John Hurst as Pedant

A Pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with minor details, or a person displaying academic learning.

Somehow, I think the second definition fits me better, although there will be those who think otherwise. Unfortunately, there is the irony: I have to admit the detail of this qualification clearly puts me under the first definition. Sigh.

So, with this in mind, these pages are in two parts. The second definition is covered in a separate page, called Teaching. This page deals with the first definition, and is the shorter of the two. So there.

Pedantry

This section was started in Sep 2016. There have been numerous prior examples that should also go in this section, but I am not so anally retentive that I shall go back and find all such examples that might be in my ken. No, suffice to start afresh. I think this section shall grow sufficiently quickly on its own.

PS. If you find any error on these pages, feel free to send me a correction, and you shall be elevated to pedant supremo instantly.

PPS. Shouldn't that be "you will be elevated"? Well, yes. but I shall note that I have always followed the rule that using the non-regular form ("I will, you shall, they shall") implies an extra emphasis. As in Cinderella's "You shall go to the ball!" So there.

More Information on Pedantry

Want more guidance on how to be a pedant? Need to know the difference between it's and its? Read the Grammar Monster

In similar vein, Grammatica have developed a tool to provide web users with an AI-based Grammar Check (inter alia). Check it out.

Monash Focus

In the latest Monash Focus, there is a section called "Meet our new Faculty Managers", with a subheading "What Exciting Challenges Lay Ahead for your Faculty". Arrgggh! One of my pet hates is confusing the verbs "to lay" and "to lie", particularly with respect to the present tense of to lay ("lay") and past tense of to lie ("lay").

So I wrote a comment on that page. Here's what I commented:

"What Exciting Challenges Lay Ahead for your Faculty"? Well, getting your grammar correct for a start! That should be "lie ahead"!! Come on, Monash, this is our public face on display here!

Other people have commented on this solecism in more general terms. Here's one.

Teaching

Please see my separate Teaching page.

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