Pet Peeve 1

[tsdragon]

What is your current pet peeve vis-a-vis language and usage?

Mine is the relatively new habit of people trying to sound more educated that they obviously are by using the word "myself" a lot. Unfortunately they rarely use it correctly. They usually use it when they mean "me" or "I". For example: "My wife and myself went to Europe this winter," or "The company gave my coworkers and myself a raise."

It just drives me nuts!

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[Dimandja]

My middle name is Jean (masculine, French). This name was actually my first name at birth (don't ask: you'll get a long story involving dictators, cultural revolutions, etc.).

Well, at introductions, and after I have properly identified myself as "Dimandja", people would ask "do you have a shorter name, a nickname" or "what do they call you?".

Well, my family calls me Jean (they don't subscribe to that long story I told you about). The problem is, if I told anyone else to call me "Jean", then I would have to also teach them the rules of the name:

1. It's not pronounced as "jean" (the denim clothes), but "Jean" as in Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier, Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac; but, that's a longer story still.

2. "Jean" is a name for guys where I'm coming from; and "Jeanne" (not genie) is for girls.

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[SilentAiche]

Toni,

If you hadn't have said otherwise, I, too, would have thought Antonia was pronounced Ant-Toe-Knee-Ya.

Although, I would like to think if I'd been told otherwise I would have respected the name's correct pronunciation.

I am reminded of a town at the northern end of the outer banks off North Carolina's coast. It is spelled Corolla, exactly the same as the vehicle made (once made?) by Toyota, which Toyota pronounced "Cu-roll-ah." The locals call their town "Ca-rah-la," which I've always tried to respect.

I appreciate your posts.

Tim

 

[BillyRayPreachersSon]

One of my many pet peeves (most have been covered already): when people say "I don't got it".

Would this mean "I don't have it", or "I didn't get it"?

Strangely enough, and without passing any judgement on any particular nation, I've only ever heard this said by Americans.

Dan

 

[ToniL]

Tim,

While I understand that most people can't (or, for whatever reason, won't) pronounce my name correctly, I would think that in a country as ethnically diverse as America, a Spanish name wouldn't create much of a problem... My maiden name got a lot of disassembly, too... Linares, (Leen-yah-res [with the rolled 'r']) got turned in Lin-Airs, Lin-Near, Lin-A-Rez, and at one point, Linus (like the kid with the blanket)... I was so glad I got married and my name changed, I immediately danced a jig...

Peace,
Toni L.

 

[SilentAiche]

Never one to hide my ignorance, I'll confess I would have guessed that Antonia was Italian rather than Spanish. Perhaps it is because the spelling is so close to Antonio?

Now, completely off the topic (except the part about my ignorance), Dimandja's reference to Jean-Paul Sartre reminded me an incident in college. The best paper I ever wrote in college was a philosophy paper about Sartre. It was thoughtful and well written, but I only got a B+, perhaps because I spelled the man's name as Sarte throughout... Since the professor seemed to have a pet peeve about spelling, perhaps this story is not out of place here after all.

Tim

 

[SF0751]

...in a country as ethnically diverse as America, a Spanish name wouldn't create much of a problem...

Depends on where in America. Here in South Texas, probably not. However, in Iowa, where my parents live, it's a different story.

Susan
"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example." - Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)

 

[tsdragon]

And speaking of variant pronunciations, In Texas there is a city named Houston, pronounced Hew-stun). In Warner-Robbins, Georgia there is a street named Houston, pronounced House-tun. Go Figure.

(Ellen DeGeneres has an assistant on her TV show named Houston who also uses the latter pronunciation.)


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[CajunCenturion]

There is also a major street -- Houston -- in New York city pronounced howston. It's an easy way to spot a tourist. The locals know the correct pronunciation.

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[SilentAiche]

Another example, Tracy: North and South Carolina each have a Beaufort. Ours is, quite properly, pronounced Boh'-fert. South Carolina's is, quite inexplicably, pronounced Bue'-fert.

Tim (with lots of good-natured

's for my friends in South Carolina!)

 

[AnotherHiggins]

We (NC) also have the town of Wendell, pronounced win' dell, even though it is named after Oliver Wendell Holmes?!?

And any local can tell you that both Kerr lake and Kerr Drugs (a drugstore chain) is pronounced like 'car'.

[tt]-John[/tt]
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[CrystalStart]

Summary of everything posted here would be - no one can win no matter how hard they try for you, people

 

[ESquared]

I think there's at least one person who satisfies my grammar standards: me!

sleipnir214 comes pretty close, too.

 

[SilentAiche]

ah, me friends, tis Friday night when there be "rum for improvement"...

A long-standing pet peeve of mine has been the mindless ending to seemingly every memo

If you have any questions, please call me at ....

Why say it???

[red]ARRRRGGGHHH[/red] [blue] Of course they'll call you if they have any $#@&*% questions!!!!!!!![/blue]

My response to this was to embrace/make fun of/ignore the memo convention.

These days, my emails end with a variety of the following (which my co-workers have really enjoyed) (the sillier the better):

1.) If you have any questions, [red] just for fun, try asking them in Spanish. I'll have to answer them in English, of course, since I don't know a word of Spanish.[/red] (think about it, a little more, there- you've got it!)

2.) If you have any questions, [red]try asking them without using Verbs. I'll answer without using Nouns.[/red]

3.) If you have any questions, [red]try asking them using words only found on the odd-numbered pages of the dictionary. I'll answer using words on the right.[/red]

4.) a favorite If you have any questions, [red]ask them using only the keys you can reach with your left hand (from the "home position"), and I'll answer using just the space bar.[/red]

5.) If you have any questions, [red]lean your head back and hum the theme song to the "Andy Griffith Show." It probably won't answer your question, but I'll bet you feel better..."[/red]

6.) [green] Open your spreadsheet. Click on the cell in question. Now, with your right hand on the mouse, lift the handset of your telephone with your left hand. Press the number Three. Look back at your spreadsheet- did it get fixed? Did you really expect it to???[/green]

[purple]Okay, that last one was a little mean- I only used it on folks who were friends with good senses of humor..[/purple]

These are the tame ones, folks.

THanks,
Tim

 

[ESquared]

How about the really silly:

"I'm either on the phone or away from my desk, so..."

Gee. You didn't answer. So either you can't answer, or you won't answer. Either way, it hardly matters why you didn't, just tell me how you want me to leave my message (or none at all) and get on with it!

Unless you are truly intending to say that you always answer the phone and are an utter slave to it, so the only possible conditions where you might not answer it are away or already using it, then go ahead and say that.

"Honest, I'd answer if I could. I never call screen or don't answer when it rings, even if I'm bleeding to death and should really be getting myself off to the hospital. So not answering the phone this time merits your forgiveness. All right, now that we've gotten that out of the way, begin speaking after the tone and I'll call you back instantanously when I am able."

You could have some fun with it.

"Hi, I'm either on a trip to Mars or dead, or some other reason not specified, so please leave a message and I'll call you back."

"You may not have noticed that you reached an answering machine. Well, notice this fact now. That is, for clarity--if you are confused--no human actually answered the telephone. This is a recording and I, the person with whome you presumably wish to speak, am not here and cannot respond. However, you may record your own voice for me to listen to at a later time. To do so, begin speaking after the tone sounds, and when you are finished, hang up.

 

[Katy44]

SilentAiche, I don't agree. Ending a letter that way is polite. The alternative is "If you have any questions, tough. If you call, I will be too busy to answer your questions and will make you feel guilty for even having bothered me in the first place."

ESquared, I called a number the other day, and got through to a recorded message: "This is ... an ANSWERING MACHINE". I almost expected a drum roll!

 

[tsdragon]

I got so tired of the usual answering machine messages that mine used to say: "This is the Dryden's microwave oven. The answering machine can't take your call right now, but if you leave a message I'll see that he passes it on to Tracy."

My favorite was one used by a friend: "This is a machine. You know what to do."


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[AngelB]

This is a recording and I, the person with whome you presumably wish to speak

The word 'whome' is only used when you are calling someone at home. The alternative is 'whoffice'. Sorry, couldn't resist!

My favourite answerphone message:

"Hi, I'm not answering the phone right now because I'm trying to avoid someone. Leave a message and if I don't call you back it's you."

Gez



Sorry, did I say something wrong? Pardon me for breathing which I never do anyway so I don't know why I bother to say it Oh God I'm so depressed - Marvin, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 

[SilentAiche]

[blue]Katy44[/blue]: Actually, the alternative I had in mind was... silence. At the end of the subject matter, stop the memo. I do agree, however, about the politeness factor, and never have minded such a line in cases where you need to provide a telephone number or third party contact info (e.g., memo from Bob- if you have any questions, please call John...)

Tim

 

[ESquared]

It was a typo.

 

[CrystalStart]

Leaving a message I always say "OK"?
Like "call me whenever you can, ok?" and my friends always make fun of me, but guess what??? They do the same things one way or another.
My Mom once said "We are so smart and everyone else is so stupid. We suppose to struggle leaving, but we are not!" - meaning we are NOT that smart as we think.
which gives me idea of the thread (insert light bulb)

Tracy I admired your message, too funny
"This is the Dryden's microwave oven. The answering machine can't take your call right now, but if you leave a message I'll see that he passes it on to Tracy."