1 Topic by j p lundstrom (edited by j p lundstrom 2018-05-17 15:09:33)

Topic: What's wrong here? #5

Here's another one: people who neglect to affix -ed to verbs in past tense or to adjectives. My most recent peeves are 'text' and 'content.'

Okay, I accept the use of the noun 'text' as a verb, as in 'I will text you later,' but should I really have to put up with 'she text me yesterday'?

And why do I keep seeing such things as 'she gave him a content smile'? Sheesh! What did her smile contain? Do they really not understand the meaning of 'table of contents'? There are times when neglecting the rules of grammar changes meaning, or scrambles it.

I know there are free spirits out there who claim they don't want to be fettered by rules. I refer those people to my French teacher, back in the day, who marveled that the kids playing in the streets of Paris were speaking perfect French. Well of course! The rules of language are internalized as we learn to speak. If there weren't any rules (or should I say 'conventions'?), we wouldn't be able to communicate. We  would be spewing gibberish at each other.

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Re: What's wrong here? #5

Or when they add -ed at the end and need a different word instead.  "I winded up going to the party anyway." 
Another pet peeve for me is stays vs. lives.  "She stays at 101 Main Street."
Not to mention:
Your vs. you're
It's vs. its
There vs. their

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Re: What's wrong here? #5

I agree with what both of you are staying. Marilyn, here in Decatur, Alabama, folks often say, when you ask where someone lives, "Oh, he stays over on third Street, just down the block from the Baptist Church." It's part of their vernacular. My former mother-in-law lived in Richmond, VA. She'd say, "Alan, can you carry me to the store, my car's not running very good."

I've decided to write as my characters would speak, given their culture and location. Here in Northern Alabama, about half of all sentences start with "I'ma fixin' to ..." as in "I'ma fixin' to go to the store. Can I pick up anything for you while I'm there?" Seriously, it's probably the most common start to a sentence in the area.

Another one I hear almost everywhere is making a noun into a verb. I've been in the music biz all my life. I recently had a guitar repaired. I called and asked if it was almost finished. His answer"  "We're efforting to have it done by tomorrow." Hmmm. I always thought it was We're making an effort to ..."

There are many more. I just shake my head and think "I'm far from brilliant and make a shitload of mistakes everyday, but give me a break!

Alan

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Re: What's wrong here? #5

Sideman wrote:

I agree with what both of you are staying. Marilyn, here in Decatur, Alabama, folks often say, when you ask where someone lives, "Oh, he stays over on third Street, just down the block from the Baptist Church." It's part of their vernacular. My former mother-in-law lived in Richmond, VA. She'd say, "Alan, can you carry me to the store, my car's not running very good."

I've decided to write as my characters would speak, given their culture and location. Here in Northern Alabama, about half of all sentences start with "I'ma fixin' to ..." as in "I'ma fixin' to go to the store. Can I pick up anything for you while I'm there?" Seriously, it's probably the most common start to a sentence in the area.

Another one I hear almost everywhere is making a noun into a verb. I've been in the music biz all my life. I recently had a guitar repaired. I called and asked if it was almost finished. His answer"  "We're efforting to have it done by tomorrow." Hmmm. I always thought it was We're making an effort to ..."

Alan

At least you got fixin' to.  Here in Georgia it's fittin' to, as in Ima fittin' to go to th' store.  I grew up in the deep south, so southern dialect is embedded in my brain.  However, proper use of the English language is, too.  Strange, though, is when I hear someone with a deep southern drawl, I cringe.

And speaking of Southern, have you heard the Malpass Brothers talk?  They've come on the scene as a traditional bluegrass/country duo, and listening to them talk is comical in its own way.

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Re: What's wrong here? #5

https://www.amazon.com/Repose-Modern-Li … 679603387/

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