I know I have told this story to some on this list, so forgive me if I repeat myself.  As a young college freshman (1963), I had to read R. R. Palmer's history tome, and one of his sentences included a modification of "unique."  In his estimation, something was more or less unique than something else.  Now you need to be aware of my upbringing - some children are taught to look both ways before they cross the street, others to always be polite to adults.  I was taught never to modify the word "unique."  Mr. Palmer was in obvious need of my instruction, and I upbraided him in a letter in which great umbrage was taken.  Some weeks later, I received a reply from R. R. himself, which read as follows:  "Dear Mr. Layton:  You are quite right although unduly concerned."
 
Geoff Layton

Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:11:55 -0800
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tasmanian Devils
To: [log in to unmask]

The "less" vs. "fewer" issue seems to be getting worse every day -- as is the "so fun" issue. I hear both of them often.
 
I don't think it's a grammar devil, but my nose gets out of joint when I hear (more and more) people say, "That begs the question ... " when they really mean it "asks" the question! Am I a prescriptive rhetoricist (is rhetoricist a word?)?
Paul D.
----- Original Message ----
From: Nancy Tuten <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:44:00 PM
Subject: Re: Tasmanian Devils

I often tell my students about the family who used to live across the street
from us (I really couldn't avoid them) and had "The Barnes" painted on their
mailbox. I tell the students that it would be no different than my having
"The Tuten" on my mailbox. I had to fight the urge to go over there under
cover of darkness and use a fat Sharpie to add the "es"--or at least to add
the word "Family" behind the name. Thank goodness they moved.

How about the lanes in grocery stores for patrons purchasing "Ten items or
less"?  I tell my students (and it's not true, but they get a kick out of
it) that I will shop only at Publix grocery stores because the signs in
those stores say "Ten items or fewer."

And then there are the signs across roads announcing "Prepare to stop when
flashing." (But officer, I wasn't flashing!)

I guess I am, after all, a recovering prescriptivist . . .



Nancy L. Tuten, PhD
Professor of English
Director of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Program
Columbia College
Columbia, South Carolina
[log in to unmask]
803-786-3706

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kathleen M. Ward
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 8:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tasmanian Devils

Apostrophe's.  On plural's.  Make me crazy.

I had to change my dog walking route because the better route took me 
past a house labeled "The Bridewell's."  I knew that if I kept 
walking by that house, sooner or later I would be tempted to 
vandalism, and I don't fancy working out the end of my career in the 
pokey.

Kathleen Ward
UC Davis
On Jan 30, 2008, at 4:37 PM, Beth Young wrote:

>>>> "Spruiell, William C" <[log in to unmask]> 1/30/2008 5:07 PM >>>
> Even descriptive linguists have a
> prescriptivist streak -- we just feel more conflicted about it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> Now there's an entertaining topic . . . what prescriptivist 
> tendencies will others of you admit to?  I confess to being 
> irritated by "ice tea"--it's tea with ice in it, not tea made of 
> ice--despite the fact that I have no problem with "ice cream" or 
> "ice water."  (Though I guess "ice water" would be a closer call in 
> any event, since ice & water are both h20.)
>
> Beth (who should be grading papers)
> (and who also feels conflicted about her pet peeves)
>
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web 
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