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Starling
Half-elven
May 24 2012, 7:12am
Post #26 of 187
(4850 views)
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'State of Oregon'. I feel guttered mate.
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DanielLB
Immortal
May 24 2012, 8:54am
Post #27 of 187
(4840 views)
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Not so much a phrase that is misused, but one that annoyes me:
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To be honest
Whenever someone starts a sentence with this I just annoys me! And, to be honest, I do it myself for some reason!
Voting has begun for "The Lord of the Rings Character Elimination Game"
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imin
Valinor
May 24 2012, 10:44am
Post #28 of 187
(4734 views)
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The one that gets me the most is could care less, when i went to america it confused me and i tried to explain to a few friends its couldnt care less but it just made them say could care less more, lol.
Here is a little youtube clip from David Mitchell - comedian from UK on couldnt/could. i have forgot how to link the clip, sorry about that. Its a great clip though, well unless you are American with no sense of humour!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw
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SirDennisC
Half-elven
May 24 2012, 12:42pm
Post #29 of 187
(4748 views)
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Similarly (conversely?) "unthaw" or "dethaw" instead of
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melt or thaw. For that matter I'm not sure unfreeze is correct either though I hear it a lot.
(This post was edited by SirDennisC on May 24 2012, 12:43pm)
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 24 2012, 1:27pm
Post #30 of 187
(4904 views)
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I'm seeing them being mistakenly used for each other more and more in news stories. It doesn't really get me mad, per se. It's just I'm coasting along assuming I'm reading a professionally written and edited article and then it's jarring when it happens. Confusion over there/their/they're also seems to be getting common. Too much faith in auto-correct, I guess.
On the other hand, I know as an old country boy I probably set people off with how I write, what I say, and how I say it. For example, I often use "There's" as a contraction for "There are". Also I insist on putting two spaces after a period because that's the way I was taught. (Also I was taught there are supposed to be two spaces between the city and the zip code in an address. This was way back when zip codes first came out.) Also I always contend that the English vowels are "a,e,i,o,u, and sometimes y or w" because that's what Mrs. MacFadden said and she wouldn't lie to me.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Magpie
Immortal
May 24 2012, 1:47pm
Post #32 of 187
(4842 views)
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I think a lot of mistakes like this though...
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are simply lack of proofreading. I know a lot of this pretty well (I'm not at the level of a good editor but I'm not too shabby, either).
I know the difference between they're and their and there.... and to/two/too. But I mix them up while typing all the time. I have to catch them when I proof and I don't always have time to proof. (seriously, a post of three good sized paragraphs might take me a half hour to write!) And somehow, I can read something on my website (where I do have the capability of editing unlike old posts on forums) ten times and find something I want to correct all 10 times.
It's not for lack of knowing... it's just for lack of proofing... or not proofing well enough.
I've noticed at ew.com where the goal is to get up an article about that tv show that just played as fast as possible, that the proofing is pretty much non-existent. But proofing, and proofing well (along with fact checking, another thing I'll spend lots of time doing), can double or triple the amount of time it takes to get an article online. I get why they don't (I think they come back later and do it) but it looks pretty awful on the screen while you're reading it.
LOTR soundtrack website
magpie avatar gallery ~ Torn Image Posting Guide
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Finwe
Lorien
May 24 2012, 1:48pm
Post #33 of 187
(4713 views)
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It is amazing how quickly sayings, phrases, grammar, etc. evolve through time, especially by mistakes that have been pointed out in the thread. It does annoy me when professionals make errors like that, however, as they're supposed to know better.
As three great Jewels they were in form. But not until the End, when Fëanor shall return who perished ere the Sun was made, and sits now in the Halls of Awaiting and comes no more among his kin; not until the Sun passes and the Moon falls, shall it be known of what substance they were made. Like the crystal of diamonds it appeared, and yet was more strong than adamant, so that no violence could mar it or break it within the Kingdom of Arda.
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
May 24 2012, 1:53pm
Post #34 of 187
(4762 views)
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You feed a cold to keep up your strength; but you starve a fever to rob it of fuel.
"Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house." - Aragorn
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Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
May 24 2012, 1:57pm
Post #35 of 187
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This sort of thing drives me up the wall! (Although I'm not yet to the point of hanging myself on it  )
Would've/would of. Your/you're. Discrete/discreet. Site/sight. Grisly/grizzly.The ghastly but ubiquitous apostrophe in it's, when it means the possessive its, NOT "it is"! And don't get me started on the horrors of the dangling participle. 
Yes, I blame spell check, and simple carelessness as well. No one seems to have time to proofread any more, and I suspect that the first people laid off at publishing houses are the copy editors.
Gnashing of teeth here.
* * * * * * *
Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?
A man may do both. For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time. The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:06pm
Post #36 of 187
(4770 views)
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I'm occasionally chagrined to look back and find I've misused there/their/they're. And over years of writing reports I've definitely learned the value of getting a second pair of eyes to do a quick proof of something I've meticulously gone over a couple of dozen times before.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Annael
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:11pm
Post #37 of 187
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a friend who is an editor complained to me
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that people commonly use the past participle instead of the simple past tense nowadays.
I shrieked "SHRANK! SHRANK!" every time I saw the title "Honey, I Shrunk the Kid."
And I think half of the US says "I brung it" instead of "I brought it" and "I seen it" instead of "I saw it."
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Annael
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:14pm
Post #38 of 187
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I got caught out on "there's" the other day
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to make it worse, it was in a post correcting someone else's grammar. 
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Annael
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:19pm
Post #39 of 187
(4820 views)
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and spellcheck is useless for those mistakes
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as I repeatedly pointed out to my writers who would dump their work on my desk and say "it shouldn't need much editing, I ran Spellcheck." Although that mostly stopped after the famous report went out (not my work) with the title "PUBIC LANDS IN WASHINGTON."
Spellcheck also would not correct "doe snot" to "does not" until we took "snot" out of the dictionary. And I had to write a macro for myself to automatically correct "tot he" to "to the," because I type it wrong every time.
The way we imagine our lives is the way we are going to go on living our lives.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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DanielLB
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:21pm
Post #40 of 187
(4958 views)
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Center, color, defense, favor, flavor, gray, jewelry, meter, neighbor, theater
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The list is endless. Always tempted to correct American posters  
Voting has begun for "The Lord of the Rings Character Elimination Game"
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JWPlatt
Grey Havens
May 24 2012, 2:26pm
Post #41 of 187
(4781 views)
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Word confusion in news stories happens because now everyone can be a journalist. The blogging landscape (blogosphere) is full of amateurs who do not have the same training and high standards of real professionals. Writers now defend their right to ignorance of the language and to use it as they wish. They would rather tell you to get a life and invoke Godwin's Law about those who appreciate good grammar than improve themselves.
If they are coming from professional news services, I would suspect the dilution of the profession into greater numbers is responsible for also diluting the greater sense of responsibility and accountability.
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JWPlatt
Grey Havens
May 24 2012, 2:28pm
Post #42 of 187
(4795 views)
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Glad to see you've learned to correctly spell all those.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
May 24 2012, 2:33pm
Post #43 of 187
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Spellcheckers: Candidate for a Pullet Surprise
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Spellcheckers, the bane of modern existence...
Candidate for a Pullet Surprise
by Mark Eckman and Jerrold H. Zar
I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when eye rime.
Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule.
The checker pours o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
Bee fore a veiling checker's
Hour spelling mite decline,
And if we're lacks oar have a laps,
We wood bee maid too wine.
Butt now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know fault's with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.
Now spelling does knot phase me,
It does knot bring a tier.
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped word's fare as hear.
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should bee proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaw's are knot aloud.
Sow ewe can sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear four pea seas,
And why eye brake in two averse
Buy righting want too pleas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:35pm
Post #44 of 187
(4749 views)
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That's just painful for me to read.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:37pm
Post #45 of 187
(4728 views)
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******************************************
The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Alassëa Eruvande
Valinor
May 24 2012, 2:41pm
Post #46 of 187
(4794 views)
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Speaking of that particular typo...
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Did you hear what happened to the University of Texas commencement program last weekend?
The Aggies are going to have a field day! 
And suddenly the Tornadoes saw afar off a greenlight, as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame;
and they knew that this was no vision only, but that PJ had made a new thing: The Hobbit, the Film that Is.
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imin
Valinor
May 24 2012, 2:45pm
Post #47 of 187
(4642 views)
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though really they are written the way i would have if i had not been taught to put a u in colour etc by parents/school. As i have an American laptop however it always likes to tell me how wrong i am spelling things with English spellings of words - i know i can change the spell checker to 'proper' English, (just kidding) but cant be bothered and as people have said - spell checkers can get things wrong from time to time :P
Oh another one i write a lot is aswell instead of as well.
An irritating one that OP mentioned is hold down the fort, i never really got why that extra word was added in the first place?
To be honest (just for you daniellb that is, haha), i have poor grammar and spelling, which my housemate who did an undergrad and masters in English liked to make clear to me every day!
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DanielLB
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:46pm
Post #48 of 187
(4725 views)
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I probably do spell words ending in -er rather than -re, and always miss out the second l in jewellery 
Edit: Very nearly started my subject title with "To be honest". Why oh why do I have to use it 
Voting has begun for "The Lord of the Rings Character Elimination Game"
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(This post was edited by DanielLB on May 24 2012, 2:48pm)
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:50pm
Post #49 of 187
(4729 views)
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First they're going to have to find someone on the A&M campus who can read...
Hook 'em Horns!!
******************************************
The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
(This post was edited by Darkstone on May 24 2012, 2:53pm)
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DanielLB
Immortal
May 24 2012, 2:51pm
Post #50 of 187
(4774 views)
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To be honest (just for you daniellb that is, haha), i have poor grammar and spelling, which my housemate who did an undergrad and masters in English liked to make clear to me every day!
There is no real reason why I get annoyed with "to be honest". I think it's because I hear it all the time, in sentences such as:
"To be honest, I thought that was good"
Yes, there is nothing wrong with the sentence, but why would you not be honest?!
Voting has begun for "The Lord of the Rings Character Elimination Game"
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