Cato's Grammar Grumble

[Cato]

I´m sure it would be a big improvement in my financial status --- but I´d rather endanger my wallet than my soul... 

Where have I heard the phrase "soulless bureaucrats" ?  0:)

[Karl Henning]

Seeing folks use the wrong word, unaware of the homonym, no longer much fazes me . . . .

Marnie is also famed for starring Sean Connery, and for the fact that he asked to see a script before committing to the role of Mark. This unprecedented request was allegedly due to Connery's unwillingness to be typecast as a spy (due to his famous role as James Bond), and didn't seem to phase Hitchcock, who reportedly got along well with Connery during filming.

[North Star]

Aye, I've faced that, too.

[Kontrapunctus]

The misuse of "literally":

https://www.youtube.com/v/TZBn8-UUQeI

[Ken B]

It's not grammar but https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2016/06/02/in-defense-of-reading-dead-rich-white-guys-like-shakespeare/

Increasingly I think branding "I am an empty headed fool" on your forehead is cheaper than an Arts degree, and not fundamentally different.

[Karl Henning]

Oh, must give that a read later . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Oh, must give that a read later . . . .

Wow. So reading dead white men without the saving grace of some minority transgender lesbians is a kind of abuse?

[North Star]

Do you perhaps mean that you must give that a reading later, or that you must read it later?

[Karl Henning]

Well, whatever I meant, now I have read it 

[Cato]

Well, whatever I meant, now I have read it 

After I read it, I could only think of the old joke: "Must be a Yale man!" 

However, I suspect some Hahvahd students would probably agree with them!   0:)

I will not bother grumbling about how many times I have heard the latest monstrosity plaguing us at this time of the year:

"He graduated high school last night!"   

However, the quality of English in America (and the economy?) was perhaps symbolized by some hand-lettered signs nailed to telephone poles

"Toon-Ups and Break Jobs - Low Prices nnn-nnnn" 

Which sign could be offering a service wherein your not very funny cartoon would be punched up, for a low price, and an offer to teach that guy who owes you money a lesson known as a permanent limp.   

In Cincinnati we saw a similar sign: "Plumming Jobs - Cheap Rates nnn-nnnn"   

I have heard of a "plum job:" maybe this was one of those!  On the other hand, there is also the phrase: "plumb stupid."   

[Ken B]

Do you perhaps mean that you must give that a reading later, or that you must read it later?

I will save this comment for later: it will give me a good laughing. 

[Cato]

I came across a word which - at first - I thought simply had been the victim of a typographical error.

But then I typed it into the search engine, and of course was appalled to find a good number of things such as the following:

"A candidate's position on student debt will be a major influencer on how Millenials vote this year." 

Why the "r"?!  Is it the influence of too many Pirates of the Caribbean movies?   Maybe those movies have been a majorrr influencerrr on college stoonts?

[Karl Henning]

Yowzer!

[Ken B]

I came across a word which - at first - I thought simply had been the victim of a typographical error.

But then I typed it into the search engine, and of course was appalled to find a good number of things such as the following:

"A candidate's position on student debt will be a major influencer on how Millenials vote this year." 

Why the "r"?!  Is it the influence of too many Pirates of the Caribbean movies?   Maybe those movies have been a majorrr influencerrr on college stoonts?

It's like a confluencer of errors.

[Cato]

It's like a confluencer of errors.

Such a confluencer could make a major differencer in many things! 

[Ken B]

Such a confluencer could make a major differencer in many things! 

No shitter.

[André]

Too numerous to quote: examples of confusion between "plane" and "plain" (as in: a higher plain  ) or "to reign" and "to rein in" as in reigning in one's impulses... 

[Ten thumbs]

I see that the word 'food' has become obsolete and is to be replaced by 'eating products'.

[kishnevi]

FB seems to have a new term
USIES

Meaning a selfie with two or more people featured.

[Cato]

Too numerous to quote: examples of confusion between "plane" and "plain" (as in: a higher plain  ) or "to reign" and "to rein in" as in reigning in one's impulses... 

The latter mistake I have been noticing more often these days!

FB seems to have a new term
USIES

Meaning a selfie with two or more people featured.

So it is pronounced "us-eez" ?   

Ugh-eez!