I could of gone to the movies...

officerripley said:
I don't know much about other languages, but the English language has been changing and morphing for centuries. For instance, "ain't": it was originally years ago a contraction of "am I not" and wasn't considered "bad" grammar Now it is.
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I use "ain't" all the time in non-formal discourse, and I really don't care if it's considered "bad" grammar or not. The word fits the circumstances, especially when snark is employed.
 

Eupher said:
I think it's still true today, irrespective of how someone writes and speaks, that correct use of the language opens doors that would otherwise be closed.

For the record, I don't get angry at those who commit these mistakes. It's merely disappointing, especially when those who commit those mistakes are completely unaware of them and don't seem to care to learn something about their use of the language. Of course, those who dare to point out those "mistakes" are often ridiculed themselves as "Grammar Nazis"). I may have been one of those back in the day, but then I learned that my own mistakes weren't pointed out to me. It's a dicey two-step. How do you help somebody with their written and oral language without that person getting defensive? It takes tact and diplomacy far beyond my meager talents.
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I agree. I've never gotten angry—that's a strong word that was used in an earlier post—at anyone who makes a grammatical or punctuation mistake, and I never would.
 

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I like to feel like I'm not so old that I resent natural changes in the language, but OTOH, it still bugs the heck out of me when people say 'Passed' instead of 'Passed away'. And per Google that phrase change happened way back in the 1970s.

I've been alive one sixth of the number of years since Shakespeare, and I can't understand hardly any of his writings. It is weird to think that in 5 more lifetimes the language we speak will sound as weird to our descendants as Shakepeare does to us.
 
Lavinia said:
I'm pleased to know that I am not the only one who gets angry at these mistakes. It's another sign of the general decline in our standards. It seems that anything goes these days. Personally, I think it's important for those who still care to make a point of always using correct English.
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I mean I'm not lauding myself as some perfect English speaker , but some things are plain wrong...such as ''I like..saw this like Chester draws today and fought, I'd like to get my muvver to come and like look at it before I like decided whevver I would like to make an offer on it, like next munff when I like, get paid... 😩
 
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KSav said:
Agreed. Not all of us do say this, though. Most people I know say "couldn't care less." I'm not sure what the other ones are thinking.
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Our country is pretty spread out. Most of the time we know what each other means, unless you try talking to a young pup from a big city. I see their lips flapping but have no clue what language they are trying to speak.
 
I'm not educated enough to be part of the spelling, sentence structure or punctuation police. All I care about is the opinion of others. If I can read it that's all that matters to me.

As a topic for opinions this is a good one.
 
ChiroDoc said:
I cringe when I see a sentence like the above in a forum or post. The writer, being a poor grammarian, spells out what he hears in the contraction form of "could've", meaning "could have". The "ve" in pronunciation of "could've" sounds like "of", so they believe that is the correct spelling and correct grammar.

Proper grammar is long gone these days. And the ubiquity of iPhones and texts encourage its demise...:confused:
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It's impossible for teachers to teach kids while they're on their phones and don't even care.

Calif teachers aren't allowed to take kids' phones away from them. Schools have a rule prohibiting phone use in class, but the poor teachers can't enforce it. Nobody can.
 
Murrmurr said:
It's impossible for teachers to teach kids while they're on their phones and don't even care.

Calif teachers aren't allowed to take kids' phones away from them. Schools have a rule prohibiting phone use in class, but the poor teachers can't enforce it. Nobody can.
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In the Uk they do enforce it.... unless there an emergency reason that the child need the phone on them..then the phones are removed during school hours... if we can do it here they can do it there...
 
HoneyNut said:
I like to feel like I'm not so old that I resent natural changes in the language, but OTOH, it still bugs the heck out of me when people say 'Passed' instead of 'Passed away'. And per Google that phrase change happened way back in the 1970s.

I've been alive one sixth of the number of years since Shakespeare, and I can't understand hardly any of his writings. It is weird to think that in 5 more lifetimes the language we speak will sound as weird to our descendants as Shakepeare does to us.
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Passed grates on my nerves too. People do not pass. I always think of the word "gas" when someone says "passed". :oops:

I would like to see a bit more decorum when speaking of the end of someone's life.
 
Paco Dennis said:
"Begging the question" is a logical fallacy that refers to a circular argument, where the conclusion is assumed to be true in the premise.
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Correct, Paco Dennis! You may move your chair to the front of the class..;)

Here's a good example of begging the question: "The Apple iPhone is the best smartphone on the planet because no one makes a better smartphone than Apple does." The reason given is assumed to be true. In this case, many would argue the point..:)

So to beg the question does not mean to raise the question, nor to make an inquiry necessary. It still amazes me when I see a professional writer incorrectly using the phrase, especially when a better description almost always is available.
 
Murrmurr said:
It's impossible for teachers to teach kids while they're on their phones and don't even care.

Calif teachers aren't allowed to take kids' phones away from them. Schools have a rule prohibiting phone use in class, but the poor teachers can't enforce it. Nobody can.
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In certain schools, teachers risk getting attacked physically if they try to deprive kids of their phones or any other kind of electronic entertainment gadget. Even the mildest nerdish kid will suddenly morph into murderously enraged hulking figure if a teacher attempts it.

 
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Radrook said:
In certain schools, teachers risk getting attacked physically if they try to deprive kids of their phones. Even the mildest nerdish kid will suddenly morph into murderously enraged hulking figure if a teacher attempts it.
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Yeah, I've seen videos of that. There are lots of them on YouTube and social media.

Schools have to change. They need to toss out all the BS and focus on basic academics, life skills, personal economics in particular, and job and career skills. And offer advanced academics to students who want it.
 
Capt Lightning said:
One of the larger estate agents advertise that they will help us to 'find your happy'. I've asked them what a 'happy' is, but they don't seem to know. Similarly, a cruise line has suggested that we can 'find our interesting'. Can anyone tell me what an 'interesting' is?
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Those words are marketing-speak for whatever the hell we want them to be - LOL. Even the marketing guys don't know what that is. But I'll note one thing -- those real estate and cruise line advertisers definitely got your attention by using those words and leaving them undefined, didn't they?

That's their objective -- getting your attention. Defining those words isn't relevant.
 

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