I can't stand it any more

[leethet]

So I'm going to bitch about this.

When someone surprises you and you jump, you START. You don't "startle." You simply start. To startle is to surprise (someone else), not to jump because you've been surprised. That's why the Victorian ladies would say "Gracious what a start you gave me."


Sheesh.


Petty rant over

Edit to add: Petty rant not quite over because I just thought of another fandom-wide (well, and wider) abomination. It's "homed in," not "honed in." To hone is to sharpen something. You can sharpen your focus on something, yes, but you would hone your focus, you wouldn't hone in. To home in is to center on a specific target. So you hone your focus in order to home in on your target.

Petty rant over now. Probably. Except I always enjoy when other people post their own grammar peeves too, so please feel free.

Comments

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Oh oh, what have you been reading :)

I just had a private rant over nonplussed a little while ago. Why do people use it to mean the exact opposite of its real meaning?

[leethet.livejournal.com]

It's the non part - it makes people think "not" something.


The thing is, people get startled in fanfic a lot. I can't tell you the last time I saw "he started" instead of "he startled," and it finally just non-nonplussed me. :-)

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

AAAGGGHHH "HOMED" IN!!!!

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

...unless it's a drone.

[leethet.livejournal.com]

Are you saying you don't like it????

(Your icon scares me)

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

That is a terrifying cat face, isn't it?!
"Homed in" is one of those commonly seen misuses that annoy me, but not so much as "loose/lose," "prostate/prostrate" or any number of just plain dumb mistakes. As for "startled," I suspect the people who use it think they are being creative, in using it instead of, say, "jumped in surprise. " I doubt they even know the word "started."

[leethet.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing you mean "honed in" as the misuse, right? Or I'm not understanding you.

And yes, loose/lose! Ouch ouch. It's not, perhaps, that it's worse than any other, but that the word's so common the error's slapping you in the face constantly.

I suspect the people who use it think they are being creative

It is true that a good writer can use a term a little "incorrectly" and make it not only work, but sparkle - no example leaps to mind but I'm sure you know what I mean. But based on the rest of the story in these cases, I'm gonna say that's not what's going on. :-)

Yet, many people can read right past these errors and enjoy the stories, so clearly the day of standard English grammar actually being standard, or a standard, is past.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Yes yes I meant "honed." Gah. See? I did it too!

[mayamaia.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* Good to see you again!