I’m sure some people will think this is a joke…it’s not. I’m being quite serious.
Is there any context in which we call someone a Nazi? Besides of course, when speaking of Nazi Germany. I don’t know about you, but when I see or hear the word “Nazi” I’m not thinking anything positive. I’m thinking Holocaust. I’m thinking World War II. I’m thinking Hitler. What I’m not thinking about is someone who uses proper grammar and points out your mistakes when you make them.
Quite frankly, I find it ridiculous that this is a widely used term. So what if you’re annoyed when someone corrects you? So what if this so-called “Grammar Nazi” is a bit of a jerk correcting every mistake they come across? I’m still not understanding the use of the word “Nazi.” Would you label your high school English teacher as such after she returns your essay full of red ink? No. You wouldn’t.
No one wants to read something littered with grammar mistakes. And if enough people read the same mistakes over and over again, then someone is bound to speak up. I don’t think that person should be labeled anything. Even if this person makes it habit of correcting the grammar of others. So what.
Tell me something, how do you text? I’m talking about text messages that you send to other people. Because I know how you write your blog posts. You likely write the post. Then reread it at least once more just to make sure you catch all of your first draft mistakes before you hit publish. Do you do the same with texts? I do. Just a quick reread to make sure I’m making sense. I mean, I can’t be the only person annoyed by people who send messages like this: “Hey is it kool if i take ur car to work 2day” Yes, I know at least one person who texts like this. And no, I don’t text her. Ever. That little sample message goes beyond grammar, but I’ve found that people who spell everything out use proper grammar and those who don’t, text like that.
I enjoy reading articles, blog posts, and text messages that use proper grammar. And so do you. So let’s stop calling people Grammar Nazis. It’s rather easy.
Feel free to laugh at this post. I really don’t care.
I’ve seen “grammar police” and “grammar doc” and wonder why something like that isn’t enough. I suppose if you’re really angry, it’s not enough.
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Yep. But is someone else’s grammar REALLY cause for ever being angry to begin with? I don’t think so.
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I call myself a grammar snob, never a Nazi. I get what you’re saying though. And it seems like it would be a lot more effort to type lyk dis than to just spell everything correctly. But that’s just me.
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Exactly! With autocorrect and predictive texting, not to mention that every single word would be underlined by spell check, doing it right just seems easier. Plus, is it just my iphone, or does using a number (“gud 4 u”) require more clicking around??
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Haha it definitely is. I think they just turn off autocorrect.
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Thanks for this. To say the least, I am not very fond of the expression either.
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THANK YOU! As a Jew, a feminist, a woman and a grammar freak, I’m completely in agreement.
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Well you’re welcome. It’s just annoying. Especially with something that everyone should try their best at being correct at. No one likes improper grammar.
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Completely agree! It annoys the crap out of me. Though, I don’t mind the term “grammar police.” I’m so bad, I even correct people when they say something wrong. Living in the south, I correct a lot of people and get a lot of hate in the process.
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Ha! I correct people when they speak too! Only if I really know them.
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I like this post and I agree. Nothing in our world has ever come close to what the Nazi’s were able to accomplish and inflict upon the world. Nothing.
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Agreed. Which you know already.
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Yes I do :-).
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That’s why I am the Grammar Mafia.
=)
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Haha I don’t think I’ve heard that.
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=)
http://holisticwayfarer.com/2013/07/31/the-writing-process-ii-from-the-grammar-mafia-part-3/
No obligation to respond, John.
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A “hit list of bloggers” haha!
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He he
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