<p>Problem with spell check is it only determines if you used a <em>word</em>, not necessarily the RIGHT one. So you see homonym confusion, and usages such as “per say” which means the person has no familiarity with Latin whatsoever.</p>
<p>I listen to our language being butchered in the area where we live…much like mamabear. " where are you at ? " is common , or " I seen " it always reminds me of a very strict second grade teacher neighbor who lived next door to my family .</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think you mean “when a college cannot even spell ITS own name correctly.” :-)</p>
<p>“The dishes need washed” is not uncommon in areas where there are Germanic/Scandanavian immigrants. It’s basically a literal translation from those languages.</p>
<p>At a Christmas party this year, a Chicago parent noted to us that Chicago Public Schools’ teachers supposedly have average ACT score of 19. Even if just an urban legend, I suspect the truth is not far off. CPS students are at a distinct academic disadvantage just by enrolling at their local public school.</p>
<p>Agreeing with mommusic above that a combination of spell check and homonym confusion is to blame for many in-print bloopers (certainly many of the ones I see on CC). Though that can’t explain “inclimate,” which isn’t a word. Many people are bad proofreaders and look only for words underlined in red when they review. Perhaps the person responsible for “inclimate” is sure that it IS a word and has either added it to his/her computer’s dictionary or just thinks “stupid spell check” when it’s underlined.</p>
<p>God is in the details, as they say. So proofreading is important.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sorry, but I disagree. A colloquialism is informal speech, not gramatically incorrect speech; conjugation of verbs is grammatical, not colloquial. </p>
<p>Something “needs washing” or it “needs to be washed”, it can’t “need washed”.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think it should NEVER be a requirement.</p>
<p>
This is a philosophical point. If something becomes standard usage, it is “correct,” even if it was formerly incorrect. Eventually, the “authorities” (to the extent there are any) recognize that fact, and change the dictionary. To give an example: In England, it is correct to say, “West Ham are having a good season.” In the United States, however, it is correct to say, “West Ham is having a good season.” So if “needs washed” is common usage in a geographical area, it isn’t really “wrong” there, although it may be wrong everywhere else.</p>
<p>Also, I have to say that sometimes mistakes seem to capture something that the right term doesn’t. “Inclimate” is pretty good, actually. My favorite was a middle school gym/health teacher who warned us to exercise and eat right so we wouldn’t become “obeast.”</p>
<p>This also reminds me of a discussion we were having about reflexive verbs recently in our family. Because the verb “to wash” (as in, take a bath) is reflexive in Slovak, my wife’s family often says “I’m going to go wash myself.” I remarked that we don’t really have reflexive verbs in English, but my daughter pointed out the following (colloquial) example: “I’m gonna get me a hamburger.”</p>
<p>My son’s high school used to have “Honor Role” assemblies. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I moved to Ohio form NY 18 years ago. It still makes me cringe when the “to be” is dropped…“dishwasher needs fixed”, “clothes needs washed”, “lawn needs mowed”. </p>
<p>I haven’t heard “need washed”, seems to always be plural here in Central Ohio. </p>
<p>And not everyone says it, but many do.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s not really a colloquialism; it’s simply a different rule of grammar. I think all collective nouns take the plural in the UK, as in “the jury have reached a verdict,” or “Her Majesty’s Government are displeased.” Hey, people in England still use “shall” and “whilst” all the time, especially in writing. When was the last time you heard an American do either?</p>
<p>As far as regionalisms being “incorrect,” I don’t agree that they are, unless you’re attempting to speak or write in Standard English. Dropping “to be” seems more like an example of a dialect to me, and, as such, I think it’s “correct” I’m sure that many of you have heard the old saying (originally used in a discussion of Yiddish), that “a language is a dialect with an army and navy”! </p>
<p>Besides, even a lot of standard English “rules” are entirely arbitrary, and were invented a few hundred years ago by grammarians trying to impose a Latinate structure on English. Which is why I believe that things like using split infinitives, and using “they” as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun instead of the awkward “he or she” (both of which have long, respectable histories) are entirely correct even in standard, formal English. And I’m certainly not the only person who feels that way.</p>
<p>For those who are interested, you should check out what the Language Log has to say about ‘inclimate weather’. </p>
<p>The Language Log is a blog maintained by Mark Lieberman, a linguist at the University of Pennsylvania. There are also regular contributions by other well known linguists. It’s entertaining to read and the discussions are usually at a very high level.</p>
<p>[Language</a> Log: Inclimate weather](<a href=“http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000998.html]Language”>Language Log: Inclimate weather)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If you are interested in what an ‘eggcorn’ is (a term that the Language Log coined), see here.</p>
<p><a href=“http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000018.html[/url]”>http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000018.html</a></p>
<p>Around here they say, “Did you get your hair cut? They look nice!” :)</p>
<p>Hunt,</p>
<p>We do have reflexives in English.</p>
<p>I bought myself a coat.</p>
<p>He bought himself a car.</p>
<p>Don’t get yourself into trouble.</p>
<p>It’s just that we often leave the reflexive pronoun understood, something many languages do not permit.</p>
<p>When my daughter graduated high school (2012) the bakery wrote “Happy Gratulations” and her name (also misspelled - not an unusual name and I spelled it for them when I ordered it). I have a photo of the cake on my office bulletin board.</p>
<p>I love Language Log – and NewEnglandMother, I hope you sent that picture to Cakewrecks!</p>
<p>it was a mistake…no biggie…I didn’t know so many here were so perfect.</p>
<p>
OK–but I can’t think of any reflexive verbs though (like se laver in French.</p>
<p>My principal came from a very poorly educated background, but put herself through college and has an advanced degree in her subject and is very well educated and well read. She therefore has a prodigious vocabulary, which she USUALLY uses correctly but definitely not always. It can really grate on my nerves.
A few days ago, she said something like “Just a few more questions before I abscond” and I was thinking “abscond with what?” It just irks me.</p>