… to get annoyed at the misuse of English words?

[SnowBells]

For example, why oh why do people use "of" instead of "have"?

It's NEVER "I should of…" or "would of". It's "I should HAVE" or "would HAVE".

I say that as someone who speaks several languages - and English is actually my second language. I don't think that people in Britain get taught English in school properly anymore.

Does no one care anymore? I don't think anyone would get a job at my company making those mistakes, although I admit that writing is a big part of my job, so it really matters.

AIBU or do others get annoyed about this, too?

[WorraLiberty]

I don't think that people in Britain get taught English in school properly anymore.

Really?

And what do you base that thought upon?

Random people from all walks of life/different countries posting on the internet?

Perhaps you should do a little research into British school curriculum.

Yes, sometimes these things irk me but I'm not small minded enough to think British kids don't get taught English in school properly.

This is a chat forum, not an A level examination.

[ComposHat]

Yes I get annoyed so YANBU.

However I think that if you've learned English as a foreign language, you will have studied grammatical structure and sentence construction far more rigorously than if you'd been a native speaker who picked up the language via interaction with parents and peers.

[ComposHat]

I hate to be a pedant Worra but there's no such thing as 'the British school curriculum.' Scotland has a wholly separate and distinctive education system.

Now THAT does irk me.

[Monty27]

There's a pedants' board for this.

[Anonymai]

You should of posted in pedants corner.

[SnowBells]

WorraLiberty

That was actually what I was told at university (one of the good ones). People were asked to vote for what they felt was the correct use of English (grammatically, etc.), and it turns out that international students were better because they were taught the language correctly from the start.

Native language speakers, on the other hand, would have 'learned' English before even going to school where grammar may have been taught. They would have formed 'habits' that are later difficult to get rid of.

[steff13]

I think it's because the contraction of should have, is "should've," and it sounds similar to"should of," so that's what people think it is.

[NigellasDealer]

"It's NEVER "I should of…" or "would of". It's "I should HAVE" or "would HAVE".
oh right thank you for clarifying that, I was really not sure!
if it bothers you that much, you should of said!!

[Monty27]

Pedants' board. Enjoy.

[Anonymai]

But she has said

[NigellasDealer]

i know but i couldnt fink of enny uvver way to werk it into the conversatione

[NadiaWadia]

I don't think the OP is being 'small minded' she has a fair point. I know that like a lot of people I was taught very little grammar at school. This means that when I hear something annoying like people saying 'I am just going to lay down' I only know that it SOUNDS wrong and jarring, I couldn't tell you the grammatical rule that makes it incorrect. I wish I did have more of this knowledge and feel that it should be taught in schools. I think I have heard they cover this more in other countries.

Also, knowing the rules of grammar (the 'mechanics' of language) obviously makes learning foreign languages easier. Maybe that's why English speakers are notoriously bad at speaking other languages?

But yes, it is annoying when it's simple things like the difference between 'to' and 'too'. People seem to get it wrong more often than not. Where/were, your/you're etc, surely it is pretty straightforward?

[Monty27]

Maybe you don't understand localisms, colloquialisms, and dialect. So, people from your country OP speak perfectly in whatever language it is?

Yeah right.

[NigellasDealer]

to be honest snowbells this kind of thing used to annoy me, but these days I am more philosophical about it, and i just don't think about it .
Some people are good at SPAG, others are shit hot at maths.....so waht?

[Monty27]

Do you know cockney rhyming slang OP?

[Monty27]

Aye jist Nigella. Tee hee

[NadiaWadia]

But it's anNOYiiing, Nigella ! For instance there are a lot of self-published kindle books available now, and you can tell most of them have not been edited and are full of typos and grammatical mistakes. Even if the story is good I often have to give up on them, because it just bugs me so much.

[NigellasDealer]

Oh yes in published material there is no excuse, but on an internet forum to get hot under the collar about a few typos or errors seems a bit .....
judgemental?
Besides the OP only started this thread to show off her superior skills and to have a dig at us dumb Brits. Or so it would appear.

[NadiaWadia]

Speaking as a dumb Brit, I am not offended!

[Anonymai]

I'll let you off nige. You would of found it tough uvverwise.

[Monty27]

Hear Hear!

[SnowBells]

Monty

Grew up in several countries, but in most of them, not knowing how to use the language was not tolerated. You could be a history/geography genius, for example, but spelling/grammar mistakes would have meant a penalty... and could easily turn a perfect A into a C. English-speaking countries are the most lenient ones I've experienced.

It's not about superiority. Why should people not want to learn a language properly? Or is being good at something no longer seen as desirable?

[NigellasDealer]

Yes but many of us are perfectly good at it, thank you!

[SnowBells]

Nadia

My (British) friends and I avoid self-published Kindle books for exactly that reason...

[maras2]

< One of the good ones > As opposed to ? ? Snob.