POLL: How incorrect is your English?

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No lich-hunting RPG player would ever get sarcophagus spelt incorrectly.

Consistently scored 60-66% so I voted for 6. I'm surprised... I thought I'd be better at english. Although I have to admit the second spelling test had 4-5 words that I've never seen before, so...

 

9/10

14/15

13/15

8/10

'Nuff said

 

8, 10, 3 , and 7 respectively.

 

Manus:

They also manage something along the same lines later on in that quiz. Minuscule and miniscule are the options, and after answering that one correctly, I consulted my dictionary. I was right, and both are perfectly valid.

 

Minuscule is the original right one. Miniscule, though listed by some dictionaries is allowed at best, but not really right. Perhaps it's a result of pronunciation mess.

 

8/10
13/15
6/10
12/15

And now a quiz in Dutch...

 

Who got 0?

 

Interesting. I got 8 on the first one. I messed up with that 'he acts as though he blank the coolest guy in school' one, and also the 'Andrea and blank.'

Thing is, That second one is exactly the opposite of what I've been taught every year in grammar class. As far as I know, the quiz is wrong. Whoa...

 

The second one is absolutely correct. 'I' is subject and 'me' is object. One can't say "Give it to him or I", or "Come to Sally and I", as "I" is one of the few words in English that have case forms. Therefore, it's not only the preposition that changes according to the case other than nominative. So,

"It's I" and not "It's me" - even though 99% people say "It's me".

"To him and me" and not "to him and I" - again, many people would not decline the object at all.

Teachers are humans, too. I don't believe many teachers stick to "It's I/he/she/we/they" etc.

 

The only ones I really had incorrect was with the words I didn't know.

 

Chevalier, dictionaries do not (well with the exception of the Scrabble ones I guess) allow or disallow words, they reflect the language as it is used. Whilst minuscule may have been first, it isn't the only one in use (and indeed a search on Google reveals significant usage of both). And as for variant spellings of words, you'll find such words as favorite (sic) showing pretty strong usage.

 

"Favorite" is perfectly legitimate in American sl.. dialect

As for frequent use in google, try search on the words 'definate' and 'definately'

Dictionaries can't force you to speak one way or another, but they sort of legitimatise poor spelling or sucking grammar when they include it as a word. In this sense they allow or disallow it. People are more likely to use not really proper forms if they find them in a dictionary, aren't they? And so people will adopt oddities into their language. Some dictionaries will strive to maintain some at least half-decent standard of moderately appropriate English, some will just collect everything you hear on the street, including "d'oh". Some will even miss the proper form if it's rarely used. Just take a random dictionary, look up 'often' and check the pronunciation they give.

[ December 16, 2003, 01:44: Message edited by: chevalier ]

 

7,13,6,12

MMMM... Not so bad for a non-native english speaker eh? Considering that the only place were I really use english daily is Sorcerer's because I just don't read there I actualy (damn I can't remember if it take one or two *t*) write there too.

Me Engliss is veri good, isinit trough?

I really like my *isinit*

 

6/10
11/15
5/10
9/15

 

7,12,8,8 I could've kicked myself over the first one. I should've known them. I guess my England isn't as good as I thought it was.

 

7/10
14/15
7/10
11/15

Oi. No comment.