grammar (errors) for everyone!

Okay, about this time of year, writing instructors start talking about errors. We'll say: "Listen to this!" and read a particularly egregious (or amusing) error for our officemates. We send emails with malapropisms around to each other. I have heard it argued that it is not okay for us to make fun of our students in such a way. But here's what I think. We are usually just as willing to make fun of our own errors (today I wrote to Susan about her palate when I was talking about the board she puts dabs of paint on--and I'm willing to own up to it), and we never mention names or make fun of anyone publicly. Does that make it okay? Probably not. But laughing at mistakes (not students) prevents us from doing what my friend Mark talked about today (stabbing people in the eye), so I think we're going to continue the practice.

Check out "Just for fun" in the right-hand column. I really enjoy the "unnecessary" quotations blog. I always get a kick out of that particular oddity in many writings.

I also like the over and misuse of apostrophes. Or is it apostrophe's?

What are some of the errors that make you grind your teeth?

Comments

Anonymous said…
I hate the overuse of exclamation points! Everything is amazing! Woo!
Anonymous said…
Same here. Apostrophes and exclamation points. Oh AND USING ALL CAPS.

Found you through your comment on Mary Alice's blog. Wonderful!!!! :)
Mrs. T said…
Usage, I guess- "we was", "I seen", and my all time favorite, "Where's that at?".
I hesitated to use quotation marks here, but threw caution to the wind and did it anyway.

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