Grammar quirks

[Slartibartfast]

I didn't re-read the whole thread to see if this had been addressed, but I don't recall it.

I do an inner eyeroll when people start a statement with 'Honestly,...' or 'To tell the truth,...'  Do you lie otherwise?  Next time, try 'Frankly,...' or 'To be blunt...'  Please?

Not lie, necessarily, but "honestly . . ." usually seems to mean "I am choosing to say this bluntly instead of sugar-coating it with little white lies and lies of omission."  So I get what you're saying  but I don't think they're meaningless.

[scotcat60]

I heard someone on TV last night saying that supplies of a certain product had to be "Aired in" from abroad. I would have said they'd had to be "Flown" in from abroad.

[stitchygreyanonymouse]

I know someone who somehow twisted being told never to say "I’m good" in favor of "I’m well" to essentially never use the word good.

So, I’ll ask them their opinion on how something looks (like a new project, etc), and they respond with "It looks well."  My quilt looks to be in good health?

[Trogdor]

A pet peeve of mine: Confusing than and then. One is comparative, the other is consecutive.

I see "I'm taller then her" and "He got out of the car, than I did" all the time.

[Mental Magpie]

A pet peeve of mine: Confusing than and then. One is comparative, the other is consecutive.

I see "I'm taller then her" and "He got out of the car, than I did" all the time.

TROGDOR!!!!! (sorry, it came unbidden! )

I hate that, too.  I have also heard it said incorrectly, which only makes it worse for me.

[stitchygreyanonymouse]

It’s voilà.

Not wah-la. Not walla. Not viola.

Voilà.

I can excuse voila, if accents are beyond your technical capability.

(Or, when in doubt, just use English)

[Elfmama]

Overheard one last night that made me get stabby: "I and her don't get along."

[Giggity]

In the vast majority of cases, it's "simple," not "simplistic." I just saw that on another thread. "I used to think X was complicated, then I Googled it and it's so simplistic, I can't wait to try it."

[Thipu1]

'Simplistic' isn't positive. 

I posted on another thread here about a pamphlet reviewing children's books.  The author consistently used 'simplistic' when 'simple' would have been correct. 

Some people think that adding a syllable or two makes their writing sound more sophisticated.  It doesn't. 

Another thing that irritates me is the phrase, 'a couple things' for 'several'.  'A couple OF things' is fine.

[Editeer]

"It's in our/their DNA"--referring to a principle, practice, or custom of a company or team, or something they are committed to.
 "At XYZ Company, we care about quality. It's in our DNA."
"Our team gives 110%. It's in our DNA."
"The user experience is my highest priority--it's in my DNA!"

No. Brown eyes are in your DNA. Blood type is in your DNA. You are not responsible for them, and they do not reflect positively or negatively on you--they just are. A concern for customer service is something you can choose to have and to act on.

This one is really common where I work.   
I wonder if anyone would say it at, say, a biotech company? 

[stitchygreyanonymouse]

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d rather see apostrophe use die out than see another apostrophe carelessly plunged into a plural.

In the mean time, I cope by inserting attributes or words after the plural to make it be a possessive.

"All CD’s on sale!" becomes "All CD’s puppies on sale!" (not that it makes any more sense, but at least it is closer to correct grammar!)

[Slartibartfast]

"It's in our/their DNA"--referring to a principle, practice, or custom of a company or team, or something they are committed to.
 "At XYZ Company, we care about quality. It's in our DNA."
"Our team gives 110%. It's in our DNA."
"The user experience is my highest priority--it's in my DNA!"

No. Brown eyes are in your DNA. Blood type is in your DNA. You are not responsible for them, and they do not reflect positively or negatively on you--they just are. A concern for customer service is something you can choose to have and to act on.

This one is really common where I work.   
I wonder if anyone would say it at, say, a biotech company? 

DH works for a lab which does gene sequencing.  The answer is no, you don't hear this, but you do hear a lot of people gripe about it 

[starry diadem]

I found these on LiveJournal this morning and thought I'd share:

[CakeEater]

'Simplistic' isn't positive. 

I posted on another thread here about a pamphlet reviewing children's books.  The author consistently used 'simplistic' when 'simple' would have been correct. 

Some people think that adding a syllable or two makes their writing sound more sophisticated.  It doesn't. 

Another thing that irritates me is the phrase, 'a couple things' for 'several'.  'A couple OF things' is fine.

Is the bolded a regional thing in the US? I read a series of books, which I really liked, but the characters were always grabbing a 'couple beers' or grilling a 'couple steaks' or making a 'couple phone calls'. I chose not to start on another series of that author's because it made my eyes sore.

[Thipu1]

I don't know if it's regional but it's getting more and more common in news reports and published non-fiction.  It's one thing to see it in novels.  It's quite another to find it in magazines and newspapers.