grammar police reporting for duty
November 5, 2009 at 3:59 pm | In miscellaneous | 13 CommentsWhen I was briefly a teacher, I would often put common word misusages on the board and talk about them because I figured even if I taught them nothing else and I failed at finding ways to force them to read To Kill a Mockingbird, at least they would know not to say supposably. There’s a word misusage that I’ve been noticing quite a bit lately, and since I’m no longer a teacher, I have no one to blab to but you guys.
It’s wary vs. weary, as in the sentence “I’m really wary of trusting that person,” wary meaning cautious, except instead I’ve heard a few people use “weary” here instead, which of course means really tired. So it sort of sounds like they’re saying they’re really exhausted from trusting the person, if you follow my garbled interpretation. Has anyone else noticed this one?? Obviously they’re close words but they don’t sound the same (weer-y vs. where-y).
Okay. That’s all I needed to say about that.
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I love when you complain about grammar. I was never really into the whole “English class” thing as I’m sure you know, but I do not like bad grammar. That’s why I always bug you with grammar questions
Comment by Dan — November 5, 2009 #
It’s not WEARY? What?!
P.S. What are your views on the starting sentences with And/But controversy? Your answer will immediately indicate whether your views are advanced or arcane.
Comment by Yellow Top — November 5, 2009 #
Well it’s perfectly clear what YOUR views are.
I start sentences with And/But all the time on this here blog. But I might avoid it if I were writing a formal non-playful essay for school. Or something.
Comment by mediumcrazy — November 5, 2009 #
I haven’t noticed that misusage, but it certainly would bother me if I did.
Comment by Kathleen — November 5, 2009 #
Aah, wrong, Judge Judy. I actually find grammar a bit….stifling, and I support more permissive sentence commencing strategies. Apparently English teachers, present company excluded I am sure, indoctrinated kids for years that you can’t and apparently you can and always could, it was just frowned upon for a while and now it’s back in vogue. I can’t believe I’ve just commented on this topic. I am going to go toilet paper a house to make up for that.
Of course the only way to know for sure is to see what Elizabeth Berg does.
Comment by Yellow Top — November 5, 2009 #
It’s loose vs. lose, my friend…that’s the weary/wary of the under 18 set these days.
Comment by J. — November 5, 2009 #
I don’t think that one is limited to 18 and under.
Comment by mediumcrazy — November 5, 2009 #
I don’t know that I’ve ever used the word “wary” – but if I ever do, I know I’ll use it the right way!
Comment by Chelsea Hurst — November 5, 2009 #
You know what happens when a parent has two daughters who were English majors … I am automatically correctly three year olds in my childcare when they say “I don’t got any” and instructing them that they don’t have any!
Comment by Marjorie Bower — November 5, 2009 #
uh-oh!
http://www.salon.com/books/review/2009/10/25/lexicographers_dilemma/index.html
Comment by c — November 5, 2009 #
I agree with this! I think grammar can be flexible. But…wary and weary are completely different words so I stand by my post.
Comment by mediumcrazy — November 6, 2009 #
Our stats must be through the roof!!
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/12/99-grammar/
Comment by Yellow Top — November 6, 2009 #
It’s like Christian Lander is Nostradamus, or something.
Comment by Yellow Top — November 6, 2009 #