Pet Peeve of the Day

[NoCal Boy]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

"I could care less".

Not about this thread, that is, but the onetime English major in me gets very annoyed when I hear this phrase. I know it's commonly used, but do people ever stop to think that what they really mean is "I couldn't care less"????

[scrivener]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

"I could care less".

Not about this thread, that is, but the onetime English major in me gets very annoyed when I hear this phrase. I know it's commonly used, but do people ever stop to think that what they really mean is "I couldn't care less"????

Amen. I'm with you all the way.

Well, except for the part where you put the period outside the quotation mark and where you use four question marks.

But yes. "Couldn't care less" is what people should be saying.

[helen]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

While we are on the subject of mis-used English phrases I was informed that "Weather wise" to describe the weather is not a good phrase to use? Why is that so?

[NoCal Boy]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

Well, except for the part where you put the period outside the quotation mark and where you use four question marks.

You got me, Scriv, but I did say "onetime English major".

[scrivener]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

"onetime English major".

Arrr! Did you do it again on purpose, to get a rise out of me? It worked!

[LikaNui]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

How about when people refer to a "hot water heater"? It's a "water heater", darn it! If the water was already hot, it wouldn't need to be heated.

Like my sig says, "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it".
(That enough for ya, Scriv? )

[NoCal Boy]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

Arrr! Did you do it again on purpose, to get a rise out of me? It worked!

Sorry, surfing+phone calls+work=sloppy posting. While admittedly far from perfect, I'm usually the first one to point out others' incorrect grammar/punctuation/spelling, annoyingly so at times.

Sorry to peeve you off!

Just curious, are you an "s-apostophe-s" or an "s-apostrophe" person when referring to the possessive of a noun ending in an 's'? In other words:

The Smiths' boat sank offshore; or
The Smiths's boat sank offshore.

I was taught "s-apostrophe" in school, but I've been corrected on it and that is a pet peeve of mine. I took a business writing class once and the instructor (longtime English teacher) said they were both correct. I still believe my way to be proper, or at the very least more elegant/less clumsy.

I'm sure I made another errror in this post somewhere, so feel free to point it out.

God, what's with me and smileys today?

[scrivener]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

Just curious, are you an "s-apostophe-s" or an "s-apostrophe" person when referring to the possessive of a noun ending in an 's'?

If the name ends with s, you go with S-apostrophe-S. If the ball belongs to Charles, it's Charles's ball. If the legislation passed in Kansas, it's Kansas's legislation.

In other words:

The Smiths' boat sank offshore; or
The Smiths's boat sank offshore.

Actually, this isn't an example of what you're talking about, if the family in your example is named Smith. If the boat belongs to the Smiths, it's the Smiths' boat. What you mean is when a SINGULAR word or name ends with S, as in "James," "Charles," or "Bess."

It can get a little messy when the family name ends with S, as with "Huggins." One member of the family is a Huggins. Two or more members are Hugginses. If the house belongs to more than one Huggins, you're talking about the Hugginses' house. I know, it looks weird, but only because sooooo many people have so routinely messed it up for so long. If we all did it correctly, the wrong way to do it would look wrong.

[NoCal Boy]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

Actually, this isn't an example of what you're talking about, if the family in your example is named Smith. If the boat belongs to the Smiths, it's the Smiths' boat. What you mean is when a SINGULAR word or name ends with S, as in "James," "Charles," or "Bess."

As always, you're right and I was sloppy with my example. To use your one of your examples what I was asking was:

The Charles' boat sank offshore; or
The Charles's boat sank offshore.
But sounds like you're saying it should be "The Charleses' boat sank offshore."

And what I was really trying to get at was possessiveness, rather than plurality alone being the key. I know that both must be defined for the correct usage.

All that said, I still maintain that "s-apostrophe" is not incorrect, at least in my example. Check it out:

I'm not saying that this site is the final arbiter of correct English, but it seems that the "correct" usage may be up for debate. In the end, I'll defer to your expertise. Sorry to turn this into an English lesson.

Pencils down, everybody!

[acousticlady]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

Ok - I know I'm going to get virtual stuff thrown at me - but......

This is why I have a secretary to do that stuff

[Honoruru]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

If the name ends with s, you go with S-apostrophe-S. If the ball belongs to Charles, it's Charles's ball. If the legislation passed in Kansas, it's Kansas's legislation.

I agree with Scriv here, but I also agree with NoCal Boy that this may not be a cut-and-dried area in grammar, and it can get very complicated. Most people in the "real" world would say that it should be "s-apostrophe" like they've been taught in school, but they're wrong! It really should be "s-apostrophe-s".

But to get back on topic: My PPD is getting into arguments with my "real" world co-workers about our company's established style guide that insists there should be two spaces after a period. This is just wrong. This is a throwback to typewriter days; it should be one space.

[scrivener]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

I agree with Scriv here, but I also agree with NoCal Boy that this may not be a cut-and-dried area in grammar, and it can get very complicated. Most people in the "real" world would say that it should be "s-apostrophe" like they've been taught in school, but they're wrong! It really should be "s-apostrophe-s".

What school teaches that? 'Cause that's not what I learned, and the credible references I've looked at all say what I've said, except when the noun is someone of ancient or mythological significance, such as "Jesus" or "Hercules."

[tutusue]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

What school teaches that?[...]

I learned it that way in schools in SoCal. Of course, that was the 1950s!

[Honoruru]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

What school teaches that?

Hey, I agree with you! As far as what school teaches that, I was always taught that when I was in school (decades ago). I don't know what's taught now, but I think what was taught then still lingers. This is probably one of the most misused (and most misunderstood) grammatical rules. I did a quick search and here's one example from today's Advertiser :

"A woman who answered the phone at Aaron's home in Georgia shortly after Bonds' homer said that Aaron was asleep."

Then again, this is not an easy call, what with some of the exceptions, one of which you mentioned.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Pet Peeve of the Day

But to get back on topic: My PPD is getting into arguments with my "real" world co-workers about our company's established style guide that insists there should be two spaces after a period. This is just wrong. This is a throwback to typewriter days; it should be one space.

I still put two spaces after every period. What can I say? I learned in typing class. I think it looks better. Of course certain boards take out extra spaces.