Grammar and spellling that make you twitch

[Redneck Gravy]

yesterday my auto correct

I am about out of patients

No, no I know how to spell patience (stop helping me)

[cabbageweevil]

ti_ax wrote: "Strikes a cord with me... you mean a chord."

Yes! And people have vocal cords, not chords.

Both / all can be seen as generally to do with "making a joyous noise" -- I cannot help feeling that we have a confusing language; and that some of the muddling-up of it which people do, is understandable.

[TootsNYC]

ti_ax wrote: "Strikes a cord with me... you mean a chord."

Yes! And people have vocal cords, not chords.

Both / all can be seen as generally to do with "making a joyous noise" -- I cannot help feeling that we have a confusing language; and that some of the muddling-up of it which people do, is understandable.

I agree!

And a lot of these homonyms (throws / throes) involve one incredibly uncommon word (use "throe" in a sentence that doesn't involve the cliché "in the throes of [strong emotion]." In a way, "throw" makes sense, because that's a vigorous action.

[Twik]

Yes! And people have vocal cords, not chords.

This makes sense, if you've ever looked at throat anatomy (vocal cords are little stringy bits of tissue). But if you don't have that picture in your head, "chords" has a much more definite association with sound, so I can see why it's a common error.

[cabbageweevil]

ti_ax wrote: "Strikes a cord with me... you mean a chord."

Yes! And people have vocal cords, not chords.

Both / all can be seen as generally to do with "making a joyous noise" -- I cannot help feeling that we have a confusing language; and that some of the muddling-up of it which people do, is understandable.

I agree!

And a lot of these homonyms (throws / throes) involve one incredibly uncommon word (use "throe" in a sentence that doesn't involve the cliché "in the throes of [strong emotion]." In a way, "throw" makes sense, because that's a vigorous action.

Thanks !  I remember receiving a letter, long ago, from an uncle of mine who had modest aspirations as a writer, and a rather expansive writing style -- wherein he put, "I am right now in the throes of literary composition -- and by the way, what on earth is a throe?"

Enthusiasts for the English language, often glory and triumph in English's huge vocabulary -- just occasionally I think, "hold on a minute -- there can sometimes be too much of a good thing."

[TootsNYC]

I have a membership to Merriam-Webster's Unabridged, and according to them, "throes" is always used in a plural sense.

It comes (through the Middle English, Old English, Old High German, and Old Norse), from the words for "threat," "pang," "longing," "trauma wound" and "distress"

First Known Use: 13th century (sense 1c)

[cabbageweevil]

Best-and-commonest-known use to me: death-throes.

[Free Range Hippy Chick]

Queue. And cue. And NOT, please not, que, which as far as I know isn't even a WORD in English.

[jaxsue]

Whenever I see "Your Welcome", a little part of me shrivels up and dies.

*or*

seaing writting lyk this that iz on long sentance with no puncuati0n at all everthing is sm@shed togeter and spelchk dosent exst how do u read this i dont now wear it beginz or endz i meen dont they teech this st#ff in skool anymor iz speling reelly that hard geez

*or*

Writing like this.No spaces between periods or commas.At all. Nothing,zero,zip,nada.It drives me bonkers.Like,really bonkers.

Those drive me batty, too!

[jaxsue]

If it's any consolation -- in the far west of England, people tend to be fairly sloppy about "he" and "she" -- they know the difference in principle, they just can't be bothered.  Thus: "Where be Ted ?"  Answer: " 'er be down at the 'arbour."

Oh yes. Also, "Where's it to?" *is* proper English in that part of the world and shall be respected as such  . My south east friends look at me askance for using it but it's so much a part of my vernacular that I can't shake it. And neither do I want to

The beloved West Country song:

Where be that blackybird to?
Us knows where 'e be:
'E be up that wurzel-tree,
Us be after 'e !

I may be a grammarian at heart, but I like ditties like that. Is there a source somewhere, online, that shows dialects for different parts of England? I have tons of English ancestors and have traced them to many parts of the country (Whitechapel in London, Yorkshire, etc.). It would be fascinating research.

[jaxsue]

I admit, I cringe when people try to use sayings and mangle them horribly.

Recently I saw: doggy dog world and hire ups (higher ups). 

[ti_ax]

I admit, I cringe when people try to use sayings and mangle them horribly.

Recently I saw: doggy dog world and hire ups (higher ups). 

I saw one just the other day in a forum discussion: someone said they might be willing to place an order with a company the crowd hadn't yet heard of ... they were "willing to be the Ginny-pig."

[daen]

ti_ax wrote: "Strikes a cord with me... you mean a chord."

Yes! And people have vocal cords, not chords.

Both / all can be seen as generally to do with "making a joyous noise" -- I cannot help feeling that we have a confusing language; and that some of the muddling-up of it which people do, is understandable.

In the moments when I can't remember which form to use for "vocal cords" I default to "vocal folds" - it's a more precise description of the part, usually understood almost as easily, and has no pesky homophones to trip me up.

[Sirius]

I once corrected a contract transcriptionist's use of "St. John's wart" instead of "St. John's wort", and she sent me a long, rambling message about how I was "too picky."  No, I just insisted that all medical terms, including drug/herb names, be spelled correctly. 

Listening to the way dictating doctors punctuate...oh, my.  I usually ignore what they say and punctuate correctly. 

These are sentences dictated recently:

"Medical renal disease of the right kidney which is a new finding from prior examination.  This may represent medical renal disease." 

"There are very subtle changes which may represent subtle changes of centrilobular emphysema.  These are extremely subtle, however."

[daen]

I once corrected a contract transcriptionist's use of "St. John's wart" instead of "St. John's wort", and she sent me a long, rambling message about how I was "too picky."  No, I just insisted that all medical terms, including drug/herb names, be spelled correctly. 

Listening to the way dictating doctors punctuate...oh, my.  I usually ignore what they say and punctuate correctly. 

These are sentences dictated recently:

"Medical renal disease of the right kidney which is a new finding from prior examination.  This may represent medical renal disease." 

"There are very subtle changes which may represent subtle changes of centrilobular emphysema.  These are extremely subtle, however."

Paging Dr. Doctor of the Department of Redundancy Department.