I have heard of the Grouchy Grammarian. Dave Barry popularized "Mr. Language Person."
I'm not sure what name I should give myself, (AmiABitchyNitpicker??) but it just drives me bugshit when I catch errors like this one,
Beijing Olympics come to festive close despite criticisms of China - 2008 Olympics - SI.com
which I accessed from the main page at CNN:
"After an army band played the Chinese national anthem, hundreds of gayly dressed dancers, acrobats and drummers swirled onto the field, then made room for the athletes, strolling in casually and exuberantly from four different entrances."
Gayly? GAYLY???
There are so many jokes one could make if he or she wanted, but I won't go there. Feel free if you wish.
My hubby said, "Hmm. I thought that was one of the things they did not allow in China."
But I'm pretty sure the writers hired by SI have a fancy piece of paper from some college somewhere that declares them 'educated.'
Hmph.
As a writer/author who works daily with the Language Police, I'd also like to point out that the sentence is awkward and the metaphor is misplaced. Tsk, tsk. They should have hired me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you!
ReplyDeleteagreed LOL.
ReplyDeleteOMG, please don't read my blog. Seriously, I have an advanced degree in English, no less, and I bully the english language. I'm like a punk in the school yard. All commas and bravado. It's not right.
ReplyDeleteMy grammar is not perfect. I don't want it to be and I don't give a rat's ass.
ReplyDeleteBut someone who is being paid to be a professional writer should do better than the example I posted.
:)
How come I didn't get an invitation?
ReplyDeleteI mean, WHY didn't I get an invitation, I'm Gayly. ;-)