2,545 posts
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Post by viserys on Sept 6, 2017 15:57:47 GMT
For example, in Dutch we have different genders for nouns. In English it's only 'the' or 'a/an', while in Dutch it's 'de/het' (the) or 'een' (a/an). When the gender of the noun is female or male, it gets 'de', and when it's neutral it gets 'een' as a determiner. I see your "de/het" and raise you our der/die/das But as a learner of both Dutch and French (le/la) I know I tend to just go on instinct and hope for the best. English is actually a fairly easy language to learn (all things considered), so I'm glad it's the one that made it as lingua franca as the world. We'll all be screwed when the Chinese start ruling the world.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 16:57:58 GMT
Guilty. Why is it bad use of English? Edit: Ignore. Hence is why. Also, should have said "Why is it poor grammatically". Failing my way through Wednesday.
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18,699 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 6, 2017 17:08:25 GMT
Look, if my mum wants an advocaado bathroom she can have one! She might even ask me to take a photo of it as a silvernir. Love you mum!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 17:10:56 GMT
Have noticed particularly amongst Americans a tendency to say that they *could* care less when they mean couldn't. Don't know why but it drives me insane.
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Post by d'James on Sept 6, 2017 17:14:03 GMT
Have noticed particularly amongst Americans a tendency to say that they *could* care less when they mean couldn't. Don't know why but it drives me insane. Yes. 'I could care less,' so you do care.
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18,699 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 6, 2017 17:18:03 GMT
Try getting an American to say "chip butty". Good luck with that. I used to take my American ex to the chippy more often than was healthy just to give the ladies behind the counter a laugh.
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2,051 posts
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Post by infofreako on Sept 6, 2017 17:26:44 GMT
Could of... Would of... Should of... There's a chap on here who does it constantly. Ooh I hope it's me. I love annoying people.
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2,051 posts
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Post by infofreako on Sept 6, 2017 17:30:43 GMT
It really annoys me at the moment when somebody on facebook says 'can everyone stop hassling me' when most of the time they're referring to one or two people doing so
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7,439 posts
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Post by alece10 on Sept 6, 2017 17:32:17 GMT
Lend and borrow drives me mad and the current trend to start every sentence with "so".
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 18:21:20 GMT
Could of... Would of... Should of... There's a chap on here who does it constantly. Yes, we've been here before, and he went off alarmin' last time!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 18:24:21 GMT
"Can I get a coffee please?"
"No, I will get it for you after you have ordered your preferred choice."
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2,706 posts
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Sept 6, 2017 18:44:21 GMT
Using less and fewer interchangeably. It's everywhere on broadcast media, which makes me concerned at how many don't realise that there's a difference between them.
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2,051 posts
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Post by infofreako on Sept 6, 2017 18:55:09 GMT
Could of... Would of... Should of... There's a chap on here who does it constantly. Yes, we've been here before, and he went off alarmin' last time! Oh dear. I don't think it can be me then. Crushing disappointment here I come
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Sept 6, 2017 18:56:34 GMT
Am reading this thread in some in trepidation as I'm aware my grasp of grammar is pretty dicey at times and am now wondering (but at least not wandering) if I say 'could of' rather than 'have', I think I might, will change!
Yes the misspelling of names bugs, happens a lot to me at work which when people are replying to an email seems particularly unhelpful, I only have two letters in my name but often get a third added to it which makes me change gender. My bosses shortens people's names who don't shorten them all the time, I wince but there is only so many times I can pointedly use their chosen name and hope she'll catch on.
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18,699 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 6, 2017 19:08:30 GMT
The name thing is very easy. If people shorten me to Matt, which they often do when first introduced, I just say No, it's Matthew. Same on email. You have to nip it in the bud right at the start, you can't go a month down the line then cringingly say 'actually, I usually don't go by Matt'.
I'm not really into correcting people on their English. I don't think most people make mistakes on purpose (some do, despite being corrected numerous times for reasons unknown) but names are unforgivable.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 19:33:18 GMT
Double negatives.
"I ain't done nothing."
Well, if you "haven't" done nothing, then surely you've done something?
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Post by d'James on Sept 6, 2017 20:13:13 GMT
Double negatives. "I ain't done nothing." Well, if you "haven't" done nothing, then surely you've done something? Do not get me started. I was breaking up with an ex and he texted me 'I ain't even done nothing.' That was the final nail in the coffin!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 20:26:39 GMT
I think its usually pronounced 'i aint dun nuffink'
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 6, 2017 20:44:21 GMT
I think its usually pronounced 'i aint dun nuffink' Did you both break up with the same person?
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Post by bordeaux on Sept 6, 2017 20:51:05 GMT
Using less and fewer interchangeably. It's everywhere on broadcast media, which makes me concerned at how many don't realise that there's a difference between them. Yes, and 'amount' and 'number' similarly. What annoys me is when people use 'I' when they mean 'me': over-correction. So they say 'This is a present from my wife and I' or 'He showed David and I the letter' when in both cases it should be 'me'.
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Post by d'James on Sept 6, 2017 22:10:01 GMT
Using less and fewer interchangeably. It's everywhere on broadcast media, which makes me concerned at how many don't realise that there's a difference between them. Yes, and 'amount' and 'number' similarly. What annoys me is when people use 'I' when they mean 'me': over-correction. So they say 'This is a present from my wife and I' or 'He showed David and I the letter' when in both cases it should be 'me'. Yes. People overusing 'myself' too.
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 6, 2017 22:24:04 GMT
Yes, and 'amount' and 'number' similarly. What annoys me is when people use 'I' when they mean 'me': over-correction. So they say 'This is a present from my wife and I' or 'He showed David and I the letter' when in both cases it should be 'me'. Yes. People overusing 'myself' too. Oh for sure d'James. "myself", "yourself" drive me mad. When I worked as a call centre manager I heard it everyday and it made me fly into a rage. The number of people I have bollocked for using it! I threatened to discipline someone for continually using the expressions and I was bollocked for being over zealous about it's useage.
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Post by bimse on Sept 6, 2017 22:33:25 GMT
Starting every sentence with "So...." Where has that come from ?
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472 posts
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Post by bimse on Sept 6, 2017 22:39:52 GMT
Could of... Would of... Should of... There's a chap on here who does it constantly. I can only agree with the above. Also putting apostrophes where they don't belong .
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Post by tonyloco on Sept 6, 2017 22:52:01 GMT
I wasn't going to join this thread but I have to commend d'James and hulmeman for raising the incorrect use of "myself", "yourself", "ourselves" etc. But it is not overuse, it is just plain wrong, and the sad thing is that the people wrongly using these pronouns should really know better. I get the impression that people now think that using "me" or "us" sounds impolite and that it is more courteous to use "myself" and "ourselves", which it is not.
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 6, 2017 23:02:02 GMT
I wasn't going to join this thread but I have to commend d'James and hulmeman for raising the incorrect use of "myself", "yourself", "ourselves" etc. But it is not overuse, it is just plain wrong, and the sad thing is that the people wrongly using these pronouns should really know better. I get the impression that people now think that using "me" or "us" sounds impolite and that it is more courteous to use "myself" and "ourselves", which it is not. That is the feedback I got when taking people to task. They thought that the suffix "self" made it sound kinder.
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Post by d'James on Sept 6, 2017 23:27:19 GMT
I wasn't going to join this thread but I have to commend d'James and hulmeman for raising the incorrect use of "myself", "yourself", "ourselves" etc. But it is not overuse, it is just plain wrong, and the sad thing is that the people wrongly using these pronouns should really know better. I get the impression that people now think that using "me" or "us" sounds impolite and that it is more courteous to use "myself" and "ourselves", which it is not. Thank yourself! ;-)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 23:28:07 GMT
Would of and your used instead of would've and you're are two of my huge bugbears.
A few years back, an intelligent older work colleague once received a rather aggressive e-mail from a younger colleague. He didn't respond to the context of the e-mail but sent it back highlighting all the grammar mistakes and "Until you can converse properly, don't converse with me"
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Post by d'James on Sept 6, 2017 23:28:12 GMT
That sounds a hell of a lot ruder than it was meant to. I was just trying to illustrate the misuse of -self.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2017 0:03:38 GMT
Have noticed particularly amongst Americans a tendency to say that they *could* care less when they mean couldn't. Don't know why but it drives me insane. I was about to post just this. They always meant "couldn't" but sometimes are quite forceful in defending that they *think* they meant "could".
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