My name is CurlewKate and I am a recovering pedant….

[CurlewKate]

After 30 years as an active pedant, I am now trying VERY hard always to look at what people obviously mean, and not the way they express it. Not everyone has been taught about apostrophes.

But for the love of GOD- please stop saying “stag doo” “birthday doo”. Any other “doo”! Where did that come from?

Interesting. The person I know who writes doo is Scottish.

Definitely agree re the BBC and "she was sat there". Ugh, no

To that end, if they don't revise their understanding of the difference between "sat" and "sitting" or "stood" and "standing", I shall write a strongly worded letter.

Sounds like a really great use of your limited time on earth

Lol imagine the baby shark 🦈 song without the doos

I have not seen doo. But I know who I will be blaming when I see it all over the place now.

I think pedantry has its place. I am not going to stop correcting work documentation. I try to limit less formal communication to asking when I can't work out what it is. That doesn't mean I'm not judging inside my head the rest of the time.

Bach I read in the Welsh way, so I'm glad so.eone explained that one.

There is nothing wrong with expecting a basic level of spelling, grammar, and language

From whom and where do you expect it? In all written communication? Media? On forums? In speech, both formal and informal? Do you allow for cultural and regional difference?

I think you're right to expect it in certain situations. I think the weight of that expectation incorrectly applied is something slowly eroding my ds's self esteem. I've seen other students just like me when I was their age, rolling their eyes and smiling at their easy understanding of the rules. They confidently and publicly correct him. I've also dealt with the shame and frustration he feels when he simply can't do it.

Fight for language and celebrate it. Spread joy and teach those who can and want to learn. Model it where you should. Don't use it to criticise, belittle and judge others.

Pedantry is a wonderful thing when you have the right audience and common interest. Used to make sweeping generalisations, berate and belittle, it's unnecessary and cruel.

Oh. I've been to that doo.

I mean, doo rhymes with poo 🤷‍♀️

As useful as titting about on MN.

I don’t understand. Do you mean stag doo?

I think i saw the thread and they meant Bacherolette do - bach for short

I’m quite tolerant of writing on here because I can’t spell and if spell check fails me - I won’t usually even see there is a mistake. And English is so stupid in its spelling. And I grew up with a strong dialect.

but the pride of the self made in a lack of education drives me absolutely mad. Acting dumber than they are to fit into that social group? Proving all the time they take their facts from their latest crush on social media ?

the self made have distinct groups including “inherited a lot” and “actually had a lot of education in a specialist field ( skills ) but quite narrow in learning “ and “relying on the wife’s steady income “

but if they think a fact has come down through scientific endeavour built on decades of shared knowledge ? Despised because you learnt from others not doing it all yourself ? Arghhh

And there is the problem with pedantry. You are stating with confidence that there is a difference between dos and tos in different positions. Not with my very average southern English accent there isn't. The examples you give I pronounce exactly the same regardless of position.

Same way as some northern accents have the oo in book sounding like the oo in tooth, whereas for me they are different.

Love the Bach. Language is an evolving thing and use defines its meaning.
So be it if Bach is a genius composer and mathematician and musical philosopher for some, and a bach or “the Bach” is a certain type of bachelorette for others.

Completely agree with this. My son has dyslexia too and avoids writing in public due to fear of being shamed. So shame on all the pedants and twats who do this to others.

Ta

I’m pretty literate I think. I fact I write really boring technical stuff for a living and I can’t, for the life of me, remember the difference between loose and lose. To my mind they are the wrong way round. I have now created my own little mnemonic to prompt my brain but the struggle, for me, is real.

What do you mean, "writing in public"? What kind of scenario? It's a real shame that he feels this way, the good thing is now that all forms etc are online and you can review or spell check.

It is the same they sound exactly the same! I don't know what that poster was on about but two and Do sound the same.

I think people saying they are a "pendant" is just intolerance and lack understanding. I am glad @CurlewKate is trying to be more tolerant and read the intent of a post. She might be a lot happier letting things go.

I have some sympathy with this. I’m very happy with “hen do” or “stag do” but “do” by itself is a bit weird.

It reminds of someone years ago who used to say things like “we’re having a bit of a do on Saturday”.
As a teenager I never really understood what was involved in a “do”.

You must ‘of’ read my mind … 🙃

Argh.
Why have you used so many explanation marks?

Ah I quite like "a bit of a do". Reminds me of my Grandpa who also used to ask "anything fresh?" when he saw us.

*exclamation marks

<Runs away 🏃‍♀️ >

Too. Do. To. All pronounced the same for me. I can't imagine them being different.