Comments on: My Grammar Bitch For the Day http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:23:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Anny Mouse http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24353 Anny Mouse Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:32:33 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24353 hahaha I just found this entry through the "randomly generated blog entry" section and it made me <i>chuckle</i>!!! hahaha I just found this entry through the “randomly generated blog entry” section
and it made me chuckle!!!

]]> By: Sodapop http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24352 Sodapop Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:19:25 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24352 I find this interesting it has helped me to realize my mistakes with this word. Thank you. It is all too often we use a word unwittingly because it has penetrated our vocabulary. I did come here from a Google search to find thoughts on the misuse of the word hun. Maybe you could do something on that in the near future. I find this interesting it has helped me to realize my mistakes with this word. Thank you. It is all too often we use a word unwittingly because it has penetrated our vocabulary.

I did come here from a Google search to find thoughts on the misuse of the word hun. Maybe you could do something on that in the near future.

]]> By: LanceThruster http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24351 LanceThruster Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:56:00 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24351 I find the usage "at this point in time" quite common and annoying, and has been mentioned previously, "very unique" is incorrect. I don't have a problem with alright though, but then I thought alot was a word too. I find the usage “at this point in time” quite common and annoying, and has been mentioned previously, “very unique” is incorrect.

I don’t have a problem with alright though, but then I thought alot was a word too.

]]> By: Mary Dell http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24349 Mary Dell Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:11:07 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24349 Peter Klecha, it appears that you are conflating moral prescriptivism with linguistic prescriptivism. Peter Klecha, it appears that you are conflating moral prescriptivism with linguistic prescriptivism.

]]> By: Sarah http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24350 Sarah Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:32:05 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24350 THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24348 John Scalzi Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:03:44 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24348 You're underestimating the scope of the copy editor's job, which in my experience involves rather substantially more than catching spelling errors (which says as much about the mess I make as anything else, I fully admit). And enough copy editors who I know personally get annoyed that the writers they have to work with <em>just can't do things right</em>. Does it make them prescriptivists? Possibly not, but if they ruled the world, look out. You’re underestimating the scope of the copy editor’s job, which in my experience involves rather substantially more than catching spelling errors (which says as much about the mess I make as anything else, I fully admit). And enough copy editors who I know personally get annoyed that the writers they have to work with just can’t do things right. Does it make them prescriptivists? Possibly not, but if they ruled the world, look out.

]]> By: Peter Klecha http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24347 Peter Klecha Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:58:52 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24347 Alright, I'll just shut up. Alright, I’ll just shut up.

]]> By: Peter Klecha http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24346 Peter Klecha Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:58:02 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24346 Prescriptivism != copy-editing. One involves altering the spelling of something you yourself (or your publishing house) is producing. The other one involves being a douche and telling people (authors, bloggers, other editors, etc) what they should do. If every presciptivist I ran into was a copy-editor, there sure would be a lot more copy-editors out there than I thought. Prescriptivism != copy-editing. One involves altering the spelling of something you yourself (or your publishing house) is producing. The other one involves being a douche and telling people (authors, bloggers, other editors, etc) what they should do. If every presciptivist I ran into was a copy-editor, there sure would be a lot more copy-editors out there than I thought.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24345 John Scalzi Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:34:44 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24345 "And I direct these things more towards the hordes of idiots who take prescriptivism quite seriously." Yes, in my country we call them copy editors. And given that my manuscripts are at their mercy, I'm not inclined to call them idiots. However, judicious use of "STET" solves most conflicts there easily enough. That said, your antipathy for prescriptivism appears to be your hammer, and you seem to be looking for a nail, and I'm pretty sure my dislike of "alright" isn't a good fit for that. I'm going to chalk this confusion up to your possible unfamiliarity with my <a href="http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/005117.html" rel="nofollow">mock-authoritarian style when it comes to writing decrees in general</a>. Also, since I assume you are related to Dave Klecha, I'm cutting you some slack. That said, you're coming across as a bit of a tiresome and humorless dick, and I want you to reconfigure your attitude. I'm having a shitty week, and my tolerance levels are low. So settle down or fuck off. “And I direct these things more towards the hordes of idiots who take prescriptivism quite seriously.”

Yes, in my country we call them copy editors. And given that my manuscripts are at their mercy, I’m not inclined to call them idiots. However, judicious use of “STET” solves most conflicts there easily enough.

That said, your antipathy for prescriptivism appears to be your hammer, and you seem to be looking for a nail, and I’m pretty sure my dislike of “alright” isn’t a good fit for that. I’m going to chalk this confusion up to your possible unfamiliarity with my mock-authoritarian style when it comes to writing decrees in general.

Also, since I assume you are related to Dave Klecha, I’m cutting you some slack. That said, you’re coming across as a bit of a tiresome and humorless dick, and I want you to reconfigure your attitude. I’m having a shitty week, and my tolerance levels are low. So settle down or fuck off.

]]> By: Peter Klecha http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/04/10/my-grammar-bitch-for-the-day/#comment-24344 Peter Klecha Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:26:16 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=616#comment-24344 Hahaha. Philosophy of language. Now that's cute. I repeat: I'm a <i>real</i> linguist. Philosophers are generally pretentious tools, and so are UC undergrads, so considered me unsurprised. Linguistics is science. Prescriptivism is dumb. You don't need a bachelor's from an august institution to know either. Hahaha. Philosophy of language. Now that’s cute. I repeat: I’m a real linguist. Philosophers are generally pretentious tools, and so are UC undergrads, so considered me unsurprised. Linguistics is science. Prescriptivism is dumb. You don’t need a bachelor’s from an august institution to know either.

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