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Re: What is your reading pet peeve?  [message #73738 is a reply to message #73735] Fri, 08 December 2017 17:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
William King is currently offline  William King

Toe is in the water

Registered: October 2016
Messages: 98



gotten

North American 

past participle of get

Usage
As past participles of get, got and gotten both date back to Middle English. The form gotten is not used in British English but is very common in North American English. In North American English, got and gotten are not identical in use. Gotten usually implies the process of obtaining something, as in he had gotten us tickets for the show, while got implies the state of possession or ownership, as in I haven't got any money
Re: What is your reading pet peeve?  [message #73818 is a reply to message #73738] Fri, 05 January 2018 16:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Merkin is currently offline  Merkin

Getting started
Location: Virginia, U.S.A.
Registered: October 2017
Messages: 13



I am very late to this party but I cannot resist the topic.  I have two main 'pet peeves', either of which will usually throw me out of reading a story.  They may have been mentioned already.

One is the exclamation point.  I can't abide its use in narrative text, for I cannot accept being told by a writer that some statement he is making is so earthshakingly important that I must gasp upon reading it.  I have often thought we would benefit from removal of the exclamation point from the standard keyboard.

Another is the use of 'smirked', especially as a tag for dialogue.  In fact, its use either as a noun or a verb should be extremely limited, for it labels what is usually an offensive attitude:

·  verb: To smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner.
·  noun: An affected, often offensively self-satisfied smile.
(American Heritage Dictionary)

Thus I find its frequent use in stories by best friends, girl buddies, or even love interests to be extraordinary and puzzling.  Teenaged writers, in particular, seem to believe that smirking is the natural condition for human interaction.  I can only hope they will grow out of that view.

James Merkin
Re: What is your reading pet peeve?  [message #73819 is a reply to message #73818] Fri, 05 January 2018 17:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



"Merkin wrote on Fri, 05 January 2018 16:24"
I am very late to this party but I cannot resist the topic.  I have two main 'pet peeves', either of which will usually throw me out of reading a story.  They may have been mentioned already.

One is the exclamation point.  I can't abide its use in narrative text, for I cannot accept being told by a writer that some statement he is making is so earthshakingly important that I must gasp upon reading it.  I have often thought we would benefit from removal of the exclamation point from the standard keyboard.

Another is the use of 'smirked', especially as a tag for dialogue.  In fact, its use either as a noun or a verb should be extremely limited, for it labels what is usually an offensive attitude:

·  verb: To smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner.
·  noun: An affected, often offensively self-satisfied smile.
(American Heritage Dictionary)

Thus I find its frequent use in stories by best friends, girl buddies, or even love interests to be extraordinary and puzzling.  Teenaged writers, in particular, seem to believe that smirking is the natural condition for human interaction.  I can only hope they will grow out of that view.

James Merkin

--

We do need the exclamation mark for dialogue, though, and it also has a place as (!), though not, I think, in a story.

All those smirking children need to be made to stand on the naughty step!  Oopsy. I used a "!"  My excuse is that I am talking to you. I nearly used one again then.

[Updated on: Fri, 05 January 2018 17:12]




Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Re: What is your reading pet peeve?  [message #73825 is a reply to message #73819] Sat, 06 January 2018 14:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
William King is currently offline  William King

Toe is in the water

Registered: October 2016
Messages: 98



Smirk is or has become a synonym for grin.

grin
verb
1.smile broadly.
"Dennis appeared, grinning cheerfully"

synonyms: smile, smile broadly, beam, grin from ear to ear, smile from ear to ear, grin like a Cheshire cat, smirk;
"Guy grinned merrily at her"

noun
1.
a broad smile.
"a silly grin"

synonyms: smile, broad smile, smirk
"a silly grin"

Re: What is your reading pet peeve?  [message #73826 is a reply to message #73825] Sat, 06 January 2018 15:43 Go to previous message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13739



"William King wrote on Sat, 06 January 2018 14:25"
Smirk is or has become a synonym for grin.

grin
verb
1.smile broadly.
"Dennis appeared, grinning cheerfully"

synonyms: smile, smile broadly, beam, grin from ear to ear, smile from ear to ear, grin like a Cheshire cat, smirk;
"Guy grinned merrily at her"

noun
1.
a broad smile.
"a silly grin"

synonyms: smile, broad smile, smirk
"a silly grin"



--
Let me think

Ok, I have thought.

No.



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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