These simple grammar and design mistakes bother us. What annoys you?

Only 98 more pages to surpass that EV thread.

thatsnowinnebago said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

"Gender" isn't a verb but "misgender" is. Merriam Webster tells me it's been in use since 1989.

As an aside, is anyone else trying REALLY hard with their grammar and spelling in their replies here?

Nope, because I'm not being paid to write forum responses. I do at work, since it's what I've been paid to do for almost 16 years. And a lot of style guide stuff revolves around localization of documentation (translation to other languages). At a previous winch company, we found out the German manuals had been mistranslated by an outside company........so when you were told to "lube the cable of your winch" they translated lube as like using sex lube to do so. 

As to the Panda thing, I was pointing it out for others if they never heard of it. Someone bought it for me as a gift when I was working on my Journalism degree, but I don't think I ever read it. 

Another one is the word "that." In many sentence constructions, it's completely superfluous and adds no additional meaning to the sentence. 

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Hey-oh!

In reply to z31maniac :

RE Eats, Shoots and Leaves: my bad. Tone is lost online 

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

thatsnowinnebago said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

As an aside, is anyone else trying REALLY hard with their grammar and spelling in their replies here?

Sarah Young clearly is.

I'm totally decimated.

I needed a lid for the center council of my Volvo.

If ever I murder someone, that will be the reason.

bludroptop said:

Has stood the test of time and highly recommended -  a lousy $6 bucks from Amazon.

 

Clearly that is "writing style", b/c in terms of graphic design WTF is going on with using a different font for the last name of one author but the first name (okay, initials) of the other?!

Just thought of this one.  My Indian friend, who was kicked out of Uganda as a teenager when Mr. Amin did his little deal, has a phrase that sounds odd.

"BMWs are piece of E36 M3's."  Not pieces of E36 M3.  One could argue, probably unsuccessfully, that his use is correct.  That BMW is E36 M3.  That BMW is a piece of E36 M3.  I guess, if piece of E36 M3 is a compound word, he'd be right.

Now I'm questioning my apostrophe placement, but I'm enjoying the slagging of BMWs.

Oapfu said:

bludroptop said:

Has stood the test of time and highly recommended -  a lousy $6 bucks from Amazon.

 

Clearly that is "writing style", b/c in terms of graphic design WTF is going on with using a different font for the last name of one author but the first name (okay, initials) of the other?!

That is horrible design. 

triumph7 said:

When did hanged replace hung?  There are a few similar to that.

The one that really gets me is when someone says he has an "ideal".  That may be local but I hear it a lot.

I agree with that. A person did not hanged themselves, they hung themselves. I hung up my shirts not I hanged up my shirts.  

Streetwiseguy said:

Just thought of this one.  My Indian friend, who was kicked out of Uganda as a teenager when Mr. Amin did his little deal, has a phrase that sounds odd.

"BMWs are piece of E36 M3's."  Not pieces of E36 M3.  One could argue, probably unsuccessfully, that his use is correct.  That BMW is E36 M3.  That BMW is a piece of E36 M3.  I guess, if piece of E36 M3 is a compound word, he'd be right.

Now I'm questioning my apostrophe placement, but I'm enjoying the slagging of BMWs.

So I'll defend your friend thusly:

BMWs are piece of Poos; read they are less than the sum of their parts and those parts are poo.

Nicole Suddard said:

In reply to SV reX :

"They" isn't an exclusively plural word in the linguistic sense. The singular "they" has been in use since around the 14th century and is a regular part of the English language. If continuing to use the singular they makes more of us at ease in the world, I'm not sure why it would be something to refuse to adjust to, especially when there are ways to ask for clarification on who "they" is in any context without actively misgendering them.

I never said I would refuse to adjust to it. I offered my own opinion in response to the question at hand. I make very big efforts to adjust as desired and be respectful. But the usage does annoy me. 
 

I'm also not convinced it is as easy to clarify as you describe.  Has GRM ever asked the people it writes about what their preferred pronoun is?  Because I've never seen it in print. I'm quite certain the company I work for has never asked that question of anyone.

I have several people in my own family who prefer plural pronouns, and I use them regularly. Even with the knowledge of who prefers what and a generally clear understanding of what everyone is talking about, it still creates confusion regularly. 
 

If continuing to use the singular "they" makes FEWER people at ease in the world (who are uncomfortable doing it), is it still OK?  I think respect goes both ways.

That's why I love my son's girlfriend. She gives me grace when I make a mistake.  I have other people in my family who are not as kind. 

Ranger50 said:

for sell

If I see something I want to buy listed as "for sell" I wont contact them. I know they're gonna suck.

All I know is I got "plethora" into print. 

My work here is done.

Andy Hollis said:

All I know is I got "plethora" into print. 

My work here is done.

I got derecho winds into print this last quarter.  It made my day.

Nothing is wrong with language evolving and adapting.  Manipulation of words to twist lies into truth is where I draw the line.  Again, most examples of this won't fly here because for some strange reason in any form media most people take the less honest option.  
 

And Berkeley proofreading forum posts!

Andy Hollis said:

All I know is I got "plethora" into print. 

My work here is done.

 

You wrote an article for C&D?  

Sarah Young said:

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

thatsnowinnebago said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

As an aside, is anyone else trying REALLY hard with their grammar and spelling in their replies here?

Sarah Young clearly is.

I'm totally decimated.

That's kind of a mute point, I suppose

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

Sarah Young said:

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

thatsnowinnebago said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

As an aside, is anyone else trying REALLY hard with their grammar and spelling in their replies here?

Sarah Young clearly is.

I'm totally decimated.

That's kind of a mute point, I suppose

It's not like you could of made a big deal over it.

I always proofread my posts. And if I find a mistake in one of my posts, even days later, I fix it.

On the design peeves:

Typefaces or graphic designs that mix a random  lower case letter in among all caps or small caps.

Yes, I always proofread my posts too, and edit them. I can't help it. 
 

Here's one, how about the use of quotation marks for random emphasis?
 

Here's an actual example, from two restrooms, approximately 20 feet apart in the same public location.

Employees "must" wash hands
 

Employees must "wash" hands

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

Sarah Young said:

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

thatsnowinnebago said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

As an aside, is anyone else trying REALLY hard with their grammar and spelling in their replies here?

Sarah Young clearly is.

I'm totally decimated.

That's kind of a mute point, I suppose

It's not like you could of made a big deal over it.

If you keep making fun of her, she might fade into bolivia.

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

Yes, I always proofread my posts too, and edit them. I can't help it. 
 

Here's one, how about the use of quotation marks for random emphasis?
 

Here's an actual example, from two restrooms, approximately 20 feet apart in the same public location.

Employees "must" wash hands
 

Employees must "wash" hands

The "breaks" instead of "brakes" thing drives me nuts, and it is inexcusable. Two completely different meanings, but you see that mistake made quite often.

Its time to get the breaks fixed on the Camero, their making grinding noises.

In reply to RacerBoy75 :

That is cringeworthy.  It also reminds me that people ain't gettin' smarter.