Pet peeve about abbreviations, grammar, etc.

(((((Sanityseeker))))) I relate big time to that--letter writing- you forgot-- that, too is a dying art--
When my daughter was in the Spelling Bee (she'd been reading the Brontes and alot of really great literature at age 9), she mis-spelt (according to the English version)
"Mosquitos"--she left the "e' on at the end. I made them do the whole spelling Bee over--

She wound up at Madison Square Garden as the District winner--ya know the one they televise now--then they mispronounced the word "emolient"--she was runner up.

I was tired of fighting with them---I let it go.

But the business about cell phones?--I hate that--you could be walking down the street, and hear someone say "How ya doing"--I used to reply "fine thanks"----
Only to realize they were talking to someone on a cell--It is what it is.

I agree with you completely. I do like to spell colour as opposed to color--

Mosquitoes as opposed to Mosquitos etc.. You are not alone!!!!!Theo

Hi Theo. You are so right. I used to love writing and receiving hand written letters. So rare now indeed. Congrats to your daughter. That is quite the accomplishment. No small feat. Its a constant issue around my house with my son. Just today he was spelling something with the letter 'z' and he said 'zee'. I said 'excuse me I don't understand you.' He smiled and corrected his pronunciation to say 'zed' instead. lol.

Closer to topic I kind of like the new language that is developing as a result of the new technologies. Maybe that is the puzzle lover in me but I think it is fun to try to decifer what is being said. I don't text as you can probably guess since I hate cell phones with a passion so I don't get exposed to the new language very often. When I see a post here that uses it I get a kick out of it actually.

As for correcting people.... I used to do that a lot. Correct pronunciation and word usages but some people really take offence. I don't personally because I like to learn. Just like spelling. I am a pitiful speller for the most part. Can't make sense of why words are spelled the way they are half the time... when to use an 'a' or when to use an 'e'..... or when one spelling applies versus another. Like effect or affect.

I can imagine a time not too far in the future when something close to the short hand language coming out of texting and chat talk will become an international common language. The days of Babble and different geographically determined languages around the globe will be over and we will all share a common language more akin to the abbreviated language coming out of texting. Just a thought. lol.

Meanwhile I will protect my Canadian English as best I can and impose it onto my son who is far more Americanized than I am. Between the media and the increased exposure to American TV his generation is far less attached to anything Canadiana than miine. Just another sign of globalization. He has no interest in our second national language but is keen to learn mandarin. His generation gets that China is fast becoming the centre of the new world.

Hi,
Yeah, it bothers me. I must admit I'm nowhere near perfect when it comes to grammar or spelling. Truth be told, there are a great many words I can't seem to keep in mind; separately, definitely and others. Even though I have been over and over my Strunk and White's I'm still not totally in tune with when to use a semicolon! But I care. I wish more people would care since it shows a reverence for language and can even be fun. The one that gets me and seems to be widespread these days is saying "I" when a "me" is in order, as in "I'm so glad you notified my wife and I."

(((Elana05)))--semi-colons are easy; you put two thoughts together in the same sentence using one. Just as I did in the last sentence.

S'okay, I forget alot of my "Perfect sentence structure"--it's the meds through the years---stupid guinea pig meds----ugh!!!--theo

Okay, I am the official champ at thread killing!! Just look at the board--
I'm going to the bottom of the list on all the threads!!!
I win, you lose!!!--Like I said, sometimes we just get tired of a thread!

Just had to throw this in for a little fun....lol.

Shangrala

Hahaha. The ONLY thing I could figure out was roflmao, and now I'm not positive I put in the correct letters there!

Hahahaha that was great.

LOL. You have it correct, PS. "Roll On Floor Laughing My Arse Off".

Ha ha--thanks Shangrala; Perpetuallysad asked the question I wanted to ask---

thanks, Perpetuallysad!