# Do you correct people's grammar mistakes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142 "2009-12-05T23:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dragoncat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@dragoncat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragoncat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/1 "2009-12-05T23:50:20Z")
Okay, I was in a bookstore today and the cashier said, “Can I help who’s next?” Grrrr! I hate that! Since I was next, I said to him, “You should say ‘Can I help the next person?’. ‘Who’ is a pronoun and can’t be used as the object of a sentence.” He said, “Oh.” Then I thought… Oh my FSM, I’m turning into my father (may he rest in peace). Am I alone in thinking people should be able to speak their own language more or less correctly? I also hate it when people say, “What was your name?” like your name has changed since you told it to them five minutes ago. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/2 "2009-12-05T23:54:18Z")
> [@dragoncat](#): > > Okay, I was in a bookstore today and the cashier said, “Can I help who’s next?” Grrrr! I hate that! Since I was next, I said to him, "You should say ‘Can I help the next person?’. ’ “May I help the next person?” (Not that I’d do that to a stranger) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/3 "2009-12-05T23:56:58Z")
> [@dragoncat](#): > > Okay, I was in a bookstore today and the cashier said, “Can I help who’s next?” Grrrr! I hate that! Since I was next, I said to him, “You should say ‘Can I help the next person?’. ‘Who’ is a pronoun and can’t be used as the object of a sentence.” He said, “Oh.” Then I thought… Oh my FSM, I’m turning into my father (may he rest in peace). Am I alone in thinking people should be able to speak their own language more or less correctly? > > I also hate it when people say, “What was your name?” like your name has changed since you told it to them five minutes ago. I rarely correct an adult’s spoken grammar mistakes, unless I am trying to be deliberately provocative but for whatever reason think it unwise to actually punch the person in the nose. Correcting the grammar of others is quite rude, in my judgment. When I am tutoring a student for the SAT, I sometimes correct egregious grammar mistakes, but not always. I have an ex-girlfriend who once got mad at me for NOT correcting her grammar mistakes, as she felt I was deliberately allowing her to sound stupid. But with her, I couldn’t win for losing. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/4 "2009-12-05T23:58:02Z")
> [@dragoncat](#): > > ‘Who’ is a pronoun and can’t be used as the object of a sentence." It’s not in this case. It’s quite properly the subject of a noun clause being used as a direct object. Nitpickery aside, though, I agree that "May/Can I help the next person is a better rendering of the thought. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/5 "2009-12-06T00:07:06Z")
I’m with **Skald** , I consider it rude to correct the mistakes of random adults I encounter. I will correct the grammar of adults who work under my supervision as writers or editors, and of course I correct the grammar of anyone who pays me to do so. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/6 "2009-12-06T00:08:50Z")
I understand the impulse, but yes it’s rude. Just bite your tongue next time. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/7 "2009-12-06T00:11:51Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m with **Skald** , I consider it rude to correct the mistakes of random adults I encounter. I will correct the grammar of adults who work under my supervision as writers or editors, and of course I correct the grammar of anyone who pays me to do so. You’ll note that I left myself wiggle room by specifying _spoken_. One of my older brothers–the one I \*\*don’t \*\*hate, except for his behavior during the following anecdote–once said that I was in error for _This is he_, rather than _This is him_, when confirming my identity to a telephone caller. I thought about saying _It’s a predicative nominative, bee-yotch!_ but was dissuaded by my inability to use the word _bee-yotch_ convincingly. 😃 The same brother has the terrible habit of using the pointless _irregardless_. I never correct him, though. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/8 "2009-12-06T00:16:25Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You’ll note that I left myself wiggle room by specifying _spoken_. To clarify: I will correct the spoken grammar of adults who work under my supervision as writers and editors. I’ll do it nicely, but I will do it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/9 "2009-12-06T00:25:42Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > To clarify: I will correct the spoken grammar of adults who work under my supervision as writers and editors. I’ll do it nicely, but I will do it. **Twix** , please don’t take this as a criticism, but why do you feel this is appropriate? I don’t think it’s necessary to expect persons speaking extemporaneously to always adhere to the rules of proper grammar & usage. Now, I concede that I **will** speak up of another person says something in so non-standard a fashion as to render his or her meaning difficult to parse. But if one of my sales reps, say, erroneously uses a singular verb form with a plural subject, what business is it of mine to correct him or her? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/10 "2009-12-06T00:25:51Z")
I don’t do it except as a joke with friends. As I remarked to someone a few days ago, I often don’t correct people who call me by the wrong name. If I am not going to meet them again why bother making them uncomfortable and if I’m going to be working with them they will figure it out soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/11 "2009-12-06T00:29:05Z")
> [@dragoncat](#): > > Am I alone in thinking people should be able to speak their own language more or less correctly? No, I think so as well. The difference, perhaps, is that I think they almost universally generally _do_. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/12 "2009-12-06T00:30:53Z")
> [@dragoncat](#): > > Am I alone in thinking people should be able to speak their own language more or less correctly? You know, there’s a school of thought that holds that you should have written _Am I alone in thinking **persons** should be able to speak their own language more or less correctly_. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/13 "2009-12-06T00:37:06Z")
**Earl Snake-Hips Tucker** has already pointed out a problem with the reasoning in your “correction”. But, might I add, where on earth did you get the idea that a pronoun cannot be a grammatical object [as in, e.g., “John killed him”]? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/14 "2009-12-06T00:45:02Z")
Yeah, that’s…beyond rude. And I also speak as one of the more strict proofer/editors in my department. I refuse to correct informal correspondence, too; thankfully, right now almost everyone in my office types pretty well. The last time I did correct someone’s email was when a coworker wrote “.25 cents” when discussing rate of pay. I would never, ever correct someone’s speech. Ever. At most, if I can’t understand what’s being said, I’ll just keep asking for clarification until the speaker wises up. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/15 "2009-12-06T00:49:52Z")
([An interesting post on Language Log on the very phrase “Can I help who’s next?”](http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002690.html). The phrase _is_ grammatically distinctive, in a manner not otherwise deployed in modern English. But just because it’s an isolated construction doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it…) ---
**Author:** ![\_xiao\_wenti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b782af/32.png) [@\_xiao\_wenti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_xiao_wenti)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/16 "2009-12-06T00:57:46Z")
I will correct the grammar and occasionally the vocabulary use (American English versus International English) of -some- foreign students that I deal with. Otherwise, I have to listen to much better or good/well. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/17 "2009-12-06T01:00:59Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > **Twix** , please don’t take this as a criticism, but why do you feel this is appropriate? Because I expect someone who is working as a professional writer/editor to have a solid grasp of correct grammar. I don’t lurk about waiting for errors, or beat them over the head with every minor mishap – god knows I’ve misspoken more than once. If someone who reports to me makes a glaring grammatical error, though, I’m going to point it out. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/18 "2009-12-06T01:01:38Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > No, I think so as well. The difference, perhaps, is that I think they almost universally generally _do_. As do most people who study language use professionally (as you are no doubt aware, but a fact likely unknown to the OP). **OP:** Your behavior was rude, and you were wrong besides. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/19 "2009-12-06T01:01:57Z")
I don’t correct people’s grammar. Or their breaches of etiquette … . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142/20 "2009-12-06T01:11:52Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > I don’t correct people’s grammar. Or their breaches of etiquette … . > > 😉 There is a difference, don’t you think, between being a roving grammarian on the one hand, and elaborating on why you might choose not to be a roving grammarian, when asked if you are and a subtext of personal moral rectitude infuses the original query on the other. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-correct-peoples-grammar-mistakes/520142.md?page=2)