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Old 06-19-2007, 09:51 AM   #2
Iowa_Flames_Fan
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I love this kind of stuff--though I do sometimes wonder if there's a touch of elitism among those who are self-anointed guardians of the language. After all, what's being made fun of (for the most part) is two things: working-class diction, and professional jargon. The pluralist in me says that how the working classes talk isn't "wrong"--it's just how they use language. And the academic in me sees a purpose for professional jargon, even when it seems impenetrable to people who aren't in the profession.

At the same time, many of the things that annoy the authors also annoy me--like excessive use of question marks when you're not asking questions.

My favourite example from the link:
Quote:
To be honest with you, I'm pressurised 24/7. I'm literally in pieces.
People use "literally" to mean "figuratively" all the time. (in fact, James Joyce does this in "The Dead" as a kind of sly joke on 20th century language use--but my "English nerd" colours are showing...) It kind of drives me nuts.
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