Really trivial stuff that bugs you

[Gillianren]

Are we speaking about writing it that way, or people saying it?

I don't know any other way to pronounce could've as anything else but "could of". (actually "could ov" with the o kind of slurred with a bit of air, but they do sound similar in conversation)

Writing. In conversational writing, I use a lot of non-standard contractions because they're written versions of how people actually say things. Every one of them, despite the fact that you hear people say it a lot, has been commented on at least once.

Actually, one of Graham's textbooks for this quarter has a chapter-long strawman against prescriptivists which goes on about how we all believe you should never use contractions. And I wouldn't, in a term paper. However, the author seems to think that all writing is thought by people like me to be formal writing, and that we all insist on far stricter rules than most of the prescriptivists I know, and know of, really do. He implies that we don't know that language changes and evolves. Frankly, I spent a lot more time ranting about that book than it deserved, and poor Graham didn't care anywhere near as much as I did, though I think he still mostly agreed with me.

[SeanF]

Having to get used to a new forum look that I'm not sure I like yet...no offense to those that have probably worked quite hard to make it happen!

Bottom left hand of the page, change the drop-down box from "CosmoQuest" to "vb4 Default Style".

[Trebuchet]

Bottom left hand of the page, change the drop-down box from "CosmoQuest" to "vb4 Default Style".

Been there, done that. Hope it sticks, with a cookie or something.

[redshifter]

Bottom left hand of the page, change the drop-down box from "CosmoQuest" to "vb4 Default Style".

Thanks!

[Noclevername]

Are we speaking about writing it that way, or people saying it?

I don't know any other way to pronounce could've as anything else but "could of". (actually "could ov" with the o kind of slurred with a bit of air, but they do sound similar in conversation)

Writing. In textbooks, even. (Not ones for English class!)

[Noclevername]

Or people who write "a couple things." is it that hard to add two letters?

[NEOWatcher]

Or people who write "a couple things." is it that hard to add two letters?

You mean "a couple've things"?

[HenrikOlsen]

Writing. In conversational writing, I use a lot of non-standard contractions because they're written versions of how people actually say things. Every one of them, despite the fact that you hear people say it a lot, has been commented on at least once.

"couldn't've"?

[BigDon]

I do hate it when one of the local newswomen refers to an ongoing "sitchyation".

But, I came here to vent about the most trivial annoyance I know.

When you are making a cup of tea and you have the teabag in the cup already, and as you pour the water the teabag inflates with air somehow and floats to the top of the water and then acts like a pain in the keister as you try to dunk in back down.

[Trebuchet]

Thanks, Don! That's just the sort of trivial trivia I was looking for!

[Perikles]

When you are making a cup of tea and you have the teabag in the cup already, and as you pour the water the teabag inflates with air somehow and floats to the top of the water .....

Rats. I have been semi-consciously annoyed about this ever since I started to use teabags, and now with your bringing it to my attention, I'm going to be even more annoyed. That is annoying.

[BigDon]

Rats. I have been semi-consciously annoyed about this ever since I started to use teabags, and now with your bringing it to my attention, I'm going to be even more annoyed. That is annoying.

Peri, you get around that one by pouring the water first, then adding the tea bag.

It's just some mornings I'm sleepier than others.

[BigDon]

Another trivial one then.

On cold mornings that fart smell some catalytic converters put out when their owners start their engines.

Just ruins that winter morning walk.

[Perikles]

Peri, you get around that one by pouring the water first, then adding the tea bag..

I'm afraid we Brits are genetically programmed always to pour boiling water onto the tea leaves, always. In fact, it's trivially annoying to see people making tea in an unauthorized manner as you suggest.

[Noclevername]

Pronouncing nuclear "nucular."

[LookingSkyward]

broadcast professionals who pronounce "especially" as "exspecially" - irks me no end :>

[mike alexander]

Nonlanguage beef: the ability of a hose, extension cord, or the like to actively seek out and become entangled with any object. A corollary is the ability to form true (i.e., topological) knots in said hose or cord despite both ends being firmly anchored. I am convinced there is a hyperspatial drive lurking in there somewhere.

Mental beef: taking the time to create a carefully thought out shopping list first, then going to the market and realizing you left the list at home.

When tossing items in the trash bin, only the wet, messy bits miss the lip and hit the floor.

People who give directions that end with, "You can't miss it." Try me.

[NEOWatcher]

Nonlanguage beef: the ability of a hose, extension cord, or the like to actively seek out and become entangled with any object.

The briefcase strap always catching the emergency brake when leaving the car. Even after adjusting the location of the strap to prevent it from happening.

[nosbig5]

I had a new screen door installed last year (outside of my front door). Instead of a round knob, I now have a 4" horizontal handle - very nice, except that every morning, with arms full of various assorted stuff and headed to the car, I step out onto the porch and hold the screen door open with my back while I turn around to pull the main door shut. As I back out onto the porch, the new, pretty bronze handle enters my pocket and stops my progress (regress?) with a lurch. Especially bad on days when I decide to take a cup of coffee along for the ride.

[mike alexander]

The strange affair between picking up something with both hands causing an immediate need to sneeze.

[Jim]

When you are making a cup of tea and you have the teabag in the cup already, and as you pour the water the teabag inflates with air somehow and floats to the top of the water and then acts like a pain in the keister as you try to dunk in back down.

Or the opposite. I put the tea bag in the cup, start adding hot water, the water pushes the tea bag deeper into the cup and it pulls the string and little paper tab in with it.

[BigDon]

The briefcase strap always catching the emergency brake when leaving the car. Even after adjusting the location of the strap to prevent it from happening.

Guys who carry man-purses.

(Runs head down towards for the door in a serpentine fashion.)

[NEOWatcher]

Guys who carry man-purses.

Does laptop case sound better?
Besides, I can't imagine myself chasing you. I wouldn't know what to do when I caught up.

[redshifter]

Guys who carry man-purses.

(Runs head down towards for the door in a serpentine fashion.)

Murses? Guy I used to work with starting carrying one of those...we gave him LOTS of grief about that one...

[PetersCreek]

When you are making a cup of tea and you have the teabag in the cup already, and as you pour the water the teabag inflates with air somehow and floats to the top of the water and then acts like a pain in the keister as you try to dunk in back down.

I almost never have that problem since I switched to loose teas. I either use a tea strainer or...for the finer teas...I use a do-it-yourself tea bag (t-sac brand). The extra large t-sacs also come in handy for making herb/spice sachets.

On the subject of linguistic annoyances, I have a coworker who pronounces "correct" as "correck" and "district" as "districk".

[BigDon]

Does laptop case sound better?
Besides, I can't imagine myself chasing you. I wouldn't know what to do when I caught up.

One time this tiny old Chinese man in Singapore hit me over the head with a large empty soy sauce bottle. The big restarant kind.

That seemed to work.

(According to eye witnesses who were standing back a ways, another sailor, drunker than seven bells, had reached around me and groped his wife's backside, who had a full serving tray in each hand. The old guy thought I did it and cold-cocked me. I had a lump, but no blood. After I heard the reason I refused to press charges and all the other Chinese food and beverage stall owners treated our party extra nice and loaded us up with food and beer.)

[Buttercup]

The person in checkout line just ahead of you who hangs back at least 10 feet from the person actually checking out. >:-(

[redshifter]

The person in checkout line just ahead of you who hangs back at least 10 feet from the person actually checking out. >:-(

Or the person just ahead of you in the checkout line who pays with an actual check...

[PetersCreek]

Or the person just ahead of you in the checkout line who pays with an actual check...

...and doesn't even begin to fill it out until the order is totaled...assuming the checkbook is even out of pocket or purse yet.

[Trebuchet]

Nonlanguage beef: the ability of a hose, extension cord, or the like to actively seek out and become entangled with any object. A corollary is the ability to form true (i.e., topological) knots in said hose or cord despite both ends being firmly anchored. I am convinced there is a hyperspatial drive lurking in there somewhere.

Mental beef: taking the time to create a carefully thought out shopping list first, then going to the market and realizing you left the list at home.

When tossing items in the trash bin, only the wet, messy bits miss the lip and hit the floor.

People who give directions that end with, "You can't miss it." Try me.

All of the above! Including everything between that post and this one. Except for ones dealing with tea. I've never had to remove the coffee bag from my coffee or the grape bag from my wine.

Now I've done one for Gillian with my sentence fragments.