Confessions of a Former Grammar Tyrant

[[Syl]]

I've probably made every mistake on this list, most of which are documented throughout the Watch:

12 Mistakes Nearly Everyone Who Writes About Grammar Mistakes Makes.

I like to think I've matured on most counts (just don't expect me to show anything but contempt for 99% of the usage of the word "impact"), realizing there's a time and a place. Realistically, though, I'll probably make every mistake again, sooner or later.

Added bonus (*shudder*): I've also taken to using the word "tyrant" instead of "Nazi" since MsMary pointed it out a few years ago.

[deer of the dawn]

I'm so disappointed with myself when I find that I've written "their" in place of "there" (which I did recently) or something similar. I feel I've betrayed myself and my language. I have a lot more tolerance for others, which is a good thing. Here is a transliteration of a typical text I get in Nigeria:

Our God is ever faithful,to finish whatever he started dou it s sometimes dificult to wait,yet it pay 2 wait. Thanks 4 de encouragement. God bles u

[ussusimiel]

Grammar is more structural than punctuation and spelling, and it is still descriptive rather than generative. Punctuation and spelling are arbitrary (as anyone who has read some Middle-English will know). In the past some writers would spell the same word in multiple ways in the one piece of writing! Understanding this should help people with the Grammar Nazi Tendency (GNT). Good grammar, spelling and punctuation are important things mostly for formal, economic and class reasons (if you want to get ahead in the world you'd better have your cultural capital baggage neatly packed and properly labelled ).

u.

[Avatar]

Hahahaha

--A

[michaelm]

I think at one time I was worse with it than I am now, but I know that I am just as capable of making mistakes as anyone else.

Most of the time I just see mistakes and only inwardly wag my finger...

[wayfriend]

I'm so disappointed with myself when I find that I've written "their" in place of "there" (which I did recently) or something similar.

I cannot tell you how many times I've said, "know one". I wish I knew why I do that.

I try to write in sentences when I write. However, I have been criticized for using punctuation when texting. Apparently "Hi." with a period means something different than "Hi" without one. You cannot win.

[ussusimiel]

I try to write in sentences when I write. However, I have been criticized for using punctuation when texting. Apparently "Hi." with a period means something different than "Hi" without one. You cannot win.

I generally get 'it's' and 'its' right when I pay attention, as soon as I don't, whoops I did it again.

I was recently picked up by another with GNT for my spelling of 'transparency' (I'd spelt it 'transparancy'). Has anyone noticed if there are there any other signature ones that I have?

u.

[aliantha]

Has anyone noticed if there are there any other signature ones that I have?

You mean other than your continued use of the extraneous "u" in words like "honour" and "favour"? None that I've noticed....

I went off on a rant on words that weren't words in an IU post several months ago. I found out in the comments that a lot of them are commonly accepted in the UK. Shows ya what I know.

And I too get ticked at myself when I realize I've typed the wrong to/too/two or their/they're. And some words just don't look right to me any more, no matter how I spell them -- I have to backspace and try them a couple of different ways. I swear I didn't used to have this problem. It's probably dementia setting in....

[michaelm]

I spent most of my life using UK spelling, but then moved to Australia for a while and had to adapt a little (mostly different words rather than spelling).

I then moved to the US and slowly took up US spelling. The thing that was hardest for me was remembering when to use double syllables or not, as English mostly uses double where US English only uses one i.e. jewellery vs. jewelry.

For the most part I think I get US spelling right now.

[Vraith]

I can be as tyrannical as anyone, when the situation calls for it.
[[ask any of the students I've had, or my fellow students in the many classes where we peer-reviewed]].
But when does the situation call for it?
Very rarely.
In fact, the most necessary [[and for me, most enjoyable]] time to be a tyrant [as the piece indicates] in the modern world is to take down the tyrants [or at least point at them and laugh].

Well, yea, for formal writing/speaking. The problem is we have too many "formal" relationships/situations. And too many of them are one-way...but that's a different topic.

[Orlion]

In my experience, people tend to be Grammar Tyrants/Nazis when faced with an argument they do not want to address but want to refute.

Somehow, not copy-editing your transitory Facebook posts makes any argument you have invalid

[TheFallen]

I was recently picked up by another with GNT for my spelling of 'transparency' (I'd spelt it 'transparancy').

Damn straight you were, you linguistic Philistine.

It also surprises me not a whit that you admit to occasional issues with the "grocer's apostrophe". What is the problem here? An apostrophe represents one of two things - either elision (the omission of a letter, usually a vowel, but don't get me started on "fo'c's'le") or possession (turning a noun - and NOT a pronoun - into its possessive form, or genitive case, if you'd rather). It's that simple.

As for your sporadic "its/it's" confusion, just think on this... you'd never be tempted to pop an apostrophe into the possessive adjectives "my", "your", "his", "her", "our" or "their", would you? So why ever would you insert one into the possessive adjective "its"?

And as for Aliantha, words fail me...

I have to backspace and try them a couple of different ways. I swear I didn't used to have this problem. It's probably dementia setting in....

"I didn't used to"??? For the love of God, a construction with the auxiliary verb "do" invariably takes the infinitive form of the following verb, regardless of tense. "I do sing, I did sing", right? So it's "I didn't use to..."

TF, proud GN (Guardian of Normalcy)

[MsMary]

I've probably made every mistake on this list, most of which are documented throughout the Watch:

12 Mistakes Nearly Everyone Who Writes About Grammar Mistakes Makes.

I like to think I've matured on most counts (just don't expect me to show anything but contempt for 99% of the usage of the word "impact"), realizing there's a time and a place. Realistically, though, I'll probably make every mistake again, sooner or later.

Ha. I know the person who wrote that article. I follow him on his blog, Arrant Pedantry (and on FB and Twitter).

Added bonus (*shudder*): I've also taken to using the word "tyrant" instead of "Nazi" since MsMary pointed it out a few years ago.

And that is much appreciated.

[Cagliostro]

Y'know, its sad when people cain't just be righting to a froum and be all judged on the words their using too state what their trying to say. I'm all like, "F U Tyrant!"

yeah.

[wayfriend]

Y'know, its sad

Say-ad. Two sillables. Speek anglish plz.

[Cagliostro]

Saw-ree!

[aliantha]

And as for Aliantha, words fail me...

I have to backspace and try them a couple of different ways. I swear I didn't used to have this problem. It's probably dementia setting in....

"I didn't used to"??? For the love of God, a construction with the auxiliary verb "do" invariably takes the infinitive form of the following verb, regardless of tense. "I do sing, I did sing", right? So it's "I didn't use to..."

Not in *my* America, mister.

[TheFallen]

And as for Aliantha, words fail me...

I have to backspace and try them a couple of different ways. I swear I didn't used to have this problem. It's probably dementia setting in....

"I didn't used to"??? For the love of God, a construction with the auxiliary verb "do" invariably takes the infinitive form of the following verb, regardless of tense. "I do sing, I did sing", right? So it's "I didn't use to..."

Not in *my* America, mister.

Possibly true - I should have specified any English-speaking country

Seriously though, Ali, you're just plain wrong here. This isn't the normal issue of you lot being largely unable to spell - it's grammatical. Consider this for a second - turn the "did...use" statement into a question. Which of these two looks (or even just feels) more correct?

A) Did you use to be a fireman?

B) Did you used to be a fireman?

As I said, a verbal construction using "to do" as the auxiliary verb is invariably followed by an infinitive and not a past participle, regardless of tense, cf;

"I do like you" (and not "I do liked you")

"I did hate you" (and not "I did hated you")

"I didn't kiss you" (and not "I didn't kissed you")

Hence "I did use to play the piano" (and not "I did used to play the piano").

Case closed, I'm afraid. But hey, do feel (and not "do felt") entirely free to carry on being utterly and irredeemably wrong.

[I'm Murrin]

Sorry, but you're wrong. "I didn't used to" is totally acceptable, as is "I didn't use to". The former is more common, even.

The following negative constructions:
used not to; usedn't to; usen't to
did not use to; didn't use to
did not used to; didn't used to
and their corresponding interrogative constructions:
used [subject] to […] ?
did [subject] use to […] ?
did [subject] used to […] ?
are all well attested, with different constructions being preferred in different regions at different times.

This particular sense of "used to" is something of a special case with regards to grammatical rules.

[TheFallen]

Pfft. Shame on you Murrin - and you a Brit as well

30 seconds of research gives the following:-

Use to/ Used to

There is a little confusion on how to use the words use to and used to. One reason for the confusion is that it is sometimes used as a verb, and sometimes used as an adjective. The other reason is because it seems like the tense changes. It's really quite simple when you look at it.

Used as an adjective.
Use to be + used to. This means to be accustomed to. For example:-

I can study with the TV on. I am used to it. It means I am accustomed, adjusted, or don't mind having the TV play while I'm studying.

Or another example:-

Tim had a hard time living in Tokyo. He wasn't used to so many people. Tim didn't have experience being with big crowds of people before.

Used as a verb.
Use to + verb is a regular verb and means something that happened but doesn't happen any more. It uses -ed to show past tense. But since it always means something that happened in the past, it should always use past tense. For example:-

I used to go to school in Paris. (I went to school there before, but now I don't.)

Or

When Joshua was a child, he used to climb trees. (Now he doesn't climb trees.)

Remember, we always use this word when talking about the past. So when do you use use to without the d at the end? When the base form of the verb is used. Look at these examples:-

She didn't use to swim before noon. (Now she does swim before noon.)

Or

Did your father use to ride a horse?

In these cases the past tense is shown with the did and didn't.

link

We use 'used to' for something that happened regularly in the past but no longer happens.

•I used to smoke a packet a day but I stopped two years ago.
•Ben used to travel a lot in his job but now, since his promotion, he doesn't.
•I used to drive to work but now I take the bus.

We also use it for something that was true but no longer is.

•There used to be a cinema in the town but now there isn't.
•She used to have really long hair but she's had it all cut off.
•I didn't use to like him but now I do.

link

'Used To'

'Used to + infinitive':

We use this expression to talk about habits or repeated actions in the past which we don't do in the present. We also use it to talk about states in the past which are no longer true. For example:

•I used to have long hair (but now I have short hair).
•He used to smoke (but now he doesn't smoke).
•They used to live in India (but now they live in Germany).

Watch out! With the negative and the question it's 'use' and not 'used':

•Did you use to be a teacher?
•Did he use to study French?
•She didn't use to like chocolate, but she does now.
•I didn't use to want to have a nice house.

link

...and this from the BBC, which would seem to be a pretty good arbiter.

Used to / didn't use to
When talking about things that we did in the past but don't do now we can use the expression used to. The negative form, to talk about things which we didn't do in the past but do now, is didn't use to.

Used to and didn't use to are only used to talk about past habits. There is no present form. To talk about present habits we can use the present simple. When using these structures there are often two parts to the sentence, something about the past and something about the present, for example:

I used to drive to work but now I go by car.
I didn't use to like coffee but I love it now.

link