If sarcasm is the lowest form of wit...

[jenstar]

...is grammatical pedantry the lowest form of intellectualism? Pointscoring on petty little arbitrary points of linguistic usage seems to me to be a vile habit. And I'm not just getting at Spellmaster here - it's something I've recognised in myself and have tried to avoid but it's like biting your nails, spitting, smoking (all vices I'm pleased I say I don't have) - very hard to stop but quite indefensible to continue. I think I started out with a question at the top of this, so if anyone wants to answer, feel free...

[RCP]

Yes it is, but can we really let the plural of pizza become pizza's? I know language is meant to be constantly evolving but I think there are some grammatical rules and structures that should be maintained. I've just re-read this and I sound like some old buffer at the golf club!

[jenstar]

Einstein, if you're referring to the question about dividing money between sons, then I'm on your side with that. I saw that Q&A and was going to make the same point myself but really couldn't be bothered arguing with whoever it was who set it.

[Gef]

To RCP, jenstar and Einstein - I agree with all you have said. Regarding the "sharing of the will" poser, well, old stewdedapples shot himself in the foot but is now awarding his replies 3 stars - sour or what? :-)

[ravenhair]

Sorry, but my entire job depends on grammatical pedantry. I don't consider it a low form of intellectualism at all, just an ongoing battle to stop the random use of the apostrophe, among other things. Anyway, why should it be considered a bad thing to be able to speak and write well, using good spelling and grammar?

[gazzawazza]

I would welcome being corrected whenever I make a mistake. Although I speak like everyone else, I know there are some things I say which break grammatical rules. The trouble is I've forgotten these rules as have lots of other people. However, when I write I do try hard to be correct, so please, Einstein, Ravenhair and of course the all-knowing fount of knowledge Quizmonster (I'm not being sarcastic here) feel free to do so.

Thanks.

[jenstar]

Tartanwizard: You don't like "Malcolm In The Middle"? Fie! Fie!

[woodpam]

No it isn't. I'm with Gazza on this, I've forgotten everything I ever knew about grammar but love language and am happy to be pointed in the right direction when I've made a mistake. As long as someone will tell me how to get it right I don't mind being tactfully told when I'm wrong and Einstein was certainly tactful to stewedapples. Isn't the concept of AB that the questioner leaves knowing more than he/she did when he posed the question. I've observed that some questions which incorporate very poor spelling and look as if they may be a child's homework are not openly corrected but have the incorrect words spelled properly in the answers. Is that pedantic? maybe. Is that helpful? certainly. (Put your red pens away - I know the last bit was wrong!)

[ipek]

Ah, but woodpam, after today's news item regarding corrections in school written work - Green is the new Red! Apparently green it's more 'friendly' and won't upset our nation's little treasures.

Perhaps if they paid more attention to the words, rather than the colour of the ink they were written in, maybe they might learn how to spell.....and (my own b�te noir) the difference between there, their and they're.

I will now climb down from my soapbox!