Comments on: English as she is spoke

By: Manuel Estimulo

Manuel Estimulo — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:02:47 +0000

Now you have got me start! The English is so confusing enough without people who make the mistakes such as “tow the line” and “reign in the enthusiasts” and “she left an inedible mark on history.” How am I suppose to know when I am make a mistake when so many supposing English people can’t not speak it properly themself?!

Besos

Manuel

By: Duchess

Duchess — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:47:12 +0000

Ah, only yesterday I had occasion to scold a young British friend who wrote “alright”.

I spent years in American public (= state) school practising all right already all right already all right already only to find that the OED is okay with the one L version of all right.

It is perfectly true that the great advantage of the English language is its extraordinary ability to change and adapt. I’m pretty sure that already was once all ready. Even though I know that must be so, I wince at alright.

When the lambs lay die with the lion, I’ll probably get over it.

The desert sands could freeze and the camels come skating home, and I still would not accept ‘lay’ instead of ‘lie.’

By: Smart Mouth Broad

Smart Mouth Broad — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Oh dear. I’m afraid to comment.

LOL@MLS. Thanks to her, I’m fluent in typos.

Nothing to fear here, my dear (mwa-ha-ha-ha). Seriously, I’ll try not to channel my father, who used to send me back my letters from boarding-school with the mis-spellings circled in red!

By: Midlife Slices

Midlife Slices — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:07:34 +0000

My stupid cell phone texting habit is ruining my spelling. Do u no what I M sayN?

Funnily enough, I think texting provides some amazingly creative words. It’s the stupid bloody auto-correct on iPhone that drives me nuts!

By: Rona Maynard

Rona Maynard — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:18:23 +0000

I’ve been known to split infinitives for dramatic effect but fie on those who put apostrophes where they don’t belong. “A Dicken’s of a Christmas” is one of the most gruesomely funny examples yet. To your list of all-too-common misspellings I must add “antidote” for “anecdote.” Amazing how often that one crops up.

I’ve not seen that one, so far, thank goodness. My favourite bugaboo is “forward” for “foreword.” I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen it.

By: Anne Gibert

Anne Gibert — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:05:26 +0000

A sign posted on a moving sidewalk through an impressive marine exhibit here in New Zealand (where I happen to be at the moment) said: NO LAYING DOWN”. I wondered whether I should try to find some person in charge and try to explain transitive and intransitive verbs. I decided against it.

I made the decision, shortly after I came to Canada, to try to speak like the natives. So I say tomayto, rather than tomahto, and I’ve finally come around to “gotten,” rather than “got.” But I will never, never, never get used to “lay” instead of “lie.” It just drives me crazy. (And I’m gob-smacked when I hear some people say “boughten!” That’s the primrose path “gotten” has led them down.)

By: Pop and Ice

Pop and Ice — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:46:08 +0000

I love Lynne Truss! Have you read her novels, or perhaps they’re really novellas? I digress. There is nothing that cheers me up more than reading “With One Lousy Free Packet of Seed”. Ah, well. Instead of being up so late reading, I should be in bed snogging.

No! I never knew she writes novels. Must look out for some. Hmm – reading vs snogging in bed? No contest!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:12:25 +0000

On the great scale of ‘Terminally Stupid’ to ‘Genius’ I occupy the lower-middle ground at best. Yet life feels more and more like a losing battle against the truly moronic and wilfully ignorant of this world.

Oh dear, Andrew! If someone as young as you are thinks we’re fighting a losing battle, then things really are bad, aren’t they? And here I was, thinking it was just my inner old lady railing about the tide of ignorance that’s rapidly coming in.