The (grammar) bitch is back ...

[leethet]

I'm reading quite a bit of fanfic right now and although I am enjoying it, I've got to gripe:

The noun is exhalation or inhalation. Exhale and inhale are verbs. For fuck's sake, don't they teach kids anything in school any more? Is this like "That was a hard ask," which I keep seeing in formerly legitimate newspapers where people who are not illiterate would have written "That was a hard question"?

Sam Waterston did a Calvin and Hobbes about "verbing" language, but I thought it was a joke.

OK. I feel better. Thank you for listening (assuming someone is). As ever, anyone who wants to post a pet grammar peeve here is welcome to do so - I always find them interesting.

Comments

[leethet.livejournal.com]

You mean instead of "mathematics"?

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

Instead of "maths" - petty i know

[leethet.livejournal.com]

Phooey - we all have our likes and dislikes. That's what grouchy journal entries are for, carping about stuff we know isn't all that important.

But really, I have to agree with you. Is there or is there not an S on the end of mathematics? No one says "mathematic," so why should it be "math" and not "maths"?