Here's another pet peeve: "up" instead of "raise." "Let's up your levels of pain meds," "I wanted to up the chances of getting to college," and so on. I've seen this in print and in public discourse. I know "up the ante," but to see "up" become a verb meaning "raise" just ups my ire!!
While I'm here let me say thank you for many interesting and thoughtful posts lately. You've instructed me well in the history of English, the teaching of grammar/usage, and the culture of this very listserv. Like some of you, I save these posts to my hard drive to refer to them later--and I look forward to meeting some of you in person at BYU next month.
Julie
Julie J. Nichols, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of English and Literature
Utah Valley University MS 153
800 West University Parkway
Orem UT 84058
801-863-6795
>>> "Paul E. Doniger" <[log in to unmask]> 08/18/10 7:09 AM >>>
Okay, since we're on pet peeves, how about this one: "X is based off of Y"
instead of "based on?" It drives me nuts, but I'm not sure that it has to do
with 'grammar' instead of just a question of usage. Usage seems to be loosely
based on logic, but not very solid logic sometimes. Also, we've discussed in
past postings the many problems with prepositions in student writing.
I usually try to get students to repair this particular issue by saying
something like "One word is better than two" - echoing Orwell. My
admonitions rarely, however, have much effect on student writing.
Paul D.
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable
fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128).
________________________________
From: Joseph McKibban <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, August 18, 2010 1:28:16 AM
Subject: Some gramatical red meat
One of my pet peeves is when I hear people use "plan on" instead of "plan
to." One example would be: "If you plan on attending, arrive early," instead of
the correct "If you plan to attend, arrive early." I hear it more and more on
television and radio (no surprise there), but I am now reading it in
newspapers.
The way that I explain it to my high school students is as follows: "on
attending" is a prep phrase which can be an adj. or an adv., but not a noun,
which is needed as the direct object of the transitive verb "plan." Conversely,
the infinitive phrase "to attend" may be used as the direct object noun that is
needed here.
Well, have at it; I can take it. At least it has nothing to do with the past
perfect tense!
Bud McKibban
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