Seen Them

I have strong opinions. Learning to rein them in a bit hasn't been the easiest. I'm active on Facebook (some say way too much)!

I can *usually* keep my mouth shut about politics and religion. Why get into it over Facebook? Your opinion isn't going to change mine and vise verse.

The other day I made the mistake of mentioning a grammar pet peeve of mine. Hooboy. Did I make a couple of folks mad.

But, since most of the people who will read this blog are readers/writers, I feel I'm a little bit safer to bring them up here.

Them.

Good word, right?

In this context, it makes me want to pull my teeth out one at a time: "Did you see them deer?"

Ergh!

Seen.

Great word.

Not like this: "I seen the Broncos last Sunday."

Gurgle.

And then put them together: "I seem them Broncos, too."

I want to stick my head in the oven and bang it a few times.

But, it's probably best not to say so on Facebook.

Comments

  1. Yeah, I saw that. I really don't think much of what people say. The written word seems to affect me more.

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  2. Those and the way people want to use an adjective in place of an adverb. It makes me grind my teeth.

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  3. I'm with ya, D'Ann-and Ella!

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  4. Good Lord, made me cringe reading those sentences. And if I heard someone speaking like that, I'd have to stop them and say: What did you just say? You seen them Broncos too? Did you not learn how to speak proper English in school?
    D'Ann, you're not alone.

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  5. I seen that post you made over their on the Facebook ... lol

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  6. I guess I should be on Facebook more often.... Great post!

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  7. Ah, c'mon, go ahead and say it. I'll "like" you!

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  8. Oh, gosh, Ella, I do that all the time...slinking away...

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  9. What Broncos? I ain't seen 'em. LOL Nope. Don't bother me a bit to hear it or read it. Just sounds like home.

    But what bothers me is when people who "think" they know say words like "heighth" instead of "height" or "irregardless" instead of "irrespective" or "regardless" That irks the bejesus outta me. Great post, D'Ann. :)

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  10. What irks me is when people assume everyone in the south has bad grammar and says ya'll, howdy, and jack-jawed. Great post. I've shared :)

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  11. Guess alot of people haven't been in a high school lately - sounds "normal" to me - yes, it's wrong but it is the norm. And it gets worse regionally.

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  12. Many of you aren't in the south where sadly, you do hear horrid usages like that a lot.

    Daryl brought up a good point though. If its in the story to add flavor because the character does speak this way, then yeah. I get it.

    LOL Kary. I will totally own the irregardless (not even a real word). About 5 or 6 years ago I said it from an English major. Joy. Mortified much. I swore it was. She had me Google (to learn for myself) and I was stunned. I honestly thought that sucker was a word. In hindsight, reviewing what it means, well, pretty common sense and give me a V-8.

    A big embarrassment not long ago was during a private (TG it was private) author chat, late--very late one evening, I saw GMC. Now, having seen an Acadia commercial, my mind went straight to vehicle.

    Again. Common sense. I'm in a writers chat, not an auto plant. Mouth went 1st sadly.

    BTW Andrea, I don't use any of those, by damn...greeting by way of "Hey" took over my more northern-ish roots.

    Great topic D'Ann! Oh and I saw that awesome review! Woo Hoo!

    If its in everyday language, then *head-desk*

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  13. Bad grammar does make me cringe. I have to correct my daughters all the time and their response is "Nobody cares." I tell them I'm Nobody then and I care. Terrific post!

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  14. I was reading that Facebook thread. Yeah, some people got a little hot under the collar, but I'm sorry there's no excuse for bad grammar. We all went through grade school. It's basic English. On a non-writing forum that I'm active on people confuse "lose" with "loose" and they get angry when called out on it. They claim we get the meaning. Uh, no. Two different words, two different meanings. Urgh but it grates on my nerves. Great post, D'Ann!

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  15. Too funny! I'm sure I've put my opinions out there and hurt feelings on FB. :) Thanks for sharing yours! I think they bother me a lot too!

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  16. I can't stand when people replace th with an f. With becomes wif, south is souf. I drives me nuts!

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  17. LOL. Once my former boss--from the midwest and then, Florida--made a comment that in the Pacific NW we say "These ones" and "Those ones". I didn't even know you weren't supposed to :)

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  18. In dialogue with a hick, it's probably appropriate. Sometimes when I'm writing Hick dialogue, critters will correct their English and they don't like that. I suppose it's possible in real life they don't like it either.

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  19. Thanks, all, for weighing in! I appreciate it!

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  20. Ebonics bothers me. I always feel like asking if they could please speak English. Now in the written word, I have to say I can't help but notice typos and other grammatical errors in magazines and books. Ebook writers, it seems, are especially prone to not double checking. Or they're relying too much on spell check. I'm with Sharon on not knowing the difference between 'lose' and 'loose.' It bothers me considerably because it takes me out of the story, no matter how well written the plot is. Simple rule: In 'lose,' you lose an 'O' in 'lOOse.' I"ll have to find your post on FB. Thanks for daring to post about this touchy subject. :-)

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