Rants
Everyone has stuff they need to get off their chest.
Here's mine!
Y'all
How is y'all spelled?
Y'all is a southern word that is a contraction of you all. As we all know from many years of studying English
grammar, an apostrophe is placed where letters are missing in a contraction. Examples include:
- don't (do not)
- can't (cannot)
- I'm (I am)
Why, then, do so many people incorrectly spell y'all as ya'll? It's a contraction of you all - replace the
ou with an apostrophe and you get y'all. It's really a very easy rule - one of the easiest in the
English language, in my opinion.
While I'm on my soapbox about this word, allow me to explain another misconception. Some people (i.e. northerners)
think that y'all is singular, while all y'all is plural. Not true. They're both plural. As described above,
y'all is a contraction of you all, so how can that be singular? They're both plural, but they're used slightly
differently. Y'all is a loose reference to the individuals in a group, whereas all y'all refers to a
collective group. Observe the following example sentences:
- "Are y'all going to the movie?" - When asked to a group, the members going will reply in the affirmative.
- "Are all y'all going to the movie?" - When asked to a group, a member might say, "All of us except Bob."
The spelling of y'all is easy; there is no reason to misspell it. The usages of y'all and all y'all
are a little trickier; just remember that they're both plural!
Incorrect usage of cents
All too often I see prices such as .99¢ when it should be either $0.99 or 99¢. This error actually advertises
items for less than one cent!
Software that drops icons all over the place
It boils my blood when I install software and it places icons on the desktop, at the top of my Start menu,
on the start menu, and in the system tray! Good night, people! I need only one icon!
Drivers
Way too many things to list here, but some of the really bad ones are: waiting to turn until I'm practically
at the intersection and then pulling out in front of me; passing me, then slowing down; tailgating; running
red lights; and giving one blink of the turn signal after the move is complete.
Overuse of cell phones
Cell phones are handy. I have one that I almost always carry while traveling. I rarely receive calls
on it; hardly anyone knows the number. I make one or two calls a week, and it provides great peace of mind. That's about where
it should end! It galls me to see how widespread these things have become. My biggest gripe is people who talk on
them and drive simultaneously. It just can't be done safely, people! It grates me to see AND HEAR folks chatting on
them in stores, restaurants, etc., and the damned things are always ringing in restaurants, concerts, movie theaters,
etc. They're handy, but I hate 'em.
Incorrect "slash" terminology in URLs
Some people say "forward-slash" when rattling off a URL. Even worse, others say "backslash." The character (/) is a forward-slash, so it's not technically incorrect to use that term, but it is unnecessary, as that is the only slash used in URLs. It is absolutely incorrect to say "backslash," as you will never see one of them in a URL (e.g. www.google.com\maps). So, just say, "slash!"
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