unsolicited language advice
I think anyone who calls himself a writer goes through a Grammar Nazi phase at some point, generally in high school or college. Like a driver's-ed student keenly aware of the rules of the road and critical of those who flout them, a Grammar Nazi goes around bellyaching about imprecision of language until no one can stand him. I went thru this phase like everyone else and gave it up a long time ago.
Sometimes, however, there are trespasses which cannot be forgiven, or left unmocked.
EXAMPLE ONE:
Rate of speed. This is often used in police-ese, where people are "individuals," a crowd is "a group of individuals," and driving fast is "traveling at a high rate of speed."
People. Speed is a rate. Distance over time. Come on, now. You might as well admonish an obese person that he exists at a high ratio of weight (mass x local gravity).
EXAMPLE TWO:
Step foot. As in, "I refuse to step foot in his house." It doesn't make sense. Stepping is done with the foot; no need to get redundant about it. This all comes from people mishearing the correct phrase, "set foot." You set your foot down when you walk. How do you not get this. Yes, I know!--all kinds of apparently wrong usages can be considered "acceptable" or even correct if there's enough precedent of people using them and being understood. That's fine, that's how language evolves. So I won't even correct you if you say "step foot." That's how magnanimous a person I am. You're welcome.
Sometimes, however, there are trespasses which cannot be forgiven, or left unmocked.
EXAMPLE ONE:
Rate of speed. This is often used in police-ese, where people are "individuals," a crowd is "a group of individuals," and driving fast is "traveling at a high rate of speed."
People. Speed is a rate. Distance over time. Come on, now. You might as well admonish an obese person that he exists at a high ratio of weight (mass x local gravity).
EXAMPLE TWO:
Step foot. As in, "I refuse to step foot in his house." It doesn't make sense. Stepping is done with the foot; no need to get redundant about it. This all comes from people mishearing the correct phrase, "set foot." You set your foot down when you walk. How do you not get this. Yes, I know!--all kinds of apparently wrong usages can be considered "acceptable" or even correct if there's enough precedent of people using them and being understood. That's fine, that's how language evolves. So I won't even correct you if you say "step foot." That's how magnanimous a person I am. You're welcome.