To follow on from yesterday’s blogpost on the German attitude to the valid use of the English apostrophe, what about all the times we see the apostrophe incorrectly used in the English language: potato’s sold here. And the computer doesn’t recognise that as incorrect.
Regularly heard these days - I have went, I done. What about I’ve gotten, I’ve proven? Split infinitives are now the norm.
And then there is confusion with less and few. Sinn Féin in a recent pamphlet writes: “It also means less people living in emergency accommodation or in overcrowded family homes." Ouch, of course it should be fewer. But it is correct to say fewer slices, less butter.
The difference between about and around. It seems to be custom and practice now to say “around 100 people were present", when it should be “ about.....” You go around in circles about 100 times.
Donald Trump at a rally in Butler last week said: “... have showed"
Has it all something to do with a living language? Who decides? It’s like everything these days.
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