The Official Henry Higgins Thread

[Clara Bow]

People who say "funnest" as in "that was the most funnest thing we've ever done". Or realest...and onliest as in "that was the onliest thing I needed to get".
And most other grammatical errors, I'm kind of a facist about grammar and proper useage. I'm sure you all saw my "John Henry" rant...

[MineralDiva]

My latest peeve is the use of "that" instead of "who," when referring to people.

"She was the one that said..."

Instead of "She was the one who said..."

or:
They were the ones that..."

Instead of  "They were the ones who..."

[IndianInlaw]

" Please don't tell me that you're "nauseous."

I think that falls into the category of "just because you've been poisoned...that doesn't make you poisonous!"

[Brentwood]

I grew up in a family that believed words are power and very important.  My mother knew the correct quotes, but would often change them, for example she was fond of saying, "Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to CONCEIVE."

My daughter has picked up my Mother's love of words and often makes up her own words which we call, "Kimi-isms"   For example one day she was doing homework and I could see she was getting flustered and frustrated, she said "Mom, I am so flustrated!"   It wasn't correct, but I knew exactly what she meant!

We do try to keep these words and phrases within the family, but sometimes they escape.... and we have some explaining to do. I usually just say its an old family joke, and most people laugh and move on.

I've done that with "nick of time", changing it to "nickel of time."

Knowing what is correct and purposefully changing it is different from not knowing what is correct.

[WithoutIssue]

And subject/verb agreement. I cringe whenever I read something along the lines of, "Everyone has their own way of doing things." Everyone is singular. One doesn't say "Everyone have their own way of doing things." To be correct, one should say or write, "Everyone has his own way of doing things"; "Everyone has her own way of doing things"; or "Everyone has his/her [or his or her] own way of doing things." javascript:void(0);
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One can use gender-neutral language and still be grammatically correct.

I'll beg to differ a little on this one. When speaking, not writing, 'their' has been acceptable agreement for a singular noun or pronoun since before Shakespeare. When writing one should change the sentence order and structure to avoid clumsy his/her (his or her), eg "A doctor's stethoscope is his/her badge of office" can be re-written as "A stethoscope is a doctor's badge of office". Your examples would need more more than subtle changes. "Not everyone has the same way of doing things" or "everyone's way of doing things is different".

Of course I was taught a more British way of formal writing and accept that different countries have different emphasis on formality.

[WithoutIssue]

... If etiquette did not frown upon correcting grammar, non-existent words, and improper pronunciation, which are the examples you would correct most frequently?

The mispronunciation of pronunciation. So many people say pronounciation.

[amiboo]

If you have to axe, you wouldn't understand 

[Niphil]

Ok, ladies (and men), I'm throwing this out for your opinions: Prepositions at the end of sentences. Ok? Not Ok? The devil incarnate come to massacre us in our sleep?

I do it sometimes, and I don't think it's that big of a deal, but other people I've spoken to online ridicule others who do it.


I used to correct my SO's grammar and spelling all the time, but I realized it was a losing battle. Plus, it seemed to bother him a bit. I've stopped doing it, but the impulse is there....



edit-
haha, bad spelling.

[Gigi]

Please don't axe me anything.  I am fond of all my appendages.

Please don't say "me 'n Joe went to wherever."  Me 'n drives me nutz!

Please don't say "That's a whole 'nother thing."  No it's a whole other thing.

He is the Principal, not the principle.  Of course, since he's the Principal, we hope he has principles.

[cass2591]

I have no idea, but it has become more common lately for people to say things like, "Where do you church?" instead of "Where do you go to church?" or "What church do you attend?"

Where do you church??? Oh my. And here I was in a tizz over "gifting" and "efforting." Hopefully it won't morph into "We're churching at 10:00."

[RandomAngel]

"Nucular" infuriates me, but while on a cruise I saw a sign that turned me into a babbling psychopath.

On each X-ray machine by the ship's exit (so they could make sure we weren't smuggling in explosives or cheap liquor from the ports) was a sign.  I'm not talking about a sheet of notepaper; they were made of heavy-duty plastic.  In other words, they were professionally done, so you'd imagine there was SOME kind of a review process.  They said:

"X-rays are safe for camera's and film speeds upto [whatever]."

I completely lost my head.  BF actually had to shush me.  Repeatedly.  By the time we got off the boat, he was mostly just pleading with me to stop making a scene.

[scotcat]

Liberry, it's LibRary people...there's an 'R' after the 'B'.

Just as there is in February.

That was hammered into us in primary school by at teacher who could not abide children who said "Can I lend your pen, ruler, pencil ?" insisting one should ask "Can I borrow?"

[scotcat]

Didn't there used to be a ceremony called "churching" for women who had just had babies in medieval times?

Yes, and it survived past medieval times. It was still in the Anglican Prayer book when I was a child, (admittedly that was a long time ago, but still not medieval).  I have a friend age 61 who said her mother was "Churched" after she was born.

[Peyton Fan]

I totally agree with the "I could care less thing". That drives me nuts.

My other big one is when someone says, "I'm nauseaus" It is "I'm nauseated". Being nauseaus means to cause someone else to be nauseated. Of course, there are times when depending on the person saying it, I'm might want to say, "Yes, you are".

[fklwmn]

Another:

When Lulubelle answers the phone and the caller asks for Lulubelle, Lulubelle should respond, "This is she," not "This is her."

In my house Lulubelle would likely reply "May I ask who's calling?" of "I'm sorry you have the wrong number!" since anyone who knows Lulubelle, also knows Lulubelle is the only one who answers her phone. but if she were not dodging telemarketers, Lulubelle would reply with "Speaking"