Grammer Strikes

[MemaSu]

Okay- I am pretty easy going when it comes to grammar. We have very young children here. However, when I am reading a book written by a professional, with an editor, I do not expect to see 'slaughter of the English language' as part of the story.

I am speaking of the phrase 'these ones.' These is plural; one is singular. Putting an 's' on one does not make it plural.  So saying 'these ones'  not only sounds strange, it is confusing.

It is either 'these' or 'one.'

The next big issue is 'I got.'

The correct form is 'I have got'- or a contraction; 'I've got.' Better yet, don't use 'got' at all. There are better ways to say it--other verbs that better explain what it is that has been received, purchased, caught, etc.

The English language is fluid and flexible. That does not excuse the total loss of coherence involved in some of what is being used today. These phrases (and there are others!) are not slang; they are being used as proper speech & writing.

When they are included in a published book it grants these phrases a legitimacy they do not, in fact, have.

[cleanaturalady]

Sep. 11, 2009 at 8:23 AM

Su, you are singing my song.  I don't mind if a novel is written in a way that the dialogue contains slang and colloquial phrasing, but I don't think that is what you are talking about and that drives me crazy as well.

[coleyBoosmom]

Sep. 11, 2009 at 7:18 PM

This is where Joye gets it from...LOL  Her writing is why we became friends.

[mammadonna]

Nov. 8, 2009 at 9:44 AM

I got the point!  LOL Another very bothersome phrase is putting 'still' and the end of a sentence.  'Are we going shopping still?'  AAAHHHHHH!!!  that drives me CRAZY!

[mars33me]

Nov. 24, 2009 at 4:51 PM

I don't know how I missed this journal... but Trish was looking over my shoulder a few days ago when I was leaving you a comment and she pointed to this journal and said "does she know what she did right there."  You misspelled Grammar in your title.  Yea, anyway, Trish drives me insane because she is always correcting me, apparently I ain't got good language skills (haha)... good post though!!