Language constructions/misuse that piss you off

[Dak]

Hyperbole is a cool word.

 

[Vitor]

well, i meant that who writes like and idiot to look like more cool doens't know the correct form.

for example, look at this:

it's called miguxês, most of words i can understand, but it's a challenge, and i'm pretty sure that who writes like that can't write a formal text. i hate it.

 

[Einherjar86]

People use "they" in that situation because writing "he or she" is awkward and pointless. Personally I would if "they" became the acceptable way to write that sentence. Ideally we could invent a word that mean "he or she" but it's not going to happen, so "they" is the best we have.

Is it so much more difficult to just alter "someone" to a plural form? For instance, say: "Several people might fail a GRE exam, but that doesn't mean that they are unfit for graduate study."

It doesn't take that much effort, and complaining about it is the reason people speak poorly in the first place.

Hyperbole is a cool word.

Onomatopoeia is cooler.

 

[Vitor]

Perspicacious is the best one.

 

[Saparmurat_Niyazov]

Verisimilitude FTW.

 

[Dak]

Verisimilitude also r0xx0rs.

 

[Srontgorrth]

I agree.

 

[Chanakya]

And even worse, are the same people who try to speak English with an American/Australian/British accent even though it's clear that they've never been to either of the countries. uke:

Exactly this. I really hate this business of fake accents. It really annoys the crap out of me. It's almost a 'cool' thing to do speaking in an American accent. Of course those people get a lot of shit for doing so and eventually crumble and speak normally. Which is cause for further embarassment really. If I might bring an anecdote, I remember this girl who went to England for 2 weeks as a fucking tourist but ended up getting an American accent. uke:

 

[Blind Guardian]

You can't speak a language without aiming for one of its accents as a reference, since then you'd speak mumbo jumbo based on your own language and alphabet. Whether it's conscious or subconscious; you always aim for an accent.

 

[Valerie]

I don't get "all but". I know it means "very nearly" but I don't understand why. In a literal sense, it looks like you're saying "everything excluding" like "the beer was all but gone" would mean the beer was everything but gone, so there is still beer. But saying "the beer was all but gone" actually means the beer pretty much is gone. It doesn't make sense.

There are a lot of buts in this post, and I approve it.

 

[Chanakya]

You can't speak a language without aiming for one of its accents as a reference, since then you'd speak mumbo jumbo based on your own language and alphabet. Whether it's conscious or subconscious; you always aim for an accent.

Maybe that's how it works in Scandinavia where you'll each have a distinct language/dialect. Though we don't really kill English a la Singlish, I believe that we have our own distinct accent based on our pronounciation of 'r's and 't's . Most kids today are taught only English from birth.

 

[ThrashizFTW!]

I absolutely hate it when girls text or message you like this

[Actual msg sent to me today]

So whaa's up niqquh.?!
How is your week planned.?
Minez is purdyy much planned to bee lamee;
&borinnqqq.!
Got a phonee'.? Txt.?!


--------------------

Fucking ridiculous.

 

[Vitor]

I just ignore people like that.

 

[ThrashizFTW!]

Yeah, well getting off topic a bit... Corinthians vs. Flamengo is about to happen! Exciting match. I'm for Corinthians on this one

 

[Vitor]

WHAT???? FLAMENGO MO' FO' !!!!

 

[zabu of nΩd]

I don't get "all but". I know it means "very nearly" but I don't understand why. In a literal sense, it looks like you're saying "everything excluding" like "the beer was all but gone" would mean the beer was everything but gone, so there is still beer. But saying "the beer was all but gone" actually means the beer pretty much is gone. It doesn't make sense.

There are a lot of buts in this post, and I approve it.

Yeah, that really is all but the stupidest phrase ever conceived.

 

[damnromulans]

I absolutely hate it when girls text or message you like this

[Actual msg sent to me today]

So whaa's up niqquh.?!
How is your week planned.?
Minez is purdyy much planned to bee lamee;
&borinnqqq.!
Got a phonee'.? Txt.?!


--------------------

Fucking ridiculous.

Well if you stopped picking up chicks at the home for the developmentally disabled, you wouldn't be getting texts like that

 

[zabu of nΩd]

 

[ThrashizFTW!]

 

[Saparmurat_Niyazov]