Commit No Word Crimes, OK?

[SnowCat]

Hate to bother y'all, but an Oxford paragraph is eight to five (8 to 5) sentences.

Let me know when we get to Oxford. I'm currently in Colorado.

[Naudia Threng]

I just meant since Oxford is the predominant authority on writing. I also meant 5 to 8.

[Kassandra]

"I could care less" is an expression people use here in the South. I think it qualifies as a colloquialism, at least according the Oxford dictionary.

Enough people used the word "literally" incorrectly that the meaning actually changed.

Ha, I love how language is a living, ever-evolving thing. There was a time when Google was just a search engine. Now, it's also become a verb, lol.





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[moonraingirl]

What a great thread!
I'll try to insert spaces between my paragraphs of 5-8 sentences
Also, please, if there's something I write that makes your grammar Nazi eyes hurt, just tell me! I'll be grateful for the opportunity to learn something new.

[Datura]

I am happy to see this rule! Even texting, I can't shorten words and have to use punctuation and capital letters. My pet peeve, especially when reading a book, that has supposedly been edited, is when a comma isn't used in a phrase with 3 or more thoughts that are grouped together.

Such as: I ate a banana, chicken, and rice for dinner. I'll see it written instead as: I ate a banana, chicken and rice for dinner (no comma in between chicken and rice). When did that rule change?

The one thing I am bad at is when to use apostrophe's. I don't know why those rules won't stick in my head.
So, fair warning, I'm sorry, you'll see me not use them.

[valerian moon]

Could somebody post the lyrics? The music (because of the original song) makes me cringe and be angry.

[Kassandra]

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They should be easy to Google, no?



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[valerian moon]

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They should be easy to Google, no?



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That didn't occur to me. Wow.

[firebirdflys]

The lyrics are in the video on the first page of this thread.
The original song makes me cringe mostly because I am not a fan of Robin Thicke.
Weird Al is a genius, love all his parodies.
Bb, Firebird

Oh, yea, I was going to comment on Starwitch "could care less"...I always thought it was "couldn't care less"...
Because if I could care less, means I still care enough to care less

[Silvana]

Oh, my goodness!

I had no idea that song existed! I mean I know Al, and his parodies but this one was new to me. (Yes, I realize now that the original song it's pretty old in today's standards but I'm not a big fan of Pop music.)

I LOVE the song! And it's message.

Having English as my second language I always paid attention to spelling and proper use or words, vocabulary.
I do my best and I'm pretty satisfied with my level. However I always study and improve myself. On English and other fields that I find interesting.

Thank you for sharing that catchy song! It's has smart lyrics too, funny and true!

[Corbin]

I am reminded of Mitchell and Webb sketch "Grammar Nazi".

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Bloody Hell Tony will you stop shooting people for saying things wrong.

You! What are you drinking?

A coffee.

What type?

It’s an “expresso”.

BANG

The word is “espresso”.

Stop it, Tony!

Oh, come on Luke you know very well I killed my own wife for ironically saying “mispronunciation”. If I apply rigorous standards at home, I see no reason why the same standards shouldn’t apply in the workplace.

Why do you have to shoot them? Why can’t you just sack them?

Um, uh, I never thought of that. I guess, I suppose I could. It’s just the red mist tends to descend whenever I’m confronted with “ignorami”.

Actually, Tony, I think you’ll find it’s “Ignoramuses”.

What?

It’s from the Latin: we are ignorant. That makes it a verb, not a noun.

Oh no. What have I done?

BANG

Blimey, at least that will stop him shooting whoever he likes.

BANG

It’s “whomever”

[moonraingirl]

Hahaha Corbin, good one

I like languages, etymology and grammar, too. I'm also a grammar Nazi in my language. I almost never say things out loud but secretly I correct everyone. Yesterday, I had a phone call with a person who kept using incorrect grammar and it hurt a lot I didn't say anything, of course.

BTW, I've asked you to correct my grammar, but no one has done it so far I know one can't correct all mistakes, but please, if you see something serious in my posts, tell me. I'll appreciate it! I'm sure I make a lot of mistakes in tenses and prepositions.
And articles. I know I suck at them and will probably never be able to use them correctly. I have studied the rules about them, but it's still confusing anyway.

[Bychan Wulf]

Hahaha, that would be a way to teach people how to use all these right, or to make them study more.

I hear you moon, I'm like that too. I am always the one correcting people. The angrier they are, the more they make mistakes and my notes make them even angrier. (Which is never the intention). I do the same thing when people read their homework and essays in German, but not loud. I just whisper the correct article more for myself than for them.

I like when people correct me, because it's one of the most effective ways to learn. If you read it, you won't keep the correct use in mind. But if someone corrects you while talking, you feel somehow "ashamed" and never forget it. That's the principle foreign language teachers and tutors work by.

I like when people point out my grammar mistakes (I am sure I have a whole bunch of them), because it helps me learn the correct use better and avoid torturing the native speakers

[moonraingirl]

Yep, it's a shame that one can't teach themselves grammar as easily as new vocab :/ It's the same as trying to correct your own Math test without the answer key

[YanaKhan]

Recently I heard this:
"Let's eat, children!
Let's eat children!". Use a comma, save a life

Just thought it was funny