Sunday, November 14, 2010

From the CD Comments: "Grammar Hall of Shame"

Here's some background, here's the rule:

1. The State of Maine has decided it must insure that all of it's dairies make a profit.

2. India's inflation rate is about 14% and it's agricultural tariffs average 32%.

3. When Apple moves it's $4 production cost to Vietnam… 

4. They’ve just released a fantastic report on China and it’s emerging cities.

5. It may not make sense, but a country that can print it's own money should never default on it's debts.

6. ….recognizing it's shortcomings would serve us all well.

7. Nuclear has it's own set of disposal issues….

8. Vast land areas would have to be converted to it's growth to replace any meaningful amount of gasoline…

9. China has no "communist" system today.  It's Communist Party is that in name only.

10. Nearly all technology is highly dependent on public funding for it's existence.

What's up with the "growing misuse of that puny piece of punctuation," which Arianna Huffington called "America's Apostrophe Catastrophe?"

11 Comments:

At 11/14/2010 11:14 PM, Blogger Mr Brimm said...

Its a shame ;)

 
At 11/14/2010 11:44 PM, Blogger Buddy R Pacifico said...

Since proper English is my second language this contraction list might prop up my awk-words. :)

 
At 11/15/2010 6:51 AM, Blogger geoih said...

Spoken language is natural for humans. Written language is a technological invention. These 'flaws' in grammer are meerly artifacts of writing. If any of these sentences were spoken out loud, nobody would consider them wrong.

 
At 11/15/2010 8:01 AM, Blogger Dad said...

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs.

 
At 11/15/2010 10:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's and its is one of my grammar problem areas (the other is you and your, but I usually hit there, they're, and their just fine). I do know the proper usage though.

My problem is partly because spell checker does not catch the mistakes ;) and partly because I am as apt to us one as the other so the odds of getting it wrong when I am in a hurry is 50%, and I do a ton of writing everyday.

 
At 11/15/2010 10:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Obviously, "everyday" and "every day" is another one of my quick slips :)

 
At 11/15/2010 10:40 AM, Blogger bix1951 said...

it's irregular

John's location
Its location

John's big
It's big

 
At 11/15/2010 12:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

bix1951,

John's big what?

 
At 11/15/2010 1:52 PM, Blogger skh.pcola said...

If you want to be a grammar absolutist, then comment #1 also has the error of using "insure" when "ensure" is the correct word for the context...unless the state is actually insuring milk production via insurance policies.

 
At 11/15/2010 3:44 PM, Blogger happyjuggler0 said...

skh.pcola beat me to the punch.

The word ensure means to make sure something happens.

The word insure means to own insurance on something, such as a car or house, with the intent to ensure that you don't suffer a financial debacle if your home burns down for example.

 
At 11/15/2010 4:06 PM, Blogger Hydra said...

Some people don't have enough to worry about.

 

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