Sunday, August 9, 2009

These things drive me crazy.

People who misuse the words quote and quotation. We quote someone--quote is a verb. What we quote is a quotation; quotation is a noun.

People who modify the word unique. They say, this is very unique, somewhat unique, pretty unique. Unique is an absolute. It means unlike anything else. It cannot be modified. OK.

People who misspell the word a lot. It is not alot. It is a lot.

People who misuse the word literally. Literally means that it actually happened. So if you say I literally laughed my ass off you should probably find a doctor.

People who sign their emails with cheers. Unless they are English. If they are English, they are assholes. If they are not English they are wannabee English assholes.
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9 comments:

  1. KellyAugust 10, 2009 at 7:08 AM

    George,

    I do a post that starts with a quotation every Wednesday.

    I used to rend my garments every time someone said "nice quote." I'm a good host so I didn't say anything, but honestly I had no garments left to rend. It drove me bats.

    Then a year or so passed, hearing it weekly, and somewhere around March I gave up. Nobody knows anymore, and worse, I have a suspicion that people think I'm like those folks who sign their emails with cheers, when I keep insisting on using "yes, it is a cool quotation" after they say "nice quote." So I try not to notice anymore.

    (It still drives me nuts when I think about it. Like now. Yeesh.)

    People who can't pronouce "etc." My pet peeve. Okay, one of my pet peeves. I'm a natural born stickler and a recovering English major (even 20 years later, you're never cured of that). I have... quite a few pet peeves. :)

    Regards,

    Kelly

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  2. Tore ClaessonAugust 10, 2009 at 7:58 AM

    chairs

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  3. TeenieAugust 10, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    My other half is irish and he says "cheers" a lot. Does that count...?

    I'm with you on all the rest. I hate it when people use quotation marks for emphasis instead of irony--ESPECIALLY in advertising. 'This is the "best" credit card you'll ever have' is poor, poor praise.

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  4. TeenieAugust 10, 2009 at 10:04 AM

    Oh, and people who don't know the difference between "breathe" and "breath". How everyone manages to get that wrong almost 100% of the time is beyond me.

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  5. george tannenbaumAugust 10, 2009 at 10:48 AM

    Your other half gets a pass.

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  6. newfriendjillAugust 10, 2009 at 2:02 PM

    I agree. Supposubly we've all taken basic grammar and should know this stuff irregardless of what we do for a living.

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  7. LauraAugust 10, 2009 at 8:41 PM

    I'm anxious to hear everyone else's comments about what drives them crazy.

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  8. Tore ClaessonAugust 10, 2009 at 10:26 PM

    If Teenie's other half gets a pass I want four passes, for chairs, sofa, bench and cheers, as i grew up with the Gypsies, the French, the Bums and the English.....

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  9. jeavesAugust 11, 2009 at 8:23 AM

    People correcting me or condeming me for using American versions of words like color, colour, check, cheque. Most of my career has been selling into US or dealing with corp in US. Teenie can probably correct me on this one but I think there is dozens of words like this.
    Does it really matter? Are they part of our Canadian Heritage? Pshhh...

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