Just blame it on auto(in)correct!Whoops! as an English teacher, I probably deserve a smack round the ear for that mistake.
2024 US Memorial/UK Spring Break/Aus Reconciliation/Africa Day
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Wish I could, but I take my spelling very seriously; one letter can make a huge difference
Just imagine walking into a bar and asking for a pint of bear.
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
I used to take my spelling seriously but now I've gone completely the other way, I think watching people I care about having a really hard time in life because their grammar, spelling and punctuation isn't great (that's through no fault of their own), it has made me dislike the people who make them feel thick for not being good at it.
One guy I know is definitely dyslexic and there was an ex-teacher on a forum I used to frequent who corrected his posts or picked him up on his mistakes every single time.
Even if he was making a valid point or just chatting about his bike they would correct him.
So painful
Eventually it felt like bullying so I asked him to please stop, I explained he was stopping him contributing because it made the guy feel stupid and so long as we understood what he meant that was enough. It transpired the ex- teacher was oblivious to the impact it has, he genuinely thought he was helping him
He stopped for a while but he couldn't help himself until in the end the nice guy just hung around and occasionally clicked like but never ever posted anything himself. Shame.
So now I relish starting sentences with But or And or using slang abbreviations because I can feel my English teacher rankle even a thousand miles away
One guy I know is definitely dyslexic and there was an ex-teacher on a forum I used to frequent who corrected his posts or picked him up on his mistakes every single time.
Even if he was making a valid point or just chatting about his bike they would correct him.
So painful
Eventually it felt like bullying so I asked him to please stop, I explained he was stopping him contributing because it made the guy feel stupid and so long as we understood what he meant that was enough. It transpired the ex- teacher was oblivious to the impact it has, he genuinely thought he was helping him
He stopped for a while but he couldn't help himself until in the end the nice guy just hung around and occasionally clicked like but never ever posted anything himself. Shame.
So now I relish starting sentences with But or And or using slang abbreviations because I can feel my English teacher rankle even a thousand miles away
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Very much this!
A couple of stories, which I’ve probably shared before.
When we were living in the UK, I was still taking university courses (through the Air Force) at night and on weekends, and one class I had was in creative writing, taught by an English instructor.
Now, the British have a reputation for being very…precise with their language usage, so I was thrilled when he explained that the entire purpose of communication was to transfer meaning and understanding, and as long as that happens, then the spelling and grammar rules were rather superfluous, there as a guide, but not as a cudgel. As such, he rarely marked things down for “poor” grammar or spelling - as long as he understood, it was fine.
45 days out from her stroke, still in therapy, MrsT went out to her first public event, a small auction of breweriana, and we bought something and went to pay at the end, by check.
The amount was $14 and some change, and she suddenly had a brain fart when spelling fourteen, and the
Same thing happened a few years later, with a walking tour guide in London. MrsT to this day will have issues with word-finding, and sometimes it’ll sound like she’s about to stutter, but it’s just her brain and her mouth trying to get synced up.
The tour guide asked where everyone was from, and she started to answer, but stumbled a bit, and before she could recover, he affected an extreme “Porky Pig” accent, and said something along the lines of, “A real testament to the American education system, this one…try again, luv!”
Throughout the tour, it became apparent he had real issues with Americans, as he couldn’t go far enough out of his way to level insult after insult, and always in a “Just joking…but not really” tone of voice.
You can guess what kind of tip he got, and what kind of review his employer got regarding his conduct (and not just from us).
What’s interesting about this is, people will point out, “That’s not grammatically correct, quit trying to change the language!” yet I can go back to Victorian text…Regency…Elizabethan…even Medieval writings, and show where monks were happily starting sentences or paragraphs with And/So/But, what have you…so who’s done the changing, eh?So now I relish starting sentences with But or And or using slang abbreviations because I can feel my English teacher rankle even a thousand miles away
Funny how those folks are always fast to point out what’s changed as incorrect since they learned to speak and write, yet utterly fail to recognize that when they were coming up, they were happily embracing changes to previous generations’ use of language. Oh, I suppose we all just managed to get it right just as you came along, how lucky for you!
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
Just grrrr
Language, especially written language seems to be an area where people think it's ok to make someone else feel awful. I don't understand it.
No matter how much someone rates their own abilities (and who likes that sort anyway
) there's always going to be someone faster or better than you who could if they wanted to make you feel stupid, but they don't because it's cruel and small minded. Just nooooo, people don't stop to think this person is a guest in my country and they should be treated with respect. Makes me fume a bit if I'm honest!
Good on you for leaving a review
Yes absolutely language evolves and changes continually, it's folly to think you just happened to born at the precise moment it all became set in stone!
This doesn't mean I have to start saying sic, lit, slay, bae now does it?
Several of us went for a nightcap at the end of the walk (US, Canadians, and a Brit couple), and the Brits apologized on his behalf.Just nooooo, people don't stop to think this person is a guest in my country and they should be treated with respect. Makes me fume a bit if I'm honest!
Good on you for leaving a review
Nah, it’ll shake out, most will fall away, and a couple will stick, which is all groovy and cool!This doesn't mean I have to start saying sic, lit, slay, bae now does it?
Strictly speaking, you're not supposed to start a sentence with a conjunction, simply because it's a "joining word". However, the press moved that rule to the dustbin years ago, in order to use "and" and "but" for emphatic purposes.
" Messi beat the first player, passed the ball through the legs of the second, jinked around the third and muscled his way past the fourth. He'd gone 50 yds down the pitch, pure brilliance from Messi! AND he slotted the ball into the back of the net".
Instead of and and but, one should evidently use Additionally, and However. The good thing about English,but however is that we have NOT got/do not have an official Language Academy (like the French and the Spanish) which wails with outrage any time the language is bastardised. Thank goodness for that - English is adaptable and thus moves forward.
I teach my students "proper"English, so they don't get to start sentences with and or but. I'd never dream of belittling or making fun of someone because they made a mistake. That is a guarantee for not speaking the language again.
Some interesting examples of how the language has evolved. In the US, you say "Do you have?". Absolutely correct. In the UK, we say "have you got?". Where the heck did that come from?? Then again, ask an American how he/she is and they'll say "I'm good". My answer? "Good at what?" ( Strictly speaking, you mean fine, which is an adverb,not good, which is an adjective). BUT ( OMG, another one!) who cares as long as the bloke is OK??Finally, there's this recall from teaching EFL in London; one of the hardest things to teach was the third conditional -as in when you wish for something which didn't happen? "If only I had bought a damned lottery ticket, then I would probably have won a prize". ( If+ past perfect + would have). I think I actually heard a former President say, "If I would have spoken sooner..."
That's how language evolves, and so be it! It's about communicating, not about being perfect.
AND ( OMG !!!) I'm reminded of an eminent professor from my postgrad, who spoke 4 or 5 languages fluently. He was in Paris, and needed a taxi to the Gare de Lyon urgently ( The Lyon train station). Jumped into a taxi and said " Vite! Vite! Le gare de Lyon!!"
As they shot off into the crazy Paris traffic, the driver turned round and said "Monsieur, c'est LA gare!"
Prof stopped the cab and got out. Good for him!
" Messi beat the first player, passed the ball through the legs of the second, jinked around the third and muscled his way past the fourth. He'd gone 50 yds down the pitch, pure brilliance from Messi! AND he slotted the ball into the back of the net".
Instead of and and but, one should evidently use Additionally, and However. The good thing about English,
I teach my students "proper"English, so they don't get to start sentences with and or but. I'd never dream of belittling or making fun of someone because they made a mistake. That is a guarantee for not speaking the language again.
Some interesting examples of how the language has evolved. In the US, you say "Do you have?". Absolutely correct. In the UK, we say "have you got?". Where the heck did that come from?? Then again, ask an American how he/she is and they'll say "I'm good". My answer? "Good at what?"
( Strictly speaking, you mean fine, which is an adverb,not good, which is an adjective). BUT ( OMG, another one!) who cares as long as the bloke is OK??Finally, there's this recall from teaching EFL in London; one of the hardest things to teach was the third conditional -as in when you wish for something which didn't happen? "If only I had bought a damned lottery ticket, then I would probably have won a prize". ( If+ past perfect + would have). I think I actually heard a former President say, "If I would have spoken sooner..."That's how language evolves, and so be it! It's about communicating, not about being perfect.
AND ( OMG !!!) I'm reminded of an eminent professor from my postgrad, who spoke 4 or 5 languages fluently. He was in Paris, and needed a taxi to the Gare de Lyon urgently ( The Lyon train station). Jumped into a taxi and said " Vite! Vite! Le gare de Lyon!!"
As they shot off into the crazy Paris traffic, the driver turned round and said "Monsieur, c'est LA gare!"
Prof stopped the cab and got out. Good for him!
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Reminds me of an old teacher whose response to the good/well issue was a derisive “Superman does good, you do well.”Then again, ask an American how he/she is and they'll say "I'm good". My answer? "Good at what?"
Memorial Day munch-munch:
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
What's the mystery mixture? is that potato salad? What's the stuff on the dog/sausage?
The sausage (ALDI knackwurst) has grainy mustard and sauerkraut on it (both under and on top), then there’s potato salad on the left there, and the cauliflower-carrot mix on the right, and…
…fruit skewers with piña colada dip (coconut yogurt and crushed pineapple).
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
Yeah I recognized the sauerkraut but didn't know what the grainy mustard was. Now that you mention it I can tell, but it does seem like a lot of mustard!
Love the fruit skewers!
Thanks! That’s from WW (as is the potato salad).
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
Weight watcher potato salad? How is that possible?
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
It's potato and snow foam. The snow foam is calorie free and that also prevents you from eating the potatoes