Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Do you know what day it is?

As the Funky Carter Administration's appointed Grammar Czar, I feel it's my duty to notify you that today is, officially, National Grammar Day.

Do with that information what you will. Take a permanent marker to that sign with a missing apostrophe. Invite a friend over to diagram sentences. Try once again to teach the Internet the difference between its and it's. (Seriously! I am still seeing this places! Why can't we all just learn that one by now??)

Ahem. Sorry. I got a little worked up there, I guess. Perhaps I should have a grammartini and unwind. Or just flash my new membership card with authority and watch people's grammar miraculously improve on command.




What? It could happen, right? A nerd can dream.

17 comments:

3carnations said...

On this day, would it be acceptable for me to interrupt my coworkers to correct their grammar?

I suppose not.

Sigh.

shelleycoughlin said...

I already forget what my FC title is. Oh, I just remembered! Blogger Laureate. Does that mean I get to correct grammar as well?

lizgwiz said...

Oh, I need myself one of those cards. ;)

Jess said...

Yay, grammar day! Thanks for spreading the word.

steve said...

If you take permanent marker to a sign, I hope to see a picture of the repair here. When I was in Roatan for vacation, I removed a bunch of superfluous apostrophes from plurals (taco's! burrito's!) on restaurant whiteboards. Hey, it made me happy.

L Sass said...

I want a grammartini!

Aaron said...

NPW already forgot her title?? Yeesh.

I knew I'd appointed the right woman for Grammar Czar, Stefanie. And while I don't need to be taught the difference between "its" and "it's", I was not aware of "SPOGG", so I'm pretty psyched. Off to join right now.

Anonymous said...

I really want one of those cards for myself. I don't think it's going to help the horrible grammar I saw PRINTED on boxes of apples at the grocery store. I should have taken a picture, I can't remember the exact wording, but whoever wrote, checked and printed it didn't know that the possessive of it doesn't get an apostrophe. Grrr.

Anonymous said...

Hooray for good grammar!

Anonymous said...

Woo! I just joined SPOGG! I am very relieved I didn't have to take a test in order to become a member.

Anonymous said...

PS, I cannot tell you how many times I have corrected my co-worker when he has said, "I could care less". He still persists in saying it that way, though.

Stefanie said...

3Cs--I think on this day, of all days, it's totally acceptable to correct their grammar. Of course, given how cranky your coworkers get when you merely use the fax machine in their presence, you might not want to push it. ;-)

NPW--Blogger Laureate. That sounds so fancy and prestigious. I definitely think that qualifies you to do some correcting as well.

Liz--You can print one from the site! Go for it!

Jess--You're welcome. Given the grammar-related posts you've written, you need to print a card, too.

Steve--The one sign I drive past every day and want to correct seems way too much work to correct. It's on the side of a building and it says, on a huge sign, "Spa's." Oddly, on the other side of the building, it correctly says "Spas." It's as if they weren't sure which was right, so they made one of each, figuring 50% right was better than 100% wrong. So sad.

L Sass--Me too!

Aaron--I won't let you down. I take the title very seriously (obviously unlike NPW). ;-)

Noelle--I'm just wondering why the word "its" was on a box of apples in the first place...

Pam--Hooray indeed.

Lara--I almost wish there were a test. That's how big a nerd I am. Also, the "could care less" thing would totally grate on my nerves, too. Good for you for trying to rid the world of at least one misuse of that phrase. You have earned your SPOGG card, if you ask me.

Courtney said...

Sigh. I wish every day were Grammar Day. (Notice how I use "were" instead of "was.")

don't call me MA'AM said...

Myself agrees with Courtney.

Could we also 'splain the difference between ALOT and A LOT? As in, Stefanie and myself agree that ALOT is not a word????

Gah! That one just kills me... mostly because I work in a school district, and the worst offenders are teachers.

Anonymous said...

Hey Stef! Long time, no e-mails. After a few weeks I finally returned to your blog (sorry, I've been remodeling a Master Bathroom... no time for the Interwebs) only to learn why I haven't heard from you. Sorry to hear about your Grandma. 96 years old? That's longevity.

So, I read your blog up to today's post, then saw something in the paper here in Seattle that screamed your name. They have a part of the opinion section called Rant and Rave where people write in to "rave" about a good deed, or "rant" about a rude driver, or whatever. Anyway, today someone wrote in with this: RANT-To the person who crossed out the word "can" everytime it appeared in the King Country Library book I'm reading and wrote in the word "may". In pen yet! It's dialogue; that's how people talk sometimes your grammar Nazi! Not to mention you've defaced public property.

Stef, have you been signing books out of the King County Library lately?

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

Doug's comment is hilarious.

Anyhoo can't believe I missed Grammar Day--I say we celebrate EVERY day!!!!!

Stefanie said...

Courtney--Did you always hate that Sophie B. Hawkins song for the same reason I did? (Really, Sophie, you could have said "Damn, I wish I WERE your lover." The right word would have fit into the lyrics just fine.)

DCMM--Gah indeed. That is another maddening one.

Doug--Oh my. Should I reply to all of that via comments, or should I send you an email? I'm thinking email would be better. But hi! :-)
(To everyone else, NO, I have not been defacing books from the King County Library, and I would never do so over an issue like "can" and "may." People like that give grammar geeks a bad name.)

Bleeding Espresso--Works for me!