[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Seeking Grammar Police Ruling - Typo's

[Lee Kaiwen]

bboyminn:
But just because something is accepted as universal style, doesn't mean 
other methods are wrong.

Me (CJ):
Language is nothing more than a commonly accepted set of linguistic 
symbols. "Dog" means "dog" simply because that's what everyone agrees it 
means. Thus, the only possible definition of "right" and "wrong" in a 
linguistic context is in reference to common acceptance. Something is 
"right" because everyone agrees on it.

So when you dismiss common acceptance as irrelevant, as you did when you 
said, "It doesn't matter that typos is the common informal plural of 
typo", then we're left with no way to adjudicate right from wrong.

"Typos is the common informal plural of typo" is just another way of 
saying, linguistically speaking, "typos" is right.

bboyminn:
What matters is whether I have formed a valid contraction.

Me:
It can't be right if it can't be wrong. And if we're not allowed to 
reference common acceptance, then we have no way to decide whether 
anything is right or wrong. Or valid.

bboyminn:
Style guides say that ATM and FBI are acceptable form, but that doesn't 
mean A.T.M. and F.B.I. are incorrect.

Me:
Because both forms are commonly accepted. But suppose I want to 
punctuate initials with an apostrophe? I could argue that just because 
A'T'M' isn't commonly accepted doesn't mean it isn't valid. But down 
that road, I think, lies linguistic anarchy.

Geoff:
there are a number of words in US English which jar with me as a native 
UK English speaker and one at the top of my list /is/ Math instead of Maths.

Me:
:-) I feel the same way about "maths". It ain't plural, why stick an s 
on it?

CJ