Grammar gripes of the month

[elderwitty]

Here's the thing. I love words. I love to push them and pull; stroke, throw, and play with them - until they mean exactly what I need them to. So it really jars me out of the moment when I'm reading and the wrong word is used. I sort of tense up for the rest of the story, waiting for the next word-shaped shoe to drop.

These are the three I've see most often lately. I wish I could go, author by author, and gently teach people the difference between what they meant and what they wrote. I don't seem to have the gentle touch (in writing, anyway) needed, so all I can do is post my frustration here and hope for the best.


reign in =/= control. This comes from the horse riding world. Rein - you know, like those things on a bridle. (See also "give free rein".)


discrete =/= on the down low. This is the one that inspired the homonym list. I'd be very discreet in my tutelage, I promise. :grin:


albeit =/= although. It is close, even if not precisely the same. I think that someone who knew how to use it correctly did, and then a bunch of people took it to mean 'although', and used it themselves not realizing it was a shade of meaning off.


That's it for now. I feel better.

Comments

grammar gripes

[elderwitty]

Oooh, I'm intrigued. Can you hit me with a link? Or some of the highlights? Was one of them 'licking a broad stripe' up someone's dick? 'Cause I'm tired of that one. It's worn out its welcome. It needs to vamoose, already. :grin:

Yes, it's good to be able to get a verbal nod back, instead of a slacker!shrug of, "Whatever."

Re: grammar gripes

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

Okay, a little background before I link you up -- this is a comm for an online comic called Metanoia. It's one of the best-plotted, best-written things I have ever read; the writer, Jesse Hajicek, is also one of the best writers out there that I know, and I basically worship anything and everything he ever writes/puts out. He is also extremely very much into words, just like you and me. So this is a gripe post he made aaaaages ago, obviously, and since pretty much all of us who hang out on that comm are friends, and are also as anal-retentive as him with regards to Getting Shit Right, we had a blast, like you'll see.

Riverside HQ was the first comm I ever joined, and the reason I created an LJ in the first place. I've met some amazing people through it -- my best-online-friend I met there, all those years ago, and Metanoia has so often proved something that a huge amount of people out there enjoy, and is like a sort-of in-crowd thing for a bunch of us -- every so often I'll get someone go OMG YOU LIKE METANOIA OMG OMG BESTIES. So yes, it's very near and dear to my heart. And if you like original fic, do check Jesse's stuff out! /pimp

Anyway -- here is the post of much griping and shameless self-indulgence (http://riverside-hq.livejournal.com/355513.html?view=comments). Enjoy! :)

ETA: Oh, and this (http://riverside-hq.livejournal.com/355075.html) is the original post Jesse references, that started the ball rolling. :D

Re: grammar gripes

[elderwitty]

THAT WAS FUN!!! Thanks for linking me.

I think the only two that aren't on the homonym list are 'athiest' and 'diety'.