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Grammar correction. Arrrggghhh!

142 replies

Brightonhome · 11/02/2020 12:00

I sent a text to a slightly older relative saying that I had bought something 'off Amazon', and she replies with the very first line "It should read off of .... tut tut" Whether she is correct or not, it really pissed me off. I'm fifty-five, not twelve.
We have a slightly strained relationship anyway, and we hadn't spoken for two months, so to criticise me like that, well, I was not happy. In the same text, she also called me 'young lady' when admonishing me for not getting in touch earlier, but she could just as easily have contacted me in that time frame. I'm ashamed to say I sent a text back saying "Who the hell says 'off of'? No grammar nazis allowed here." Yes I definitely overreacted, but I wouldn't dream of correcting someone's grammar, unless it was a stranger who was correcting someone else's, but in the process, made errors themselves ..... they're fair game. I may see an inconsistency, but to point it out to an adult friend or relative is just plain rude if you ask me. I think I should probably apologise for the nazi comment, but I can't bring myself to do it. Ugh.
What are your feelings about grammar correction among adult friends and relatives? helpful, but mildly annoying? or passive aggressive BS?

OP posts:
Hingeandbracket · 11/02/2020 12:02

"correcting" something to "off off"? I've heard it all now.

TheMustressMhor · 11/02/2020 12:02

"Off of" is incorrect.

I always correct bad grammar in texts.

MamaGee09 · 11/02/2020 12:03

I personally would say off of Amazon however I would never correct someone’s grammar .

bellinisurge · 11/02/2020 12:03

Dh and I often make a joke to each other if we spot an error the other has made. Even then, not all the time. I wouldn't dream of doing it to someone I saw rarely. And I'm a grammar nerd. Or kid myself I am.

TheMustressMhor · 11/02/2020 12:04

"From" Amazon would be much better than "off" Amazon.

hairygodmother · 11/02/2020 12:07

She is quite spectacularly incorrect and also rude.

I agree with MustressMhor. 'From' Amazon far preferable.

SageRosemary · 11/02/2020 12:07

Hmmm, I would have bought something from/through Amazon, I don't quite get Amazon.

DH makes grammar errors all the time, I never correct him, but I would correct my DC.

She was petty in correcting you.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 11/02/2020 12:08

I'd wince at both to be honest (it should be "from"). I wouldn't text to correct you though.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 11/02/2020 12:08

I agree TheMistress

Trahira · 11/02/2020 12:08

She was both wrong and irritating.

lazylinguist · 11/02/2020 12:08

From Amazon is better. Off Amazon is colloquial but ok. Off of Amazon is utterly wrong and makes me cringe. I would never correct someone's texts, because it's very rude, but at least I'd bloody well get it right if I did correct them. Your relative is rude and wrong!

katkit · 11/02/2020 12:09

FROM

recrudescence · 11/02/2020 12:09

Off of?!? That’s hideous. Go NC and block immediately.

Eckhart · 11/02/2020 12:12

She's joking, surely? If not, that's a classic, correcting you wrongly! Comedy moment - enjoy it!

drivingtofrance · 11/02/2020 12:14

You should respond to let her know she is wrong. Off of?

I would buy something FROM Amazon though.

Absolutepowercorrupts · 11/02/2020 12:18

She corrected your grammar to off of, that's really funny. As many pp have said not only is she rude, she's also wrong.
It's from Amazon, off is grammatically incorrect but not worth a correction, it's common usage.

Bluerussian · 11/02/2020 12:20

'Off of' is dreadful.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 11/02/2020 12:22

Could she have been making a joke, do you think? I can't believe she thought "off of" was grammatically correct. I only ever heard a tiny handful of people say it in the first 40 years of my life.

MashedSpud · 11/02/2020 12:24

It’s “from” but she’s being annoying correcting a text message.

Tell her to fuck of. 😉

MereDintofPandiculation · 11/02/2020 12:26

She was rude, but it's just embarrassing to be rude AND wrong. If she ever realises she was wrong, she'll be crawling into a hole to hide. (But I doubt she ever will realise).

PinkSqidgyPig · 11/02/2020 12:26

'Off Amazon 'is wrong. 'Off of' is gratingly wrong.
But both seem to be commonly used.
'From' is the word you need here.

Although there is also an argument for thinking all are acceptable IF they communicate the information accurately.

Not in my house though 😂.

JigsawsAreInPieces · 11/02/2020 12:27

off Amazon', and she replies with the very first line "It should read off of

From Amazon, if one is in a pedantic mood. Wink

Medievalist · 11/02/2020 12:29

Dear God! I've spent the last 26 years telling DH not to use "off of". It's so awful. And WRONG!

"Off" is fine.

I would never point out a mistake to anyone outside my immediate family (DH and DCs). And in the office only if I had been asked to review someone's work.

GreenTulips · 11/02/2020 12:30

Surely off or off of suggests a gift rather than paid for item?

RedskyAtnight · 11/02/2020 12:32

The precise example aside (I agree with "from") I think this is really difficult. A woman at work persists in using "would of", which I think absolutely should be corrected, but it's very hard to do it without sounding like a pedant. Personally if I was using a word/phrase incorrectly, I'd rather be told.