If I hear these one more time......

I feel the need to have a bit of a grump about people who post "of" when it should be "have".

I know that in conversation it sounds like (for example) I should of said" but it is actually "should have said.

Yes, I appreciate that there are things in life that matter more, but we all have our little foibles.

Oh I so agree! I wonder what they actually write?

They write of. I love Mumsnet but ooooh their grammar and spelling.

'Outside of' is another that irritates me - I probably read too many estate agents' blurbs, and EAs are not exactly renowned for their brilliant English. 'Outside of the town centre' is a frequent one.
Not sure it's quite as bad as shower 'cubicals' or flower 'boarders'.
Last time I used an EA I was careful to choose one with no sloppy English - seemed to me a likely sign of sloppiness in other areas. Not sure it made much difference, though!

'Bare with me' always makes me laugh!?

'Park up' annoys me! Somehow I've always just managed to park my car.

It's 'different to' that has me yelling every time!

Another one that's been getting on my nerves is 'there is lots of...' No there isn't! There are lot's of..., there is one of... I suppose 'there's' or 'there is' is just easier to say.

I can just about cope with poor spelling because I know that it's been really badly taught for several decades but ungrammatical spoken English is just horrible.

Weather presenters on all channels say " the evening period" or "the morning period" etc. Why not just morning and evening? Seem people these days like to use several words when one would do

Oh dear. Hope everyone's BP is OK?

Many people write what they say. I say "Th's a lot of" quite often when, strictly speaking it should be There are...

Is it really so bad if people transcribe the language like what it is spoke? So long as its meaning is clear, I think we need to be more accepting of grammatical faux pas, though I also tend to wince when I see things like 'would of' and your for you're.

I regularly drive past a sign announcing Bridal Path. Do the horses know, I wonder?

Does it matter, Baggs? Not in the greater scheme of things, except that, like Witzend's estate agents, it may demonstrate a lack of care or interest in detail that may discriminate against them in employment. I am of a generation that was taught grammar and woe betide anyone who got it wrong in writing or speaking. Actually, I'm really glad that I was.

Totally agree. It does matter imo.

'Draw' instead of drawer!!! Aaargh!!!

I think that's the trouble, Icyalittle, a lot of us on GN are of the generation that was taught grammar - I went to the Grammar School which was a stickler for it, and find it hard not to criticise. I try not to be pedantic but it just ''jumps'' out at me. No in the scheme of things it doesn't matter a lot but its hard when you were conditioned to the correct way.

Using the word ''like'' where not necessary.
For instance ,not I was going to meet my friend when she phoned me , but, ''like'' I was going to meet my friend when she phoned me.
Trivial ? yes but like ???? so many pointless issues gets me climbing up the wall.
Not ''like'' literally I need to add.

I totally agree with this, I can't understand where people these days learn their grammar! It sounds so wrong to say I'm fed of my boyfriend' etc. Even journalists use it! just sounds terrible and ignorant. Just todays way of carrying on I guess! hey ho!

I'm glad I was taught good grammaer too, icy, and I think kids should still be so taught.

But one can think those things and still accept that writing things as spoken, especially on social media, is hardly a big deal and, in any case, doing so can be part of being "in" when you're a teenager.

Secondly, people do not always take in what they are taught. Those who haven't are the ones who make mistakes that they aren't aware of.

So long as writers of broadsheet newspaper leader and comment articles, and writers of good books can write well and grammatically I'm not going to get to hot under the collar about mistakes made by the proverbially great unwashed.

e

I think the one of the worst ones that I've seen was in a mobile phone shop window, there was a poster there saying 'board of your mobile?" It drove me crazy every time I went past.

I guess I'm arguing for accepting the difference between literary written language and commonly spoken language. I'm sure it has always existed but tends, like most things, to change with fashion.

There's a drawer of cartoons who made wonderful pictures of word misuse (sometimes clever and deliberate misuse). I've forgotten his name.

He of the "puffin" "nuffin" card.

Simon Drew

If the essence of the written word is understood .... then go figure.