Random Daily Banter

[C R]

Reacher brushes his teeth.

Reacher brushes Brian's teeth?

 

[PurplePenguin]

This example is one that's called 'hypercorrection' - people *think* that the correct version is going to sound pretentious (probably because we tend to overuse 'me', and get corrected to 'I' (and sounds grown-up/pretentious to a child), so even when people are grown-up, they think that the one that sounds pretentious (or wrong) must be right. "Me and Mr Penguin are going out to play, Mummy!" "No, that should be 'Mr Penguin and *I* are going out to play', darling!" I mean, how silly does it sound that 'I are going out to play"? OK, let's use the one that sounds wrong then.

The other technique, as I'm sure you know, is just to leave out from the statement the other person involved and see whether 'me' (object') or 'I' (subject) sounds right. There are a few occasions where pretentious grammarians and normal people will disagree whether it should be I or me.

I even know how to use who and whom, but as you know, language changes and a lot of people really don't care.

Plus, in the following case, "Don't throw the purple penguins like Trumpet and I", it is correct to use "I" even though most would replace "Trumpet and I" with me/us when speaking. As others have posted, I don't really care - if someone can articulate what they mean, then I'm generally not going to judge although I am with you that I would expect authors to follow the rules.

 

[briantrumpet]

I even know how to use who and whom, but as you know, language changes and a lot of people really don't care.

Plus, in the following case, "Don't throw the purple penguins like Trumpet and I", it is correct to use "I" even though most would replace "Trumpet and I" with me/us when speaking. As others have posted, I don't really care - if someone can articulate what they mean, then I'm generally not going to judge although I am with you that I would expect authors to follow the rules.

I realise it's hardly proper interweb behaviour, but I happen to agree with you - that case of I/me was the sort of thing I was referencing, and if I could be arsed, I'd try to come up with a logical reason, other than the trump card of 'usage', for why 'me' sounds less awkward (it probably would be centred on the correct clichéd usage of 'like me' sounding more natural than 'like I [do]). I've even been known to eschew a 'whom' in circumstances where I'd sound like an old-fashioned twerp (again).

That said, when it's a professional writer in a premium journal, I'm quite comfortable criticising incorrect (aka 'non-standard') usage, as it causes the fluent reader to have to swerve. (There are many studies/PhD's on the psychology of reading, including why 'standard (or 'correct') usage is beneficial to smooth reading flow.)

 

[briantrumpet]

Reacher brushes Brian's teeth?

I thought I'd kept that quiet too, dammit.

 

[Pblakeney]

Reacher brushes Brian's teeth?

As I always say to my wife, if I say something wrong that can be interpreted in two ways, I meant the other one.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I realise it's hardly proper interweb behaviour, but I happen to agree with you - that case of I/me was the sort of thing I was referencing, and if I could be arsed, I'd try to come up with a logical reason, other than the trump card of 'usage', for why 'me' sounds less awkward (it probably would be centred on the correct clichéd usage of 'like me' sounding more natural than 'like I [do]). I've even been known to eschew a 'whom' in circumstances where I'd sound like an old-fashioned twerp (again).

That said, when it's a professional writer in a premium journal, I'm quite comfortable criticising incorrect (aka 'non-standard') usage, as it causes the fluent reader to have to swerve. (There are many studies/PhD's on the psychology of reading, including why 'standard (or 'correct') usage is beneficial to smooth reading flow.)

"premium journal" and the FT? Are you forgetting the role the FT played in the bad graphs thread? Or how the geography student became the award winning data journalist? Maybe this is just like how you post Dan Niedle stuff to annoy me.

 

[briantrumpet]

"premium journal" and the FT? Are you forgetting the role the FT played in the bad graphs thread? Or how the geography student became the award winning data journalist? Maybe this is just like how you post Dan Niedle stuff to annoy me.

I didn't say what criterion was 'premium'... could just mean 'expensive'.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I didn't say what criterion was 'premium'... could just mean 'expensive'.

View attachment 16466

You should have a reasonable expectation that the FT is 37% better than the Telegraph. Even I would admit they exceed that benchmark.

 

[Electric_Andy]

You Do GAF, or Don’t GAF?

shouldn't that be "me don't GAF"!