Why Grammar Matters: A Place To Discuss Matters Of Grammar

[shapeshifter]

8 hours ago, Absolom said:

I don't say them the same and have never had any confusion except why people couldn't get it wasn't of. 

Interesting. It hadn’t occurred to me (but probably should have) that there are regional differences in pronunciation of, for instance, “should’ve” and “should of.”

Having lived in various northern states, I would say both with the schwa sound.

[shapeshifter]

From today’s NYT Mini Crossword, 5 across:

[Anduin]

On another note, "two hours walk". Should it be hour's? Hours'? Please help.

[Milburn Stone]

I would go with hours'. The understanding is that it is a walk of two hours. That silent "of" makes hours the possessor and walk the possessed. (Even though it is an abstract concept of ownership in this case.)

[Absolom]

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Interesting. It hadn’t occurred to me (but probably should have) that there are regional differences in pronunciation of, for instance, “should’ve” and “should of.”

Having lived in various northern states, I would say both with the schwa sound.

One is uh (schwa) and the other is more like ah. I have lived in the south and west.  

[Absolom]

9 hours ago, Anduin said:

On another note, "two hours walk". Should it be hour's? Hours'? Please help.

I would say a two hour walk. The hour doesn't possess anything so hour's and hours' are both out. 

[shapeshifter]

On 12/16/2024 at 3:11 AM, shapeshifter said:

Interesting. It hadn’t occurred to me (but probably should have) that there are regional differences in pronunciation of, for instance, “should’ve” and “should of.”

Having lived in various northern states, I would say both with the schwa sound.

On 12/16/2024 at 11:22 AM, Absolom said:

One is uh (schwa) and the other is more like ah. I have lived in the south and west.  

That makes sense since "have" is a short A sound.
Now I'm wondering if most of the "could of", "should of," and "would of" typers are northerners.
And then there are all the varieties of Brit speak out there.

 

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

I've got the same coughing crud I had a year ago, so I'm looking for an urgent care place to go to, even though I know they won't give me the good cough syrup that actually works but I've got to do something.

There's one place called AfterOurs urgent care.  WTF, right?  After our what?  Who's included in "our"?  Could it possibly have been a typo and they just doubled down?

But it gets worse:  "Hear What Our Patient's Are Saying."  And that's after letting their "comprised of" slide, as well as "walk-in or reserve your spot" because everybody commits both of those crimes all the time. 

But then we have this: 

Quote

Our patients feedback provides immense value by enabling our continual service refinement, propelling us closer to our mission of providing each patient with a one-in-a-kind experience! Below we have taken the liberty of including an assortment of feedback for transparency and your convenience.

Assaults on the language, gobbledygook, and what looks to me like a sprinkling of AI help.  And this is not a case of, "Well, he's a plumber.  What do you expect?"

The nearest alternative got slapped with a fine by the government for a whistleblower complaint regarding upcoding Medicare charges.  Have they learned their lesson?  And if so, which lesson?  Don't do it, or be more careful when you're doing it?

I wish I'd just started driving around and stopped at the first one I came to.

[Dimity]

[annzeepark914]

By golly, you've done it Dimity! IMNSHO, this is a perfect explanation, er, illustration.🧐

[Zella]

As I've said before on here, don't use this one in a job interview. Ask me how I know. . . .

 

Edited Saturday at 04:47 AM by Zella

[Salacious Kitty]

19 minutes ago, Zella said:

As I've said before on here, don't use this one in a job interview. Ask me how I know. . . .

 

Your linky no worky. I assume it's the hookers and Stalin defense of the Oxford comma. 😀

[Zella]

44 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Your linky no worky. I assume it's the hookers and Stalin defense of the Oxford comma. 😀

Thanks for the head's up! I think I fixed it and yes you're correct. LOL

[Ancaster]

On 12/16/2024 at 8:22 AM, Absolom said:

One is uh (schwa) and the other is more like ah. I have lived in the south and west.  

"Should of" is incorrect - it should always be "should have."

[Absolom]

Of course it is.  I was merely saying that I don't hear them the same when spoken.

[shapeshifter]

On 12/20/2024 at 10:42 PM, Zella said:

As I've said before on here, don't use this one in a job interview. Ask me how I know. . . .

 

Here's a more legible (to me) version:

It took me a few moments to understand it because of the top row of images, and then the JFK depiction is not a good likeness (yes, I paint portraits*).
Neither is Stalin, but there's the 'stache.
 

*…like Woodrow Wilson for a project at the college where I worked:

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by shapeshifter