Friday, June 3, 2011

Grammatical Pet Peeves (2)

I wrote the first installment of grammatical pet peeves a few months ago and then I let the wind out of my sails a little bit cause I feared I was turning into one of those smarmy know-it-alls that has to teach the world what’s best, which I’m so not. I don’t care what the world does as long as it doesn’t affect my own personal liberty. Not to say that I’m a total societal nihilist, I mean I do care about a broad range of subjects but I’m not the type of person that’s going to tell you how to behave, or raise your kids or what to believe in. Except, it appears, in regard to grammar. I have tried to hold my tongue, but I have a secret word file where I note all of my grammatical pet peeves, I apparently have no control over my actions. Since I don’t think it’s healthy to have “secret word files” regarding the usage of grammar and spelling I’ve decided to just come out and post my pet peeves occasionally. Think of it as a form of therapy.

I’ve found this one in more blogs than I can count and it gives me goose bumps every time I read it. Literal goose bumps. Yes, I know I’m weird. Initially I was amazed at the fact that I only found this in blogs or on social media sites like facebook or twitter and never in books and magazines, until I remembered that books and magazines have editors whose job it is to avoid just these pitfalls. (I wish I had that job!)

Anyway, my pet peeve today is “without further adieu”.
What you actually mean is “without further ado”.
Ado means a flurry, hubbub, fuss or bustle (google it!). It’s most famously used by Shakespeare: Much ado about nothing.
Adieu is French for goodbye.

The phrase “without further ado” basically means that you want to get to the point without additional talk or activity. As you can clearly see “adieu” (goodbye) has nothing to do with this.

I’ll leave it at that, I’m trying to be civilized and levelheaded so no outraged rants for me today. Let me just say though, that when we’re writing, the easiest thing we can do, if we have even the teeniest doubt about what we’re saying, is to google it. Seriously, just use google and you will know in an instant if you’re using the right word, expression or turn of phrase. It literally takes one second.

"Grammatical Pet Peeves" is brought to you by your friendly neighborhood neurotic blogger, please join us next week for the next installment (because there are many more to come).

15 comments:

  1. Oh my, I have never seen that one. That's just...wow. I can also be a grammar stickler. But I'm trying to be better about not letting it bug me. I realized since I don't proofread my own posts that I occasionally do one of my own personal pet peeves, writing you're instead of your or vice versa. I know the difference, I just don't proofread and if I catch it after I publish, I'm too lazy to fix it.

    But the one you listed, really horrible. And I agree, please google if you're not sure.

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  2. I'm sure I've made my share, and I live in Wisconsin so you know I'm pretty much surrounded by this. Take: 'Don't ya know, hey?' Is that poor grammar or just stupid?

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  3. Oh for us it's "good" and "well." Like how ya doin? Oh good? Really? Are you doin good? Cuz that means you're feeding the homeless or saving a kitten stuck in a tree or something. I believe you mean you are doing well!!!

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  4. I must admit, I've never seen or heard this grammatically, incorrect phrase either. I cannot believe some people say or write this. Being an English teacher ( and I must admit I sometimes have to review my own grammar too!) These people must be either ignorant, not very well read or plain stupid. Unless, English is their second language so this could be justified!!!

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  5. Oh that drives me crazy as well! :P

    I couldn't help but notice, though, that you've missed a "comma" where it could have been one (just to catch a breath!), and you've also put a comma where it should have been an "and", to "link" the last part of another sentence - that, or maybe a ";" followed by the rest of the sentence.

    I'll show you what I mean:

    "Since I don’t think it’s healthy to have “secret word files” regarding the usage of grammar and spelling[comma] I’ve decided to just come out and post my pet peeves occasionally."

    And here:

    "I have tried to hold my tongue, but I have a secret word file where I note all of my grammatical pet peeves[;] I apparently have no control over my actions."

    or:

    "I have tried to hold my tongue, but I have a secret word file where I note all of my grammatical pet peeves [and] I apparently have no control over my actions."

    or even:

    "I have tried to hold my tongue, but I have a secret word file where I note all of my grammatical pet peeves[period] I apparently have no control over my actions."

    Please don't get me wrong, you know. Just saying.

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  6. @Jessica Anne I'm pretty sure we all make proofreading mistakes. I catch mistakes in my writing even after the third or fourth read-through. I just like to be a pain in the rear occasionally!

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  7. @BuenoBaby Nah, nothing wrong with colloquialisms in my opinion. They add character to your writing!

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  8. @I'm So Fancy You are SO right! And you know what, I do that ALL THE TIME! Although, I do, in fact, do a lot of good to society at large - this post is a prime example - so I've actually been answering correctly all along! ;-)

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  9. @Deborah I follow some of these blogs and stupid may be a little harsh. Mistakes like these happen when we often hear a phrase but rarely see it written. This is a perfect example cause anyone who has watched the oscar's even once will have heard it about a thousand times... but may never have seen it written.

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  10. @Anonymous Mea Culpa! Yes, my punctuation needs some polishing, will go fix it now, thanks!

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  11. I am glad I have you Moomser as an editor, hehe.
    This is a horrible one, I have to agree.
    When I was away this past week end I realized there was an "s" missing in my post and I tried to get into blogger and correct from my phone but it wasn't working and it drove me crazy all weekend. How neurotic is that?
    By the way, Anonymous, you have a mistake in your second sentence (it instead of there). I try not to point out these things, because no matter how many times I reread a text, I know there will be a blatant mistake in it if I point out some one else's. Probably just like now! :o)

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  12. My pet hate (and it is more what is fashionable rather than correct) is when people say something was "gifted" to them. What is wrong with saying something was "given" to you? Why has this concept of "gifted" entered our language!!

    I am probably just old fashioned.

    Take care.

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  13. And yes - I should have put a question mark and not two exclamations marks in my comment..

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  14. My pet hate (and it is more what is fashionable rather than correct) is when people say something was "gifted" to them. What is wrong with saying something was "given" to you? Why has this concept of "gifted" entered our language!!

    I am probably just old fashioned.

    Take care.

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  15. Oh for us it's "good" and "well." Like how ya doin? Oh good? Really? Are you doin good? Cuz that means you're feeding the homeless or saving a kitten stuck in a tree or something. I believe you mean you are doing well!!!

    ReplyDelete