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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/11/are-you-the-next-pedant-in-chief-prove-it

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Are you the next pedant in chief? Prove it So your a pedant? It's nothing to be proud of
(34 minutes later)
Coolness has been conferred upon many undecidedly uncool things in the past few years. People now proudly claim to be “nerds”, purple hair is almost mainstream and the decidedly uncool pursuit of pedantry is injecting a sense of superiority into keyboard warriors everywhere.Coolness has been conferred upon many undecidedly uncool things in the past few years. People now proudly claim to be “nerds”, purple hair is almost mainstream and the decidedly uncool pursuit of pedantry is injecting a sense of superiority into keyboard warriors everywhere.
There is nary a badly spelt text message or casual misuse of “ATM machine” in conversation that goes unchecked these days by someone quickly justifying their intervention with the words, “Oh, I’m a pedant.”There is nary a badly spelt text message or casual misuse of “ATM machine” in conversation that goes unchecked these days by someone quickly justifying their intervention with the words, “Oh, I’m a pedant.”
I used to be a pedant. Well, I tried too, but the truth is I am far too disinterested and easily distracted to ever actually be one. Of course, the errant apostrophe and mangling of “you’re” and “your” used to make me wince. Like a semantics lecturer receiving badly spelt texts from a teenage child, I would swiftly move to refute someone silly enough to say “less than” when they meant “fewer than”. But no more! I have freed myself from the grammar police shackles, allowing me to truly listen to people.I used to be a pedant. Well, I tried too, but the truth is I am far too disinterested and easily distracted to ever actually be one. Of course, the errant apostrophe and mangling of “you’re” and “your” used to make me wince. Like a semantics lecturer receiving badly spelt texts from a teenage child, I would swiftly move to refute someone silly enough to say “less than” when they meant “fewer than”. But no more! I have freed myself from the grammar police shackles, allowing me to truly listen to people.
Take, for example, the keyboard symbol most overused by pedants everywhere: “*”, which is used to correct someone rather than respond to what that person is actually saying.Take, for example, the keyboard symbol most overused by pedants everywhere: “*”, which is used to correct someone rather than respond to what that person is actually saying.
“Over 100 children are self harming in Australia’s mainland detention centres,” Natalie will post on social media.“Over 100 children are self harming in Australia’s mainland detention centres,” Natalie will post on social media.
“*More than,” John will respond, entirely missing the point in the process.“*More than,” John will respond, entirely missing the point in the process.
Likewise, when Natalie asks “what’s your top three favourite bands?” on Facebook, the serial pedant will reply with “*what are”. Well, John, thanks for that.Likewise, when Natalie asks “what’s your top three favourite bands?” on Facebook, the serial pedant will reply with “*what are”. Well, John, thanks for that.
John is being asked a personal question but all he can focus on is the mistake. Someone is trying to point out that children seeking asylum are facing a crisis in care in Australia, but the pedant’s response is a shallow one.John is being asked a personal question but all he can focus on is the mistake. Someone is trying to point out that children seeking asylum are facing a crisis in care in Australia, but the pedant’s response is a shallow one.
“But it’s the principal!” I hear pedants bleat. “If we accept the wrong use of words, than we lose the words’ original meaning.”“But it’s the principal!” I hear pedants bleat. “If we accept the wrong use of words, than we lose the words’ original meaning.”
But the English language is not stagnant – it’s literally a living and breathing thing. That’s why dictionaries are updated and why your 80-year-old grandma can mean something completely different when calling someone “gay”. If pedants think they’re efforts are helping maintain proper language use for the next century then I hate to be the bearer of obvious news, but people in 100 years are going to be speaking and spelling differently to how we do today.But the English language is not stagnant – it’s literally a living and breathing thing. That’s why dictionaries are updated and why your 80-year-old grandma can mean something completely different when calling someone “gay”. If pedants think they’re efforts are helping maintain proper language use for the next century then I hate to be the bearer of obvious news, but people in 100 years are going to be speaking and spelling differently to how we do today.
That aside, there is a need for us to be literate, of course. Which brings me to what may be the most devastating revelation for the enthusiastic corrector: WE KNOW. Most of the time, serial manglers of the English language know the difference between “complimentary” and “complementary”.That aside, there is a need for us to be literate, of course. Which brings me to what may be the most devastating revelation for the enthusiastic corrector: WE KNOW. Most of the time, serial manglers of the English language know the difference between “complimentary” and “complementary”.
Eight times out of 10, it will just be a simple typo made as we’re tweeting while ordering food, dodging traffic or pretending to work. But the glee with which typos, outside of news articles, is jumped on is tedious. Affectively, you’re just saying you are more educated than the person writing or speaking. Or you think you are. But just as Tony Abbott certainly knows what Canada is called, and Tanya Plibersek is clear that Africa is a continent, a slip on the keyboard is not a good reason for you to type your most patronising “*”.Eight times out of 10, it will just be a simple typo made as we’re tweeting while ordering food, dodging traffic or pretending to work. But the glee with which typos, outside of news articles, is jumped on is tedious. Affectively, you’re just saying you are more educated than the person writing or speaking. Or you think you are. But just as Tony Abbott certainly knows what Canada is called, and Tanya Plibersek is clear that Africa is a continent, a slip on the keyboard is not a good reason for you to type your most patronising “*”.
You’ve made it through the myriad of errors to reach the end of this article. Well done. But you get the point of what I’m saying, right?You’ve made it through the myriad of errors to reach the end of this article. Well done. But you get the point of what I’m saying, right?
So go ahead and try to find those 10 mistakes. If you find 11, maybe you should read it again.So go ahead and try to find those 10 mistakes. If you find 11, maybe you should read it again.