up: The writer "implies"; the
reader "infers." (It's like pitching and catching.)
Please do not say "o" instead of "zero." Or use the word
"that" when "who" is correct. ("That" refers to inanimate
objects, "who" to people.)
Now, lend me your ear: Don't use "loan" as a verb, as in,
"Loan me a 20." It should be, "Lend me a 20." "Loan" is a
noun; "lend" is a verb.
Finally, the misuse of the word "ask": Some say "ax" instead
of "ask." I would much rather be "asked" than "axed." Wouldn't
you?
Pauline Phillips and her daughter Jeanne Phillips share the
pseudonym Abigail Van Buren. Write Dear Abby at
<a href="http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/dearabby_form.cfm"
">www.DearAbby.com</a> or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
