To invite the grammar and language pedants to share their pet peeves?

[AlertCat]

AIBU to feel annoyed when I see people say Slither instead of sliver? It was even in a book I read recently. A slither of cake. No! That makes no sense, unless the cake’s been trodden into the carpet!

Also see: step foot in instead of set foot in

There’s plenty of others but those will do for now.

This irritates me too. It is " off their own BAT" but people now seem convinced that it is "off their own back." They are just totally wrong.

I may have posted this before but phrases like '8am in the morning' really wind me up. Use either 'am' or 'in the morning'. No need for both.

Actually, the Americans were influenced by the Dutch, not the French:

"the United States and Canada, the term "cookie" is used for what the British call "biscuits." This is because the word "cookie" was introduced to the English language in the 18th century by Dutch immigrants to America, and it became the dominant term for sweet, flat baked goods in these regions. In the UK, "biscuit" refers to a wider range of baked goods, including what Americans call "crackers" and "cookies".

Here's a more detailed explanation:
Dutch Influence:
The word "cookie" comes from the Dutch word "koekje," which means "little cake".

American Adoption:
When Dutch settlers came to America, they brought their language and culinary traditions, including the word "koekje." This word was anglicized to "cookie" and became the standard term for what the British call "biscuits".

British Usage:
In the UK, "biscuit" refers to a broader category of baked goods, including both what Americans call "cookies" and "crackers".

Regional Differences:
Even within the UK, there are regional variations. In Scotland, "cookie" can also refer to a plain bun, according to Oxford Reference.

"Cookie" in Britain:
While "cookie" is primarily used in the US and Canada, it is also used in Britain to refer to a larger, softer, and chewier biscuit, often with chocolate chips or other chunky toppings

Yes you are absolutely correct!!

Apostrophes.

I've also only recently begun to notice a proliferation of people using "his" for "he's". It is only a recent thing, because I've never come across it before and I'd have noticed it. It makes my teeth itch.

Yes, this. Weirdly, I'm also like this with PIN number. There is no need for the additional 'number'. It's just PIN.

I used to work in a bakery. This is incorrect.

Oh dear, what have you spotted!?

In that case almost none of the biscuits we eat in the U.K. should be called biscuits according to you. The word has evolved - about the only twice-baked article I can think of is the one which retains this etymology in its name, the biscotti.

Nothing; as PP says it’s the sound that a word begins with which determines the use of ‘an’ vs ‘a’.
’An hotel’ is only correct if you’re not pronouncing the aitch. Nowadays that sounds faux posh and pretentious.

So, my peeves this morning are people making up pedantic rules which aren’t true. It’s easy to check etymology and find discussions on grammar and usage nowadays.

Another one: incorrect conditionals.

As in, 'If you would have told me, I could have helped'.

And don't even get me started (again!) on 'would of'!

Redundant acronyms , which are obviously known as RAS Syndrome

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAS_syndrome

You probably don’t want to know about recursive acronyms.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recursive_acronym

Maybe the shop nextdoor is run by someone called Pablo 🤔😂

Yes, "nucular" seems to be the default setting for many presenters - very odd.

and "publically" is beginning to appear in too many places where it is supposed to have passed through proofreading...

That one is a lost cause; even the OED have included its use as an intensifier in its definition.

I like to think native speakers can understand the usage and nuance of both literally and figuratively. I wonder, though, how people learning English feel when told about this word which has two meanings; one being literally the opposite of the other.

True that.

My favourite is "The Nigel Farage Show". Always good for a laugh.

Tell me you're a programmer without telling me you're a programmer 😂

I honestly can't remember the last time I saw someone begging the question correctly. I include myself in that.

Oooh, I like your thinking. Took me a moment or two🤣

Even worse than that is, "She was led on the bed" instead of "lying on the bed".

So "was lying" (correct) becomes "was laying" (incorrect, unless she is a hen) which becomes "was laid" (incorrect unless she is an egg) which becomes "was led" (incorrect unless perhaps she is a miniature horse being led across the duvet).

I don't know why the verb "to lie" causes quite so much confusion.

I am reminded of the recent fierce debate discussion on "plonker". Where waves of posters ignored repeated links to dictionaries and continued living in their own little bubble ...

I chart (map) a territory.
I charter (hire) a coach.
How can this cause confusion?

Worse, I’m a scientific software developer so I can do chemical pedantry as well.
And we have to conform to standard American English for our documentation etc, which is more pedantic on some matters than British English.

I don't think I'd ever thought about this enough to realise it was wrong!

Like a pp, I'm now going to picture the walls dropping in every time I see it.

Perhaps they were correcting one other person, not a lot of "others".