# Grammar meta-rant: Ranting does not make you a Nazi

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 2, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195 "2003-06-02T19:25:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195/21 "2003-06-06T05:48:59Z")

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Don’t quote me but I think he just called you a shithead.

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**Author:** ![Histrion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@Histrion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Histrion)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195/22 "2003-06-06T06:02:01Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by neuroman \*  
> \*\*Don’t quote me but I think he just called you a shithead. \*\*

Yeah, I think so too.

(Whoops! I quoted you! Darn! _goes off to shoot self in bunker, but can’t find bunker so shoots self in foot instead_)

– Jay

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195/23 "2003-06-07T03:41:24Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by mhendo \*  
> \*\*If there’s anything worse than a grammar Nazi, it’s a grammar Nazi that gets it wrong.
> 
> According to the _Oxford English Dictionary_ and _Merriam-Webster_, the adjective (or adjectival phrase) **stand-alone** should be hyphenated. \*\*

What, you thought I didn’t examine my correcting post letter by letter to ensure I wouldn’t fall prey to Gaudere’s Law?

Try the American Heritage Dictionary at Yahoo. I am vindicated.

> [@](#):
>
> _blowero blew me kisses and posted:_  
> **Moriah, du bist ein Scheisskopf!**

Bitteschön, meine Liebchen!

Ruhe.

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195/24 "2003-06-08T01:02:05Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by moriah \*  
> \*\*What, you thought I didn’t examine my correcting post letter by letter to ensure I wouldn’t fall prey to Gaudere’s Law?
> 
> Try the American Heritage Dictionary at Yahoo. I am vindicated.\*\*

Perhaps.

But i’m afraid that in my own little hierarchy of dictionaries, the full versions of the _OED_ and _M-W_ rank a little higher than the Yahoo version of the _AHD_.

I realize that this choice is a subjective one, but i’m happy with it.

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-meta-rant-ranting-does-not-make-you-a-nazi/179195/25 "2003-06-08T01:10:03Z")

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Besides, you have to hyphenate non when it’s modifying a proper noun. “noncompliant” versus “non-Grammar Nazi”

😃

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