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AIBU?

To point out there is no such word as ALOT

147 replies

DropYourSword · 22/08/2013 10:23

A. Lot. Two words. Simples!

Maybe I'm a bit of a grammar and spelling Nazi. I know its easy to make errors on Facebook, forums etc. I don't continuously correct other peoples spelling and its easy to make errors when you are typing quickly. I usually post via my phone so am using a predictive text app that can sometimes make some howlers. But a lot is not difficult to get right. It's not long or complicated, and doesn't even need and kind of memory aide to remember (anyone recall one coffee two sugars, or big elephants can always understand small elephants). And SO MANY people seem to think it's one word??

OP posts:

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UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 05:02

Hmmm, having quite a grammar police night/early morning here.

GruffBillyGoat · 23/08/2013 05:04

I live in a country where somehow "next minute" has become "nek minit", they even put it on t-shirts. It honestly makes me want to cry every time my (middle aged) mother says it.

mirai · 23/08/2013 05:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

schmalex · 23/08/2013 06:07

As my history teacher once said to me, "a bloody lot is two bloody words !"

GruffBillyGoat · 23/08/2013 06:07

Actually crying, no wonder literacy rates are so low.

HenD19 · 23/08/2013 06:19

I'm on a campaign to make thankyou one word just because I think it should be!

somanyfake · 23/08/2013 06:37

"HUMANUM EST ERRARE"
Seneka:-(
And all typos are different part of the story

daisychain01 · 23/08/2013 06:50

Itsthatgoddamspacebar! IkeepmissingitwhenItypealot!

And Dropyoursword shouldn't you have said "impossibles" upthread?

Btw my pet hate by far is "I should of ... ". Don't get me started

Putthechocolatedownandbackaway · 23/08/2013 07:14

Momentarily drives me mad, as in, "I'll be arriving momentarily". So you're going to arrive, stay very briefly and then leave again ?

UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 07:22

I always just assume they mean "presently."

Oblomov · 23/08/2013 07:30

Alot should be one word. I prefer it as one word.

ShellyBoobs · 23/08/2013 07:45

How about the infamous "chester draws" on eBay?

DropYourSword · 23/08/2013 07:55

schmalex I'm glad he wasn't teaching maths!

OP posts:

ShirazSavedMySanity · 23/08/2013 08:37

Can I just add my own frustration:

He's been a lion in the school play.

It is NOT been it is BEING

Makes me mad

SpotsDotsandFlowers · 23/08/2013 08:40

Alot is my worst lingering childhood spelling crime. Thank heavens for auto correct.
Simples is unforgivable as it has been adopted as an adult affectation.

UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 09:14

I think that there is a difference between a typo in a social media poster (such as a MB or FB) and a lack of understanding about how to write in English. So sometimes "alot" can just be a typo. But "I would of ..." or "chester draws" are just funny! I suppose they are transliterations of spoken English.

mrsjay · 23/08/2013 09:22

my first week on mumsnet a couple of years ago . I was told well you will need to sort out that ALOT you are using ok then it is a typo does it matter

UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 09:36

Typos are one-off errrors (see what I did there). If you keep repeating the same mistake, then yes, it does matter! IMO, anyway.

Mostly I try to read through typos and bad grammar, and try not to judge. But occasionally it's nice to vent and rant. Isn't that what AIBU is for?

usualsuspect · 23/08/2013 09:40

AIBU is mostly for being nasty just lately,yes.

JenaiMorris · 23/08/2013 09:41

How can people get so incensed though? Why (apart from it being in the dictionary) is 'albeit' ok and not 'alot'?

Bullygirl · 23/08/2013 09:44

yanbu

UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 09:46

People get incensed about a lot of things. Doesn't mean ranting here is nasty, though.

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Dawndonnaagain · 23/08/2013 09:47

Bear/bare. I can't bear it and I don't want to see them bare!
likely hood instead of likelihood.
The best/worst I have seen was on a 'glamping' advert, offering restbite from the hard ground! I'm still debating whether to contact them asking for a respite from their advertising!

mrsjay · 23/08/2013 09:49

I dont understand the uptightness (not even a word) we know what people mean we understand that they mean LOTS why the angst this is an internet forum nothing more ,

UptheChimney · 23/08/2013 09:55

Some of us care about communication in written language, mrsjay . For the most part on the various internet fora in which I participate, I try to read through the errors, because as you say it's the communication that counts! And we all make errors. But I tend to think that we have to stay roughly within the bounds of common, agreed practices (rules of grammar, if you will) to try to make our communications as clear as possible.

Sometimes, though, I just need to let off steam. I'm only human.

I think.

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