English being an incredibly fluid language, yesterday’s usage error is often today’s entirely correct usage. In the lifetime of many reading this comment, the use of contact as a verb has gone from forbidden to “Watchu talkin’ ’bout Willis?”
Until the late 1960s, an English teacher could be expected to say that you cannot contact someone… but you can make contact with them.
Enormity is now routinely and acceptably used in multiple senses many of which were once regarded as incorrect.
One reason that I love the Oxford English Dictionary ( which is the greatest dictionary of any language in history) is that it does not claim to judge the correctness or incorrectness of a given usage. It is descriptive of language as it is, not prescriptive of how it “should” be.
That’s why the entry for set describes over 500 senses of the word and is longer than many novels. (The entry for put is even longer.)
“Enormity” – reminds me of when someone says (what seems to me to be kind of an annoying word) “ginormous”, I want to respond with my version of combining gi-gantic and e-normous & say “ egantic ”.
Naan bread improves greatly in a well controlled lake of fire scenario…. and apples roasting on an open fire is also a terrific idea in the suburbs of Hell’s fire department.
There is a book with the title, “Semicolon.” The author makes a point of saying that other grammarians are wrong. Maybe they can all go to purgatory until they figure it out.
BE THIS GUY over 3 years ago
I believe you’re exaggerating the enormity of misusing a semicolon; it’s not that big a deal.
i_am_the_jam over 3 years ago
Don’t forget dubious use of “literally”. :P :P :P
David Lieb Premium Member over 3 years ago
You left out apostrophe abuse!
jimmjonzz Premium Member over 3 years ago
English being an incredibly fluid language, yesterday’s usage error is often today’s entirely correct usage. In the lifetime of many reading this comment, the use of contact as a verb has gone from forbidden to “Watchu talkin’ ’bout Willis?”
Until the late 1960s, an English teacher could be expected to say that you cannot contact someone… but you can make contact with them.
Enormity is now routinely and acceptably used in multiple senses many of which were once regarded as incorrect.
One reason that I love the Oxford English Dictionary ( which is the greatest dictionary of any language in history) is that it does not claim to judge the correctness or incorrectness of a given usage. It is descriptive of language as it is, not prescriptive of how it “should” be.
That’s why the entry for set describes over 500 senses of the word and is longer than many novels. (The entry for put is even longer.)
blunebottle over 3 years ago
The sign on the left obviously takes you to the lowest level.
nosirrom over 3 years ago
Is Phonetic Punctuation included?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJiHlt8NRqk
Doug K over 3 years ago
“Enormity” – reminds me of when someone says (what seems to me to be kind of an annoying word) “ginormous”, I want to respond with my version of combining gi-gantic and e-normous & say “ egantic ”.
jagedlo over 3 years ago
two out of three…
The Pro from Dover over 3 years ago
Overuse of the word Awesome!
Breadboard over 3 years ago
Spell Checker will fix that ;-)
well-i-never over 3 years ago
If those are the only signs, I’m golden!
Jeffin Premium Member over 3 years ago
I think you are failing to grasp the… size? of the situation.
chireef over 3 years ago
shouldn’t that be “Questionable; placement of a semicolon”?
6th Billiard Ball Student over 3 years ago
Naan bread improves greatly in a well controlled lake of fire scenario…. and apples roasting on an open fire is also a terrific idea in the suburbs of Hell’s fire department.
At least Hell does not appear to be lukewarm.
uniquename over 3 years ago
Spell checkers that “choose” the wrong word.
J Short over 3 years ago
I checked Snopes to see if these signs are real. They said yes.
J Short over 3 years ago
Use of the word “Basically” should put you on the fast track to hell.
kennowenster over 3 years ago
I could care less where I go…
mistercatworks over 3 years ago
Ambiguous arrows also on the list.
Darryl Heine over 3 years ago
Bring back the Burma Shave signs!
Troy Premium Member over 3 years ago
The only true sign you will see is “Rejecting Jesus the Christ as LORD”
willie_mctell over 3 years ago
The misuse of “enormity” is an enormity.
bobw2012 over 3 years ago
Basically, the excessively and repetitive use of adverbs is highly annoying, he said redundantly.
dlaemmerhirt999 over 3 years ago
HEY! Semicolons are TOUGH. 99% of people do it wrong; almost everyone gets it wrong! (I’m only 40% sure I did that right!)
buflogal! over 3 years ago
There is a book with the title, “Semicolon.” The author makes a point of saying that other grammarians are wrong. Maybe they can all go to purgatory until they figure it out.
BWR over 3 years ago
There, they’re, their
DarkHorseSki over 3 years ago
Wikipedia is pretty reliable AND links to the sources so it IS not a bad option for most posts.
aussie399 Premium Member over 3 years ago
Can you get cancer of the semicolon? And would you have a semicolonoscopy?
aussie399 Premium Member over 3 years ago
What about the errant apostrophe?