Pet Peeve

DISGUSTING CONSTRUCTION OF THE WEEK
The unfortunate part about the sentence below is that it is universally used by newscasters and newspaper writers on a daily basis.

"The little girl went missing last night and the police are seeking the public's help in finding her."

IF YOU HAVE A "DISGUSTING CONSTRUCTION" OR "TOTAL MISUSE", PLEASE SEND IT TO ME AND I WILL PUBLISH IT.

WORD OF THE DAY

The word for the day is execrate.
Define and use the word in three of its forms. (verb, noun, adjective)
This is an old word but it has a good feel.

The Coup de Grace

TERRIBLE TOP TEN(continued)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 1
Hey yous guys, yesterday me and John seen that kid hit the old ball so hard that he knocked the cover off of it, irregardless, I couldn't hardly believe he still smashed it further than anybody else.
There are, at least, eight errors in this entry. I suggest there are more.

NUMBER 2
"Thanks to Borders for inviting my mother and myself for a book signing."
NUMBER 3
"You will start to see less workers."
NUMBER 4
He practiced and learned to throw the javelin further and further.
NUMBER 5
Usually, I lay on my right side.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is erudition.
Define the word and use it in a sentence as a noun and as an adjective.

Me, Myself and I

TERRIBLE TOP TEN(continued)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 2
"Thanks to Borders for inviting my mother and myself for a book signing."
Mitch Albom, The Mitch Albom Show, WJR Radio, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. (paraphrase)

NUMBER 3
"You will start to see less workers."
Lama Nicolas (A-Channel News, Tuesday, April 24, 2007, 6 p.m.
NUMBER 4
He practiced and learned to throw the javelin further and further.
NUMBER 5
Usually, I lay on my right side.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is dirge.
Define the word and use it in a sentence.

Wobbly Wednesday

TERRIBLE TOP TEN(continued)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 3
"You will start to see less workers."
Lama Nicolas (A-Channel News, Tuesday, April 24, 2007, 6 p.m.)

NUMBER 4
He practiced and learned to throw the javelin further and further.
NUMBER 5
Usually, I lay on my right side.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is licentious.
Define the word and use it in more than one form. (noun, adjective, adverb)

Tuesday Toss Up (another cheap pun - check below)

TERRIBLE TOP TEN(continued)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 4
He practiced and learned to throw the javelin further and further.

NUMBER 5
Usually, I lay on my right side.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is sagacious.
Define the word and use it in more than one form. (noun, adjective, adverb)

"Spring Has Sprung; The Grass is Riz!"

TERRIBLE TOP TEN(continued)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 5
Usually, I lay on my right side.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is ubiquitous.
Define the word and use it in more than one form. (noun, adjective, adverb)

APRIL 22 - THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Don’t forget to read Lynn Johnston's Comic Strip For Better or For Worse in April 21st newspapers newspapers. It illustrates exactly the mandate of this blog.

TERRIBLE TOP TEN (to be continued next week)
A List of Very Annoying Language Misuses

NUMBER 6 - “Off of” - cannot use double prepositions
The child was not paying attention and fell off of the swing.
The child was not paying attention and fell off the swing.

NUMBER 7 - “Unique” - one of a kind only
"The fact that she's a young person makes it that much more unique."
"The fact that she’s a young person makes it unique."

NUMBER 8 - “irregardless” - not good word usage
I am going to run across that busy street irregardless of the consequences.
I am going to run across that busy street regardless of the consequences.

NUMBER 9 - “don’t hardly” - double negative
I am extremely flattered; I don't hardly know what to say.
I am extremely flattered; I hardly know what to say.

NUMBER 10 - “Yous” doesn’t exist (you is either singular or plural)
Yous are going to think this is hilarious, but it is really pathetic.
You are going to think this is hilarious, but it is really pathetic.


THIS WEEK’S WORDS
Superfluous means unnecessary or needless. Water wings were superfluous for the strong swimmer.
Fastidious means hard to please or excessively critical. The actor was very fastidious and would not wear a torn costume.
Inexorable means unyielding, inflexible or unalterable. The inexorable fact was that the killer was going to spend a long time in jail.

A TV DOUBLE DOSE
1) a family of people is “who” not “that” (personal pronoun)
2) family is a singular collective noun and its verb must be the same (subject-verb agreement)
"The family of nine that lived there were out of town."
"The family of nine who lived there was out of town."