Thread: Pet Peeves?

Originally Posted by DaveW

I don't like it when communication is otherwise clear, and someone still feels the need to say "I think you meant to say ____"

They usually expect you to follow up with appreciation, or nothing, and I usually follow up with "I think anyone listening would interpret either of those to mean the same thing. If that's true, either is good enough for me".

This is an example of why I have different ways of speaking to different audiences. My mother or my peers for example.

This brings up to me the pronunciation of the word ask as ax. You know what I mean.

I know what they mean but it still rubs me the wrong way.

Originally Posted by 32t

This brings up to me the pronunciation of the word ask as ax. You know what I mean.

Ever been to Brooklyn? I have a friend who was dating a girl in college who was from Brooklyn. That was a a real adventure language wise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu8tX2BAD1k

Originally Posted by 32t

I don't like to be corrected by people that think language should and will not evolve.

Originally Posted by 32t

This is an example of why I have different ways of speaking to different audiences. My mother or my peers for example.

This brings up to me the pronunciation of the word ask as ax. You know what I mean.

I know what they mean but it still rubs me the wrong way.

Ask becoming ax. Evolution at work?

Language is not a solid state. that's why there are different expressions, pronunciations, and inflections in our language. It bothers me when folks comment on grammar, punctuation, etc. that is otherwise 100% understandable, and then go and use emoji's to convey expression themselves as if that is somehow different.
If we were all writing a book 100% of the time I might be in more of an agreement with correcting people's language that is trivially grammatically incorrect. But as it stands, language is an evolving thing. We weren't born with it, it continues to develop. And as such, it develops over generations and decades, and millennia, in fact. And by develop, I am suggesting that it improves.
The "data" vs "datum" example has actual consequences when used incorrectly. particularly in the field of analytics, machine learning, and predictive modeling (and many, many, others I am sure). So I definitely understand needing to correct people when there are consequences to the words they are using, and way in which words are being used in those scenarios. But as for trivial corrections and pointing out peoples' mistakes that make no difference? That's generally just someone trying to put someone else down for no reason other than to let everyone know that they know how to correctly speak the English language. Neat.
So I suppose, yes, a pet peeve of mine is folks being overly critical of language conventions when they are otherwise trivial to meaning.

My new pet peeve - newcomers to the forum who don't participate but are happy to PM you with ridiculous lowball offers on your razors for sale.

Originally Posted by Kees

Ask becoming ax. Evolution at work?

He said, "I am mad because you didn't ax me."

I wonder if that would stand up as a murder defense?

Okay, my latest pet peeve is so many of our members posting so many awesome razors at such unbelievable prices just when I am totally broke. Some of you guys are practically giving away great razors-stop torturing me, please!

Originally Posted by Butzy

But as for trivial corrections and pointing out peoples' mistakes that make no difference? That's generally just someone trying to put someone else down for no reason other than to let everyone know that they know how to correctly speak the English language. Neat.
So I suppose, yes, a pet peeve of mine is folks being overly critical of language conventions when they are otherwise trivial to meaning.

I do agree that correcting people for trivial mistakes is socially less desirable, I hardly ever do so except my children and stepson. But mistakes may not be as trivial as they seem. E.g. when I am looking for a new secretary I don't invite candidates that have too many mistakes in their application letter or c.v. I know many employers do the same.
I remember living in the UK for a few years. One of my friends used to correct me all the time. I am still grateful.

The woodpecker who decided that the wood trim above the window is fair game.

Aloha!

Not a biggie, however, worth noting;

Montrealians who pretend they don't understand your dialect of French because you speak Parisian (Metropolitan) French. I'm going to Montreal in a few weeks and believe me, the battle will begin.

I lived in Paris for a few years and my French is not that bad. But they pretend they don't understand me since their dialect is Québécois, not Metropolitan. So, they answer me back in English. So I pretend I don't understand their English and answer them right back in French! Makes for an interesting battle of wits. Oh, the games we play.



The game is afoot.

-Zip