Reading DaveWojo's journal

I'm going to tell you my secret now.

I see dead people.

Alright, I admit that I don't see dead people. My real secret is that I'm a grammar/spelling freak. I've noticed an increase in my "grammar sensitivity" in recent days. I always notice when some ends a sentence with a preposition. Just a few minutes ago, I nearly corrected my mother when she said that the chicken had come out good. (In reality, the chicken did no such thing. It came out well.)
Perhaps I am overly sensitive, or perhaps it has become acceptable to use incorrect grammar in today's society. Whichever one of those two it is, it is somewhat depressing.

GRAMMAR LESSON OF THE DAY

Incorrect: Where do you come from?
Correct: From where do you come?

Reason: Stop ending your sentences with prepositions, people.

That's all for today, folks. Good night.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

This post was deleted by request of the author.

"you're mighty brave in cyber-space, flame boy!"

This post was edited by fallenangel on Apr 01, 2004.

Reason: Stop ending your sentences with prepositions, people.

I do it all the time. Is it really that bad? I'm lacking a native feel for the English tongue.

'Yeah, That's what Jesus would do. Jesus would bomb Afghanistan. Yeah.' - snowlion

Reason: Stop ending your sentences with prepositions, people.

I must say we've learnt it this way, too. During my school time I've had three different English teachers and all of them taught us this -->

Where do you come from?

When life hands you a lemon, that's 40% of your RDA of vitamin C taken care of.

This post was edited by null on Apr 01, 2004.

Indeed. I thought "form where do you come" would be wrong. *Confused*

Or just an April 1 joke?

'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman. 'Get stuffed!' the Harlequin replied, sneering.

Haha, I was checking grammar websites to make sure I was correct, and I read this:

"Here I'll comment on errors in written English that occur so frequently that it is often not recognized that they are errors. If you don't already recognize these errors then once you learn to you'll be amazed how often they show up."

I find it ironic that I had to stop and think for a minute before I understood what s/he said. Personally, I would rephrase the first sentence as such:

"Here, I will comment upon several errors in written English that occur so frequently that they are not often recognized as errors."
Their original phrasing stated "it is often not..." while failing to state what 'it' was. I hate it when people do that.

The author needs to take a breath at some point in the second sentence. If there were (Happy, Stoic_Slaughter?) a comma, it would be more cohesive:
"If you don't already recognize these errors, then once you learn to, you'll be amazed how often they show up."
Even so, this is still incorrect. The author does not realize, unfortunately, that contraction are not acceptable in formally written English. I would probably word it like this:
"Once you learn to recognize such errors (if you are already unable to do so), you will be astounded by how often they are made."

That the grammar lesson of the day. Someone should shoot the author of that so-called "Grammar Correction" website.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

(Happy, Stoic_Slaughter?)

Yes, quite. :)

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

I understand what you mean about how annoying prepositions at the ends of sentences can be. I'm more annoyed about the fact that subjunctive has died, because it's apparently correct to say "If I was..." and "I wish I was...". It drives me insane. English itself changes constantly, and that's always been a big problem for me because "correct grammar" now is nothing compared to what it was a hundred years ago. Apparently it is also entirely incorrect to say will following any first person pronoun. (e.g., "I will do it later.") I thought one could say "I will" to imply emphasis, but I guess not. Honestly, I don't really mind the prepositions at the ends of sentences as long as the speaker realizes that it's wrong. (My father will say, "Who are you going with?" knowing that it's proper to say "With whom are you going?" Around here, "With whom" will get you a punch in the face. :P )

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.