[This post was originally titled Grammar and the Great White Males. This offended some of the people it referred to. I think they are right. Hence the new title] The Grammar Police keep on picking me up when I discuss good grammar, spelling and punctuation, saying things like “I thought you said grammar doesn’t matter.” I … Continue reading Grammar and the Grammar Police
Category: Rants
How (not) to be an asshole
My dictionary suggests that asshole means a stupid or vulgar person. But that doesn't capture the current usage. An asshole is a person who puts their own interests ahead of the people around them. Assholes push into queues, threaten you if you call them out, perv on vulnerable people, take up three seats on a … Continue reading How (not) to be an asshole
Self envy
There's a photo showing me in my early 30s on an island in the middle of a lake, with my two sons, aged about 3 and 4. The sun is shining and we all look happy. I look young, fit, and slim. The photo gave me a feeling of envy; I wished I could be … Continue reading Self envy
A letter to a would-be King Cnut of language
Dear Dominic You and I got into a discussion about the abuse of the word literally. I suggested that you look at something I wrote about learning language by osmosis. Language is what people speak, I suggested, not what the rules say. You didn't see it that way. You made an analogy with shopping: [...] … Continue reading A letter to a would-be King Cnut of language
Osmosis
Remember how people used to get annoyed when kids made a statement into a question by adding an interrogative upturn at the end? Well I just did that? While explaining to a waitress what happened to my pot of tea? How did I get infected with that shit? And how did I get infected with … Continue reading Osmosis
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