Pedantry and the state of written English.

[Norm]

[QUOTE 1356315"]
I would not use "etc" as I suggest it's clumsy and ugly. I propose the phrase "and so on" instead of "etc". That is far more elegant. [/quote]Ah, but if elegance is the desired result, "et c." must be the only acceptable option.

 

[Aperitif]

[QUOTE 1356315"]
I would not use "etc" as I suggest it's clumsy and ugly. I propose the phrase "and so on" instead of "etc". That is far more elegant.

And should "point-out" be hyphenated?
[/quote]

This is rubbish etc... you bunny biler.

 

[Norm]

As for pedantry, I am on shaky ground having asked only a few days ago whether confetti was an issue when riding on a bridal path.

 

[Dan B]

The plural of typo is typos, not typo's.

I was going to say that. But then I considered that as "typo" is a contraction of "typographical error", "typo's" is arguably correct.

[ For the record, I mostly try to avoid correcting spelling unless it has humour potential, but bad spelling does tend to put me off reading a post ]

 

[Svendo]

I think you can make a distiction between styles of writing; Txtspeak, abbreviation and slang; versus mistakes in spelling and grammar. The former have been part of English since it's been written letters and documents from all periods use such forms. To say they're wrong could be seen as a bit snobby (which has also been a part of English culture since the Saxons arrived!). After all what is to an older person, who 'learnt to do things properly', lazy is just efficient and modern to the younger people who develop and adopt it.
Mistakes in grammar are often also ways the language develops, after all dictionaries and grammars ultimate follow usage, not vice versa. For instance my personal bugbear, when people say 'less' when the mean 'fewer', is a battle now lost as the latest OED now has them as interchangeable in current usage.
Although the txtspeak misspelled examples are indeed grating, as long as they clearly say what the user wants them to they are adequate. And they don't mean the user couldn't write perfectly good formal English if chose to. I find myself vacillating between a written style and a conversationa; style when writing on the forum.
As Humpty Dumpty said, words mean what I mean them to mean.

Having said all that BHF sent out a series of emails recently advertising their charity bike rides which spelt 'pedal' as 'peddle', and I did send a proper Meldrew email back!

 

[Yellow Fang]

I usually want to put my fist through the screen when I see someone's written 'loose' when they mean 'lose'.

 

[Aperitif]

I've never done it before but if the OP doesn't pick up on the standard spellings, would it be too heavy-handed to put the corrected word in bold, like this?

I think it would probably be too 'heavy handed' 'DM'. Your explanation is clear, and a lot of words are assimilated by reading aren't they? Keep writing to your style and not only would it be nice to read, it can 'educate' too.
This thread is probably littered with people's little tricks and 'pedant catchers' anyway - but who really cares in the context of this forum?

Lety's have fun, and if the message is really important - it will get there.

Do you understand me three bicycles McGinty - you bounder, you?

 

[Speicher]

Leties may be having fun, but this is a nimportant subject.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think you'll find 'panel' is singular and your 'do' should be a 'does'.

Thanks, it seems I'm slipping too!

 

[Haitch]

For instance my personal bugbear, when people say 'less' when the mean 'fewer', is a battle now lost

Less teachers, fewer education, innit!

 

[Fab Foodie]

That is always a difficult one. If addressing the Panel as a collective and expecting a single response, you are correct.
If, however, one expects individual, varying responses from panel members, there is a case that the OP's usage was correct.

Ohhhh....

 

[Speicher]

Fab Foodie - It may also be "losing Focus" rather than "loosing Focus". But I cannot a ford to be wrong.

 

[Fab Foodie]

[QUOTE 1356315"]
I would not use "etc" as I suggest it's clumsy and ugly. I propose the phrase "and so on" instead of "etc". That is far more elegant.

And should "point-out" be hyphenated?
[/quote]


Thanks for the advice, and regarding the hyphen ... I dunno

 

[Aperitif]

Thanks for the advice, and regarding the hyphen ... I dunno

And drop that 'Fab' bit from your forum name while your a tit.

 

[her_welshness]

For me, if I saw a mate who had something stuck in their teeth or crumbs on their face I would tell them, likewise friends on cycle rides who have told me if I had mud all over my visage

I think a gentle correction in spelling and grammar would be acceptable.