Saturday 14 April 2012

Grammar Nazis


Where do you draw the line on correcting people's grammar?


I seriously endeavor to not do that anymore. 
I don't correct people if they use the wrong word or have incorrect grammar. 
I don't complain about how difficult it is to understand some people or become impatient and short with someone who does not:

  • speak or write in full sentences
  • use magnificently huge words
  • always make themselves transparently clear in every phrase they use or line they type.


So go ahead, you pompous bastards. Hold it over their head; belittle them, and make what you view as their idiocy worsen. 
That's what you sick, sycophantic psychos live for, isn't it? 
To stand as a monument of written and spoken English greatness, unattainable by us glaringly uneducated, unlucky folk?

Who says I can't rant and rave? 


I know this may seem out there even for me, but I have yet to really express the 'shout, shout, let it all out' side of me. In fact, it's been a long time since I got all logical lunatic on anything, really. That has a lot to do with my fear of being wrong and looking like an idiot.

I have two answers for myself when when that feeling slithers under the soles of my feet:


  1. It's your opinion--opinions are only wrong if they are compared to a differing opinion.
  2. You're blogging about grammar Nazis; therefore, you already look like an idiot. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot:
  3. It's the INTERNET. Get OVER it.


...Back to the subject.

Saying this is indeed quite hypocritical of who I used to be. 

I used to get down right demented when someone would say "me and _____". 
I'd say, "_____ is mean? Why do you hang out with them if they're mean?"

Even now, I still think the response I have all prepared--but I don't say it. 
English is ridiculously important. Not only is someone viewed as iron chewing, inbred ilk if they do not speak it correctly (and succinctly and within a certain threshold of speed and tempo) they're in for one hell of a hard time getting a job without at least base communication skills. I am not supporting the people who cannot be bothered or are just too plain lazy to be 'proper' -finger quotes-, but I really have issue with those of you out there who seem to have taken it upon themselves to be the strict speech sensei from the swollen seventh hell.

The Strict Speech Sensei from the Swollen Seventh Hell says:
"That's WRONG!!!"


Spoiler alert, opinion! 

These are times you should let it go:

  1. If it's just a personal conversation
  2. If you already 'know' that you are more intelligent than they are
  3. Their mistake is completely devoid of humor
  4. Any other time other than listed below:
a) They ask you if it's correct or not
b) You're in a class and will be graded lower based on their lack of skills
c) You know misspellings look awful and your boss is going to blame the 'team' even if you dodge the direct blame.



In the end, we really just can't communicate without assuming something or other, can we? We humans--we're a bit of a sorry lot, aren't we? Craziest thing is that to err is human--and apparently so is to judge.

©reated by ŊetHerŊøte  

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