Are we losing the word "are"? - Page 9

Yardlie · ‎03-10-2010

I asked my high school niece in California if they still have to diagram sentences and conjugate verbs. We started that in grade school and continued it in high school. She just kind of snickered and said, "Yea...in fifth grade."

Last night I was talking to another niece. She was telling me that her daughter who just graduated from eighth grade took high school English classes in junior high and will be taking college English classes this fall in ninth grade. So, maybe children are not receiving as much education in English grammar and sentence structure as they used to.

Remembering back, it seems that my college English classes focused on composition...not sentence structure, etc.

The phrase that I hear so often around here (even on tv) is when people want to say that there is another whole story about something. I hear:

"There is a whole 'nuther story...." or people try to correct it by saying, "There is a whole other story...." whereas it should be "There is another whole story...." I was confused until I read about this in a newspaper article recently.

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

@proudlyfromNJ wrote:
I don't believe that I have heard is being used instead of are.

I agree with you. I think maybe, if it is occurring then it might be regional.

PhilaLady1 · ‎03-11-2010

Question : Are we losing the word "are"? Answer from where I live : We is.

JavaQueen · ‎03-09-2010

There is always that divided between the written and the spoken. I am one of those "I'm gonna try and...." people. But I know the difference.

We are not "losing" are. For some, it has taken the place of "our." In my diaect, "our" is pronounced "are." It's a regionalism. (I am not a native New Yorker.)

I know the difference and in more formal settings, I say "our." When I'm hanging out, I say "are." I never write "are" for "our."

Here's another one: I'ma instead of I'm going to (blank.)

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

@IamMrsG wrote:
@Chrystaltree2 wrote:
@IamMrsG wrote:
It isn't just the use of is vs are, of course. The English language has been bastardized by ignorance and people who do not care. Is that redundant?

I wonder if we do not "hear it" because we do not recognize it when we do. Anything, if experienced often enough, can become routine, 'the norm,' and more prone to acceptance. Pity.

Please, if I heard off the wall speech like like that; I'd remember...lol.
Well good for you to live in such a rarefied atmosphere as to never be exposed. lol

So it's " rarefied" to have not heard the little mistakes that people may use in everyday speech??

Really??

I think what it may be is, that it's really not an issue worth getting all bent out of shape over.

On any given day I speak with people from the ME & Eastern Europe so I would never make a point of correcting their attempts at our language. If they use the wrong word so be it. I got the gist of the conversation and far be it from me to consider my attempts at communication in their language to be any better.

I might be in the minority but I find it rude and condescending when people correct others words.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

Here is one that makes me batty: Waiting "on" someone instead of waiting "for" someone. Unless you are a waiter or waitress, or performing a service for someone, you are waiting FOR them!!

Imadickens · ‎06-15-2016

I don't believe I've heard this frequently, but I have noticed that many people who should know better, badly misuse the English language! Two of my favorites are...

None are...., it should be none is, none stands for not one which would be followed by is, ...not one is...

The other one is misusing myself! For example, " If you wish to reply you can tell Sue or myself". Obviously, it's Sue or me. Also, the "me" or "I" when necessary, goes after the other person, or at the end of a list of people.

Honorable mention goes to the misuse of fewer and less! Fewer is used for things you can count, fewer calories, fewer wrinkles. Less takes over for things impossible to count, less filling, less fattening . Less sand. Of course, you can count grains of sand, so that would be fewer grains...🙄

Never underestimate the power of kindness.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@CatLoverDogsToo wrote:
Something interesting:

My father came to this country speaking only French. He taught himself English by reading the comics. His grammar was perfect. Listening to him speak, you would never guess that English was not his first language. His brothers and sisters went to school to learn English, and spoke broken English at best. They all came to this country in 1920. My mother did not have a high school education, but she was a stickler for grammar and spelling. No one won a game of scrabble against either of them.

As for correcting someone's grammar: If it is done privately and with no "judgment" attached to it, it is probably okay. I think it really depends on the parties involved.

@CatLoverDogsToo my mom was born here from immigrants that came from eastern Europe who did not speak english which was common at that time. When my mom entered school, she had to learn english asap or risk getting hit with a ruler as that was the way it was back then but she then taught my grandparents and other relatives to speak english. Grammar was always very important in our house which I appreciate to this day.

Lila Belle · ‎01-24-2013

@Imadickens wrote:
I don't believe I've heard this frequently, but I have noticed that many people who should know better, badly misuse the English language! Two of my favorites are...
None are...., it should be none is, none stands for not one which would be followed by is, ...not one is...

The other one is misusing myself! For example, " If you wish to reply you can tell Sue or myself". Obviously, it's Sue or me. Also, the "me" or "I" when necessary, goes after the other person, or at the end of a list of people.

Honorable mention goes to the misuse of fewer and less! Fewer is used for things you can count, fewer calories, fewer wrinkles. Less takes over for things impossible to count, less filling, less fattening . Less sand. Of course, you can count grains of sand, so that would be fewer grains...🙄

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None also means NOT ANY. Therefore it can also be plural so none are is correct usage.

Texasmouse · ‎09-27-2010

@faeriemoon wrote:
Here is one that makes me batty: Waiting "on" someone instead of waiting "for" someone. Unless you are a waiter or waitress, or performing a service for someone, you are waiting FOR them!!

@faeriemoon

DH does that. Drives me nuts! Lol