Advice

[xeroxchick]

Advice. That is how it is spelled.
Sorry.
It is driving me crazy.

[arabhorse2]

Did I miss something? ;)

You can ask for advice, and people can advise you too! :D

[GrayTbred]

Did I miss something? ;)

You can ask for advice, and people can advise you too! :D

I'm guessing that someone asked "for advise," which makes me cringe as well. Advice: noun. Advise: verb.

[NoGreatMischief]

:lol:

And before this thread gets shut down, I would like to say:

It's not "wa-la" or "wah-lah" or "wallah..."

The word is "voila!"

Thanks for listening. ;)

[Aggie4Bar]

:lol:

And before this thread gets shut down, I would like to say:

It's not "wa-la" or "wah-lah" or "wallah..."

The word is "voila!"

Thanks for listening. ;)
:lol: :lol:

Actually, I had a good giggle at a post exclaiming, "Viola!"
I was tempted to type back, "Cello!"

[arabhorse2]

Irregardless. It's REGARDLESS, folks!

Irregardless is incorrect, and means the exact opposite of what you're trying to say. Two negatives (ir, less) make a positive. So if it's regarding something, then by all means use irregardless! :lol:

[appaloosalady]

I couldn't care less, not "I could care less" : )

[MeredithTX]

To keep this HR, how about this one?

You are holding REINS, not reigns!

Rein = straps attached to the bit that you hold while riding

Reign = to rule something as in, "The king reigns over his land."

[moonriverfarm]

I started to contribute, but there are just so many I decided to have a drink instead. :winkgrin:

[egontoast]

What about you're Belgium Warmblood's with the nice confirmation and grate gates?

How many can YOU use in a sentence?

[Indy]

What about you're Belgium Warmblood's with the nice confirmation and grate gates?

How many can YOU use in a sentence?


I love Welch Ponies. They taste just like grape juice and look very pretty wearing a bridal.

[archieflies]

Irregardless. It's REGARDLESS, folks!

Irregardless is incorrect, and means the exact opposite of what you're trying to say. Two negatives (ir, less) make a positive. So if it's regarding something, then by all means use irregardless! :lol:

I had a high school statistics teacher who always, always used that "word." I mean, it came in every other sentence.

[Reynard Ridge]

But is it "AMUCK" or "AMOK?"

I wish I knew. Not that it really matters. We are, basically, all the time in a state of high amuckness, no matter how you spell it. ;)

[Twilight]

Lose = as in "lose weight"
Loose = as in "loose horse"

I am hardly one to comment though - I am the world's worst speller.

[archieflies]

Or how about those who talk about how thankful they are for having a BB like "cloth" they can come to for advice? Cloth? Is this place like some holy shroud? That's my particular favorite.

[eventingmom]

ALOT I hate ALOT - it's a lot

[backinthesaddle]

Also, its lunging. Not lounging.

[TheJenners]

ALOT I hate ALOT - it's a lot

THANK YOU!! You don't say alittle, so don't say alot! Argh.

And if it's plural, just give it a danged "s" or "es" as needed...NO APOSTROPHE! Not even if you are talking about a letter, a number or a year. It's "We had three letter As and no C," not "We had three letter A's..." *gnashes teeth*

[archieflies]

Not longing either. Longing is when someone goes away and you miss him (or you haven't had chocolate in a while). Lunging keeps your horse fairly close.

[Rebe]

RR - If you're running amok, you're out of control. I think if you're running amuck, you're probably playing in the manure pile. :lol:


And BITS - Sadly, my horse definitely lounges, at least until I pick up the whip... :D

[Mtn trails]

That whole "could care less" drives me nuts too! If you could care less, then you do care less. If you couldn't care less then you could not care less.

Thank you for the advise/advice one too, makes me more nuts!

And it's cannot, not can not.

Confirmation? My horse has been confirmed? Who confirmed him? The pope?

What's up the people saying "lessoning" do they mean they took a lesson? They will take a lesson? I've read "I have not been lessoning much lately." What does that mean?:confused:

[3eme]

NO : If I was to ride that horse, I'd....

YES : If I WERE to ride that horse, I'd....

Thank you.

[LisaB]

You mean there's more than one of you????
It's contagious!
The Herd of Ma's
Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

[jetsmom]

Or how about those who talk about how thankful they are for having a BB like "cloth" they can come to for advice? Cloth? Is this place like some holy shroud? That's my particular favorite.



CLOTH- Chronicle of the Sloth...named in honor of how slow this server is...

[TheJenners]

Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

That is often SO tempting. You have no idea. :lol:

[arabhorse2]

You mean there's more than one of you????
It's contagious!
The Herd of Ma's
Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

Oh my! There are misspellings at the grocery store?! AH2 hurries off with her sharpie marker......

[3eme]

Oh my! There are misspellings at the grocery store?! AH2 hurries off with her sharpie marker......

WHICH GROCERY STORE? WHERE????????????????

[archieflies]

Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

The Wal-Mart Super Center in Livingston, TX somehow lost the "r" and "C" out of "Super Center" off their big sign out front. Luckily, someone had the presence of mind to fix the situation quickly, so no one would be confused as to what store was on that corner. Now the sign reads, "Wal-Mart Supenter." Can you imagie how that conversation went? "Rod, the letters fell down again, what are we gonna do?" "Oh, I know, Bubba, we'll just smoosh them all together. Nobody will ever notice." "Oh, great idea, why didn't I think of that?" ???????

I've also seen some grocery stores who brutalize the words "celery" and "oregano." :)

[twnkltoz]

effect = noun
affect = verb

I know everyone on this thread is "mean" for posting on it, but...well, I just love a good trainwreck!! Oops, or is it train wreck?

[GansMyMan]

Am I allowed to point out that a hen lays an egg, but people and horses, lie down? I, personally, would love to see a horse lay down. Feathers coming out of the hind end are always a hoot.

[tbtrailrider]

Against my better judgement..isn't it longeing or lungeing (with an e)? Not sure about that .... BUT it's definitely not definately!!!:D

[appaloosalady]

To get back on the horse-related track, I once saw an ad for a mare in fowl. I almost called to ask if she went okay without the chickens .....

[arabhorse2]

Appleloosa always cracks me up..... :lol: :lol:

Aren't there any other horses named for fruits?

[Lucassb]

Not longing either. Longing is when someone goes away and you miss him (or you haven't had chocolate in a while). Lunging keeps your horse fairly close.

True, but longeing is also perfectly correct


longe (luhnj, lonj) noun, verb, longed, longe - ing.
–noun 1.a long rope used to guide a horse during training or exercise. –verb (used with object) 2.to train or exercise (a horse) by use of a longe.
Also, lunge.

[Origin: < F, OF: n. use of longe (adj.) < L longa, fem. of longus long (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=long)]


Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

[appaloosalady]

How about the nice "gilding" for sale? All of that gold flake had to make that horse really expensive.

[onelanerode]

I prefer phillies myself, but any hrose will do! ;)

[jazzrider]

BUT it's definitely not definately!!!:D

Ugh! That one gets me every time.

But that's a whole other thing (NOT a whole nother thing!).

[Czar]

True, but longeing is also perfectly correct


longe (luhnj, lonj) noun, verb, longed, longe - ing.
–noun 1.a long rope used to guide a horse during training or exercise. –verb (used with object) 2.to train or exercise (a horse) by use of a longe.
Also, lunge.

[Origin: < F, OF: n. use of longe (adj.) < L longa, fem. of longus long (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=long)]


Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Thank you for pointing that out...as "to lunge" means you are being attacked by your horse not "longeing" it.

[3eme]

Personally, I'm much more of a grammar geek than a spelling geek

[Quinn]

Two that make me cringe are; definately and temperment.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff

[Twilight]

Oh God, I think I am going to slink off to the corner now - wearing my dunce cap.

I now realize I have committed most, if not all of these errors - except loose, of course.

I love this thread - I bet it gets closed though!

[Mtn trails]

Where's Conjunction Junction and School House Rock when you need them?

I almost sent this to the Jay Leno show for the signs spotted segment. This was posted on the outside of a middle school - Teacher Recognition Week - Nothing wrong with that, but the "R" in recognition was backwards. That's great advertising folks.:lol:

[3eme]

Oh God, I think I am going to slink off to the corner now - wearing my dunce cap.

I now realize I have committed most, if not all of these errors - except loose, of course.

I love this thread - I bet it gets closed though!

If you love this thread, you will love the book "Between You and I...a little book of bad english" by James Cochrane. EXCELLENT! Many gems in there...

[hey101]

To get back on the horse-related track, I once saw an ad for a mare in fowl. I almost called to ask if she went okay without the chickens .....

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[physical.energy]

Ah Geezus, pickin on the dyxlesics again!!! Bunch o tite spinkterred fokes!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

My horse doesn't care if I lunge/ longe/ or lounge em... he still goes round in a perfect circle at the end of the line and each and evey one of you know exactly what a person is talking about no matter how it is spelled.:lol:

Ya'll crack me up as long as your not mean and nasty about it! Some people can not help it. Accept it and get over it! :winkgrin: Lose the control issues.

Dyxlesics unite!!!!!! Did you know many of the top riders are dyslexic??? Do you know how many doctors can't spell for shite however may be doing brain surgery or administering anesthesia on you someday? Does it bother you that they cannot spell or be gramatically correct?

[Reynard Ridge]

Ok, I went and bloody looked it up - turns out either is correct! Whew!!

Amuck
1. mad with murderous frenzy. –noun 2.amok. (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=amok) —Idiom 3.run or go amuck, a.to rush about in a murderous frenzy: The maniac ran amuck in the crowd, shooting at random. b.to rush about wildly; lose self-control: When the nightclub caught fire the patrons ran amuck, blocking the exits.

Amok
1.(among members of certain Southeast Asian cultures) a psychic disturbance characterized by depression followed by a manic urge to murder. –adjective 2.amuck. (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=amuck) —Idiom 3.run or go amok. amuck (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=amuck) (def. 3).
Also, amuck.

[Janet]

effect = noun
affect = verb

I know everyone on this thread is "mean" for posting on it, but...well, I just love a good trainwreck!! Oops, or is it train wreck?
Both of them and both nouns and verbs. Different meanings though.

[siegi b.]

You can effect change, but you can also affect the change that is being made. :-)

[2DogsFarm]

Also, its lunging. Not lounging.

actually (how's that for annoying?)

it is longeing

picking nits...it's my life...

[2DogsFarm]

You mean there's more than one of you????
It's contagious!
The Herd of Ma's
Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

My favorite grocery Blooper:
Bibblettuce - is that Bibb Lettuce or Bibbletoose?

[hundredacres]

Also, its lunging. Not lounging.

That just depends, actually. Like color and colour.

[blueboo]

Personal teeth gnashers:

Their vs there, it's (it is) vs its, you're vs your

drives me batty!

[egontoast]

Thank you for pointing that out...as "to lunge" means you are being attacked by your horse not "longeing" it.

Actually, 'lungeing' and 'longeing 'are both correct as it also says in the dictionary quote in your post.

Have you seen "alpha alpha" for alfalfa? It took me a while to understand what was meant by that one.

[hundredacres]

Okay, help me with this one...or it will be in the list one day:

Is it: I have ridden a stallion...

Or: I rode a stallion....

? I often go back and switch it several times before I write it and still never have a clue.

*blush*

Then there's: swum. I hate that friggin' word. I don't care if it IS right. It's a stupid word.

[blueboo]

Okay, help me with this one...or it will be in the list one day:

Is it: I have ridden a stallion...

Or: I rode a stallion....

? I often go back and switch it several times before I write it and still never have a clue.

*blush*

Then there's: swum. I hate that friggin' word. I don't care if it IS right. It's a stupid word.


do NOT quote me on this :D , but I would use ridden as in "I have ridden a stallion when he was really acting up" and "I rode a stallion in XYZ class". It would depend, for me, on whether I was referencing a specific, identifiable horse or the gender in general. :cool:

[Huntertwo]

ALOT I hate ALOT - it's a lot


I do that alot! :lol:

[Synrgystyk]

You mean there's more than one of you????
It's contagious!
The Herd of Ma's
Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!


Yes, there're lots of us -- and we're all wincing in sympathy! :D

And not only have I corrected misspellings on signs at grocery stores, I've also corrected them at hardware stores, various offices, and the feed store, usually while providing a vehement commentary on the failure of the American "school" system to prepare *native* American English speakers to write correctly in their primary (and usually only) language. :no: (Yes, I purposefully made that all one sentence. :lol: )

Lorree

[BarbeyGirl]

You don't have less horses than other people. (You might, however, have fewer horses.)

Think of it this way: if you can count them (ie, horses), use "fewer." If you can't count it (ie, water), use "less."

ETA -- Could've is a contraction of "could have." Please, please stop writing "could of" instead.

[twnkltoz]

OH, the big one that gets me: "give it to so and so and myself." or "give it to so and so and I." It's me. yes, it's ok to say "so and so and me" when "me" is the direct object!

Also, people who use "whom" in an attempt to sound intelligent, but use it wrong.

Here's a great resource: http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/

[BarbeyGirl]

Next thing you know, you'll be correcting misspellings on every sign at the grocery store!

Is that a problem? :confused: :D I do so regularly! :cool:

[twnkltoz]

D'oh, forgot that effect CAN be a verb. But not in the sense that most people use it!

[BarbeyGirl]

Is it: I have ridden a stallion...

Or: I rode a stallion....

? I often go back and switch it several times before I write it and still never have a clue.



Both are correct, depending on whether you wish to indicate the past or past perfect tense. ;)

[KSAQHA]

As, I was trying to whittle down my pile of horse mags just last night, I couldn't help but cringe while reading an article in the October issue of Horse & Rider. Printed numerous times was the word "extravert". Proofreaders (or would that be Proof Readers?) must have had the day off.

Yes, spelling and grammar seem to have gone the way of the great dodo bird, I'm afraid (as she reaches for her tattered copy of The Elements of Style, seeking comfort...)


*edited for spelling and grammar* ;)

[archieflies]

do NOT quote me on this :D , but I would use ridden as in "I have ridden a stallion when he was really acting up" and "I rode a stallion in XYZ class". It would depend, for me, on whether I was referencing a specific, identifiable horse or the gender in general. :cool:

Oooh, ooh, I'm quoting you... :)

Both are correct, "rode" being the past tense, and "(have) ridden" being the (past) participle. Sort of like "rose" and "risen." What would NOT be correct would be "I have rode a stallion." You did correctly point out, however (see, you knew the idea, if not the reason!) that the statement "I have ridden a stallion" would tend to refer to the general experience with the gender, while "I rode a stallion" would usually be pointing to a more specific experience. See, you're a grammarian and you didn't know it!

[Janet]

"Try TO" do something.

NOT

"Try AND do something"

[rebeginner]

When someone posted a link to an on-line quiz for "horse knowledge," I took it and scored approximately 65%. Having only been around horses for about the last 8 years or so, I assuaged my embarrassment by clicking quickly on "geography," previously my slam-dunk winner in any Trivial Pursuit challenge. I was shocked: only 70+%.

Yes, you guessed it. When I went to humiliate myself again on-line, and chose the "spelling" category, I was finally able to grab that pesky blue ribbon: 100%.

Bridal trails are for brides only. That may be the one that makes me most crazy. (I kind of like the visualization of hordes of brides tromping along in the woods.)

[archieflies]

Both are correct, depending on whether you wish to indicate the past or past perfect tense. ;)

Ah, but I believe the past perfect would use "had," not "have." :) OK, I'll admit to keeping both a St. Martin's Handbook and a 7th grade grammar book on the desk by the computer... and a Webster's Unabridged... I'm a nerd. :)

[JumpingPaints]

How about "the mods where linient on that thread."
Where is right.... where's the Fruitbat!!

[hundredacres]

Bridal trails are for brides only. That may be the one that makes me most crazy. (I kind of like the visualization of hordes of brides tromping along in the woods.)

Oh! That totally took me back to 1972! We were on a tour of Hearst Castle and the tour guide directed our attention to a beautiful trail on our right that was covered with a vine covered pergola...it seems like he said it was something like 4 miles long. He called it a "bridle path" but I remember riding along next to it thinking that was a terribly long walk for a poor bride. :) In my defense, I was in kindergarten.

[archieflies]

...usually while providing a vehement commentary on the failure of the American "school" system to prepare *native* American English speakers to write correctly in their primary (and usually only) language.

I have to laugh when I read this, because I SOOOO understand. :) Right now I'm going through a teacher certification program online, because I couldn't be bothered to take teaching courses in college (I did English Rhetoric instead, and convinced myself there would be other career options...). The courses I take come to me in pdf format, with attached assignments. I think it is great that my assignments are graded equally on grammar/spelling and content- a slight mistake always warrants a redo before I receive a grade. BUT... the pdf docs, usually 60 pages each, full of teaching advice and theory, were obviously NOT proofread the slightest bit. There are so many spelling errors, typos, missing words and simple cases of BAD grammar that I'm planning to print out every page, mark them up with some third grade editing marks and a big red pencil, and mail them in. A favorite of mine is the parallelism issue when creating a list. Checking bulleted lists for parallelism was the FIRST thing we learned in my intro college editing course, and nothing makes a "professional" work look less professional, IMO. :) I'm a nerd, I know... but my point is, if the teachers who teach teachers cannot make proper use of the English language, who ever will?

OK, so none of that was HR in any way, shape or form... but it is my biggest pet peeve, and horses are big pets too... :D

[Janet]

Ah, but I believe the past perfect would use "had," not "have." :) OK, I'll admit to keeping both a St. Martin's Handbook and a 7th grade grammar book on the desk by the computer... and a Webster's Unabridged... I'm a nerd. :)
"I rode"
"I have ridden"
"I had ridden" are all correct.

But I admit to having forgotten the names of the tenses: perhaps past, perfect, and plu-perfect? But that is only a guess.

[Appy48]

:lol: :lol:

Actually, I had a good giggle at a post exclaiming, "Viola!"
I was tempted to type back, "Cello!"


Ummmm, I think that may have been me...not using spellcheck! Or proofreading apparently :D

While we are at it...I always thought the expression was "Hell bent for leather", but have heard a couple of people say "Hell bent for 'lection" (like election????)

[nightsong]

Both are correct, depending on whether you wish to indicate the past or past perfect tense. ;)


No, no, NO. You are not "indicating" the tense, like pointing at it, you are USING it.

And "phase" means to move from one state to another, such as from a liquid to a solid state. Also to schedule or order so as to be available when or as needed, and to put in phase; synchronize: to phase one mechanism with another. "Faze" is what everyone means.

[archieflies]

"I rode"
"I have ridden"
"I had ridden" are all correct.

But I admit to having forgotten the names of the tenses: perhaps past, perfect, and plu-perfect? But that is only a guess.

"I rode"= past
"I have ridden"= past participle
"I had ridden"= past perfect participle (AKA, pluperfect)

St. Martin himself is a bit fuzzy on distinguishing between the have/had bit, but the 7th grade grammar text lays it out more clearly (i.e., the "have/had" difference).

[Coreene]

Singular = hunter
Plural = hunters

Singular = jumper
Plural = jumpers

Non pro = Amateur

Because, bejayzus, just shoot me now if I have to read about more "Adult Amature Hunter's."

[J Swan]

I advice y'all to advice the mods to be less linient with the amature adult who have the affect of confusing the CLOTH BB with how they lounge their phillies before galluping down the bridal trale.

[PiedPiper]

Oh my God, my people, I am home! :lol: :lol: You make this English majors heart warm when you discuss proper spelling, proper grammar, and proper tenses. I think I am almost giddy about it. :winkgrin:

The English language is a beautiful language and it is like nails on a chalkboard to see it massacred the way it is.

My pet peeve:

I am doing good

NO!!!!!! It is:

I am doing well!

Another, but one I do more often than I would I would like:

Ending a sentence with at, the, etc (as a preposition).

As in, Where are you at?

So annoying!!! :D

[J Swan]

PiedPiper - you are so unhip!

It's, "Where you at?"

And that phrase, which makes my blood pressure rise, is on a commercial.

Don't feel bad about being unhip - Mr. JSwan just got a free ipod and we both weren't quite sure what it was.



As in, Where are you at?
:D

[Aggie4Bar]

My pet peeve:

I am doing good

NO!!!!!! It is:

I am doing well!Hahahaha... You'd appreciate my dad's sense of humour. When people say they're doing good, he always responds, "It's not a question of morality. I'm asking about your health." :rolleyes: :lol:

Ummmm, I think that may have been me...not using spellcheck! Or proofreading apparently Don't worry, Appy. I thought the error was funny. :)

[Janet]

Ending a sentence with at, the, etc (as a preposition).
Supposedly, this prompted Winston Churchill to say

"This is the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put"!

['Sconie]

Ack! After reading this thread, I switched over to the H/J board, and what did I see??? A thread topic asking for "advise." Too funny.

[MSP]

All I can say is if my spell checker doesn’t catch it you will see it! ;)

And, if it bothers you that much you need a few toddlers to take care of. :winkgrin:



Where ya at? New Orleans (NOLA) creation! I am still not sure what it means. :confused:

[PiedPiper]

What is boggling my mind is that, somehow, those that want and justly expect proper spelling and grammar are somehow in the wrong!?!

No it is a sign of education, intelligence, and class. I am not saying one needs to be highly educated or have an off the charts IQ, but lessons that were taught in grade school through high school were taught for a reason and talking the time to understand and use the information is important.

But I have been slammed when professing this before so I will end my lecture. For me, proper writing is no different than proper riding. Why do either incorrectly; it is just a waste of time and money and since life is a continuing journey of self improvement there is always tomorrow to improve on the mistakes of today.

Oh, can I say (I know I know I said I would stop) my OTHER pet peeve is the use of "y" instead of "i".

Come on now, it is not happYness, it is happIness.

But I guess I am "not hip" so what can I say, old before my time. :lol: Oh well, at least people can understand me. :D

[archieflies]

My pet peeve:

I am doing good

NO!!!!!! It is:

I am doing well!


Well, it could be "I am doing Good," if "Good" is his name... but in that case, we don't want to hear about it!! :D

[PiedPiper]

Psst, can we talk about the lack of vocabs nowadays.

When college educated individuals are wowed by my vocab when I use the words asinine and plethora we are in for a world of problems. Shoot my father expected the proper spelling and usage of the above when I was in 5th grade! :eek: :winkgrin:

Oh, and you Marylanders, just saw you are some of the top educated individuals in the US. :D

[PiedPiper]

Well, it could be "I am doing Good," if "Good" is his name... but in that case, we don't want to hear about it!! :D


Okay, you win, in that scenario you are absolutely correct! :lol: :lol:

Or, then, "I am riding Good"













If it is the name of your horse, you dirty dirty people. ;)

[Appy48]

Well, it could be "I am doing Good," if "Good" is his name... but in that case, we don't want to hear about it!! :D

SNORK!!!!!!!!! I just spit chili all over the place! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[J Swan]

Hey PiedPiper - I have a story that will make you swoon.... it's one of my favorite stories:

I once tried my hand at matchmaking. A very tall coworker was having a bit of trouble finding a date as tall as she was. This lady was a mover and shaker in the organization, had an advanced degree - by all accounts a well educated person.

I offered to fix her up with a tall handsome gentleman I knew. He came from a good family, had been educated at the Sorbonne, and was from Morroco.

Her reply, "I don't date Hispanics."

It was wrong on so many levels....


Psst, can we talk about the lack of vocabs nowadays.

When college educated individuals are wowed by my vocab when I use the words asinine and plethora we are in for a world of problems. Shoot my father expected the proper spelling and usage of the above when I was in 5th grade! :eek: :winkgrin:

Oh, and you Marylanders, just saw you are some of the top educated individuals in the US. :D

[archieflies]

And, if it bothers you that much you need a few toddlers to take care of. :winkgrin:

I'm a substitute teacher for the time being, and apparently the local Primary School (which has only Head Start, Pre-K and Kindergarten) has labeled me as their most highly sought-after sub. (Why? I guess because I came back after my first experience there, and that makes me a first!) I can't walk out the door each day before another raggedy, battle-worn Kindergarten teacher grabs me by my hand, drops to her knees, and BEGS for a day off. I'm swimming up to my ears in "Miss! Miss! I gotta use it!" and "She don't like me no mo" and "My Mom caw boke so we is late." Toddlers are what drove me to this insanity. :) I crave "sivilised" conversation!!!!!!!!!

[archieflies]

When college educated individuals are wowed by my vocab when I use the words asinine and plethora we are in for a world of problems. Shoot my father expected the proper spelling and usage of the above when I was in 5th grade! :eek: :winkgrin:


On my first day of sixth grade, when we were all introducing ourselves to our new classmates in Language Arts, a girl I had never seen before stood up and used the word "plethora." I knew instantly she would be my best friend.

[MSP]

Antiquated!

I have had to explain antiquated, apparently I use that a lot in Mississippi!

[cardicorgi]

Thank goodness you all are here! I'll join you in the "I Correct Misspellings and Bad Grammar" debauchery.

It's simple to correct a sentence ending with a preposition, if you find yourself in that position:
[WRONG] Where's the barn at?
[BETTER] Where's the barn at, schmuck?

[Aggie4Bar]

What is boggling my mind is that, somehow, those that want and justly expect proper spelling and grammar are somehow in the wrong!?! I don't understand that either. I think some of the younger crowd think they're being cute, but these things become habits. In the professional world, people who communicate well both orally and written tend to find greater opportunity. Since perfect practice makes perfect, I see no reason not to promote BB communication as a terrific opportunity to practice.

[Mtn trails]

Thank goodness you all are here! I'll join you in the "I Correct Misspellings and Bad Grammar" debauchery.

It's simple to correct a sentence ending with a preposition, if you find yourself in that position:
[WRONG] Where's the barn at?
[BETTER] Where's the barn at, schmuck?

A girl after my own heart! ROFLMAO!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[PiedPiper]

Ahh, but one of MANY reasons (benefits) on why I am childless. :lol: :lol:

I don't think I have felt more apart of this bb then I do right now. :D

And as I wrote on another thread:

". . . but just a common desire that people try and show effort. I think this is a problem across the US and other countries now with everything needing to be a minute ago that the wonderful written language is disappearing. Now we have U R instead of you are, IM GR8, and other travesties. Some of us take great joy and pride in the written word and find it immensely sad to see this sharp decline. Since there is no nonverbal communcation here (except the emoticons I guess) the need and responsibility is even more important when it is just in writing. Things can and are misconstrued in the best of wording, it is chaos without it."

As well as the better the understand of the English language, or whichever language you are communicating in, the easier and more proficient one can teach those to ride (like what I did here ;) ).

I think it is black and white to many why math should be done correctly but what seems to be lost are the "laws" of language and the reason for them.

[archieflies]

Since perfect practice makes perfect, I see no reason not to promote BB communication as a terrific opportunity to practice.

That was going to be one of my pet projects for next year, when I have my own classroom full of sixth grade English students. :) I mean, when I was in middle school we used a simulated BB to learn typing (back before schools had internet access, and we used Apple II's!). I want to have a BB on the school server where the kids in my class can communicate freely to eachother (such as discussing books we read, talking about our school sports... approved topics, of course!), but they would get a monthly grade for the "quality" of their posts. Sort of a lesson in communications technology and grammar at the same time. Especially since this is a disadvantaged area, and technology is often ignored as often as language skills.

[PiedPiper]

I don't understand that either. I think some of the younger crowd think they're being cute, but these things become habits. In the professional world, people who communicate well both orally and written tend to find greater opportunity. Since perfect practice makes perfect, I see no reason not to promote BB communication as a terrific opportunity to practice.

Aggie4bar

What is the younger crowd? I am afraid the ones that I argue about this the most with are much older than 18. Not sure if I am young or old, am 29, but there is really no difference than when I was in high school.

I guess I did go through a stage around 13 where apparently the word "like" was neccessary before, after, and inbetween every other word in any spoken sentence. And then there was the arbitrary "Oh my god" as well. :lol:

[snokat]

This one drives me batty:

"The Junior Jumpers are suppose to start around 10:00am."

It's "supposed" to! I feel much better now, thanks.

[Twilight]

Wow, what a buzz kill.

[FridayzFortune]

badly vs bad
good vs well

two concepts that are apparently very hard to grasp

[archieflies]

Wow, what a buzz kill.

Haha. For real? This has been giving me a buzz all day!

[Aggie4Bar]

What is the younger crowd? I am afraid the ones that I argue about this the most with are much older than 18. Not sure if I am young or old, am 29, but there is really no difference than when I was in high school.

:lol: I was thinking of young teens when I typed "younger crowd". On the other hand, there is at least one 14-yr old that posts whom you'd never guess to be so young. I don't remember who it was, only that I was shocked when she posted her age. I'm 26, and I'd assumed she was years older than I am throughout that particular thread. :lol:

I guess I did go through a stage around 13 where apparently the word "like" was neccessary before, after, and inbetween every other word in any spoken sentence. And then there was the arbitrary "Oh my god" as well. :lol:My over used phrase was "you know". :D

[PiedPiper]

:lol: Crap, forgot about that one as well.

By college my sister had the amazing skill to but f*%$ as frequently but somehow the sentences still flowed. Quite an amazing skill and only a few seem to possess. :lol: :lol:

[Ghazzu]

My bete noir is people who complain about wearing "helmuts".

I picture them draped in reluctant Germans...

[archieflies]

I picture them draped in reluctant Germans...

OK, that is by far the funniest thing I have ever tried to imagine... My husband is staring at me because I'm laughing so hard!

[egontoast]

Oh, can I say (I know I know I said I would stop) my OTHER pet peeve is the use of "y" instead of "i".

That should be "may", not "can".:lol:

[appaloosalady]

Wow, what a buzz kill.

You are absolutely correct. If I may say so myself. :)

[amandaw]

all intents and purposes
NOT all intensive purposes

beck and call
NOT beckon all

unfortunately there are more but I cannot others that I have not been noted.

[amandaw]

:lol:

And before this thread gets shut down, I would like to say:

It's not "wa-la" or "wah-lah" or "wallah..."

The word is "voila!"

Thanks for listening. ;)

Thank you.

[nightsong]

I am personally, APPALLED at the lack of grammar and, apparently, KNOWLEDGE on this Bulletin Board. When I went to school, public schools in Fairfax County, EVERYONE had the same level of knowledge of, and correct USAGE of English. Not a class thing, not a smart vs. dumb thing, just a basic knowledge.

[CanadianGolden]

all intents and purposes
NOT all intensive purposes

beck and call
NOT beckon all

unfortunately there are more but I cannot others that I have not been noted.

OMG...I am a huge grammar nazi and *I* didn't even realize it was "all intents and purposes".

their/they're/there
it's/its
your/you're (no, *your* not smart, *you're* an idiot!)


ETA: Further googling revealed that it's "to all intents and purposes" rather than the commonly used "for all intents and purposes", but for became popular as the original phrase was mistranslated and miswritten.

I rather liked it as "intensive", since I used it to mean all purposes that were intense.

[Therese]

I've been laughing throughout this thread! I read a few to my husband (he really liked the Viola! / Cello! exchange)

I am known in the office as a horrible speller (honestly, I can get the spell check on any program confused), BUT, they always come to me for a word or grammar.

Mom was a speech therapist and wouldn't let us get away with any slang in the house.

I have two pet peeves at the moment:
1 - there/their/they're, and the ever popular thier.

2 - The loss of "nor". Either or / Neither nor

I do have to admit, in high school I showed a mare named, "Midnight Angel" Oh, about half the time I wrote "Midnight Angle" on my entry...

[acottongim]

Conjunction Junction and Schoolhouse Rock!!! I LOVED them when I was a kid - do they even use those shows anymore?????!!!!!

I am admittedly the WORST speller on the face of the earth, and my fingers type too fast to keep up with my brain half the time, but it drives me BATTY when people use the wrong "there, their, they're" or the "your/you're" - this has been my pet peeve since I was a small kid. Oddly, the other stuff doesn't bother me as much - but I find them amusing! :winkgrin:

Since other's have commented on it... have you noticed that those people that have the highest "reading level" (you know, when they test you in 6th grade and tell you that you are in your freshman year of college in regards to your reading/comprehension/vocab level) generally have the worst spelling and/or grammer? Or is it just me?? (please don't let it be just me! LOL)

[Shahrazade]

It's grammar- grammer could possibly be an affectionate way to address the elderly mother of your own mother.

[SaddlePotato3]

Oh my, it seems all the English majors have united ;)

I also, can't stand "alot." My friends do this ALL the time and it drives me INSANE! Oh! And "I like this horse better THAN that one" not "then."

Okay, I think I'm good. :)

[Goodyfourshoes!]

I couldn't care less, not "I could care less" : )

OH MY GOD thank you.

"I Could Care Less" drives me crazy. It's in two songs written by bands I used to work with - in the first case, it's the title of the song...grrrr. In the second case (different band, these guys sell thousands of records and went to UNIVERSITY!) it is in the chorus of a B-side Christmas tune..."Merry Christmas, I could care less".

Could you? You COULD care less? Then you actually care, don't you????? If you COULDN'T care less, you really really really don't care. But if you COULD care less, well then, there is still some caring going on. So don't downplay it.

And there is an art store on the way to my barn that has had a sign out front for two months that says "Clearence sale". Gah.

[Gayla]

OMG y'all are all soooooooooo smart. What a bunch of A-holes you are. :D:lol::lol:

[Scootie]

I have to admit that the first time I saw "alot" written like that it was by a very stupid person. So I have since always associated alot with stupidity.

The same thing happened to me regarding the spelling of those leather straps we use to communicate with our horse as "reigns".

I also once stumbled on a website by someone who purported to be more of an expert on horses than the experts themselves. He went on and on about how his horse could "cantor". I have since been trying to picture a horse wearing a yarmulke! And I'm not even Jewish!

I do notice these things, but in the big scheme of things, it really is not all that earth shaking. Language is not a static process, it changes and adapts along with the culture as a whole. The day will come when grammatically "correct" English by today's standards will be looked upon the way we see the English of Chaucer's time. The changes may not be esthetically pleasing, nor may they make sense according to current rules of grammar and spelling, but the rules themselves do evolve. Personally, I couldn't care less (which to me sounds "prissy"), although some of the misuses according to current standards can be amusing or misleading.

But appleloosa does sound like something you might get from eating too many apples!

[twhrider13]

I am an English major/grammar Nazi, too, but I think all of my pet peeves have pretty much been covered by others. I just had to come on this thread and confess: I once corrected a sign in a public bathroom. It was hanging on a hand dryer, and it said, "Do not use, not working proper." I pulled my pen out of my purse, changed the comma to a dash, and added "ly" to "proper." "Do not use--not working properly." If I hadn't done it, it would've driven me nuts.

On another note, one of the funniest things I've ever seen was on a sign at the local career tech place. It said, "Career Tech Education: A Souce Of Pride!" Oddly enough, on the other side of the sign, "source" was spelled correctly. Maybe they ran out of the letter "r" and hoped no one would notice.:confused:

[FalseImpression]

French is my mother tongue and I don't make any of the mistakes you have all mentioned. I must have had good teachers and paid attention in class. lol

Another one that really bothers me:

horses have gaits
paddocks have gates

and it is "bête noire"

Also "than" and "then"

I am the one always correcting bilingual signs here in Canada. English may be correct, but the French... ouch!!

[twhrider13]

Oh, oh, I forgot one. This one drives me nuts. "They supposably sold their horse." It's "supposedly!"

That one made me think of another one. "Someone supposedly sold their horse." No, no, no! If you know the person's gender, it's "Someone supposedly sold her horse" or "Someone supposedly sold his horse." If you don't know the gender, it's "Someone supposedly sold his or her horse." Personally, I'd rather just make the whole sentence plural ("They supposedly sold their horse.") than to worry about the whole he/she thing.

I think I'm finished now.

[Groom&Taxi]

I advice y'all to advice the mods to be less linient with the amature adult who have the affect of confusing the CLOTH BB with how they lounge their phillies before galluping down the bridal trale.

Irregardless, I could care less if they do this as long as those longing phillies have great confirmation, three good gates and perfect from over fences.

Oh yeah, they should also load, clip, bath, and be good for the ferrier.

[PiedPiper]

That should be "may", not "can".:lol:

Crappity crap crap you got me! You are absolutely correct. :eek: :lol: :lol:

And for the record I don't think this thread is about actual smarts or intelligence. It is just attention to detail in regards to language. But how one speaks, writes, and articulates, does make an impression on others; just like how one dresses, carries themselves, etc.

Shoot I am sure I drive math majors crazy with my lack or respect for numbers and my continuing confusion about the basic premise of algebra, that letters can represent numbers. :eek: :eek: I STILL don't accept that as a possibility and has forever halted my mastering of it. I am a bigger fan of the "grey" area than the black and white.

nightsong- You are a product of Fairfax County? So am I! It wasn't the greatest school system in regards to language when I was going through it but I have Mr. Hand's Advance Grammar and Comp my Senior year at Herndon High to thank for a major drilling in proper grammar. One of the few teachers that make such an impression on your life. :D

[Just My Style]

What? You don't like that I own a BelgiumX and a Halfinger?

[IronwoodFarm]

Hey Pied Piper, Nightsong and I are both HHS grads, too! We both were there at a time where English was taught as grammar. That was a long time ago. :lol:

I haven't read this entire thread, but I must agree that the BB is going through a bad spelling and grammar stage.

I do wish that posters would learn that a barn has an aisle, not an isle. The dictionary is your friend.

[jn4jenny]

As someone who intends to get a Ph.D. on this very topic in a few years (how people learn--or fail to learn--how to write well), I think I can add something to this conversation.

Frankly, I don't blame a lot of COTH's younger posters for their ignorance of grammar. It is no longer taught in most schools--even very GOOD schools--in more than a cursory way. Gone are the days of the diagrammed sentence. This is due to all sorts of fascinating changes in education that we won't get into here, as well as changes in technology. But let's just say that harried and overworked elementary and middle school teachers have plenty else to do besides teach kids about dangling modifiers.

I find that by the time *I* get a student in their freshman year of college, they are either highly depending on MS Word to correct their spelling and grammar (a very unreliable system, I might add) OR the student instinctually developed a feel for grammar without formal instruction somewhere along the line and is now doing just fine. The kids in the latter category often tell me that they read a lot as younger students, either in formal or informal settings. So if you're worried about this grammar phenomenon, hand your kid a stack of books/magazines/anything else you can get them to read. It doesn't have to be Jane Austen. Some of these kids tell me that they read nothing but comic books and Sports Illustrated. As long as they're reading in mass quantities from well-edited publications, the content doesn't affect their grammar mastery.

On the other hand, I don't understand the talk I'm hearing on this thread about how grammar should be mastered because it's "proper" and a sign of "civility." Give me a freaking break. I'm an English teacher, not Miss Manners!

IMHO, we should all master grammar because it increases the clarity of what we're saying and makes it easier for everyone else to understand our thougths. It's the same reason that an effective rider masters equitation: better equitation means better communication between horse and rider. THAT'S why "advise v. advice" and "isle v. aisle" matters. It doesn't have a darn thing to do with having one's panties in a wad!

[Ghazzu]

and it is "bête noire"



I'll confess to forgetting the final "e". I do know about the accent over the first "e", but do *not* know how to reproduce it with a keyboard.
(My 4 years of French predate my still limited ability to type.)

[J Swan]

I'm a product of West Springfield High School. Or maybe I should say I'm a byproduct?



nightsong- You are a product of Fairfax County? So am I! It wasn't the greatest school system in regards to language when I was going through it but I have Mr. Hand's Advance Grammar and Comp my Senior year at Herndon High to thank for a major drilling in proper grammar. One of the few teachers that make such an impression on your life. :D

[Erin]

Not horse related...