Do grammatical errors bother you? - Page 3

GeoffC · 10-23-2010, 04:23 AM

The odd thing I skip over, but just occasionally something jars....my pet peeve is the use of meter when it should be metre (English UK writing).

and the others I see frequently, "10 items or less"

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 04:24 AM

Poor grammar annoys me a lot - especially the simple stuff (such as mixing up "its" and "it's"). I just feel like saying to the author "if you can't be bothered to get it right, why should I bother to read your book?"

Fbone · 10-23-2010, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cpl Punishment

hone in
1. To move or advance toward a target or goal: The missiles honed in on the military installation.
2. To direct one's attention; focus: The lawyer honed in on the gist of the plaintiff's testimony.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

It was the context. I thought "home in on" was correct for the story.

E.g. homing in on a location.

It may have been a mistake that has now crept into an American English dictionary.

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

Why is it that 'oblivious to' sounds OK, when 'unaware to' sounds wrong?

Is it the common use thing again?

Which preposition follows a verb is essentially arbitrary, and varies from language to language. When I was learning German I would, for a long time, try to use the English prepositions, and get very funny looks from people. Eg, in English you search for something; in German you search after something.

It's just a matter of learning what preposition a given verb takes; there's little (if any) logic to it.

boxcorner · 10-23-2010, 04:46 AM

Edited by boxcorner

GraceKrispy · 10-23-2010, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinp

What annoys me the most is when they don't know when and where they should use commas.

I've wondered the same exact thing...

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Poor grammar annoys me a lot - especially the simple stuff (such as mixing up "its" and "it's"). I just feel like saying to the author "if you can't be bothered to get it right, why should I bother to read your book?"

I have read several books in the past month that have "alot" (sic) of errors like this. Yes, they are indie books, but I don't think it's too much to expect all published books to be almost completely free of blatant errors (if not completely free of them). The one I'm reading right now has had a noticeable amount of errors as well, and I'm only on page 50.

I actually changed the review policy on my blog to mention the fact that I will comment on excessive grammatical errors if I see them. I look past the first few, but if they continue, I factor that in. After all, if I'm spending more time proofing it in my head than I am enjoying the story, then it's worthy of note.

TGS · 10-23-2010, 06:02 AM

The verbing of nouns - like what I just did in taking the noun "verb" and making it into a verb - is something that seems to happen much more frequently in American English than in British or other Englishes. Sometimes it annoys me when I see it and sometimes I think it's really clever - but the amazing thing is we always know what it means!

HarryT · 10-23-2010, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGS

The verbing of nouns - like what I just did in taking the noun "verb" and making it into a verb - is something that seems to happen much more frequently in American English than in British or other Englishes. Sometimes it annoys me when see it and sometimes I think it's really clever - but the amazing thing is we always know what it means!

The one that irritates me is the use of the word "gift" as a verb. I don't know why it should do so, but it does. What's wrong with "give"?

GeoffC · 10-23-2010, 06:15 AM

gifting as a verb seems suggestive of an obligation for a return, or as a favour (perhaps).

rhadin · 10-23-2010, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

I was reading a novel by a well known author recently.

And twice he used the term "hone in on". I know we all make mistakes, and sometimes there are errors in certain translations, but...

The correct phrase, of course, is home in, the metaphor having come about in the 19th century and referring to what homing pigeons do. But it took late 20th century writers to change it to "hone in". The problem is, how does one sharpen (hone) in on something?

To answer your original question, yes, errors bother me but they bother me in relation to importance, how misleading they are, and the price I paid for the book. I am significantly more tolerant of errors I find in books I obtained for free that don't mislead me as to meaning or make me sit paused over the words trying to figure out what was meant. OTOH, if I pay $15 for an ebook, I expect it to be well edited and as close to error-free as possible.

Fbone · 10-23-2010, 06:44 AM

Regift(ed) is a rather new word that is heard often on tv.

bjones6416 · 10-23-2010, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The one that irritates me is the use of the word "gift" as a verb. I don't know why it should do so, but it does. What's wrong with "give"?

Me, too!! I don't know why, but of all the words that have been "verbified" that one grates on me the most.

petermillard · 10-23-2010, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Regift(ed) is a rather new word that is heard often on tv.

Really? Not on the channels that I watch

Seriously, yours is the first usage I've come across - what does it mean? Is it to give away something that was a gift to you, or to give something back to the person you received it from?

TIA, Pete

GeoffC · 10-23-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petermillard

Really? Not on the channels that I watch

Seriously, yours is the first usage I've come across - what does it mean? Is it to give away something that was a gift to you, or to give something back to the person you received it from?

TIA, Pete

as an example

"...he gifted the player the goal."

Sweetpea · 10-23-2010, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

I wonder what honing pigeons do?

honing pigeons? I always thought they were bees...

(honing is honey)

10-23-2010, 04:46 AM	#35
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	Edited by boxcorner Last edited by boxcorner; 10-26-2010 at 02:31 AM.

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10-23-2010, 04:23 AM	#31
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	The odd thing I skip over, but just occasionally something jars....my pet peeve is the use of meter when it should be metre (English UK writing). and the others I see frequently, "10 items or less"

10-23-2010, 04:24 AM	#32
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Poor grammar annoys me a lot - especially the simple stuff (such as mixing up "its" and "it's"). I just feel like saying to the author "if you can't be bothered to get it right, why should I bother to read your book?"

10-23-2010, 06:02 AM	#37
TGS Country Member Posts: 9,058 Karma: 7676767 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Liseuse: Irex DR800. PRS 505 in the house, and the missus has an iPad.	The verbing of nouns - like what I just did in taking the noun "verb" and making it into a verb - is something that seems to happen much more frequently in American English than in British or other Englishes. Sometimes it annoys me when I see it and sometimes I think it's really clever - but the amazing thing is we always know what it means!

10-23-2010, 06:15 AM	#39
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	gifting as a verb seems suggestive of an obligation for a return, or as a favour (perhaps).

10-23-2010, 06:44 AM	#41
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,193 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Regift(ed) is a rather new word that is heard often on tv.

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