The word LOOSING does not exist. The word is losing.
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The word LOOSING does not exist. The word is losing.
I know how you feel Alan. I'm a big grammar geek.
Evidently this "word" has made inroads. Maybe people don't read. Maybe people don't write. Hell, I don't know. Is this an African American Vernacular thing or something out of Branson?
In response to your comment redietz-- I'm slightly confused on what "African American vernacular" or Branson has to do with the common misusage and obvious misspelling of the word Alan was referring to. I don't think people don't read or write but will state that the emphasis on grammar isn't placed as much on the younger generations as it may have been placed on mine-- in the educational settings. Please elaborate. I choose to believe that he was simply venting about a very common incorrect spelling and usage of a word. I'd like to know where you saw the relevance as it appears I may have missed something. Thanks.
Ah, I was afraid my smart-assism would generate some feedback. To be honest, I regretted somewhat writing that. But to be clear, I was being a smart ass by including all-white Branson as a counterbalance to what some people would interpret as a racist comment. My ex-girlfriend, who is a fine editor, used to debate this kind of thing with me, with her usually taking the stance that language is fluid and ever-changing and me rolling my eyes.
I have seen Loosing quite few times, so many times that I think it must have some "alternative spelling" foothold in current language. So I have to wonder what the origins of it are or how it became even semi-acceptable. Or maybe, as you say, it's just people don't read, people don't write.
African-American Vernacular (AAV or AAVE), sometimes called Ebonics in non-academic conversation, posits that it's a legitimate dialect of English with its own spellings and usages. The dialect's origins are generally argued to have begun among slaves on plantations. As time goes on, more and more slang is legitimized by arguing that it's an actual dialect.
So I roll my eyes and make a smart ass comment because "Loosing" has its origins somewhere. I've seen it three times this month in various places. Maybe it's just bad spelling. I just don't really buy that every commonly used misspelling or slang term should be considered fine for common usage because it's supposed to come from some dialect, whether that dialect is from a slave plantation or rural whites in Arkansas or Missouri or wherever.
There are too many of these types of "new words" and phrases. What happened to good old-fashioned proper english and grammar.
One phrase that particularly bothers me is "I'm waitin(g) [U]on[U] him rather than I'm waitin(g) for him. How did that happen? I always tell people that unless they work in a restaurant, they are waiting for him, not on him.
In rural Pennsylvania, phrases like "the cat needs brushed" are pretty common. Anybody else have any feelings for this usage? It saves a couple of syllables.
Please, please bring Rob back. :cool:
The use of "loosing" that I am referring to is a misspelling of losing.
By the way, only in New York City do people stand on line. In the rest of the country people stand in line.
thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by alan mendelson
"I could of blah blah blah" is one that bothers me. Instead of "I could have...."
And the classic from Barney.....larnyx!
could've acceptable but not could ofQuote:
Originally Posted by Chimp
I know. It's hard to tell when someone is talking, but I've seen it written with "of".