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This isn't a spelling gripe, but an apostrophe gripe. I actually saw the word news spelled with an apostrophe this week, as in "new's". I can't remember which forum thread, but did I call them on it? Yes. This is what I meant by a total lack of understanding your own language.
This isn't a spelling gripe, but an apostrophe gripe. I actually saw the word news spelled with an apostrophe this week, as in "new's". I can't remember which forum thread, but did I call them on it? Yes. This is what I meant by a total lack of not understanding your own language.
HA, I saw that one, too! Apostrophetardation seems to have grown significantly worse in the past few years.
It's not just on these types of forums, either. I see it at WORK, in people's emails and in documents.
HA, I saw that one, too! Apostrophetardation seems to have grown significantly worse in the past few years.
It's not just on these types of forums, either. I see it at WORK, in people's emails and in documents.
And I just saw this on some large company's major product's packaging -- not once, but twice on the same box. Which demonstrates that even today's copyeditors (who do the final check on almost everything you see in professional print) leave something to be desired -- despite that their PAID JOB is to be the grammar nazis of the publishing world!!
Mistakes happen; ignorance can be corrected (I know people who have no education, but learned to write reasonably well simply by "aping their betters"). But anymore there seem to be too many people who don't even make an effort.
I think the biggest culprit has been the demise of the old tried-and-true teaching methods. They taught discipline, which is now generally lacking. And for most people there's a direct correlation between disciplined, repetitive (rote) learning and how long something sticks in your brain. That boring English spelling/grammar class of 50 years ago is why today you don't have to think about whether to use its or it's -- the correct one is always at your figurative fingertips.
And I just saw this on some large company's major product's packaging -- not once, but twice on the same box. Which demonstrates that even today's copyeditors (who do the final check on almost everything you see in professional print) leave something to be desired -- despite that their PAID JOB is to be the grammar nazis of the publishing world!!
Mistakes happen; ignorance can be corrected (I know people who have no education, but learned to write reasonably well simply by "aping their betters"). But anymore there seem to be too many people who don't even make an effort.
I think the biggest culprit has been the demise of the old tried-and-true teaching methods. They taught discipline, which is now generally lacking. And for most people there's a direct correlation between disciplined, repetitive (rote) learning and how long something sticks in your brain. That boring English spelling/grammar class of 50 years ago is why today you don't have to think about whether to use its or it's -- the correct one is always at your figurative fingertips.
I agree with you. My mother, 82, is a good writer. She has excellent grammar and spelling skills. not to mention beautiful cursive handwriting. She's written speeches to give at her American Legion or church functions and always asks me to proofread them. Rarely do I find an error. She dropped out of high school in tenth grade.
It bothers me that the English language is butchered so often in the media. You would think that people who work for TV news stations and newspapers,etc., would be able to handle it. America seems like it is going backwards in terms of education.
I agree with you. My mother, 82, is a good writer. She has excellent grammar and spelling skills. not to mention beautiful cursive handwriting. She's written speeches to give at her American Legion or church functions and always asks me to proofread them. Rarely do I find an error. She dropped out of high school in tenth grade.
Same era and skills as my mom (who will be 81 next month). Folks from back then had a better education by the 6th grade than do today's high school graduates.
"This urinal uses 16 ounces of water per flush, saving 87% more water than a standard 1 gal. urinal." This was posted on a sign at a water saving urinal.
This statement does not make sense from a logical perspective, at least in my mind. First, numerous assumptions must be made, such as, a "standard 1 gal. urinal" uses 1 gallon per flush.
One would also have to know how much a "standard 1 gal. urinal" saves, and compared to what (again, you'd have to assume something). The only water savings a "standard 1 gal. urinal" provides would be if you compared it to a standard toilet.
I think what the intended statement meant was that the new type of urinal used only 13% (100%-87%) of the water that a "standard 1 gal." urinal used. This would make sense, since 16 ounces is slightly less than 13 percent of a gallon.
It's too bad that no one from the company took the time to proofread what was claimed before it was posted.
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