Hi all, just found this thread. My peeves du jour:
- Incorrect pluralization. Good grief, how may times have you seen
"consortiums", "schemas", "stadiums", etc.?
- fewer/less/at least/at most. First, there is the incorrect usage of fewer and less (fewer to be used with things you count, less to be used otherwise, e.g. "less water", "fewer drops of water"). There are exceptions to the rule, but most violations I see are not in the spirit of the exceptions. Then there is the actual backward use of terms. I have seen signs in hair styling shops saying "we ask that all customers wash their hair at least eight hours before their appointment". Um, I think they mean "at most". There is also a commercial out now (I forget the advertiser) that has several Olympic athletes saying things like "I will not accept anything less than (fill in the blank)". One athlete says something like "I will not accept anything less than a time of 1 minute, 12 seconds in the downhill". Gee, what will she do, slow down if it looks like her time is going to be too good?
- adjectives in place of adverbs. "Real" in place of "really", "good" in place of "well" are very common, often both wrong together ("he writes real good"). Every time I see a "drive slow" sign, I grit my teeth. How about the new Apple Computer slogan "Think different"? Here is a company that associates itself with the education community. Yikes.
Well, that's all for now. I'm enjoying the thread, and hope to learn something.
Andy |
