"definately" vs. "definitely"

[David Williams]

.... the Guide to Good English at the back says it's no longer normal to use the apos. in abbreviated forms, such as LPs, CDs, but is used in plurals where clarity is required, eg. dot your i's and cross your t's. No mention of s'.

What fun.

Edited November 27, 2004 by David Williams

[cannonball-addict]

We should have an online tournament of Scrabble just among Organissimoers.

[neveronfriday]

I had no idea that a thread like this one would develop after my initial post.

Let me add some things that are bugging me. Mind you, I'm a teacher and don't get irritated much because I spend at least half of my day with language mistakes (and I'm certainly not above making mistakes myself), but some things do bug me:

a) The use of progressive forms when none are (grammatically) allowed. Stative verbs used dynamically make everything sound like a rap song. But, English developing as it is in the States, I wouldn't be surprised if after a while, such usage will become commonplace ... and then enter the mainstream. I'm not loving that at all.

b) The demise of the adverb. It's almost like some people don't know it ever existed. Or maybe they are just doing things too quick, so to speak.

c) Making uncountable things countable. I thought it was a specific German problem to always want informations, but it isn't.

There are more areas, but they are mostly covered by othere people's psosts in this thread.

Cheers!

[couw]

man, quit the complicated talk and give us some examples willya!

[J.A.W.]

I had no idea that a thread like this one would develop after my initial post.

Let me add some things that are bugging me. Mind you, I'm a teacher and don't get irritated much because I spend at least half of my day with language mistakes (and I'm certainly not above making mistakes myself), but some things do bug me:

a) The use of progressive forms when none are (grammatically) allowed. Stative verbs used dynamically make everything sound like a rap song. But, English developing as it is in the States, I wouldn't be surprised if after a while, such usage will become commonplace ... and then enter the mainstream. I'm not loving that at all.

b) The demise of the adverb. It's almost like some people don't know it ever existed. Or maybe they are just doing things too quick, so to speak.

c) Making uncountable things countable. I thought it was a specific German problem to always want informations, but it isn't.

There are more areas, but they are mostly covered by othere people's psosts in this thread.

Cheers!

Interesting post. Could you give a few examples of a) and c)?

[GloriousBlues]

b) The demise of the adverb. It's almost like some people don't know it ever existed. Or maybe they are just doing things too quick, so to speak. 

Why do you think we need more adverbs? I disagree. There are better ways to describe verbs. In one of the best introductions to a book I have ever read, Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated listed ten ways to for aspiring sportswriters to improve. One of them was to avoid adverbs:

8. Adjective and Adverbs Sorta Suck, Really.

If I can avoid using an adjective, I will.  If I can avoid writing, "He was a lucky sort of guy", and write instead, "He was the kind of guy who could drop a quarter in a pay phone and have it pay 20 to 1," then I've not only made it fun for me and the guy in the Barcalounger in Peoria, but I stand a good chance of not being fired for the week.

When ESPN Magazine's Gene Wojciechowski, as pure a writer as is working today, wants to show that the late Al McGuire was "trusting", he notes that McGuire would throw car keys on the seat of his unlocked car.  When he wants to show he was "quirky," he remembers how McGuire would shop in the oddest places tin toy soldiers.  For "rebellious" he quotes McGuire himself, saying, "I only comb my hair if there are four people in the room, and if there are four people, I'm getting paid."  But not once does Wojciechowski write, "Al McGuire was a trusting, quirky, rebellious sort of a guy."  And aren't you glad.

And don't even talk to me about adverbs.  I hate adverbs.  I would rather be coated in chicken drippings and dropped into a leopard den than use adverbs.  If you can't find a better way to say "hungrily" or "proudly", you need to find a new line of work, preferably nowhere near words.

[Jim R]

Are you guys still hear? I definately thought this threat had drawn it's last breathe. If I read to much more of this, I think I might loose my mind. Their isn't much more to say when everybody let's they're pet peeves get the better of them. Especially if their really obsessed about it. In the passed, I always felt like I had to often past up opportunities to point out spelling errors, but this threat has ALOT of pointers! I think its' time too go back too are origional purpose hear- talking about music! If we get on each other to much, their could be a heavy prize too pay.

(Man, that was hard!!).

[neveronfriday]

b) The demise of the adverb. It's almost like some people don't know it ever existed. Or maybe they are just doing things too quick, so to speak. 

Why do you think we need more adverbs? I disagree. There are better ways to describe verbs. In one of the best introductions to a book I have ever read, Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated listed ten ways to for aspiring sportswriters to improve. One of them was to avoid adverbs:

8. Adjective and Adverbs Sorta Suck, Really.

If I can avoid using an adjective, I will.  If I can avoid writing, "He was a lucky sort of guy", and write instead, "He was the kind of guy who could drop a quarter in a pay phone and have it pay 20 to 1," then I've not only made it fun for me and the guy in the Barcalounger in Peoria, but I stand a good chance of not being fired for the week.

When ESPN Magazine's Gene Wojciechowski, as pure a writer as is working today, wants to show that the late Al McGuire was "trusting", he notes that McGuire would throw car keys on the seat of his unlocked car.  When he wants to show he was "quirky," he remembers how McGuire would shop in the oddest places tin toy soldiers.  For "rebellious" he quotes McGuire himself, saying, "I only comb my hair if there are four people in the room, and if there are four people, I'm getting paid."  But not once does Wojciechowski write, "Al McGuire was a trusting, quirky, rebellious sort of a guy."  And aren't you glad.

And don't even talk to me about adverbs.  I hate adverbs.  I would rather be coated in chicken drippings and dropped into a leopard den than use adverbs.  If you can't find a better way to say "hungrily" or "proudly", you need to find a new line of work, preferably nowhere near words.

I didn't say we need more, I said the few which are used should be used correctly. Small but important difference!

Love that excerpt you posted. Any more info on that? Sounds like something to check out. Thanks!

Cheers!

[Noj]

Are you guys still hear? I definately thought this threat had drawn it's last breathe. If I read to much more of this, I think I might loose my mind. Their isn't much more to say when everybody let's they're pet peeves get the better of them. Especially if their really obsessed about it. In the passed, I always felt like I had to often past up opportunities to point out spelling errors, but this threat has ALOT of pointers! I think its' time too go back too are origional purpose hear- talking about music! If we get on each other to much, their could be a heavy prize too pay.

(Man, that was hard!!).

[couw]

... I said the few which are used should be used correctly. ...

uh uh, you should not say: "should be used correctly," you should say: "should fit like a musketeer in his tights," or "should fit like a palm tree on the Bahama Islands," or "should fit like nonsense in a post by catesta."

Something like that.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

or "should fit like nonsense in a post by catesta."

Something like that.

Geez, I thought I'd scanned all the key threads that had burst into flame during my brief absence? Where o where were you two amiable suds drinkers locking horns and forcibly extracting tonsils?? B-)

Edited November 27, 2004 by Son-of-a-Weizen

[GloriousBlues]

I didn't say we need more, I said the few which are used should be used correctly. Small but important difference!

Aaah. I misunderstood you.

Love that excerpt you posted. Any more info on that? Sounds like something to check out. Thanks!

It's from the introduction to The Best American Sports Writing 2002.

[couw]

or "should fit like nonsense in a post by catesta."

Something like that.

Geez, I thought I'd scanned all the key threads that had burst into flame during my brief absence? Where o where were you two amiable suds drinkers locking horns and forcibly extracting tonsils?? B-)

on your porch actually. drinking your beer. down some valium before you go down and check on your supply.

you DO still live at that place where you used to live, right?

(silent hint to move you to answer my PM, so I can put that thing in the mail that is currently cluttering my desk)

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

you DO still live at that place where you used to live, right?

(silent hint to move you to answer my PM, so I can put that thing in the mail that is currently cluttering my desk)

Good Heavens, No!!! I've taken up residence in a new location.

Here....print out this new business card for your records.

[neveronfriday]

I didn't say we need more, I said the few which are used should be used correctly. Small but important difference!

Aaah. I misunderstood you.

Love that excerpt you posted. Any more info on that? Sounds like something to check out. Thanks!

It's from the introduction to The Best American Sports Writing 2002.

Thanks!

I'll check it out.

Cheers!

[Brandon Burke]

I'm sure I've been guilty of this and many other spelling attrocities on this board. I'm much more of a grammar nerd than I am a spelling nerd. Spelling is boring. My theory is that spelling is not unlike phone numbers. They're both well documented so why bother memorizing them?

Espeicially for a post on a message board. C'mon man...

Edited November 28, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[Jim R]

I think it's reasonable to complain/talk about chronic goofs like "definately", which almost seems to outnumber the appearance of "definitely". To some people (hey, we're all wired up differently), this can get kind of annoying. Not a big deal in the overall scheme of things, just annoying (kind of like seeing the names of jazz artists getting misspelled over and over, like "Kessell", "Vaughn", "Jordon", "Adderly", "Coltrain", "Blakely", "Hollyday", "Jasper", and of course, "Niels-Henning Øscar Peterson" ).

Somebody misspelling "atrocities" or "especially" ( ) is less of an issue, really. (BTW, you get big points for correctly using the word "they're"!)

[Brandon Burke]

Business as usual, I guess...

EDIT: Wait...I did spell "business" correctly, right?

Okay. Good.

Edited November 29, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[Dan Gould]

Business as usual, I guess...

EDIT: Wait...I did spell "business" correctly, right?

Okay. Good.

Except that in the south its pronounced "bidness".

[Jazzmoose]

You know, the word that hits me like fingernails on a blackboard is the confusion of "advise" for "advice". I'd never seen that before the internet provided the opportunity for any fool to write for an audience, something I'm sure you're all regretting about now...

[Jim R]

You know, the word that hits me like fingernails on a blackboard is the confusion of "advise" for "advice". I'd never seen that before the internet provided the opportunity for any fool to write for an audience, something I'm sure you're all regretting about now...

Well, YOUR a bit late, but I'll put YOU'RE complaint in too...

Are you guys still hear? I definately thought this threat had drawn it's last breathe. If I read to much more of this, I think I might loose my mind. Their isn't much more too say when everybody let's they're pet peeves get the better of them. Especially if their really obsessed about it. In the passed, I always felt like I had to often past up opportunities to point out spelling errors, but this threat has ALOT of pointers! So, what would I advice? I think its' time too go back too are origional purpose hear- talking about music! If we get on each other to much, their could be a heavy prize too pay. Theirs my advise- and its free (I'm not in the bidness of selling advise).

[Brandon Burke]

Now that's a work of art.

I still say that some of those are vocabulary issues, and not spelling. Those are what bother me the most. Public enemy number one is the misuse of "literally". (Example: "I'm serious, this guy was literally eleven feet tall!")

Er......no.

[Dan Gould]

How about inadvertent misspellings that create a completely different meaning than intended? I was perusing a Norah Jones DVD review and found this:

The engineering is pretty damn good, and even though the songs are 'quiet' and 'subtle', i recommend that you crank the hell outta this DVD and listen to the subtle nuisances.

[neveronfriday]

subtle nuisances

I was always looking for a way to desribe those CDs.

Perfect!

[BERIGAN]

Thought I had seen a thread on bad grammer for ebay auctions, but if there isn't one, this thread will do....

Vehicle Description

69 BUICK LESABRE CONVERTIABLE 350 V8 4BBL,DUAL EX. KENWOOD EXOLON RADIO,MTX SPEAKERS,17" COUSTOM WHEELS + STOCK, COUSTOM STEERING WHEEL + STOCK, BILLET MIRRORS,

Vehicle Condition

NEW COUSTOM PAINT, INTERIOR HAS BEEN REPLACED LIKE NEW, NEW CARPET, NO RUST AZ CAR.

Terms of Sale

WILL DELIVERY WITHIN 100 MILES OF GRAND RAPIDS MI. CASH OR CASHIERS CHECK ON DELIVERY OR PICKUP