Definately, Definitly a Huge Pet Peeve

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

I too have a big problem with your/you’re, too/to/two, there/their/they’re (I hate the bizarre “thier” that I see from time to time). I have an even bigger problem with your’s. Argh.

For some reason my students do not seem to know that the singular of women is “woman” and not “women,” as if women where sheep for whom the single and plural form are the same.

I am an English teacher and believe me, I have tried to get them to spell these words correctly. I have taught grammar units, spelling units, etc., but some of them cannot retain it. Yes, I attribute it in part to the fact that few of them read. It also may be laziness. They don’t care. It’s not important to them.

22

Even worse than “you’re” and “your” mixups is the following – “your’e.” I have seen this on more than one occasion.

The rampant misuse of innocent quotation marks makes me want to murder people. I am NOT an English “teacher.” I am NOT a grammar “expert.” But I know better than “THAT”!

(misplaced exclamation mark VERY deliberate)

23

I dunno. I’m on the fence about that quote thing. Personally, I think if the question mark is part of the quote, it should be inside, but if it’s not, it should be outside. For example:

  • She said, “What’s wrong with saying ‘asshat’?”

  • I want to know what’s wrong with saying “asshat”?

24

Double negatives drive me insane. However, I must say that my biggest pet peeve is when one uses an adjective in connection with the word “unique.” If something is unique, it is one of a kind. There is no need to describe something as “very unique.” Grrrrr!:mad:

25

“Definitely” derives from the word “finite.” The word “finate” does not exist.
Anyone with an IQ above room temperature (and I’m talking Celcius!) understands root words and their significance. All who do not are doomed.

Any questions?

26

The same goes for the words “equal” and “empty”.

Two is equal to two…but we cannot say that two is more equal to two than three is because three is not equal to two.

How many drops are allowed in an empty glass which must be removed to make the glass completely empty?

27

Just one. Did you misspell “Celsius” on purpose? :smiley:

28

I’ve only just opened this thread. I wasn’t going to, but seeing that double misspelling of “definitely” was driving me nuts. I only came in here to yell at Rubystreak.

Never mind.

29

My biggest pet peeve is this-

“I was so excited, I literally died!”

My sister tosses “I literally…” into sentence after sentence, and I cannot get her to understand what she is actually saying.

30

Considering this is a discussion about grammar, I hate to be the one to steal from Joey Tribiani … how about the non- word “supposably”? It’s “supposedly”, people!

31

As I see it, that second sentence doesn’t need a question mark at all. It’s not a question. It’s a statement of what you want to know.

Change the last part and it becomes clearer that it’s a statement. “I want to know what’s wrong with you.”

See?

32

“Different than”. It’s “different from”!

I saw “no holes barred” in print once. It’s no holds barred!! It was originally a wrestling term!

And I can’t believe I’m the first to bring up “I could care less” vs. “couldn’t”!

Sally Brown, when asked ‘What is the capital of North Dakota?’:

“I could not possibly care less!”