Cathy Classics by Cathy Guisewite for August 22, 2009

This is of course totally ridiculous. If you’re that afraid of hurting someone’s feelings just go back to them again and again even if you don’t like how they’re cutting your hair.

OK now bad english has reached the comics! It is not sneaked it is snuck. past tense for plea is pled speed is sped and sneak is snuck not sneaked. I read an article recently in my newspaper that went that the offender speeded away. We have becone victims not to poor english but lazy programming in word coupled with lazt writing/writers who consistently use and believe all that spellcheck tells them. Whew, I really neede to get this rant out of the way.

Marchman, first off, you should have had a comma after “OK”. Second, “english” should be capitalized, as should “past” at the beginning of your third sentence. Third, whenever you use words when used as actual word and not part of the sentence should be in quotations. Example:

The past tense of “plea” is “pled”.

Fourth, “pled”, “plead” (pronounced “pled” and is actually the more traditional Old English spelling of the word, i.e. “read” pronounced “reed” and “read” pronounced “red”), and “pleaded” are technically all correct past tenses of the word “plead”.

Fifth, there should be a comma separating “pled” and “speed”, as well as between “sped” and “sneak”.

Sixth, “snuck” is considered by most grammarians to be a correct past tense of the word “sneak”, however, most will also agree that “sneaked” is also another correct past tense form of the verb.

Seventh, the newspaper article you read did not “go”. It “said”.

Eighth, the quote you pulled from said newspaper should have been in quotations as well as having the beginning of said quote capitalized.

Ninth, there should be a comma between “victims” and “not” as well as between “english” (which, again, should be capitalized) and “but”. (Though there are some grammarians who will disagree with this use of the comma, this is generally acceptable use of the punctuation in most circles.) There should also be a comma between “word” and “coupled”. (Again, this usage of commas is not always agreed upon by grammarians.)

Tenth, you spelled “lazy” incorrectly. Apparently you are one of those who doesn’t even bother to read your “spell check” (two words, by the way), though, I agree, you can’t rely on it for everything.

In conclusion, no, I do not use proper grammar at all times. There are occasions where I mingle with those less grammatically proficient and stoop to using slang.

But if I were to write about poor grammar, I would at least make sure my writing had followed basic grammatical laws.

That being said, I’m-a go do dishes now, cuz I gotta go to the tag agency later and get the papers on my new car! Then, laundry!

Have a nice day! (See what I mean about the slang?) ^.^

“Grammatical slouching” is small-time…You want to see tangible evidence of a major decline in this country? Watch “JayWalking” on the Jay Leno show. Apparently, we’re raising a generation of complete idiots.

Trish, how very true! I’ve seen his “JayWalking” segments. It makes one nauseated.

I’d settle for the proper use of “there”, “their”, and “they’re”, not to mention, “your” and “you’re”. LibrarianinTraining, you’re a gem! Thanks for the laughs…and grammatical lesson!

LibrarianinTraining, you rock!

I got a laugh from LibrarianInTraining ‘s comment (thanks!). :-) I’m with you, Bob Wells, and I’d like to add: stop adding unnecessary apostrophes to any word with an “s” at the end.

Check out: www.apostropheabuse.com

LOL

Y’all wit yer fancy languitch totally confuzzle this ol’ hillbilly.

ursen, you’re no more hillbilly than I. I go used car shopping in Walmart parking lots.

Thank you, everyone. It is a treat to have others laugh with one rather than at one.

I was sorely mocked for my grammatical prowess in high school. Until my teacher told me I could teach the class, as she was too busy grading papers, and I already knew everything in the book anyway.

Lightenup, yes, that misappropriation of apostrophes is tragic. Makes my toes curl.

That and people who say “li-berry”. shudders

Susan001, “loose” instead of “lose” really drives me crazy. But so does misuse of there/their/they’re and your/you’re. “It’s” vs. “its” is more understandable, but I cringe at that one too.

Misused or misspelled words are somewhat tolerable on message boards, but what really makes me crazy is seeing them in books, magazines, and newspapers! Oh, and store signs - like “bokay.” Horrors!

“More importantly” is my pet.

I guess I’m a “completely superficial ditz” because I do relate to this comic strip. I also have a Ph.D., but fortunately, I find I can still laugh at myself. And I have met Cathy Guisewite and she is a delightful person. So, get off her back and if you don’t like the comic, don’t read it, but let the rest of us (who are ditzy enought to realize it is just a comic strip) enjoy it.