You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[DaGoonie55]

I miss Army lingo. I still find a way to work orientate into conversation with guys that get it. Had an 1SG that would always say orientate...and he would also say "pacific" instead of specific

 

It's one of those things (military service) that you can't believe you miss so bad.  Every day.....back to the thread...

 

Also - the word 'like'.

 

"OMG, she was totally like late and stuff."

 

Was she late, or was she almost late?  There is no comparitive means between late and almost late.  One is punctual and one is tardy.

 

"I was like, 'OMG she was totally like late and stuff' and the old man was like, 'girl you so stupid' and I was like 'Whatever'."

[thebluefood]

I was interviewing someone yesterday who said "Shadrach" (the name of a Biblical figure) when he obviously meant "ransacked." Took everything I had not to laugh in his face.

[Duckus]

Ending sentences with a preposition.

That rule is actually a myth. Ending a setence with a preposition is acceptable.

[LadySkinsFan]

That rule is actually a myth. Ending a setence with a preposition is acceptable.

 

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not what I was taught between 1957 through 1969 (1st through 12 grades), nor in journalism class.  It has come about through an acceptance of writing how one speaks, instead of writing correctly.

[chipwhich]

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/words/ending-sentences-with-prepositions

[skinsmarydu]

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not what I was taught between 1957 through 1969 (1st through 12 grades), nor in journalism class.  It has come about through an acceptance of writing how one speaks, instead of writing correctly.

Word, girl.  I've told my husband he needs to Dictaphone his e-mails so that I'll type them correctly.  Dude is an English wrecking ball.

[dfitzo53]

The word anxious. To say you are anxious to do something implies anxiety about something but everyone uses it as a replacement for the word eager. Common use Example:

"I'm anxious to see my grandparents tonight."

Are you afraid of them? Did they beat you as a child or something? Use eager instead. The word anxious drives me insane.

Correct usage btw:

"I'm anxious about the test tomorrow."

It is 100% correct to use the word anxious in terms of eager anticipation.  However it implies that the upcoming event is causing a certain amount of nervousness.  "I'm anxious to give my speech this weekend."  You could even say that you're anxious to see your grandparents if, for example, you're so excited that you're feeling unsettled.

 

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not what I was taught between 1957 through 1969 (1st through 12 grades), nor in journalism class.  It has come about through an acceptance of writing how one speaks, instead of writing correctly.

 

Word, girl.  I've told my husband he needs to Dictaphone his e-mails so that I'll type them correctly.  Dude is an English wrecking ball.

So the evidence that's been posted thus far that that rule is absurd doesn't faze either of you?  

 

Your refusal to accept reality is really getting me down.  Or should I say that your refusal to accept reality is down getting me?

[LadySkinsFan]

The inference that the rule is absurd does not negate the rule.  The rule is the reality.

 

The word "down" is not a preposition, it is a direction.

 

"Getting me down" is a colloquialism.

 

You could say: "Your refusal to accept reality upsets me."  Note the use of the action verb "upsets".  Most modern writers incorrectly use passive voice, which weakens the writing.  It also means that most modern writers did not learn correct, language usage.

[Duckus]

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not what I was taught between 1957 through 1969 (1st through 12 grades), nor in journalism class. It has come about through an acceptance of writing how one speaks, instead of writing correctly.

Shakespeare disagrees.

Many folks, including myself, were taught never to do it. However, it is not actually a "rule" of the English language.

How it made its way to common practice is sort of a fascinating story.

"The whole notion about “dangling” prepositions traces back to a tossed-off remark by poet John Dryden in 1672, although what seems to have truly set the “rule” in stone is A Short Introduction to English Grammar, penned by Robert Lowth, an eighteenth- century bishop in London. Sober and pithy, this book happened to catch on and be used in classrooms into the early 1900s. Neither Dryden nor Lowth actually specified what was so wrong with prepositions coming last, but both were guided by an idea popular among writerly people of their era that good grammar was Latin-style, even in languages that aren’t Latin. Latin happens not to dangle its prepositions. However, Arabic doesn’t either, and few would espouse beginning our sentences with verbs the way the language of the Koran does"

Nevertheless, many like to be told what to do, and messages get garbled over time. Countless grammar books simply put a taboo on ending sentences with prepositions. The result: a nonsensical “rule” tartly and accurately described by Kingsley Amis as “one of those fancied prohibitions dear to ignorant slobs.”

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113187/grumpy-grammarian-dangling-preposition-myth

[Skinsfan1311]

The use of the words offence, and/or defence, when discussing football.

 

I don't care what country you live in. It comes off as slightly douchey.

 

That is all.

[LadySkinsFan]

I work with proposals (contracts), and a certain level of language is required.  I've yet to see a contract that includes sentences that end in a preposition.

[dfitzo53]

The inference that the rule is absurd does not negate the rule.  The rule is the reality.

 

The word "down" is not a preposition, it is a direction.

 

"Getting me down" is a colloquialism.

 

You could say: "Your refusal to accept reality upsets me."  Note the use of the action verb "upsets".  Most modern writers incorrectly use passive voice, which weakens the writing.  It also means that most modern writers did not learn correct, language usage.

As was pointed out both before and after your post, the "rule" can be traced to one single misconception.  Latin and English are so different in their structure that there's no reason to blindly apply a rule from Latin.

 

Also, while I was being facetious with my use of "getting me down," down absolutely can be used as a preposition.  Walking down the road is not any different than walking over the bridge or walking through the city.

[dfitzo53]

I work with proposals (contracts), and a certain level of language is required.  I've yet to see a contract that includes sentences that end in a preposition.

You'd have to convince me that legal contracts should be used as the model for literary English before I would give much weight to that point.

 

At any rate, there was also a link posted to Oxford's opinion on the use of prepositions at the end of sentences.  We can accept that English follows definite rules that have been written somewhere, in which case the current Oxford dictionary supports ending sentences with prepositions in some cases, or we can reject that notion, in which case it's silly to be arguing about rules in the first place.

 

(Side note, it's silly to be arguing about rules at all, but this is an internet message board after all.)

 

Edit: Just for fun...

[LadySkinsFan]

You say potatoe, I say patotoe.  Let's call the whole thing off! 

 

Interesting discussion for sure.  Unfortunately for me, I must continue to edit to eliminate sentences that end with a preposition.  It's a curse, I tell you!

[mistertim]

Is this thread actually getting serious?

[LadySkinsFan]

No, not serious at all! 

[China]

Reminds me of the old joke:

 

A freshman on the Harvard campus is looking for the administration building.  He comes upon another student and asks him "Can you tell me where the administration building is at?"

 

To which the student replies "At Harvard we do not end our sentences with prepositions."

 

The freshmen then asks "Can you tell me where the administration building is at, asshole?"

[Redskins Diehard]

Reminds me of the old joke:

A freshman on the Harvard campus is looking for the administration building. He comes upon another student and asks him "Can you tell me where the administration building is at?"

To which the student replies "At Harvard we do not end our sentences with prepositions."

The freshmen then asks "Can you tell me where the administration building is at, asshole?"

what reminds you of that old joke? zoony's post in this thread?

[balki1867]

Highly unique one:  The term 'walk off' being spread beyond baseball for any game-ending play.  The concept used to be that when someone hit a 'walk off' home run, all of the fielders walked off the field instead of doing their traditional post-game celebratory handshake.  This is unique to baseball because in 90%+ of baseball games, the game ends with the winning team playing defense, so they typically all converge near the mound after a win. Instead, they must all walk off the field to their dugout as losers.

 

First the term "walk off homerun" was born because the defenders could walk off the second the ball was hit -- it was a home run so they didn't even really have to field it.  Then it spread to "walk off single", etc, which was kind of odd because they can't just walk off-- there is still a play at the plate or somewhere so they probably play *SOME* defense.  Now sportscasters talk about "walk off field goals" in football which makes zero sense.

[dfitzo53]

Highly unique one:  The term 'walk off' being spread beyond baseball for any game-ending play.  The concept used to be that when someone hit a 'walk off' home run, all of the fielders walked off the field instead of doing their traditional post-game celebratory handshake.  This is unique to baseball because in 90%+ of baseball games, the game ends with the winning team playing defense, so they typically all converge near the mound after a win. Instead, they must all walk off the field to their dugout as losers.

 

First the term "walk off homerun" was born because the defenders could walk off the second the ball was hit -- it was a home run so they didn't even really have to field it.  Then it spread to "walk off single", etc, which was kind of odd because they can't just walk off-- there is still a play at the plate or somewhere so they probably play *SOME* defense.  Now sportscasters talk about "walk off field goals" in football which makes zero sense.

I've never heard someone use it in a football context.  You're right, that doesn't make sense.

[Mocountyskins]

There are a couple of words that are in my opinion used incorrectly and sometimes it drives me nuts. But I'm not too much of a grammar nazi as long as it's not like "lik3 talkn lik dis cuz u no dats how we is doin" other than that I don't mind too much if I know what the other person is trying to say. Some people are not as educated as others and some people do not excel at certain subjects (like myself), often I get offended when I see a grammar nazi telling off a random person.

[Bubble Screen]

I have a friend whom I text with a lot back and forth. He ALWAYS uses "being" in place of "been". Example: "I've being at work all day". Ugh. Drives me nuts.

[First Colony]

I just saw this in the Stadium.  When discussing the problems between RGIII and Shanahan, several posters referred to the "riff" between the two.  Unless they are jamming on guitars, I'm pretty sure they meant "rift". 

[Mr. Sinister]

I just saw this in the Stadium.  When discussing the problems between RGIII and Shanahan, several posters referred to the "riff" between the two.  Unless they are jamming on guitars, I'm pretty sure they meant "rift". 

 

Lol, I saw the same thing.

[balki1867]

I've never heard someone use it in a football context.  You're right, that doesn't make sense.

 

Youre right-- It's not common but it makes my ears burn when I hear it.  Here's one from a few weeks ago: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/recap/NFL_20131020_BAL@PIT