Posted on 02/25/2005 11:29:26 AM PST by Willie Green
I R So Smrart, SMRT
Same with calculators. I cannot believe some of the conversations I hear in the mall. "Well, it originally cost $100.00 and then it was 40% off and then they say it's an additional 20% off-How much does it cost?"
Now, there is a real problem! I can come up with the answer, $48., in about three seconds without using my fingers, toes, a pencil or anything else and I only went through a public high school in South Carolina. I have known people who have university degrees but cannot come up with the answer on a calculator in less than three minutes.
... and motor oil is made from?
In all my years of being aroung the printing trade, I used to wonder what "gum arabic" was made from.
So, does one attend an orientation to be orientated?
Among my pet peeves (mostly involving incorrect pronunciation):
ek-specially (especially)
deth (deaf)
nethermind (never mind)
stoled (stole)
ax (ask)
probaly (probably)
renember (remember)
"When did commentors become commentators?"
At least fifty years ago, I remember that in grade school we used to joke that a local TV and radio personality was just a "common tator".
I'm just being an agiTATOR.
"But with all the degree-anal employers around, without the sheepskin one is scrooed."
Like, ain't that the truth, Dude? Jobs which forty years ago required a high school diploma or even less now routinely require a minimum of a four year college degree. I am now considered totally unqualified for the same type of work that I used to do with ease when I had forty years less experience.
"My mother, who grew up in New Jersey and has no discernible accent,"
Now wait just a minit, they ain't no such thang as sumbody frum New Jersey what ain't got no accent. Ever last one I ever heered had a accent and I knowed several uvum.
"That said, there are way too many people whose use of grammar is so bad that it's difficult to tell exactly what they're trying to say."
I hope this doesn't sound too racist but I have to deal with some blacks every day who seem unable to pronounce words in a way that can be comprehended. Couple this with ebonics grammar and I often have to pause while my mind processes all this back into actual english and sometimes I am unable to do so. In the worst cases I simply have to smile and walk away wondering what it is they are trying to say. Amazingly they seem able to understand each other with little effort. Some of them obviously have two modes of speech and they are easily understood when speaking directly to a white person but totally incomprehensible when speaking to another black person. I refuse to use the term " African-American".
ROFL!
You owe me a keyboard!
I was sarcastic ;)
-PJ
-PJ
Right. I forgot about the beatniks. I was thinking of the "she was like" and "he was like" locution for "she said" and "he said."
Or "He went like . . ." (my personal NOTfave)
Can't get hired by the degree-anal to do the job I MANAGED thirty years ago!
A not-so subtle form of age discrimination, to be kept out of something in which you already have experience, because they now require a non-sensical degree!
Like, totally before my time, dude. ;-)
Is the misspelling of "John" the only error?"
I don't think so.
I was taught that the word "quote" is a verb, and the word "quotation" is a noun.
Thus, "His comments included several quotations from John Kennedy's speeches."
I have a family member that is 82 years old, always went around correcting others grammer, never had a friend in her life.
It goes back to the fifties just as it is now used. I know; I was there.
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