General Discussion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

150. That is a different point entirely.

Thu Sep 4, 2014, 03:05 PM

Sep 2014

It s necessary to call out another poster's mistake to teach that poster something, nor is it correct to assume that every poster is here to have grammar, spelling and usage corrected. Some adults very actively do NOT want that. Nor do I think the OP is a great teaching method. I am not even sure that was the intent.

The massacre of the English language continues unabated. I don't know why I bother.

Does that indicate an intent to teach?

I think Upaloopa's post teaches something too-and maybe something far more important than the difference between "wreck" and "wreak."

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Listen up, spuds. "Wreck havoc" is not a thing [View all] radiclib Sep 2014 OP

Thank you! The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2014 #1

That should be: XemaSab Sep 2014 #2

Umm.. radiclib Sep 2014 #3

. XemaSab Sep 2014 #4

Way two subtle Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #34

Msplaced periods lead to manopause. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #68

Or sometimes pregnant pauses. n/t A Simple Game Sep 2014 #178

Indeed. eom littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #179

Punctuation inside or outside of quotes . . . MrModerate Sep 2014 #62

No, it's pretty much a rule. Atman Sep 2014 #107

The New York Times Style Book said it goes inside and the NYT was so respected then that merrily Sep 2014 #133

No, only commas and periods are always inside the quotation marks. SunSeeker Sep 2014 #186

an example? Voice for Peace Sep 2014 #192

Example 1 is correct. Example 2 should not have a period after the quote. SunSeeker Sep 2014 #197

what if the defendant had confessed emphatically? Voice for Peace Sep 2014 #209

Was the defendant heard to say, "I confess!"? SunSeeker Sep 2014 #230

:) Voice for Peace Sep 2014 #232

you have it right demigoddess Sep 2014 #216

It is a rule, but it always looks very odd for a list of things in quotes: Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #210

It doesn't look odd to me. SunSeeker Sep 2014 #214

it is this way demigoddess Sep 2014 #217

"Pretty much" is not very precise. MrModerate Sep 2014 #215

Correct. That's a pet peeve of mine, too. I know the correct way, as you show, but valerief Sep 2014 #127

I hate it when that happens. Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #201

I await with baited breath the affects of your efforts to reign in Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #5

Don't poke the bear! radiclib Sep 2014 #9

That's what they told the horny sourdough Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #11

Their, they're... JHB Sep 2014 #12

their kardonb Sep 2014 #191

Do you think you might loose your cool? a2liberal Sep 2014 #66

Just another looser? Two bad. Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #145

anhh..some of my favorite freeperisms..alongside casting asparagus and SoCalDem Sep 2014 #142

Just don't wait with abated breath n/t krispos42 Sep 2014 #196

Pedant. Warpy Sep 2014 #6

That's it radiclib Sep 2014 #10

You're actually PROUD of your sickening sexual proclivities??? Vine Gatherer Sep 2014 #50

Raining in... leftieNanner Sep 2014 #31

Or in the head of the poster Warpy Sep 2014 #64

A reduplication of redundancies Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #198

The other one that is like nails on the chalkboard is the incessant misuse of "free reign." MADem Sep 2014 #77

Or the misuse of the term "if you will", so overdone with that one Dont call me Shirley Sep 2014 #174

I keep seeing that one coming down the pipe enki23 Sep 2014 #134

The populous in it's wisdom demands it. Jackpine Radical Sep 2014 #148

I say "Wreck Havoc" to my wife, because it pisses her off. grattsl Sep 2014 #7

I could care less. missingthebigdog Sep 2014 #8

Me too. TDale313 Sep 2014 #17

LOL, grammar police are so annoying at times. nt Logical Sep 2014 #13

Only between 12:00a and 11:59p. reflection Sep 2014 #104

Your right. johnp3907 Sep 2014 #14

It might jibe, though, begging your pedant. elias49 Sep 2014 #22

I have a really pretty opal pedant leftieNanner Sep 2014 #33

I see we have something in common pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #15

I knew catchnrelease Sep 2014 #29

It's a mute point. PeaceNikki Sep 2014 #16

One of my favorites! Scuba Sep 2014 #20

In that case, let's hear no more of it. merrily Sep 2014 #129

Thank you! treestar Sep 2014 #18

I see that allot. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2014 #19

Was that typo on purpose? Unknown Beatle Sep 2014 #32

That would be a good guess. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2014 #105

So what you were seeing was an allotment or distribution. sabrina 1 Sep 2014 #116

Grammar. . . Gramma littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #21

Until predictive text kicks in. elias49 Sep 2014 #23

And proofreading checks out. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #24

Indeed, littlemisssmartypants! elias49 Sep 2014 #28

Hold up there... Snarkoleptic Sep 2014 #25

I keep a running text file.. X_Digger Sep 2014 #26

Really? Wow, odd. Nt Logical Sep 2014 #30

The George W. Bush Unknown Beatle Sep 2014 #37

Thanks for the come pendulum. JEB Sep 2014 #38

Clever basturd. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #56

You're missing "needs fixed" Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #39

That's just a difference in dialect, right? Not misuse. Unvanguard Sep 2014 #91

It is grammatically incorrect. Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #96

It is grammatically incorrect in "standard English." Unvanguard Sep 2014 #183

Then the entire list should be dumped on the same basis. n/t Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #205

Not so. Most of them are misheard common phrases. Unvanguard Sep 2014 #211

We'll just have to disagree. n/t Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #212

As a native Pittsburgh child... DeadLetterOffice Sep 2014 #193

The interesting thing is that I first encountered it Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #204

It's pretty much only the western half of the state. DeadLetterOffice Sep 2014 #220

My boss was from about halfway between Pittsburgh & Johnstown. Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #221

Well Played, X Digger. Maynar Sep 2014 #46

Great list, but one has me laughing out loud Not Sure Sep 2014 #47

I've used the phrase "pre-Madonna prima donna" ... eppur_se_muova Sep 2014 #181

This message was self-deleted by its author eppur_se_muova Sep 2014 #182

***** radiclib Sep 2014 #63

I think you forgot "pore/pour" kath Sep 2014 #72

Oh, yes. That one makes me gag. I see it all the time. nt Nay Sep 2014 #122

NB re "vise/vice" Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #76

The whole -ate thing drives me bonkers.. X_Digger Sep 2014 #89

Sorry to be that guy but can't let that slide whatthehey Sep 2014 #109

"Different to" is common and frequently used in British English Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #188

Not in current style manuals it isn't whatthehey Sep 2014 #223

The Telegraph is probably not the place to be looking, they're hardly going to be innovative. Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #229

You are citing a dictionary whatthehey Sep 2014 #247

Missed out desert/dessert intaglio Sep 2014 #82

you missed one.... marshal/martial justabob Sep 2014 #90

Pre-madonna treestar Sep 2014 #98

That's an awesome hobby. I build boats. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2014 #110

beyond the pail, on the lamb , A new leash on life snagglepuss Sep 2014 #111

"We are so screwn" deutsey Sep 2014 #113

But "butt" naked seems so appropriate.... Whiskeytide Sep 2014 #114

I knew we could count on you to bemoon that one pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #119

Is that your hobby? How much time do you devote to it? upaloopa Sep 2014 #131

No time, just have a file on my desktop that I add to when I see particularly egregious examples. nt X_Digger Sep 2014 #190

I plan to go through... 3catwoman3 Sep 2014 #208

I always have to think twice with... 3catwoman3 Sep 2014 #222

Another one not on your list- breath/breathe kath Sep 2014 #246

uh no...epic fail VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #27

"wreak" and "havoc" are separate words radiclib Sep 2014 #65

it says right there is is an "idiom" and in the dictionary.... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #233

"two words together never have a meaning" radiclib Sep 2014 #238

I believe you THOUGHT you took me too the woodshed with this quote... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #239

Oh, you're right! They're really one word. radiclib Sep 2014 #241

yes you are definitely confused... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #242

Sorry you missed the sarcasm radiclib Sep 2014 #243

Did you ask about "wreck" when you thought you "schooled" me? VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #244

Popsicle headache. You win. radiclib Sep 2014 #245

I believe the modern idiom is "f--- up." hunter Sep 2014 #115

Yes that may be so....but it doesn't negate the first usage.... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #234

Wreaked is past tense? Mariana Sep 2014 #158

depends on whether it is used as a verb or not. VanillaRhapsody Sep 2014 #235

I know a dog named Havoc that occasionly reeks. JEB Sep 2014 #35

Some of my favorites: OldRedneck Sep 2014 #36

Wow, I've used "nauseous" incorrectly all this time. reflection Sep 2014 #106

You didn't know my grandma. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2014 #112

We dreaded going to my grandma's house. hunter Sep 2014 #117

I pacifically asked for an expresso... progressoid Sep 2014 #40

That was hilarious! Old Crow Sep 2014 #42

OK, but you should never end a paragraph with a "bang-head". n/t IDemo Sep 2014 #41

Its hard to essentially keep up with grammarly errors. Gormy Cuss Sep 2014 #43

Don't give up. English is worth saving. navarth Sep 2014 #44

And fuck the fucking spelling nazis ! upaloopa Sep 2014 #135

Since you spelled everything correctly in your post, navarth Sep 2014 #149

That gave me the best laugh all day and upaloopa Sep 2014 #157

Ha! navarth Sep 2014 #166

How About All Those Executive Types Saying "VIR-bij" . . . cer7711 Sep 2014 #45

Okay, just please don't go nucular on us pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #49

You bother because you care about the language. bvf Sep 2014 #48

Apparently the poster does. lonestarnot Sep 2014 #51

Which poster? littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #69

Oper. lonestarnot Sep 2014 #207

People also need to learn the difference between "affect" and "effect" Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #52

Unless you have a certain "affect" such as schzoid. nt Laffy Kat Sep 2014 #60

I imply what you inferred there. OilemFirchen Sep 2014 #99

I hate "gift" as a verb. cwydro Sep 2014 #237

That's right.. it's "wreak havoc".. thanks for the good ol Enlish Language reminder, radiclib Cha Sep 2014 #53

Apparently a very successful thread! bvf Sep 2014 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author A-Schwarzenegger Sep 2014 #55

Careful littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #71

Tell us how you really feel. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #57

Everyone is going to wreak corrections upon you. Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2014 #58

Let's not forget that there is no "Democrat Party"! The Wielding Truth Sep 2014 #59

"noone" area51 Sep 2014 #61

Somethin' tells me you're into somethin' good klook Sep 2014 #177

AHHHHGH! 2naSalit Sep 2014 #67

I was raised pronouncing it that way. My community pronounced it that way. Luminous Animal Sep 2014 #199

The terrible butchering of the language - I just can't bare it! kath Sep 2014 #70

Be careful when you play with words. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #74

These are the threads I live for on DU. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #73

Thank you! That one drives me nuts. WhiteAndNerdy Sep 2014 #75

I think my insurance company covers Havoc Replacement. Lint Head Sep 2014 #78

Writing for a college newspaper, I once typed 'respectfully' when I meant 'respectively' pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #79

"Wreck Havoc, and Let Slip the Dogs of Grammar!" nt daredtowork Sep 2014 #80

Et two? WinkyDink Sep 2014 #87

Dogs of Usage. merrily Sep 2014 #130

I get frustrated by how often I see "wretch" when the person means "retch," tblue37 Sep 2014 #81

I'm racking my brain but I can't think of a single example of that pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #83

It's "rack one's brains", not "wrack" Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #92

Experts seem to be divided on this pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #120

No, they really aren't Spider Jerusalem Sep 2014 #187

Another option would be to appreciate and value the qualities of other people Alkene Sep 2014 #84

Like you are doing, right? tkmorris Sep 2014 #125

If only people would tow the line. Starry Messenger Sep 2014 #85

It's a doggy-dog world. WinkyDink Sep 2014 #86

!. Laughing laughing! Luminous Animal Sep 2014 #200

Your post doesn't pass mustard. wyldwolf Sep 2014 #88

Irregardless and for all intensive purposes, I say that it is. nt Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2014 #93

Oh sure you think, your so smart. You probably the type to reply to any old gammer, eror. Rex Sep 2014 #94

I gnu that. I just wanted to be post #95 on a grammar post. LiberalAndProud Sep 2014 #95

I get hung up on hang or hung justiceischeap Sep 2014 #97

Dude, for all intensive purposes, your totally loosing it hear! Zorra Sep 2014 #100

I have no ideal what you're talking about. reflection Sep 2014 #101

Preach it! Iggo Sep 2014 #102

Excuse me, but I am no SPUD.... ChisolmTrailDem Sep 2014 #103

Question: reflection Sep 2014 #108

Whinge, bespoke, aggro, anorak, bollocks, bloody, coriander, bum, aubergine, dodgy, knackered.. X_Digger Sep 2014 #202

thank you reflection Sep 2014 #219

I know. I know. The stuff I've seen, even on a site like this where I Nay Sep 2014 #118

I always say; "Nowadays everyone writes but no one reads." johnp3907 Sep 2014 #154

It used to be a thing -- wreck meant wreak until that usage began to die in the 19th century fishwax Sep 2014 #121

One might also "weck havoc" -- make a sandwich of it on a salted roll with caraway seeds fishwax Sep 2014 #123

I like it. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #160

The last time we went out to dinner, I had a havoc sandwich at a seafood restaurant. George II Sep 2014 #225

While we are at it... Glassunion Sep 2014 #124

that *is* how it's pronounced south of the 39th parallel (and E of Texas) MisterP Sep 2014 #126

With just a hint of "rake." merrily Sep 2014 #132

I don't understand spelling and grammar police. upaloopa Sep 2014 #128

I agree. Some things still merrily Sep 2014 #136

If I can't understand what you are saying I pass it by. upaloopa Sep 2014 #137

I meant in a real life conversation with someone, where it might be more merrily Sep 2014 #138

I learned a long time ago that if we upaloopa Sep 2014 #141

I don't see anyone here going out to "hunt down" people pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #139

I do. Hissyspit Sep 2014 #140

This is not class upaloopa Sep 2014 #143

Not really the point. Hissyspit Sep 2014 #146

I used to teach for a living, but DU is not a classroom. Correcting adults in a classroom is merrily Sep 2014 #144

Humans are social. They learn from each other all the time in all kinds of ways. Hissyspit Sep 2014 #147

That is a different point entirely. merrily Sep 2014 #150

Uh...Who are you calling a "spud"? Blue_Tires Sep 2014 #151

Prescriptionists are fated to lose in the long run. trackfan Sep 2014 #152

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2014 #153

I could care less sammythecat Sep 2014 #155

Wow. 70 wrecks for this post thus far. reflection Sep 2014 #156

LOL! merrily Sep 2014 #159

And this thread in particulates littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #162

I prefer what upaloopa's reply taught. merrily Sep 2014 #163

Indeed, and neither you nor I are spuds. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #164

aw you are an easy person to be friendly to. Pure pleasure to encounter merrily Sep 2014 #165

And a high velocity crash as well littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #161

Send me a PM if you want me to listen up to something taterguy Sep 2014 #167

What took you so long. We've been covering for you for hours. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #168

Thank you and never stop correcting Oilwellian Sep 2014 #169

Well. Oil. Deep subjects. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #171

Up and Adam! chrisa Sep 2014 #170

But but but Wreck havoc has such a dramatic impact Dont call me Shirley Sep 2014 #172

I had a heated discussion with someone over veranda rights gwheezie Sep 2014 #173

So true....and a few others: George II Sep 2014 #175

Yes! progdog Sep 2014 #180

It appears that you have a problem with what is primarily African American vernacular. Zorra Sep 2014 #213

It appears you have a problem with making sweeping, uninformed, and incorrect assumptions.... George II Sep 2014 #224

"Sometimes I Don't Speak Right... But Yet I Know What I'm Talking About" - WAR WillyT Sep 2014 #176

sea mantics Billy Budd Sep 2014 #184

Pronounced "reek". albino65 Sep 2014 #185

wreck kardonb Sep 2014 #189

Wow, I should of knowed that. Don't loose faith. People like me still write good. Vattel Sep 2014 #194

where did you get the idea it meant to eliminate? niyad Sep 2014 #195

Oh, good grief! radiclib Sep 2014 #203

I did. the definition does not mean "to eliminate". niyad Sep 2014 #236

No shit! radiclib Sep 2014 #240

Kick and wreck. nt eppur_se_muova Sep 2014 #206

I am unhappy and itchy renate Sep 2014 #218

Moran brainiac version: Reek havoc valerief Sep 2014 #226

so many posters here cwydro Sep 2014 #227

"Mute point" YarnAddict Sep 2014 #228

There was a big prison ek-scape yesterday. Kingofalldems Sep 2014 #231

Thanks kaikevin Mar 2015 #248