Please can we not use...

[ValleyLines142]

For instance, someone might say "Can you open the window?" On days when I'm feeling awkward, I have an urge to reply "Yes I am able to. Would you like me to?"

One of my teachers used to do this; I found it far from amusing to say the least!

The most common mistakes are usually the there/their/they're, to/two/too and where/were/we're.

But the biggest one for me is your/you're. It really irritates me massively when someone says 'your so stupid'.

 

[richw]

One of my teachers used to do this; I found it far from amusing to say the least!

The most common mistakes are usually the there/their/they're, to/two/too and where/were/we're.

But the biggest one for me is your/you're. It really irritates me massively when someone says 'your so stupid'.

If they're saying it would you even notice the incorrect use in their speech?

But yes I agree when its written down incorrectly these incorrect uses are particularly irritating even to me, and I quite honestly am not normally bothered by grammar errors.

 

[Harbon 1]

For instance, someone might say "Can you open the window?" On days when I'm feeling awkward, I have an urge to reply "Yes I am able to. Would you like me to?"

In the same way though, if you asked someone "would you open the window?" they are still entitled to say "yes I would" The same, in my eyes, applies to could as well.

I think in your example, the addition of 'please' would make it a question

(never felt so judged writing this post )

 

[Railsigns]

The most common mistakes are usually the there/their/they're, to/two/too and where/were/we're.

Also:

accept/except
advice/advise
affect/effect
aloud/allowed
are/our
as/has
currant/current
dependant/dependent
dual/duel
formally/formerly
hear/here
its/it's
led/lead
lightning/lightening
lose/loose
manner/manor
no/know
non/none
of/off
peace/piece
practice/practise
principal/principle
seem/seam
sight/site
than/then
threw/through
waste/waist
wander/wonder
weather/whether

 

[fowler9]

Also:

accept/except
advice/advise
affect/effect
aloud/allowed
are/our
as/has
currant/current
dependant/dependent
dual/duel
formally/formerly
hear/here
its/it's
led/lead
lightning/lightening
lose/loose
manner/manor
no/know
non/none
of/off
peace/piece
practice/practise
principal/principle
seem/seam
sight/site
than/then
threw/through
waste/waist
wander/wonder
weather/whether

I don't think any of those are anywhere near as common mistakes as Should Of and Could Of. The ones you mentioned errors. Could Of and Should Of are just wrong.

 

[Railsigns]

I don't think any of those are anywhere near as common mistakes as Should Of and Could Of. The ones you mentioned errors. Could Of and Should Of are just wrong.

No, they're not the most common errors but they're all errors that I've seen, nevertheless.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My good lady wife does not like to see "either" and "as well" used in the wrong context, which she says is more prevalent these days in the misuse thereof.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

If they're saying it would you even notice the incorrect use in their speech?

But yes I agree when its written down incorrectly these incorrect uses are particularly irritating even to me, and I quite honestly am not normally bothered by grammar errors.

I find myself quite irrationally irritated when folks from rather further south suffer from "intrusive Rs" as in "drawring" or "Lawr and order" . To much of that on the telly in September might just drive me to vote "yes." However references to "Lock Lomond" leave me unmoved.

 

[ExRes]

Skedule

 

[Railsigns]

My good lady wife does not like to see "either" and "as well" used in the wrong context, which she says is more prevalent these days in the misuse thereof.

I'm beginning to tire of seeing "up to" used as shorthand for "approximately".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Skedule

Even worse when phoenetically stated incorrectly by local area BBC News presenters..:roll:

 

[Class172]

I'm beginning to tire of seeing "up to" used as shorthand for "approximately".

If they really wish to use shorthand, would '~' not be a better use? :roll:

 

[Bayum]

Going back to the title of this thread, what triggered my response is the use of the word "can" instead of "would"

For instance, someone might say "Can you open the window?" On days when I'm feeling awkward, I have an urge to reply "Yes I am able to. Would you like me to?"

I have already pointed out and explained within this thread my word choice.

I won't be repeating it again.


Two, to and too as well as the trio of 'there' are confusing due to their homophobe status. English is just a horrible language to learn.

 

[ExRes]

I have already pointed out and explained within this thread my word choice.

I won't be repeating it again.


Two, to and too as well as the trio of 'there' are confusing due to their homophobe status. English is just a horrible language to learn.

Right then, I'm not going to read through seven pages so could you give me a short explanation as to why the basic English words, two, to, too, there and their happen to bring the fear and contempt of lesbian and gay men to the fore

Having worked with, socialised with and being related to people with lesbian, gay or transgender lives, I have never been arrested for using any of those words or asked not to use them for being anything other than normal basic English language

Am I missing a new and secret use of basic words or are you trying to pervert the language we all speak in this country ?

 

[Seacook]

Also:

weather/whether

Or wether, which I have also seen.

And there are also:
Compliment/complement
Stationary/stationery

There are notices on some Diamond buses indicating that passengers should not leave their seats until the vehicle is stationery.

 

[edwin_m]

Right then, I'm not going to read through seven pages so could you give me a short explanation as to why the basic English words, two, to, too, there and their happen to bring the fear and contempt of lesbian and gay men to the fore

I think the previous quote should have said "homophone", meaning two or more words that sound the same but have different meanings (and I think also different spellings). Predictive texting at work?

 

[Welshman]

Going back to the title of this thread, what triggered my response is the use of the word "can" instead of "would"

For instance, someone might say "Can you open the window?" On days when I'm feeling awkward, I have an urge to reply "Yes I am able to. Would you like me to?"

Whilst queuing in a coffee-shop the other day, I overheard the person in front asking the lady behind the counter:-

"Can I get a latte to go?"

Had I been her, I would have been very tempted to reply:-

"Yes, I can't see why not."


Some time back, a friend of mine was approached on several occasions by a woman asking "Do you think that pile of rubbish could be removed?"
"Yes" he replied, quite certainly.

When she complained at its non-removal a while later, he said, "Well, you simply asked me if I thought it could be moved!"

 

[Railsigns]

Or wether, which I have also seen.

My list contained correctly spelt words which are homophones. "Wether" is a misspelling.

 

[ainsworth74]

I must admit I saw this posted on a different thread on the forum and was immediatley reminded of this one

[youtube]VjLrFLYGdPM[/youtube]

 

[edwin_m]

"Can I get a latte to go?"

Had I been her, I would have been very tempted to reply:-

"Yes, I can't see why not."

I think it would be pretty difficult to get a latte to go. You could maybe attach it to a clockwork mouse but you'd probably end up spilling it.

 

[Welshman]

I think it would be pretty difficult to get a latte to go. You could maybe attach it to a clockwork mouse but you'd probably end up spilling it.

Yes - there was that also.

 

[Mojo]

Also:

accept/except
<snip>
weather/whether

Add to that list a common one here when talking about tickets:

advance/advanced

 

[Seacook]

My list contained correctly spelt words which are homophones. "Wether" is a misspelling.

This is in the same category. A wether is a castrated ram. It is a perfectly normal word.

 

[ExRes]

This is in the same category. A wether is a castrated ram. It is a perfectly normal word.

It might be perfectly normal to you but think about the poor ram

:-x

 

[Bill Stanier]

A pet hate of mine is someone answering the phone with "who is this?". Have they forgotten who they are?

Language does evolve, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be used correctly. The English language in particular is rich and beautiful and can be used to express the most obscure ideas accurately. But only if it's used correctly. Some examples that come to mind:

The use of 'disinterested' when the writer means 'uninterested'.

Transposition of 'amount' (of something) and 'number' (of something).

"Should of" instead of "should have".

Correct use of capitals.

Correct use of the apostrophe (pure laziness not to; it's not rocket science and it can completely alter the meaning if mis-used).

'Begs the question' when the writer means 'raises the question'.

There are also 'rules' best ignored, such as never start a sentence with 'and' or 'but' (like I did above). Why not? Never split an infinitive (why not)? And then there's the purely annoying, like 'train station' instead of 'railway station' (it's the railway that's stationed there, not the train).

Spelling mistakes are less irritating as long as it's obvious what the word should be, as they don't alter the meaning of what is being expressed.

 

[fowler9]

A pet hate of mine is someone answering the phone with "who is this?". Have they forgotten who they are?

Language does evolve, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be used correctly. The English language in particular is rich and beautiful and can be used to express the most obscure ideas accurately. But only if it's used correctly. Some examples that come to mind:

The use of 'disinterested' when the writer means 'uninterested'.

Transposition of 'amount' (of something) and 'number' (of something).

"Should of" instead of "should have".

Correct use of capitals.

Correct use of the apostrophe (pure laziness not to; it's not rocket science and it can completely alter the meaning if mis-used).

'Begs the question' when the writer means 'raises the question'.

There are also 'rules' best ignored, such as never start a sentence with 'and' or 'but' (like I did above). Why not? Never split an infinitive (why not)? And then there's the purely annoying, like 'train station' instead of 'railway station' (it's the railway that's stationed there, not the train).

Spelling mistakes are less irritating as long as it's obvious what the word should be, as they don't alter the meaning of what is being expressed.

None of this is really an issue though since when we text our phones check everything for us. Ahem.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

One phrase beloved of news presenters in past days, but not now in vogue as much, was the use of the phrase "Can you paint a picture.." when interviewing people. I have always wished that the person would respond with a suitable artistically phrased response, but to date, no-one has seen fit to do this....:roll:

 

[Bill Stanier]

One phrase beloved of news presenters in past days, but not now in vogue as much, was the use of the phrase "Can you paint a picture.." when interviewing people. I have always wished that the person would respond with a suitable artistically phrased response, but to date, no-one has seen fit to do this....:roll:

"Over to our reporter in Downing Street. Can you paint us a picture, Nick?".

"Not right now, Hugh, as I don't have my easel and brushes with me. I can nip home for them if you like".